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Full House star's devastating cancer diagnosis

<p>Dave Coulier has revealed his devastating cancer diagnosis </p> <p>The <em>Full House</em> star told the <em>US Toda</em>y show about his "roller coaster" health struggle on Wednesday. </p> <p>After finding out that he was diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin lymphoma, he said it felt like "I got punched in the stomach because it never happens to you," according to <em>Page Six</em>. </p> <p>Coulier, whose first symptom was a lump in his groin, noted that he was “on pins and needles for a few days” while waiting to hear whether the disease had spread “to any major organs or [his] blood or bones or anything.”</p> <p>While waiting for his results, the 65-year-old actor told his wife, Melissa Coulier that he accepted his fate. </p> <p> “I’m OK with whatever the news [is] going to be no matter how devastating. … I’ve had an incredible life. I’ve had the most amazing people in my life. This has been an extraordinary journey, and I’m OK if this is the end of the journey”.</p> <p>Fortunately the cancer has not moved outside of his lymphatic system, and since then the actor has started chemotherapy, which he said was  “intense” and “scared the daylights” out of him.</p> <p>“There [are] days where I feel unbelievable,” he said. “Then there’s other days where … I’m just going to lay down and let this be what it’s going to be”.</p> <p>Coulier is expected to finish treatment in February 2025 after undergoing six rounds of chemo every three weeks. </p> <p>While the diagnosis was initially shocking, the actor has assured his fans that the curability rate is promising. </p> <p><em>Image: Ralph Dominguez/MediaPunch/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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AFL star's surprise wedding

<p>AFL star Jacob Weitering has tied the knot with his partner Isabel Khan in a surprise wedding on Friday. </p> <p>The pair went public with the news two days after the biggest celebration of their lives at Quat Quatta in Melbourne. </p> <p>Isabel posted several photos and videos on Instagram, with the caption "The best day of my life." </p> <p>Weitering's team-mate Sam Docherty and his partner Natalie played a big role in the day, with Natalie posting several videos on her Instagram story of the newlyweds after the ceremony. </p> <p>In a separate post, Docherty wrote: "Celebrating the Weiterings.</p> <p>"Congratulations on pulling off the surprise of the year honoured to share in your special day." </p> <p>Isabel replied "Couldn't have done it without you."</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/DCNQ9oSzvGP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCNQ9oSzvGP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Isabel Weitering (@isabelweitering)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The surprise wedding took place five months after the couple got engaged. </p> <p>The bride looked stunning as she walked down the aisle in a flowy gown with a sweetheart neckline detail. </p> <p>The couple were also filmed delivering their vows, sharing a kiss and posing for pictures and they walked back down the aisle together for the first time as husband and wife. </p> <p>In another clip the pair posed with their two puppies, with Isabel unable to contain her joy. </p> <p>Fellow AFL players were in attendance, including Zac Fisher and his wife Bella, who also tied the knot earlier this year. </p> <p>The milestone comes after the footy star signed a six-year contract extension with the Blues last month. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Former Home and Away star's joyful baby news

<p>Former <em>Home and Away</em> stars Rebecca Breeds and Luke Mitchell are expecting their first child together. </p> <p>The Australian actress and her co-star turned husband confirmed the happy news on Instagram. </p> <p>The 37-year-old actress made her little baby bump debut at the Adelaide Film Festival and shared a picture of herself on the red carpet looking stunning in a form-fitting pink dress. </p> <p>“VERY excited to share baby Mitchell and @kangarooislandmovie coming sooooooooon! Thanks @adlfilmfest for having us and everyone who came to support us🙏🤍,” she wrote on Instagram on Tuesday.</p> <p>The mum-to-be rested one of her hands on top of the baby bump as she proudly smiled for the cameras. </p> <p>The actress was at the festival for the premiere of her new film <em>Kangaroo Island</em> on the event's closing night. </p> <p>Her husband commented on the post with a series of heart-eyed emojis. </p> <p>Breeds' co-stars and fellow actors were quick to congratulate the couple in the comments. </p> <p>“Congratulations Bec and Luke! Very exciting news,”<em> Home and Away </em>star Lynne McGranger said.</p> <p>“Ahhhhh amazing you guys! This is the best news!” former <em>Home and Away </em>actress Jessica McNamee added. </p> <p>“Congrats!!!!!” <em>A Perfect Pairing </em>actor Adam Demos said.</p> <p>The couple first met on the set of <em>Home and Away</em> in 2009 and quickly became a fan-favourite off-screen relationship.</p> <p>Breeds played Ruby Buckton on the soap between 2008 and 2012, while Mitchell played Romeo Smith between 2009 and 2013.</p> <p>The couple tied the knot in January 2013 and went to live and work in the US for years before returning to Australia. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram/ Seven</em></p>

Relationships

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KIIS FM star's stunning countryside wedding

<p>Woody Whitelaw is officially married! </p> <p>The co-host of KIIS FM's <em>Will & Woody </em>exchanged vows with his long-time love Mimi Gibbs in a stunning ceremony in Victoria over the weekend. </p> <p>"The Whitelaw’s 🤍"  captioned a series of highlights from their wedding posted to Instagram.</p> <p>The pair tied the knot at the at the picturesque Euroa Butter Factory in front of friends and family including their two-year-old daughter Remi, who walked down the aisle and greeted her dad with a big hug. </p> <p>Whitelaw's co-host Will McMahon fulfilled his groomsmen duties at the wedding, which took less than four months to plan. </p> <p>The bride looked stunning in a white floor-length gown that featured a side split, while the radio star kept it classic with a black tuxedo and bow tie. </p> <p>Gibbs then opted for a shorter off-shoulder mini dress for the reception. </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/DB5ZxHSysrZ/?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/DB5ZxHSysrZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by MIMI • GIBBS (@mimgibbs)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Last week, KIIS FM made a <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DB0TnmDv-qQ/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video tribute</a> to the couple in honour of their wedding, and Whitelaw could be seen getting emotional as the big day approached. </p> <p>“I feel like the luckiest person in the world getting to marry Mim because she is truly the most amazing person I’ve ever come into contact with,” he said in the video shared to Instagram. </p> <p>“She’s always putting others before herself. She’s just so much fun. At all times, she just makes any situation very silly and very childish. I just can’t believe I will be calling her my wife, and I get to spend the rest of my life with her.”</p> <p>Gibbs also appeared in the clip with a sweet message to her husband. </p> <p>“I love him so much and I just am so excited to spend the rest of my life with him and loving him for an eternity,” she said.</p> <p>The wedding comes two years after the radio host proposed to Gibbs in their backyard, surprising her with a diamond ring as she lounged on a sunbed. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram/ </em><em>Mimo Weddings</em></p>

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How are racehorses really treated in the ‘sport of kings’?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cathrynne-henshall-572585">Cathrynne Henshall</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-sturt-university-849">Charles Sturt University</a></em></p> <p>It’s the time of year when shiny horses and colourful clothing fill our screens – the <a href="https://www.racing.com/spring-racing">Spring Racing Carnival</a>, which includes high profile races like The Everest, Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate.</p> <p>It’s also the time of year when questions are asked about the welfare of racehorses that compete in the so-called “<a href="https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/horse/how-we-shaped-horses-how-horses-shaped-us/sport/sport-of-kings#:%7E:text=Thoroughbred%20racing%20began%20around%20300,Asia%2C%20and%20the%20Middle%20East.">sport of kings</a>”.</p> <p>Previously, <a href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/superracing/punters-life/how-many-horses-have-died-in-the-melbourne-cup-the-real-numbers/news-story/5f7e29011a7fbf3da9e0611e902d1ee6">high profile deaths during races</a>, the <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0015622">use of whips</a> and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-17/making-a-killing/6127124">what happens to horses after racing</a> have been the focus of community concern.</p> <p>But recently, as we’ve come to know more about what makes a <a href="https://www.worldhorsewelfare.org/advice/welfare-wednesdays/how-to-provide-a-good-life-for-horses-friends-freedom-and-forage">good life for a horse</a>, questions are being raised about the daily lives of racehorses.</p> <p>Industry participants will point to the <a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/dont-tell-me-the-horse-racing-industry-doesnt-care/">high level care</a> that racehorses receive – comfortable stables, specially formulated diets, the latest vet treatments and added extras such as massages and swimming sessions.</p> <p>But does this care translate into good welfare?</p> <h2>The theory of ‘telos’</h2> <p>Firstly, a quick primer on the difference between care and welfare.</p> <p>Care includes all the things that make sure racehorses get fit, stay fit and stay healthy. This care helps maximise the chance a horse will win races.</p> <p>Welfare is the animal’s subjective or individual experience of its life – <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33066335/">how it feels</a> – and there are a number of ways to assess this.</p> <p>One way is the concept of “telos”, originally developed by Ancient Greek philosopher <a href="https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-causality/">Aristotle</a>.</p> <p>Telos is a <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10806-012-9422-y">species’ anatomical, physiological, behavioural and cognitive characteristics</a> that have been shaped by millions of years of evolution.</p> <p>Telos helps us to identify what matters to animals – their behavioural, psychological and physiological needs.</p> <p>So to consider if racehorse care actually translates to good welfare, we can assess how closely it provides the animal with the things that matter to them, based on their telos.</p> <p>Equine telos involves living in groups, forming long-lived social relationships, grazing fibrous plants and being on the move for up to 18 hours a day, as well as staying safe by sensing danger and then moving away.</p> <p>It also involves living in variable environments to solve challenges, learn, engage in curiosity and play.</p> <p>Let’s compare that to the daily life of a racehorse.</p> <h2>Movement and feeding</h2> <p>Firstly, the vast majority of racehorses live in stables – sometimes up to 23 hours a day.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17970632/">Multiple studies</a> have found continuous stabling harms horse welfare.</p> <p>Stables significantly restrict opportunities for voluntary movement, and studies show stabled horses spend <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37813129/">the majority of the time inactive</a>.</p> <p>Even though stables house horses communally, most designs limit horses’ opportunities for social interaction.</p> <p>Thirdly, there’s little for a horse to do in a stable other than eat, stand, drink or lie, and they often develop <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34670688/">abnormal behaviours</a> that are associated with stress. These are never seen in free-ranging horses.</p> <p>When racehorses do get to move, they have little say over how far, how fast and for how long they move.</p> <p>The kinds of physical exercise racehorses do are both significantly shorter in duration and at much higher speeds than horses voluntarily choose. It’s those speeds that place them at <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17910268/">risk of suffering a serious injury</a>.</p> <p>What about diet?</p> <p>Although a lot of time and effort is spent ensuring racehorses enjoy high quality diets, they are mostly comprised of concentrated energy sources such as grains, rather the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10135103/">fibre horses evolved to eat</a>.</p> <p>Horses are <a href="https://madbarn.com/slow-feeders-for-horses/#:%7E:text=Horses%20are%20trickle%20feeders%20that,to%2025%20miles%20per%20day.">trickle feeders</a> (grazers), with small stomachs that continuously secrete digestive juices.</p> <p>In the wild, grazing keeps those stomachs full, which prevents the stomach lining from being damaged by digestive acids.</p> <p>In comparison, racehorses often consume their food very quickly – instead of spending up to 75% of their day eating, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780702026348500137">they spend only 33%</a>.</p> <p>This means their stomachs are empty for most of the day, which is why up to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37048517/">65% will get painful gastric ulcers</a>.</p> <p>And having to wait to be fed rather than eating when hungry, as happens in free-ranging horses, <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/3/3/663">can lead to frustration</a>.</p> <h2>Other difficulties</h2> <p>Racehorses <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/does-whipping-hurt-race-horses-20211102-p595br.html">may be whipped</a>, and <a href="https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1982.tb02389.x">more than 50% </a> will experience some form of musculoskeletal injury during racing, of which between <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/2/270">7-49% are fatal</a>.</p> <p>Social relationships, in the limited form possible in a racing stable, are also frequently disrupted because horse populations are highly transient due to spelling, <a href="https://theconversation.com/black-caviars-death-has-prompted-uncomfortable-questions-about-how-champion-mares-spend-their-retirement-237039">retirement</a> or even just going to the races.</p> <p>So even if two horses are able to form a relationship of sorts, chances are one will be taken away. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=henshall+stress+repeated&amp;size=200">Separation distress is a significant stressor</a> for horses.</p> <p>Then there’s the gear that’s used to control them.</p> <p>Horses, like most animal species, escape and avoid painful stimuli.</p> <p>However, in racing (and many other equestrian activties) it is <a href="https://www.racingnsw.com.au/wp-content/uploads/NSWRules.pdf">mandatory to use</a> “bits” to control horses’ behaviour during riding and handling. Bits work by causing uncomfortable pressure and pain and may lead to mouth injuries.</p> <p>Studies have shown many people don’t understand how <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/08927936.2023.2166713#abstract">to minimise the harm they can cause</a>. In addition, people also vary widely in their ability to read and <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/12/1124">interpret behavioural responses to stress</a>.</p> <p>So, racehorses may be repeatedly exposed to pain from bits and perform a range of behaviours to try to escape that pain, like bolting, mouth opening or head tossing.</p> <p>To remedy this, additional items of restrictive equipment, such as <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34056705/">tongue ties</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/dressing-up-for-melbourne-cup-day-from-a-racehorse-point-of-view-104771">nosebands, lugging bits or bit burs</a> may be used to control the horse.</p> <p>Racehorses frequently show signs of difficulty coping with the stressors of racing life, including “going off their feed”, aggression towards handlers, becoming hard to control when ridden and a range of stress behaviours and health issues, <a href="https://avmajournals.avma.org/downloadpdf/view/journals/javma/260/15/javma.22.08.0358.pdf">such as bleeding from the lungs</a>.</p> <h2>What about welfare?</h2> <p>Racehorse care is often directed towards managing issues that are the direct result of the demands of the racing environment.</p> <p>Fancy stables and aqua sessions are not important to horses, and may even cause harm.</p> <p>What matters to horses are opportunities to make meaningful choices, such as the freedom to move, form friendships and graze for the majority of the day.</p> <p>Current racing industry practices often deny horses the chance to make these choices.</p> <p>There’s no doubt people in racing care deeply about their horses. But to experience good welfare during racing, racehorses need more than just good care.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/240998/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cathrynne-henshall-572585">Cathrynne Henshall</a>, Post-doctoral Fellow, School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-sturt-university-849">Charles Sturt University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-are-racehorses-really-treated-in-the-sport-of-kings-240998">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Family & Pets

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Seven star names and shames worst celeb interviews

<p>A former Channel Seven showbiz reporter has named and shamed the worst celebrities he's interviewed. </p> <p>Nelson Aspen, 61, who as an entertainment correspondent for Sunrise for two decades opened up on his worst celebrity encounters fellow showbiz reporter Kjersti Flaa on her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJ7xEdVa25s" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>YouTube show</em></a>. </p> <p>Flaa who is known for revealing her own "nightmare" celebrity encounter with Blake Lively, prompted Aspen to share his own experience with the <em>Gossip Girl </em>actress. </p> <p>Aspen said that his first interview with Lively in 2016 was “fun and playful” and he was "gobsmacked" by her beauty. But he had a very different experience just two years later when he interviewed her and Anna Kendrick for <em>A Simple Favor</em>. </p> <p>“I’m figuring, ‘Oh this is going to be fun.’ I’d interviewed Anna before and she’s fine, but Blake? She’s going to be be a hoot, I can’t wait,” Aspen recalled. </p> <p>“They were paired together, and I think that may have had something to do with it. She [Lively] could’ve been having a bad day, maybe they didn’t get along, maybe it was competition, maybe it was two egos trapped in the same room, maybe Blake is just better one-on-one … I don’t know, but she answered every question with a question, combatively.</p> <p>“It was not pleasant, and Anna sort of did the same. It’s like she was like, ‘OK this is girl power, we’re going to be team up on the journalist.’</p> <p>“And in your interview with Blake, I recognised it, this is a trait, obviously a recurring one,” he told Flaa.</p> <p>“Thanks to you, everybody’s warned.”</p> <p>He then revealed that one of his most uncomfortable chats was with Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro, and prior to his interview, a publicist warned him that De Niro "won't look you in the eyes". </p> <p>That was exactly what happened when he interviewed the actor. </p> <p>“The camera that was on me was off to a weird angle so that Robert never had to look me in the face,” Aspen recalled. </p> <p>“He looked off camera, but when we cut it together it looked as if he was looking at me.</p> <p>“They went to so much trouble to avoid him having to look at the journalist.”</p> <p>Another A-lister he interviewed was Marvel star Paul Rudd, considered to be one of the nicest guys in Hollywood, but Aspen said it wasn't always the case. </p> <p>“He’s usually very sweet, but it was his birthday, and that’s when everybody was talking about ‘ageless Paul Rudd’,” Aspen said.</p> <p>“They [publicists] said, ‘Don’t ask him about his youthful appearance, and don’t say Happy Birthday.’ I was like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’</p> <p>“Yes it was coming from the publicist, but he must have said, ‘I don’t want to talk about my birthday’.”</p> <p>"I can’t remember exactly how it went down, but whatever it was they were very sensitive about it, and it was very uncomfortable and awkward, and nobody says that about Paul Rudd.</p> <p>“But it happens, they’re people too.”</p> <p>However, his interviews weren't all bad, with Hugh Jackman known as one of the kindest stars in Hollywood. </p> <p>“I’ve interviewed him a thousand times. He’s the best,” Aspen said.</p> <p>Meryl Streep and Julie Andrews were also among Aspen’s favourites.</p> <p><em>Image: Youtube</em></p>

TV

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Dawson's Creek star reveals cancer diagnosis

<p>American actor James Van Der Beek has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, assuring his fans he is "feeling good" since coming to terms with the news. </p> <p>The <em>Dawson’s Creek</em> star, who played the titular character Dawson Leery, announced the news to <a href="https://people.com/james-van-der-beek-diagnosed-with-colorectal-cancer-exclusive-8738844" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>People</em></a> magazine, saying he had been dealing with the diagnosis "privately". </p> <p>“I have colorectal cancer. I’ve been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family,” the 47-year-old told the publication. </p> <p>“There’s reason for optimism, and I’m feeling good.”</p> <p>No further details regarding his diagnosis or treatment were shared.</p> <p>Van Der Beek has six children with his wife Kimberly, with his most recent Instagram post sharing photos of the family dressed up and going trick or treating. </p> <p>While the post did not mention is diagnosis, many flocked to the comments to share their well wishes. </p> <p>One fan wrote, "Just saw the people article. Best wishes for good health James. Takes a lot of courage strength to share something that personal."</p> <p>Another person added, "Positive thoughts, prayers and love to and your whole family at this time! ❤️huge fan of yours all around!"</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

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Beloved Friends, Tootsie and Mr Mom star passes away

<p>Teri Garr, the beloved actress known for her iconic roles in classic films such as <em>Young Frankenstein </em>and <em>Tootsie </em>and her appearances on <em>Friends</em>, has passed away at the age of 79.</p> <p>Her death, confirmed by her publicist Heidi Schaeffer, occurred on Tuesday in Los Angeles, surrounded by family and friends. Garr's passing follows a long battle with multiple sclerosis, a condition she publicly disclosed in 2002 to raise awareness about the disease and its impact on daily life.</p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Born Terry Ann Garr in Lakewood, Ohio, in 1944, Teri grew up in a theatrical family; her father was a vaudeville performer and her mother a Rockette. This background set the stage for Garr's early career, which began as a background dancer in Elvis Presley films during the 1960s. Her breakout role came in 1974 when she starred as Inga, the charming lab assistant to Gene Wilder's character in Mel Brooks' </span><em style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Young Frankenstein</em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">. The film became a cornerstone of American comedy, showcasing Garr's unique blend of humour and warmth.</span></p> <p>Garr further solidified her place in cinematic history with her performance in <em>Tootsie</em> in 1982, where she portrayed the vulnerable actress friend of Dustin Hoffman’s character. This role earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Critics praised her ability to balance comedy with emotional depth, with film critic Pauline Kael calling her "the funniest neurotic dizzy dame on the screen" at that time.</p> <p>Despite her success, Garr faced significant challenges due to her health. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis during the filming of <em>Tootsie</em>, a struggle she detailed in her memoir, <em>Speedbumps: Flooring It Through Hollywood</em>. In it, she described MS as a "sneaky disease," one that complicated her life and career but did not define it. “My body had a trick or two up its sleeve," she wrote. "A stumble here, a tingling finger there. I was trained as a dancer and knew better than to indulge the random aches and pains that visited now and then. Being a successful Hollywood actress may be challenging, but little did I know that the very body that had always been my calling card would betray me.”</p> <p>Garr became an advocate for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, using her platform to inspire others facing similar challenges.</p> <p>Throughout her career, Garr appeared in over 140 film and TV projects. She was known for her roles in <em>Mr. Mom</em>, <em>Close Encounters of the Third Kind</em>, and various television shows including <em>Friends</em>, where she played Phoebe's birth mother. Her playful spirit and comedic timing made her a favourite among audiences and fellow actors alike.</p> <p>In recent years, Garr had limited her appearances due to health issues but remained an influential figure in Hollywood. Tributes have poured in from fans and colleagues alike, celebrating her legacy as a pioneer for women in comedy and an inspiration for those battling chronic illnesses. </p> <p>Teri Garr leaves behind a rich legacy filled with laughter and heart. She is survived by her daughter Molly O'Neil and grandson Tyryn. Her contributions to film and television will be remembered fondly by generations to come.</p> <p><em>Images: CNN \ Fox Studios</em></p>

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"Happiest man alive": Sunrise star ties the knot

<p><em>Sunrise</em> star James Tobin has tied the knot with his long-time partner Farrah in an intimate ceremony at the Junee Licorice and Chocolate factory in the NSW Riverina region.</p> <p>After getting engaged last year, the couple were joined by their close friends and family with James looking dashing in a cream suit paired with a crisp blue shirt and tie, finishing off his modern look with a boutonniere and tan loafers.</p> <p>Farah opted for an equally elegant look wearing a glamorous white, beaded gown, that stopped above the knee and was sleeveless.</p> <p>Following the ceremony, guests enjoyed a long lunch, before dancing the night away at the venue.</p> <p>The couple opted to ditch the traditional wedding cake, instead choosing a smash cake, which they broke into as their wedding guests watched on.</p> <p>Some wedding guests shared photos of the loved up couple on their special day, with one person saying it was a "beautiful day", while another said the wedding had the "best dance floor since the early 2000s".</p> <p>Tobin revealed he and Farah got engaged last October in a post on Instagram, saying, “A bit of news… we’re getting married ❤️ I’m thrilled to tell you I asked Farrah to marry me and she said ‘yes’."</p> <p>"We’re looking forward to starting the next chapter of our lives together. I’m the happiest man alive ,” he ended his post.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Relationships

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Wheel of Fortune star weds in lavish ceremony

<p>Sophie Falkiner has tied the knot with Stephen Wood in a lavish ceremony in Sydney's Northern Beaches. </p> <p>The <em>Wheel of Fortune</em> presenter, 51,  looked stunning in a white strapless gown with beading on the corset. She had her hair in Hollywood waves and completed the look with a pop of red lipstick.</p> <p>The groom complimented her in a classic tux with a white rose pinned to the lapel. </p> <p>The ceremony took place at Pasadena, a restaurant on Sydney's Northern Beaches, decorated with pink and white flowers that matched the pink velvet chairs and white draping on the ceiling. </p> <p>The couple said "I do" on the waterfront at  Church Point, with a flower arch behind them.</p> <p>Friends congratulated the bride and groom on social media. </p> <p>"The most beautiful happy wedding of @sophie_falkiner and Steve, congratulations to a gorgeous couple and family," wrote entrepreneur, Jose Bryce Smith.</p> <p>"THE most beautiful wedding ever. The love, warmth, beauty, talent, company, location… and my favourite part, the speeches! Enchanting, elegant and full of heart, just like our @sophie_falkiner. Congratulations Sophie and Stephen! May your joy and happiness only multiply!" wrote digital creator, Alina Rose.</p> <p>The couple got engaged two years ago after Wood popped the question while they were holidaying in Queensland's idyllic Whitsunday Islands.</p> <p>They met after Falkiner's divorce from radio executive Tony Thomas after 14 years of marriage and they share children Bella, 17, and Jack, 14.</p> <p>Falkiner described how "easy" her new relationship was, saying:  "I think when you meet the right person it's easy. There's a comradery, a friendship."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Olympic champion inducted to Sport Australia Hall of Fame

<p>Olympic gold medallist Sally Pearson and surfing legend Mick Fanning have joined the most elite group of Australian sportspeople, after being inducted to the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (SAHOF). </p> <p>Pearson is one of only nine Australian women to win an Olympic track and field gold medal, winning her first gold in London 2012. She won a silver medal in 2008 for the 100m hurdles, and has World Championship success in 2011 and 2017.</p> <p>She is also the first Australian to be named World Athlete of the year, and won the SAHOF’s “The Don” Award twice. </p> <p> Pearson said it was “surreal” to be included in such esteemed company, including the likes of Cathy Freeman, her childhood hero.</p> <p>“I don’t think it’s really sunk in. It’s so surreal. It feels like it just happens to people you see on TV,” she said.</p> <p>“I still feel like I’m watching the Sydney Olympics and watching Cathy Freeman run. When Steve Hooker won gold in Beijing I was sitting on the sidelines.</p> <p>“Even though I won silver, I was thinking, this is really cool. I’m watching this person, this athlete, just doing amazing things. It’s a bizarre feeling that I’m one of those people now.”</p> <p>Surfing legend Mick Fanning, who is already a member of the World Surfers’ Hall of Fame and Australian Surfing Hall of Fame and said he was pretty “flabbergasted” to be elevated into the SAHOF. </p> <p>“Australia produces so many incredible sporting stars and to be honoured as one of those, among the greats, I’m pretty flabbergasted, to be honest,” he said.</p> <p>“It’s not something that we ever look for when we’re doing our sport, but to be acknowledged later in life is very special and I’m very honoured to be able to share it with people who have supported me.</p> <p>“I wasn’t the most talented person, I wasn’t the most gifted, I didn’t have the most money or anything like that, but I just gave it my all.’’</p> <p>Fanning enters as a three-time world champion for surfing. </p> <p>Motorsport great Mark Skaife, former Kookaburras’ captain Mark Knowles, lawn bowls trailblazer Karen Murphy and dual-sport Paralympics champion Liesl Tesch are some of the other 2024 inductees. </p> <p><em>Image: Colorsport/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

Body

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Broadway star files for divorce amid Hugh Jackman rumour

<p>Broadway star Sutton Foster has filed for divorce from her screenwriter husband, Ted Griffin, after ten years of marriage. </p> <p>The 49-year-old actress filed for uncontested divorce in New York County Supreme Court on Tuesday, according to <em>Page Six</em>. </p> <p>The pair got married in Santa Barbara in 2014, and adopted their daughter Emily three years later. </p> <p>Page Six reports that rumours about Foster's marriage being on the rocks began circulating in Broadway circles when she starred in The Music Man alongside Hugh Jackman. They also said that multiple sources have claimed the pair have fallen in love. </p> <p>“They are 100 per cent together and are in love and want to spend the rest of their lives together,” a source previously told <em>Page Six</em>.</p> <p>The publication claims that their relationship is going strong, but they have been staying out of the public eye and keeping it under wraps. </p> <p>“They are still together,” a source told <em>Page Six</em>. </p> <p>“They go out of their way to hide it, but it’s common knowledge.”</p> <p>Jackman filed for divorce from Deborra-Lee Furness, after 27 years of marriage, in September 2023. </p> <p>Furness and Jackman released a joint statement at the time, saying: “We have been blessed to share almost three decades together as husband and wife in a wonderful, loving marriage. Our journey now is shifting, and we have decided to separate to pursue our individual growth.”</p> <p>Neither Jackman or Foster have commented on the reports. </p> <p><em>Image: Lev Radin/Pacific Press/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

Relationships

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Bondi Rescue star charged with domestic violence offences

<p><em>Bondi Rescue</em> star Andrew Reid is facing domestic violence charges over a series of alleged assault in Sydney. </p> <p>The 45-year-old lifeguard and reality TV star has pleaded not guilty to two counts of common assault, which allegedly took place between November 2022 and January this year on the city's North Shore, according to the<em> Sydney Morning Herald</em>. </p> <p>He also faces a third assault charge dating back to March, while a fourth domestic violence charged was dismissed. </p> <p>The allegations relate to the same woman, who has been listed as a protected person under an apprehended domestic violence order against Reid. </p> <p>Reid has appeared at a hearing to oppose the allegations against him. </p> <p>His lawyer Margaret Cunneen told the Sydney Morning Herald that the allegations will be "vigorously defended". </p> <p>"There are three very disparate allegations with a long time in between all, of which on the defence case, could be accounted for by an accident," she said. </p> <p>"There is no hitting or punching alleged. His good character will be squarely raised in the question of proof in these allegations"</p> <p>Earlier this year, the longtime Bondi Rescue star made headlines for helping people during the deadly Westfield Bondi Junction attack in April. </p> <p>Reid, who has first-aid training, aided some of the wounded during the attack that left six people dead. </p> <p>At the time, he had been locked behind a safety door in Myer, before he convinced a security guard to let him out to help a woman who was bleeding. </p> <p>The hearing will continue in March next year. </p> <p><strong><em>Need to talk to someone? Don't go it alone.</em></strong></p> <p><em>Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at <strong>1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)</strong>.</em></p> <p><em>Readers seeking support can also contact Lifeline on <strong>13 11 14 </strong>or beyond blue on <strong>1300 22 4636</strong>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Nine</em></p>

Legal

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"One of the greatest men": Tarzan star dies at age 86

<p><em>Tarzan</em> star Ron Ely has died at the age of 86. </p> <p>The news of his passing was confirmed in an emotional statement by his daughter Kirsten, who wrote, “The world has lost one of the greatest men it has ever known – and I have lost my dad."</p> <p>“My father was someone that people called a hero. He was an actor, writer, coach, mentor, family man and leader. He created a powerful wave of positive influence wherever he went. The impact he had on others is something that I have never witnessed in any other person – there was something truly magical about him. This is how the world knew him.”</p> <p>“I knew him as my dad – and what a heaven sent honour that has been. To me, he hung the moon.”</p> <p>“My father’s life story was one of relentless perseverance, unending dedication to his family and friends, courage to do what was right, and willing sacrifice to facilitate the dreams of those he loved,” Kirsten continued.</p> <p>“It was also a story of joy and love – something everyone close to him had the privilege of experiencing. Once you knew my father’s love, the world grew to be a brighter and more meaningful place.”</p> <p>“I am doing my best to walk this path of loss with the strength and grace that I know he would want for me,” she added. </p> <p>“My greatest comfort is knowing that my dad is with my momma and my brother. It is also my greatest sadness because I miss them all so much that it’s etched into my soul. I will proudly carry all of my favourite pieces of them – lovingly cemented into my heart – until we all meet again.”</p> <p>Ely first one to fame in the 1960s with his role as <em>Tarzan</em> in the NBC TV series, which ran from 1966 to 1968. </p> <p>He later returned for Universal’s <em>Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze</em> in 1975, and took on guest roles on some of TV’s biggest shows, including <em>Wonder Woman</em>, <em>The Love Boat</em>, <em>Fantasy Island</em> and <em>Superboy</em>.</p> <p>Ely is survived by his daughters, Kirstin and Kaitland. In 2019, his son, Cameron, was shot and killed by Santa Barbara County sheriff's deputies after allegedly stabbing his mother, Ely’s wife, to death.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Matthew Rettenmund / Banner/Kobal / Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

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Nova radio star breaks down in heartwarming interview with Kate Winslet

<p>Kate Winslet shared a heartwarming moment live on-air with Kate Ritchie on <em>Nova </em>radio on Wednesday morning.</p> <p>The Hollywood star appeared on <em>Fitzy and Wippa with Kate Ritchie </em>to promote her new movie, <em>Lee</em>, where Ritchie brought up the star's powerful comments about the scrutiny women in the public eye face. </p> <p>“I have to say to, I just want to thank you for the conversations that you have about body image," Ritchie said. </p> <p>“What we do have in common is that we somewhat grew up in the public eye; I grew up on a television show," the former<em> Home and Away</em> actress added. </p> <p>She then praised Winslet for continually speaking out about “women and young girls, growing up and having people comment about us and pass judgement and feel as though its OK to say certain things. I think we’ve always known that it's not OK."</p> <p>“But it’s been really hard conversation to have and it’s hard to sometimes stand up and say ‘This does not make me feel good’ and ‘it’s not OK for someone to speak that way’, and someone of your calibre, I hope you know the value of you having these conversations. Because it makes me, and I’m sure millions of other women …” she said while tearing up. </p> <p>“Oh she’s unravelling in here!” Winslet said in attempt to lighten the mood, as she shared a smile in agreement. </p> <p>“That’s really very kind,” said Winslet. “I think women are getting better at standing up for each other as well as standing up for ourselves.”</p> <p>Winslet has been very vocal about women standing up for themselves and has led by example, revealing in another interview that she was forced to defend herself to a crew member while filming the movie. </p> <p>“There’s a bit where Lee’s sitting on a bench in a bikini and one of the crew came up between takes and said: ‘You might want to sit up straighter.’ So you can’t see my belly rolls? Not on your life! It was deliberate, you know?” she told <em>Harper's Bazaar UK</em>. </p> <p><em>Images: Nova</em></p>

Movies

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Baywatch star dies after lengthy health battle

<p><em>Baywatch</em> actor Michael Newman has died at the age of 68 after a lengthy battle with Parkinson's disease. </p> <p>The actor, who played  lifeguard Mike “Newmie” Newman on <em>Baywatch</em> in the 1990s, was diagnosed with the neurological condition 18 years ago, and died “from heart complications” on Sunday evening “surrounded by his family and friends.”</p> <p>His death was confirmed Tuesday by Newman’s close friend, Matt Felker, who recently directed the Hulu docu-series about <em>Baywatch</em>.</p> <p>“I got to see Mike the last time he was conscious and he looked [at] me and in typical Mike fashion said, ‘You’re just in time,’” Felker told <a href="https://people.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>People</em>.</a></p> <p>Newman was the only <em>Baywatch</em> cast member who was a real-life lifeguard. He appeared on 150 episodes of the show, the most of anyone except David Hasselhoff.</p> <p>While starring on Baywatch, he continued to work as a full-time firefighter and returned to the job after the show ended in 2001, until he retired after 25 years.</p> <p>Newman was 50 when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2006, as he spoke about living with the disease just months ago. </p> <p>“This terminal disease has allowed me a lot of thinking time, which I maybe didn’t want, but it’s brought me wisdom,” Newman told <em>People</em> in August.</p> <p>“My body has changed so slowly that I hardly notice it, yet I am constantly reminded that Parkinson’s has now become the centre of my life,” he added.</p> <p>“I am cherishing the days that I get to be on this earth with family and friends,” he went on. “I’m taking life seriously.”</p> <p>Newman spent the final years of his life raising money with the Michael J. Fox Foundation to help find a cure for Parkinson’s.</p> <p>The late star is survived by his wife of 36 years, Sarah, their children Chris and Emily, and their 1-year-old granddaughter, Charlie.</p> <p><em>Image credits: SplashNews.com/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

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NRL star ties the knot in lavish Italian wedding

<p>Sam Burgess and Lucy Graham have tied the knot! </p> <p>The couple said "I do" in Rome, Italy over the weekend, one year after they welcomed their daughter Robbie. </p> <p>Graham took to Instagram to share a series of photos from their big day, alongside the caption: "20.10.24". </p> <p>The couple married at the historic Villa  Aurelia, a 17th-century Baroque villa nestled on the highest point of the walls within Rome.</p> <p>Instead of going with the traditional white dress, Graham wore a champagne coloured gown with a matching veil, with daughter Robbie in a similar coloured dress. </p> <p>The former NRL player wore a black suit with a white button up and a black bowtie. </p> <p>A lot of the decor was neutral-toned but they had beautiful red flowers as their centrepieces which added a pop of colour. </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/DBYjWBztMab/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DBYjWBztMab/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lucy Graham (@lcygrhm)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p> </p> <p>Loved ones took to the comments to congratulate the couple, with Tahlia Giumelli, who is married to Tom Burgess, commenting: "Congratulations guys! Hope you had a beautiful day. Everyone looking gorgeous. Xx." </p> <p>Blake Taaffe, who used to play for the Rabbitohs before moving to the Bulldogs, also commented saying:  "Congrats guys 💙💙"</p> <p>Hymel Hunt, who also used to play for the Rabbitohs said: "Congrats guys 😍 love the pics!!!!"</p> <p>Burgess and Graham got engaged in June 2023 after confirming their relationship in September 2022. </p> <p>In September 2023 they had welcomed their daughter Robbie during the grand final week. </p> <p>Burgess was previously married to Phoebe Burgess from 2015 to 2019. They share two children Poppy, 7, and Billy, 5. </p> <p><em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Images: Instagram</span></em></p>

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Pokies? Lotto? Sports betting? Which forms of problem gambling affect Australians the most?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alex-russell-133860">Alex Russell</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-browne-97705">Matthew Browne</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-rockloff-569">Matthew Rockloff</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a></em></p> <p>Gambling, especially sports and race betting, is a hot political issue at the moment.</p> <p>This is largely due to the recommendations from a 2023 report from a nonpartisan federal government committee, chaired by the late Peta Murphy, called <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Social_Policy_and_Legal_Affairs/Onlinegamblingimpacts/Report">You Win Some, You Lose More</a>.</p> <p>This report <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/House/Social_Policy_and_Legal_Affairs/Onlinegamblingimpacts/Report/List_of_recommendations">recommended</a> “the Australian government, with the cooperation of the states and territories, implement a comprehensive ban on all forms of advertising for online gambling”.</p> <p>This has led to lots of debate and controversy.</p> <p>Recently, Peter V’landys, head of the NRL and Racing NSW, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/nanny-state-nrl-afl-storm-the-field-over-gambling-ads-20240920-p5kc2q.html">claimed</a> lotteries were more harmful than race and sports betting combined, citing independent statistics.</p> <p>Let’s explore the relative harm of different types of gambling and see if this claim holds up.</p> <h2>Australians love a punt</h2> <p>Gambling is widespread in Australia, with <a href="https://www.gamblingresearch.org.au/publications/second-national-study-interactive-gambling-australia-2019-20">more than half of adults</a> engaging in at least one form each year.</p> <p>According to the <a href="https://www.gamblingresearch.org.au/publications/second-national-study-interactive-gambling-australia-2019-20">latest national data</a>, lotteries are the most common type (40% of Australians buy a ticket annually), followed by race betting (17%), pokies (16%), scratchies (15.7%) and sports betting (9.6%).</p> <p>However, the popularity of a gambling form doesn’t necessarily reflect its harm. Different gambling activities have distinct characteristics.</p> <p>Two key factors mean that some gambling forms are more harmful than others: the speed of gambling and bet size.</p> <p>Pokies allow for frequent, small bets, with spins every three seconds. Race and sports betting can involve much larger sums and betting that is relatively fast, but still slower than pokie spins.</p> <p>Sports betting, in particular, is getting faster with in-play betting and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30386964/">microbetting</a>.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hI_XFOc4is0?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Poker machines, or ‘pokies’ are the biggest single source of gambling losses in Australia.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>Lotteries, on the other hand, are much slower-paced.</p> <p>People typically spend a small amount on tickets and wait for a draw to find out if they’ve won.</p> <p>Although it’s possible to spend a lot on tickets, <a href="https://www.qgso.qld.gov.au/statistics/theme/society/gambling/australian-gambling-statistics">people tend not to</a>, unlike with faster gambling forms.</p> <p>The average spend on pokies among the 16% who play them is around $4,782 per year, compared to an average spend on lotteries of $377 per year. These are averages. Most won’t spend these amounts but some will spend far more, which raises the average amount.</p> <p>V’landys’ claim about lotteries being more harmful than race and sports betting was based on “independent statistics”.</p> <p>He said that of 100 people seeking help from a gambling hotline, 70 had issues with pokies, 15 with lotteries, eight with race betting, four with sports betting, and three with casinos.</p> <p>We were unable to verify these figures – if anyone has the data, we’d love to see the research to assess them.</p> <p>However, we do have publicly available data.</p> <h2>What the data say</h2> <p>The NSW GambleAware website’s <a href="https://www.gambleaware.nsw.gov.au/-/media/ghs-annual-activity-report-2020-21.ashx?rev=e070f9c8bdbf4031816a852f27246c54&amp;hash=C5FC3AA23BE5F2EF69D551A5E2292BA9#:%7E:text=Of%20the%20clients%20receiving%20counselling,36.9%25%20of%20all%20female%20clients.">2020-21</a> report shows that of 2,886 people seeking help, 73.3% identified pokies as their primary form of gambling, while only 13 people (less than 1%) listed lotteries. Race betting accounted for 13.1%, and sports betting for 7.9%.</p> <p>These patterns were consistent with <a href="https://www.gambleaware.nsw.gov.au/about-us/corporate-documents">previous years</a>.</p> <p>People who experience problems also usually take part in more than one form of gambling, as the NSW report showed.</p> <p>When these secondary gambling activities were considered, sports betting was cited by 35.5%, race betting by 33.5%, pokies by 19.5%, and lotteries by 13.7%.</p> <h2>What we discovered</h2> <p>The best evidence on gambling problems and harm comes from large-scale prevalence studies, typically commissioned by governments and conducted by independent researchers.</p> <p>These studies offer high-quality insights into how each gambling form contributes to problems.</p> <p>While one prevalence study is great, our team recently combined data from seven national and state-based prevalence studies. This resulted in a very high-quality dataset that we can use to study this question.</p> <p>In <a href="https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2006/12/1/article-p182.xml">our analysis</a>, we used statistical techniques to show how strongly each gambling form is associated with problems.</p> <p>These techniques give us regression coefficients, which are just numbers that tell us how strong the association is. A higher number means a stronger association between that form and gambling problems.</p> <p>The most problematic form was pokies (coefficient = 0.147), followed by casino games (0.136), sports betting (0.068) and race betting (0.038).</p> <p>Lotteries, with a coefficient of 0.001, were the least problematic and were not statistically significant even in our large sample.</p> <p>As you might guess from such a low number, there’s very little relationship between lotteries and gambling problems.</p> <h2>What about prevalence?</h2> <p>Prevalence matters too – while pokies were most strongly associated with problems, the number of people participating in each gambling form is also important.</p> <p>Let’s consider an analogy – a car that gives out a lot of exhaust fumes. That car is harmful, but if virtually no one owns one, then it’s not going to account for much pollution.</p> <p>The same idea applies for gambling forms. If a gambling form is very harmful but very few people do it, it doesn’t account for many problems in the population.</p> <p>It works the other way, too – if there is a very clean type of car that many people drive, they also won’t add up to much pollution.</p> <p>Similarly, if we have gambling forms that have very little association with problems, it won’t add up to many problems in the population, even if lots of people take part.</p> <p>The regression coefficients tell us how problematic each gambling form is. Prevalance tells us how many people do it.</p> <p>When we combine these two bits of information, we can work out the degree of problems in the community that come from each form.</p> <p>When we did this, pokies were responsible for 52-57% of gambling problems in the community.</p> <p>Sports and race betting each contributed 9-11%, with a combined total of around 20%.</p> <p>Lotteries accounted for just 0.1-1% of problems.</p> <p>Even if we include scratchies as part of lotteries, this only adds another 2-5% of problems, still far below sports and race betting.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe id="quxHH" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: 0;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/quxHH/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <hr /> <h2>The real issue</h2> <p>What’s the takeaway?</p> <p>Lotteries are widely played but are not typically associated with much harm.</p> <p>Sports and race betting, despite having fewer participants, are more harmful due to their faster pace and the potential for large, frequent bets.</p> <p>Lotteries involve slower betting and lower spending, making them much less risky.</p> <p>If we aim to reduce gambling harm in our community, the focus should be on pokies, which are widespread in pubs and clubs <a href="https://akjournals.com/view/journals/2006/12/3/article-p721.xml">outside WA</a>, casino games and race and sports betting.</p> <p>These forms have features that make them far more harmful than slower-paced gambling like lotteries.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/240665/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alex-russell-133860">Alex Russell</a>, Principal Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-browne-97705">Matthew Browne</a>, Senior Lecturer in Statistics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-rockloff-569">Matthew Rockloff</a>, Head, Experimental Gambling Research Lab, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/cquniversity-australia-2140">CQUniversity Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/pokies-lotto-sports-betting-which-forms-of-problem-gambling-affect-australians-the-most-240665">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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One Direction star passes away aged 31

<p>Former One Direction star Liam Payne has reportedly been found dead outside a hotel in Buenos Aires, in Argentina, according to local newspaper <em>La Nacion</em>.</p> <p>The 31-year-old is believed to have fallen from the third floor of a hotel at around 5pm local time the newspaper said, citing emergency services.</p> <p>According to<em> La Nacion</em> the local police station was called by the hotel manager who reported "an aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol". </p> <p>It is reported that Payne fell from around 13 or 14 metres and suffered "very serious injuries incompatible with life." </p> <p>Alberto Crescenti, head of the state emergency medical system SAME (El Sistema de Atención Médica de Emergencias), told local TV that Payne had fallen into a courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in the Palermo neighbourhood.</p> <p>“At 17.11, a SAME team arrived and confirmed the man’s death. We later learned that he was a singer in a musical group.</p> <p>“Unfortunately, he had injuries incompatible with life as a result of his fall, so we had to confirm his death. There was no possibility of resuscitation.”</p> <p>Payne was one of the founding members of One Direction, one of the most loved boy bands of the past decade.</p> <p>He auditioned first as a solo act for the UK reality series The X Factor in 2008, before being eliminated.</p> <p>In 2010 he auditioned again and was grouped with Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik by the judges to form One Direction.</p> <p><em>Image: SplashNews.com/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p> <p> </p>

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