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Thai cave rescue survivor dies aged just 17

<p>Duangphet Promthep, one of 12 boys who was rescued along with their soccer coach from the Tham Luang Nang Non cave system in northern Thailand, has died. </p> <p>Duangphet was found unconscious in his dormitory on Sunday, and sadly passed away two days later. While the exact cause of death is unknown at this time, reports from the United Kingdom suggest he had suffered a head injury. </p> <p>Duangphet had only been enrolled in Leicester’s Brooke House College Football Academy since late 2022. </p> <p>Thai non-profit organisation Zico Foundation, which had assisted him in getting a scholarship to study in England, shared its condolences on Facebook. </p> <p>“Zico Foundation would like to express its condolences and condolence for the passing away of Little Dom Duangphet Phromthep,” they wrote of Duangphet, who also went by the name ‘Dom’, “a student of Zico Foundation.”</p> <p>When Duangphet was only 13 years old, he was trapped with his soccer team - the Wild Boars soccer team of which he was captain - and their squad’s assistant coach for over two weeks in a cave system known as the ‘Great Cave of the Sleeping Lady'. </p> <p>The twelve boys were between the ages 11 and 16, and 4 kilometres into their fateful adventure, when rising floodwaters prevented their escape from Thailand’s fourth-largest cave system. </p> <p>It was an international effort to save the boys and their coach, with a search and rescue mission that spanned over two weeks, with divers from Thailand and from overseas stepping in to help. </p> <p>Some of the boys who were with him in those terrifying times shared their condolences on social media as news of his passing broke around the world. </p> <p>“Brother, you told me that we would be achieving our football dream,” wrote Titan Chanin Viboonrungruan. “If the next world is real, I want us to play football together again, my brother Dom.”</p> <p>“You told me to wait and see you play for the national team, I always believed that you would do it," Prachak Sutham said. "When we met the last time before you left for England, I even jokingly told you that when you come back, I would have to ask for your autograph.</p> <p>"Sleep well, my dear friend. We will always have 13 of us together."</p> <p>In a statement, Duangphet’s school principal Ian Smith said, “this event has left our college community deeply saddened and shaken.</p> <p>“We unite in grief with all of Dom's family, friends, former teammates and those involved in all parts of his life, as well as everyone affected in any way by this loss in Thailand and throughout the college's global family."</p> <p>Dom’s mother joined an online news conference and shared her hope that a Buddhist monk in England would be able to conduct rites for Duangphet.</p> <p>In that same conference, former Thai national soccer team coach and the Zico Foundation’s chairman Kiatisuk Senamuang, described his shock at the news of Duangphet’s passing. </p> <p>“My thoughts are with his family and friends,' he said, fighting tears. 'I think back to his dream of becoming a professional footballer, representing his country and his voice keeps speaking in my head.”</p> <p>He went on to explain that as far as he knew, Duangphet had been healthy, as a full health check had been performed in order for Duangphet to obtain his student visa. While his cause of death is currently unknown, an investigation into the cause will likely take place, and hopefully provide his loved ones with closure in this tragic time. </p> <p><em>Image: Facebook</em></p> <p> </p>

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17 best places to travel in 2023

<p><strong>Let's hit the road!</strong></p> <p>From Europe to Asia, Africa to the Caribbean and the US, we’re seeing a return to full-throttle events and the debut of new attractions and hotels that will make you want to break out your calendar and start planning your holiday days.</p> <p>Not sure where to go? To get you started, we’ve rounded up some of the best places to travel in 2023, whether you want beach getaways, cheap places to travel, hidden gems, city breaks or a far-flung adventure. All you need to do is pick the place that appeals to you.</p> <p>Happy travels!</p> <p><strong>New Orleans, USA</strong></p> <p>The Big Easy is ready to let the good times roll in 2023. After several scaled-down Mardi Gras celebrations due to the pandemic, the Carnival parades and parties are back in full swing, leading up to the epic party and celebration that will be held on February 21.</p> <p>Another reason New Orleans makes our list of best places to travel this year: a fully renovated Audubon Aquarium newly integrated with the Audubon Insectarium will reopen in time for northern summer 2023.</p> <p>Don’t miss dining spots include the new and old in this delicious city. No trip would be complete without indulging in the Sunday jazz brunch at Arnaud’s and a visit to the recently opened French-influenced Couvant. Stay at the Eliza Jane, a popular Hyatt Unbound property just steps away from the French Quarter on Magazine Street. Once the headquarters of the Times-Picayune, NOLA’s local newspaper, the hotel embraces its historic setting and history (Eliza Jane was the paper’s owner in the late 1800s, one of the first women to run a newspaper) with new offerings this year, including a women’s literary circle.</p> <p><strong>London, UK</strong></p> <p>Welcome to the era of King Charles. After the outpouring of support for the royal family in 2022 – first for Queen Elizabeth’s Royal Jubilee, and then for the queen’s funeral a few months later – all eyes are once again on the House of Windsor in 2023. King Charles will step into the limelight with his coronation on May 6, the first such event in the country since Queen Elizabeth’s ascent to the throne more than 70 years ago. Expect pomp, circumstance and lots of parties.</p> <p>To explore the city, check out the Go City, which gives you front-of-the-line access to some of the most popular London sights, including the Tower of London, where the British crown jewels are housed.</p> <p>If you’re looking for a royal-worthy hotel, check out The Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair, not far from Buckingham Palace. The iconic property celebrated its 185th anniversary in 2022, and its jewel-box lobby looks fit for a king (the hotel claims it’s the most Instagrammed lobby in the world). A splurge-worthy tea, one of the most coveted seats in London, awaits in the plush lounge downstairs – order a glass of champers and toast the new monarch.</p> <p><strong>Namibia</strong></p> <p>Wildlife and adventure lovers looking for an off-the-beaten-path African Safari bucket-list trip should head straight to Namibia in 2023 – this country in southern Africa is the perfect place to travel to reconnect with nature and escape the modern stresses of life. On the wildlife front, you may see lions and cheetahs along with giraffes and elephants, in addition to strong populations of both black and white rhinos. Other bucket-list activities range from climbing the world’s tallest sand dunes at Sossusvlei to discovering the stark beauty of the windswept Skeleton Coast.</p> <p>There’s also something else completely unique here for your 2023 travel: a ‘shipwreck’ lodge where you can stay in private villas that look, and feel, like you’ve crashed upon the shores as a Robinson Crusoe – style castaway. Don’t worry, you’ll still have great food and service and access to guided safaris while you’re in this desert hideaway.</p> <p><strong>Yellowstone National Park, USA</strong></p> <p>As close to a natural theme park as you’ll ever find, Yellowstone dazzles with rainbow pools, steaming geysers, bubbling mud pits and even a ‘Grand Canyon’ – not to mention amazing wildlife.</p> <p>The park is the perfect 2023 destination, especially since travellers find inspiration in outdoorsy destinations and mind-blowing landscapes, according to a recent travel trends report from Expedia Travel Group. Think log-lined cabins, flickering fires and sweeping vistas.</p> <p>To experience the park in style, visit the new for 2023 glamping destination Under Canvas North Yellowstone Paradise in Montana (the area may look familiar from the series Yellowstone). Expect exceptional views of the mountains and plains as well as direct access to the Yellowstone River via unparalleled flying and river-float experiences.</p> <p><strong>Japan</strong></p> <p>After a multi-year pandemic break from tourism, Japan finally reopened to all travellers at the end of 2022, and we’re here to tell you that 2023 will be the year we all go to Japan (or at the very least, daydream about visiting). After all, there are so many things you can only find in Japan.</p> <p>Kyoto, the cultural and historic heart of Japan, will present its famed Gion Festival in summer 2023, the first time visitors can attend since before the pandemic. Based on the indigenous Shinto faith, this festival features two processions of floats, a wealth of food and drink vendors and the Gozan no Okuribi, a Kyoto-based bonfire culmination of the Obon festival that will also be ramping up to pre-Covid excitement levels.</p> <p>For travellers looking for something different, head north to Mount Niseko Annupur, where you’ll find Niseko Village, a winter wonderland that boasts exceptional accommodations, a ski school and an extensive network of groomed ski trails.</p> <p><strong>Paris, France</strong></p> <p>Adore Emily or shun her crazy chapeaux, but Paris is front-and-centre on the small screen this year with the return of Emily in Paris and all the drool-worthy scenery the show provides. (By the way, you won’t be alone if you’re booking a trip based on a favourite television show – according to Expedia’s 2023 Trend Report, two-thirds of global travellers have considered booking a trip based on a favourite show or movie.)</p> <p>Not a fan? That’s OK, there’s plenty more shining in the City of Lights as it gets ready to host the 2024 Summer Olympics.</p> <p>New hotels are already opening their doors to guests, offering high style and reasonable rates in Paris before the crowds arrive next year. One to watch: Maisons Pariente’s Le Grand Mazarin in the trendy Le Marais neighbourhood, sure to be the chicest opening in 2023.</p> <p><strong>Sicily</strong></p> <p>Speaking of TV inspiration, the most recent season of White Lotus, set on the southern Italian island of Sicily, made us all want to hit the beach (sans murder and mayhem, please). Google Trends data showed searches for Sicily doubled before the December finale, with specific searches for Taormina and Noto, which also feature in the show, skyrocketing as well.</p> <p>Even without its star turn, there’s a lot to love here. Bustling cities, quaint villages, pristine beaches and rich heritage – Sicily, Italy, the largest of the Mediterranean islands, has it all. The capital, Palermo, is home to compelling architecture, such as Cappella Palatina, a breathtaking chapel dating back to the 12th century. On the east side of Sicily, between the cities of Messina and Catania lies Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe.</p> <p><strong>Costa Rica</strong></p> <p>For a 2023 vacation, look no further than the happiest country in Latin America, Costa Rica. Why is this such a happy place and one of the best places to travel? It’s what Costa Ricans call ‘Pura Vida,’ or a ‘simple life,’ focused on optimism, happiness and living life to the fullest.</p> <p>This popular Central American paradise designated more than a quarter of its country to protect its natural resources, offering 28 national parks, reserves and wildlife refuges to explore. A few highlights: Tortuguero National Park, created to protect endangered turtles; Poas Volcano National Park, home to one of the country’s largest and most active volcanoes; and Manuel Antonio National Park – considered Costa Rica’s crown jewel – which has both lush tropical rainforests and dazzling white-sand beaches, not to mention three-toed sloths and white-faced Capuchin monkeys.</p> <p>Experience Costa Rica’s Pura Vida lifestyle on the beach at Hotel Nantipa –  A Tico Beach Experience in Santa Teresa. Located in one of the five official Blue Zones in the world, the area’s known for having longer-than-average life expectancy due to a daily life full to the brim with happiness-driving health benefits including relaxed days and diets fresh from the sea.</p> <p><strong>Copenhagen, Denmark</strong></p> <p>What was once a Viking fishing settlement has transformed into one of the most gloriously livable and immaculately clean cities on earth. Copenhagen, one of the world’s most colourful cities, touts high-profile restaurants, curved canals, cycling routes, superb public transportation and magnificent landmarks. Now it’s been named the 2023 UNESCO World Capital of Architecture, and as part of that, the city will offer a series of major events and programs sure to delight art and design lovers.</p> <p>Base your stay at the NH Collection Copenhagen, located in a unique historical and sustainable building in the picturesque, centrally located district of Christianshavn. Overlooking the harbour, it offers direct access to the waterfront, and the city’s landmarks are all within a short distance.</p> <p><strong>Bhutan</strong></p> <p>For travellers with a sense of adventure and a love of discovery, Bhutan has always been a bucket-list trip. And in 2023, travellers can once again explore via the Trans-Bhutan Walking Trail, which reopened in late 2022 after a renovation. This is the first time it has been open to tourists in 60 years! This ancient trail runs 400 kilometres from east to west, offering views of the Himalayan Kingdom’s one-of-a-kind landscape and visits to the century-old communities along the journey. The trail spans across 18 major bridges and one national park as it connects more than 400 historic and cultural sites.</p> <p><strong>Bordeaux, France</strong></p> <p>The coming years will be decidedly sporty in the historical wine region of Bordeaux in France. In 2023, the city will host the Rugby World Cup and the Tour de France before raising the colourful flags of the Olympic Games in 2024, when it will host the men’s and women’s football, aka soccer, matches.</p> <p>Beyond sports, Bordeaux is one of our favourite historical cities, with more than 350 structures that are either nationally or regionally listed Historical Monuments (Monuments Historiques), and the entire city is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s easy to get there from Paris, since there’s a TGV train that can whisk you there in just two hours. According to GlobalData, France is set to become the most visited country by 2025. Go now, before everyone else does!</p> <p><strong>Dubai</strong></p> <p>Waterpark and thrill-ride fans, take note: when The Atlantis, The Royal opens this year in Dubai on man-made The Palm island, it will have 105 waterslides and 90 pools! Yes, you read that right. It will surpass any water park, any hotel or any other Atlantis property, for that matter. If there’s only one hotel opening you focus on this year for a best place to travel in 2023, this is the one. No wonder Dubai is the most popular travel destination of 2023, as ranked by TripAdvisor users.</p> <p>The Atlantis, The Royal is not just a water park, of course. The 43-storey ultra-luxury resort will sit in the heart of Dubai, featuring 795 rooms and suites with views of the futuristic city skyline and Arabian Gulf. Situated on two kilometres of beachfront, Atlantis, The Royal will boast 17 onsite restaurants curated by celebrity and Michelin-starred chefs, including Heston Blumenthal and Jose Andres. And all stays come with complimentary entrance to what’s being called the world’s leading aquatic theme park. We’re already breaking out the sunscreen!</p> <p><strong>South Africa</strong></p> <p>South Africa is one of our favourite places to travel and one of the top bucket-list destinations that won’t break the bank for its mix of contemporary cities, melting pot of cultures and incredible natural areas, including wildlife safaris to see the Big 5 (lion, hippo, Cape buffalo, rhino and leopard) in world-renowned Kruger National Park and the private Sabi Sand Reserve.</p> <p><strong>Bali, Indonesia</strong></p> <p>Bali is known for its spectacular beaches, fabulous hotels and gorgeous turquoise water, best explored by jumping in and exploring the sea. So it’s no wonder that in 2023 it’s been chosen to host the ANOC World Beach Games from August 5–15, 2023. Thousands of athletes from 100 countries across the globe will be in Bali for the event, as well as spectators from all over the world.</p> <p>Away from the beach is another equally mesmerising side to the island known as the Land of the Gods. For travellers looking to immerse themselves in the deeply rooted culture and spiritual history that Bali has to offer, Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Ubud, is the perfect fit. Beautifully set where the lush jungle meets the Ayung River and temples stand majestic against a backdrop of rice terraces, it’s a true sanctuary to relax one’s mind, body and soul.</p> <p><strong>Curaçao</strong></p> <p>If you’re looking for an exotic trip to a beautiful beach in 2023, we’ve got just the ticket. The Caribbean island of Curaçao is known for its vibrant, Dutch-influenced architecture, 300 days of sun per year, rich coral reefs and diverse mix of cultures.</p> <p>After you arrive at the sunny island, head to the newly renovated Curaçao Marriott Beach Resort, five minutes from the capital and nestled on six acres of oceanfront property. New to the resort, the property recently opened its onsite dive shop Goby Divers, where guests can learn to scuba and earn their PADI certification, or experience dives based on their level of experience.</p> <p><strong>Chilean Patagonia</strong></p> <p>Climate change tourism has seen an increase in recent years as global warming has become a front-and-centre topic in travel – last-chance trips to see gigantic glaciers and ice caves before they melt away have specifically seen a rise. Patagonia fits perfectly with this trend. Here you’ll see Grey Glacier, the Balmaceda Glacier and the Serrano Glacier, among others.</p> <p>The Singular Patagonia, Kau Rio Serrano and Quasar Expeditions offer excursions that allow guests to get up close and personal with the glaciers. From kayaking Grey Lake to walking Grey Peninsula, ice trekking, hiking in Torres del Paine or Bernardo O’Higgins National Park, or taking boat rides right up to the glacier walls, travellers can catch a glimpse of the magnificent glaciers before it’s too late or becomes too dangerous.</p> <p>Chilean Patagonia is also becoming more accessible, as there are new flights launching to connect Santiago to Puerto Natales on a regular basis.</p> <p><strong>Prague, Czech Republic</strong></p> <p>Prague is one of our favourite hidden gems in Europe and one of the best places to travel for charm and culture. The perfectly preserved city has bright red trolleys traversing original cobblestone streets lined with charming stone buildings. Around every corner, you’ll find a new treat, like the Charles Bridge lined with majestic stone statues, Michelin-starred restaurants and classic pilsner bars. Another highlight: an entire ‘castle district’ centred around majestic Prague Castle.</p> <p>New for 2023, this ancient kingdom meets modern times with William Rudolf Lobkowicz, the 14th prince of Bohemia, who is modernising the way philanthropy takes place with NFTs (yes, those NFTs). This new technology can help prove provenance of historic art and also help fund its restoration, which is of particular interest to a family that lost its kingdom of treasures twice – first to the Nazis, and then to the Communists. You can see many of these works of art and hear about their ‘Non-Fungible Castle’ project at the lovely Lobkowicz Palace.</p> <p>Stay at a true historical gem, the NH Collection Prague Carlo IV. A former grand bank headquarters, it features marble and crystal in the lobby, gorgeous vaulted ceilings in the breakfast dining room and a truly special pool in the downstairs spa level. The trolley runs just outside the property, but the hotel would be happy to arrange special transportation such as a vintage red convertible to whisk you to the castle.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/flightstravel-hints-tips/17-best-places-to-travel-in-2023?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

International Travel

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17 things you need to throw out ASAP

<p><strong>Dangers in the home</strong></p> <p>You wouldn’t think old pancake mix, spices, or makeup could be a problem – but they have the potential to make you very sick. Remove the dangers from your household with this handy guide.</p> <p><strong>Off-brand phone chargers</strong></p> <p>You may be tempted to buy that cheapy model at the airport, but studies show this can pose dangers to your expensive smartphone. </p> <p>Ken Shirriff of How-To Geek took a dozen chargers and put them to the test. He found that most off-brand chargers provided inconsistent power, leading to battery damage.</p> <p><strong>Old pancake mix</strong></p> <p>According to experts at DoesItGoBad.com, packaged pancake mixes (along with many other cake mixes) can be toxic in certain circumstances. </p> <p>It’s a breeding ground for hard-to-spot mould and bacteria, which can be fatal for allergy sufferers. If it is past the “best by” date on the label, toss that expired box or bag right away.</p> <p><strong>Dried flowers </strong></p> <p>Pets tend to chew on things they aren’t supposed to – and that can be dangerous if you have dried flower arrangements lying around. According to The Nest, the issue is twofold: The flowers themselves pose a threat, and so do the materials used to make the flower arrangements. </p> <p>Many plants are toxic to both dogs and cats, and these materials can cause serious intestinal blockages or even acute poisoning.</p> <p><strong>Expired makeup</strong></p> <p>Yes, beauty products do go bad. Even worse – they can cause breakouts, skin parasites, infections, and loss of vision if not disposed of at the proper time. </p> <p>While it may be difficult to toss away our precious samples, old makeup can serve as a breeding ground for germs, harbouring nasty bacteria that can wreak some serious damage.</p> <p><strong>Wire hangers</strong></p> <p>Keeping your clothes on flimsy metal for too long can damage your favourite pieces. Maeve Richmond, a home organisation expert and founder of Maeve’s Method, tells Well and Good: “Wire hangers truly are too thin."</p> <p>"Not only can they cause awkward stretch marks on clothes, but they will bend over time, causing unsightly bunch-ups in our closets, and our clothing to hang at funny angles.”</p> <p><strong>Old dish sponges</strong></p> <p>A study published in Scientific Advances reveals that the most bacteria-riddled thing in your house is your kitchen sponge. Their porous nature and liquid-absorbing abilities make them the ideal living space. </p> <p>Even if you’re practicing proper hygiene – soaping and rinsing the sponge regularly – it won’t be enough. Experts recommend replacing your kitchen sponge weekly.</p> <p><strong>Stale spices</strong></p> <p>Most people choose to believe spices can last forever – they don’t. A report from the FDA notes that common imported spices are contaminated with salmonella at twice the rate of all other imported foods, including coriander, oregano, basil, sesame seeds and black pepper. </p> <p>If you want to avoid an unexpected bout of food poisoning, make sure to clean out your pantry regularly.</p> <p><strong>Cheap jewellery</strong></p> <p>Those bargain deals are too good to be true: A non-profit organisation called The Ecology Centre ran tests on 99 pieces of jewellery that were purchased from 14 different discount stores. </p> <p>They found that over half of the jewellery – all of which cost less than ten dollars – had high levels of toxic chemicals; 27 of the pieces had lead levels that exceeded the safe limit (300 ppm) for children’s products.</p> <p><strong>Air freshener</strong></p> <p>You may be a fan of the way they make your house or car smell, but air fresheners can contain serious toxins called phthalates – and many don’t even list them as an active ingredient. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, those toxins can easily affect hormones and reproductive health, especially in children. </p> <p>Side effects for men included lower testosterone levels, decreased sperm counts, and lower sperm quality.</p> <p><strong>Plastic containers</strong></p> <p>Tupperware, Gladware, Snapware, you name it – everyone has a collection of plastic containers. They’re great for storing leftovers, but studies show these can contain high levels of bisphenol-A (BPA), a toxin frequently found in plastics. </p> <p>Even in low doses, it can have a significant impact on hormonal balance and the brain. Make sure to never use plastic containers in the microwave unless they are labelled microwave safe. Try using glass or stainless steel containers instead.</p> <p><strong>Fabric sprays</strong></p> <p>While they might protect your couches and chairs from stains, many of these sprays contain questionable chemicals that can contaminate the air in your house.</p> <p>The National Consumer Affairs Centre of Japan found fluorine resin in four of seven major spray brands. The size of the particles was enough that inhaling the spray would pose a significant health risk.</p> <p><strong>Old contact lens case</strong></p> <p>If you’re neglecting the case you store your contacts in, you’re risking an eye infection according to optometrist Reecha Kampani, OD. </p> <p>She advises throwing out your solution daily and replacing the lens case once every three months. Using a case for too long can add to pathogen build-up, leading to potential scarring and vision loss.</p> <p><strong>Old electronics</strong></p> <p>How many old mobile phones do you have cluttering up drawers? How about out-dated laptops stacked in the closet? You need to get rid of them because they’re chock full of toxic stuff, like arsenic, lead and cadmium, that erode over time. </p> <p>The lithium batteries in old electronics can also burst, creating a potential fire risk. Just be sure to dispose of them safely – they shouldn’t be placed in your bin.</p> <p><strong>Old bras</strong></p> <p>Bras shift and stretch over time – and this is more than an aesthetic nuisance: You won’t get the support you need from that worn-out underwire. </p> <p>According to the HuffPost, a bra’s lifespan could be only up to eight months. If the band is stretched and not fitting as well as it should, it may be time for a new one.</p> <p><strong>Old non-stick cookware</strong></p> <p>Non-stick pots and pans are made using a carcinogenic chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which starts emitting toxic fumes every time you cook. </p> <p>This kind of cookware is associated with harmful side effects to the liver, thyroid, and immune system in general, according to the EPA. Go for stainless steel, glass, ceramic, or iron pots and pans instead.</p> <p><strong>Oven cleaner</strong></p> <p>Most of these cleaners contain highly corrosive chemicals that can cause redness and burns if they come in contact with the skin. </p> <p>Don’t worry, you can always use alternatives like baking soda paste instead. Simply combine baking soda and water to create a safe oven cleaner.</p> <p><strong>Clogged air filters</strong></p> <p>Some studies suggest that a poorly maintained A/C system can become contaminated and be harmful to your health. Their findings note that moisture-related HVAC components, such as cooling coils and humidification systems, can trigger symptoms like upper and lower respiratory problems, eye and skin irritation, headaches and fatigue. </p> <p>Older filters are more prone to contamination, so be sure to change them every 30-60 days.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/home-tips/17-things-you-need-throw-out-asap?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.</em></p>

Home & Garden

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Princess Mary’s son turns 17!

<p dir="ltr">The Danish Royal Family has released a portrait in honour of Princess Mary and Prince Frederik’s son Christian’s birthday.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prince Christian turned 17 on October 15 and the Royal Family released a casual black-and-white image of him sitting comfortably. </p> <p dir="ltr">“His Royal Highness Prince Christian can celebrate his 17th birthday today,” the caption read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Prince Christian celebrates the day privately with the family, and on the occasion of the birthday a new portrait of His Royal Highness is published.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The Family also revealed that the photo was taken recently by a friend with many pointing out a change in style with the image. </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/CjuTZXcjkf8/?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/CjuTZXcjkf8/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by DET DANSKE KONGEHUS 🇩🇰 (@detdanskekongehus)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Royal expert Lars Hovbakke Sørensen told Danish publication BT that it is highly possible that the Royal Family wanted Prince Christian to appear as an “ordinary young man”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It is clear that you want to signal more relaxedness and people-ness, and that he is a completely ordinary young man,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It signals that he is a prince who lives a completely ordinary everyday life - and it fits the image that you want to draw of him in public.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Fans of the Royal Family congratulated Prince Christian on his birthday and wished him the best.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Congratulations, now it's time to spray champagne,” someone wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Huge congratulations to His Royal Highness Prince Christian hope it's going to be a lovely day,” another commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Congratulations to His Royal Highness Prince Christian on the 17 years. Handsome young man,” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram/Getty</em></p>

Family & Pets

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“An incredible moment”: Sisters share how they found each after 17-year search

<p dir="ltr">Two sisters who were separated after they were given up for adoption have opened up about their emotional reunion more than 25 years later and the 17-year search they went through to find each other.</p> <p dir="ltr">Laurinda and Ashleigh were born in the Dominican Republic and given up for adoption when they were just two and six weeks respectively.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though Laurinda knew she had a younger sister, Ashleigh wasn’t as sure but knew that her mother had given birth to her at a young age and assumed she had more siblings she hadn’t met yet.</p> <p dir="ltr">Appearing on the podcast, <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/family-friends/i-think-youre-my-sister-siblings-find-each-other-after-25year-separation/news-story/a02923ba902801a135f5ab4cc919c41d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I’ve Got News For You</a></em>, Ashleigh recalled how she finally had success in her quest to find blood relatives where online photo books and adoption websites turned up nothing when she came across the genealogy website MyHeritage.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was doing my adopted family tree and I noticed that [MyHeritage] were doing a pro bono program called DNA Quest and they basically were sending out about 15 to 20,000 free DNA kits to help adoptees reconnect with their family members that they were looking for,” she told podcast host Andrew Bucklow.</p> <p dir="ltr">After submitting her story to the platform in return for a free MyHeritage DNA kit, Ashleigh found a genetic match: Laurinda. </p> <p dir="ltr">She then reached out to her mystery match via email.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Hi, my name is Ashleigh, I got a match from you on MyHeritage and according to it, you may be my aunt or my sister. I was adopted at the age of six weeks old from the Dominican Republic. This is my mother’s name. Could you please get back to me with any information and I look forward to hearing from you,” her email read.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-da64c428-7fff-ee45-d465-0882c058b6db"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Laurinda, who was living six hours away from her sister, received the life-changing email notification while on her lunch break.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/08/laurinda-ashleigh1.jpg" alt="Ashleigh (left) and Laurinda (right) with their adoptive parents. Images: MyHeritage" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Ashleigh (left) and Laurinda (right) with their adoptive parents. Images: MyHeritage</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Having spent 17 years looking for Ashleigh, Laurinda had “fallen off the wagon” in recent years.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I replied [to the email] right away, I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, you know, I think you’re my sister.’ It was an absolutely unbelievable thing. You know, I ran into work yelling, ‘my sister, my sister’, and it was an incredible moment,” Laurinda said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair then spoke over the phone before meeting for the first time two weeks later.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was wild. We were planning on recording it but … [as] we pulled up to the driveway, Ashleigh must have sprinted down from the apartment,” Laurinda said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Before I knew it, she was pulling the door open and, you know, we just embraced each other hugging and crying. It was just the most surreal, beautiful thing that I could have ever hoped for.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ashleigh added: “I just bolted out of my building … I just ran out there and gave her the biggest hug and we just stood there for like 10 minutes [but] it seemed like forever.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The sisters discovered that they also have three brothers, including one who died before either could meet him, as well as a grandmother, another sister, and a half-brother.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though their biological mum died six months before the sisters’ reunion, Laurinda was fortunate enough to have met her and shared the photos they took together with Ashleigh.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You know, I kind of get to live vicariously through [Laurinda] and she said [mum] always told her that she would give up her life to find me and you know, we think she probably did,” Ashleigh said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Laurinda also introduced her sister to their biological dad virtually, but he passed away before Ashleigh could meet him in person.</p> <p dir="ltr">Now feeling as if they have “known each other” forever, Ashleigh said the goal for the two sisters is to reunite the rest of their siblings.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I haven’t had a chance to go and meet the rest of [the family] yet … but hopefully, hopefully, someday soon, we’ll get that cash together, and we’ll be able to go down and meet everybody and have everyone together again,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Laurinda also shared that she had found out that her adoptive parents had the opportunity to also adopt Ashleigh but chose not to. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Since they had already adopted me, they kind of had first pick to be able to adopt [Ashleigh] since we were full siblings,” Laurinda said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But at the time I was two years old, I’m sure very much of a handful, so unfortunately my parents didn’t take up that opportunity to be able to adopt her as well.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She said she was “a little bit upset” when she found that out from her parents at 15, but admitted it motivated her to find her sister.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There’s absolutely no resentment in any way, you know, everything happens for a reason,” Laurinda said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We’re just honestly blessed to be able to have this opportunity to connect with each other and find each other after all these years.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-03a090d0-7fff-11a2-2403-f2f4fa0c5a6a"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Supplied</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Olympian's shock death at just 17

<p dir="ltr">Tunisian Olympic sailor Eya Guezguez has died at the age of 17, after an accident during national team training.</p> <p dir="ltr">The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed the tragic news on Monday morning, sharing that Eya was sailing with her twin sister Sarra, who is two minutes older, when their boat capsized.</p> <p dir="ltr">Eya drowned, passing away on Sunday, April 10, while her sister survived.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the <em><a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/africa/61067142" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a></em>, their coach was able to save Sarra from tangled rigging before finding Eya and attempting CPR.</p> <p dir="ltr">She was taken to hospital and pronounced dead.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair competed at the Tokyo Olympics last year. </p> <p dir="ltr">It is understood they had hopes of competing at the 2024 Games in Paris, as reported by <em><a href="https://olympics.com/en/news/olympic-sailor-eya-guezguez-dies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I am shocked by the news of sailor Eya Guezguez’s death. She was an inspiring talent and role model for her athletes’ generation,” IOC President Thomas Bach said in a statement on the organisation’s <a href="https://olympics.com/en/news/olympic-sailor-eya-guezguez-dies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Eya Guezguez’s participation at Tokyo 2020 alongside her twin sister Sarra will continue to motivate girls everywhere. Our thoughts are with her family, friends and the Olympic community in Tunisia.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Tributes to Eya have begun to appear online from fans and members of the sporting world.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-a04f8f31-7fff-adf3-23d0-864ebcd65e37"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“RIP Eya Guezguez, left much too soon.Olympian in sailing. Thoughts of her twin sister and her family,” Tunisian Twitter user Wa!id wrote.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Eya Guezguez, 16, Tunisian Olympic Windsurfer, has passed away today after an accident at practice.<br />Eya, along with her twin, Sarra, were the Youngest female athletes at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tokyo2020?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tokyo2020</a> Olympics...<br />May she Rest In Peace 😔 <a href="https://t.co/Pvt6lGEscq">pic.twitter.com/Pvt6lGEscq</a></p> <p>— Souhail Khmira (@SKhmira) <a href="https://twitter.com/SKhmira/status/1513262295840866308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Barely 16 years old, our champion of sailing Eya Guezguez has died today after an accident during training for the national team,” Tunisian sports outlet Ettachkila wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We extend our condolences to her family and her loved ones.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Rest in peace.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Eya and Sarra were the youngest Olympians to ever represent Tunisia and the youngest sailors to compete at the Olympic Games.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Tunisian Olympic Committee (CNOT) said her death was a “tragedy in the sports scene”, writing on Facebook that Eya had died while training for upcoming regional and international competitions.</p> <p dir="ltr">“May God have mercy on the deceased, grant her eternal rest in paradise, and grant her family and relatives and the entire sports family a beautiful patience and solace,” CNOT said in a statement, per the <em>BBC</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0b5d7efe-7fff-ce2f-8cf9-18bf93ab8dda"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: International Olympic Committee</em></p>

News

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17 habits of people who are great at saving money

<h2 class="slide-title">Good savers don’t procrastinate</h2> <p>Good savers start early, say certified financial planners Janet Stanzak and Kristin Garrett. Many good money savers were taught as children to put away for a rainy day, but even those who weren’t have learned to jump on an opportunity. “Good savers don’t procrastinate financial decisions,” Garrett says.</p> <p>If your employer is not paying you Superannuation, a good rule of thumb is to put 10 and 15 per cent of your pay each month straight into a retirement or Super account.</p> <h2 class="slide-title">Good savers know the difference between wants and needs</h2> <div class="slide-image"> <div id="page2" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>One of the biggest lies we’re sold today, Stanzak says, is that wants are actually needs. “I’ve had so many clients try and tell me that travel, new clothing, and eating out are real needs. They’re really not.” Instead, good savers actually write down a list of their basic needs, their wants, and their big wishes.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page3" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <h2 class="slide-title">Good savers don’t rely on autopay</h2> <div id="page3" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Autopay makes paying bills easier – in fact, it makes it too easy for money to flow out without you really registering what’s happening. Whether you pay by BPay or via another online transaction, intentionally paying your bills makes your brain note the expenditure. If you do set up autopay (no late fees, after all!), make sure you don’t just set it and forget it. Check the transactions at least once a month to make sure the charges are accurate and get a good sense of what you’re spending. Even better, Garrett adds, good savers write all those transactions down in their budget.</p> <h2 class="slide-title">Good savers make saving easy and automatic</h2> <div class="slide-image"> <div id="page4" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Autopay allows you to forget the pain of paying your bills, right? Well it works the other way too. Automating your savings account, either through an automatic transfer on a certain day each month or through using a savings apps, can take the sting out of saving, says Stanzak.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page5" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <h2 class="slide-title">Good savers have a budget</h2> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Yes, a real, honest-to-goodness written chart or spreadsheet that they update and balance regularly is one of the trademark money-saving tips from savvy savers. “The first clue you have that someone has a problem with money is when they can’t provide their monthly cash flow,” Stanzak says. You can’t save if you don’t even know how much money you have to begin with.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/money/17-habits-of-people-who-are-great-at-saving-money"> <h2 class="slide-title">Good savers use cash</h2> <div class="slide-image"> <p>This isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, Stanzak says, but good savers often tend to use physical types of money. Research shows that people can spend more money with credit cards versus paying with cash. Statistics show that the average non-cash transaction is $100 more than a cash transaction. If you’re trying to save, handing someone a wad of cash provides enough of a mental speed bump to slow down many impulse buys.</p> <h2 class="slide-title">Good savers prioritise saving</h2> <p><img class="size-full wp-image lazyloaded" src="https://3erc1e4bvanrdzas82cngnw1-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/working-out-bills-on-laptop-GettyImages-1150533155-770.jpg" alt="Good savers prioritise saving" data-src="https://3erc1e4bvanrdzas82cngnw1-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/working-out-bills-on-laptop-GettyImages-1150533155-770.jpg" data-portal-copyright="Getty Images" /></p> <div class="slide-image"> <div id="page7" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>It sounds simple, but one of the best money-saving tips is simply making saving a priority in your life, says Andrea Woroch, a consumer-finance expert. “Before spending on anything else, they pay themselves first by putting savings into a retirement account or other self-directed savings account,” she says.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page8" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <h2 class="slide-title">Good savers keep track of the little things</h2> <div class="slide-image"> <p>What’s a cup of coffee here or a $2 app there? Little things can add up to big expenses quickly, Garrett says, often before you even realise what’s happening. Good savers will write down, in their ledger or budget, all their expenses, even the tiniest ones. Doing this can also help you track down hidden fees you had no idea you were paying.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="slide-image"> <h2 class="slide-title">Good savers look for deals</h2> <div class="slide-image"> <div id="page9" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Being frugal is a big part of saving money. And good savers are not too proud to use coupons, hunt down the best deals, or research all possible options before buying. “Good savers think through each purchase and research alternatives like used options, compare competitor prices, look for coupons, and read reviews in detail to make the best buying decision,” Woroch says.</p> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/money/17-habits-of-people-who-are-great-at-saving-money"> <h2 class="slide-title">Good savers adjust for life changes</h2> <div class="slide-image"> <div id="page10" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>“You’d be amazed at how many people get divorced but keep living their married lifestyle,” Stanzak says. Big life changes, like job layoffs, divorce and illness, inevitably affect our budgets. Good savers amend their spending to reflect their new earning or income status regardless of how painful it is to acknowledge.</p> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/money/17-habits-of-people-who-are-great-at-saving-money"> <h2 class="slide-title">Good savers take free money</h2> <div class="slide-image"> <div id="page1" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Does your employer give you a discount on your health insurance for getting an annual check-up? Does your company have employee stock options or offer to match your retirement savings? Do you have flight miles or hotel points accrued that you’re not using? Many people leave this so-called ‘free money’ on the table, Woroch says. It may take a little extra effort to fill out the paperwork, but it’s worth the time.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page2" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <h2 class="slide-title">Good savers have three to six months of expenses saved</h2> <div class="slide-image"> <div id="page2" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Many people live pay to pay, which means millions of people are just one bad car accident or layoff away from financial ruin. It may sound obvious, but good savers save. How much savings you need depends entirely on your lifestyle, but Garrett and Stanzak recommend having enough money to cover at least three to six months of basic expenses like mortgage, insurance, utilities and food.</p> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/money/17-habits-of-people-who-are-great-at-saving-money"> <h2 class="slide-title">Good savers are honest with themselves</h2> <div class="slide-image"> <div id="page3" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>None of us are getting any younger. Yet so many people live in denial of this fact, Stanzak says. The truth is that each of us has risk factors that could affect financial security. Good savers are honest about their particular risks – advancing age, tenuous job security, chronic health problems, family issues,  – and plan their savings to account for them.</p> <div class="at-below-post addthis_tool" data-url="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/money/17-habits-of-people-who-are-great-at-saving-money"> <h2 class="slide-title">Good savers do not feel entitled</h2> <div class="slide-image"> <div id="page4" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>“Too many people have this attitude of entitlement,” Stanzak says. “They get caught up in ‘I work hard, so I should have this because I earned it’.” But if you can’t afford a nice car or a day at the spa, you shouldn’t buy it, no matter how hard you work or how strongly you feel you deserve it.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page5" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <h2 class="slide-title">Good savers live below their means</h2> <div class="slide-image"><img class="size-full wp-image lazyloaded" src="https://3erc1e4bvanrdzas82cngnw1-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/woman-checking-price-tag-on-clothing-GettyImages-1174172845-770.jpg" alt="Good savers live below their means" data-src="https://3erc1e4bvanrdzas82cngnw1-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/woman-checking-price-tag-on-clothing-GettyImages-1174172845-770.jpg" data-portal-copyright="Getty Images" /></div> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Just because you have money to spend doesn’t mean you should spend it. Good savers know that living below their means can help them save more for the future. For instance, just because you can afford a new car doesn’t necessarily mean you should buy one. If your car is in good shape, use it for as long as you can. Another way to live below your means may be to downsize your home.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="page3" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <h2 class="slide-title">Good savers know when it’s time to pick up a side gig</h2> <div class="slide-image"> <div id="page6" class="slide-show"> <div id="test" class="slide listicle-slide"> <div class="slide-description"> <p>Good savers are brutally honest about their income. They know how much they can afford to put away each month, and if they need to make more money to reach their savings goals. If need be, they pick up side gigs to help them meet their goals.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ad-slug text-center"> <h2 class="slide-title" style="text-align: left;">Good savers start small</h2> <div class="slide-image"> <p style="text-align: left;">It can be easy to read lists of money-saving tips like this and feel completely overwhelmed and throw in the towel. But saving doesn’t have to be a huge change, Woroch says. “If you’re new to saving, start small. It’s easier to adapt to a small change than a complete life overhaul,” she explains. “So begin by automating a small amount each week and when you become accustomed to saving that amount and living off what you have left, increase it by a little. You’ll continue creating a better savings habit each time.”</p> <p style="text-align: left;"><em>This article was originally published on Reader's Digest. Click <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/money/17-habits-of-people-who-are-great-at-saving-money">here</a> to read the original article.</em></p> <p style="text-align: left;"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Retirement Income

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Man dressed as the Joker allegedly stabs 17 people on a train

<p dir="ltr">A man in Tokyo has been arrested after allegedly going on a stabbing rampage on a train on Halloween while dressed as the Joker. He is accused of stabbing at least 17 people and starting a fire in a carriage, before taking a seat and smoking a cigarette. He was subsequently taken into custody by police.</p> <p dir="ltr">Eyewitnesses told Japanese national broadcaster NHK of their fear during the attack. “I thought it was a Halloween event,” one witness said. “Then I saw a man walking this way, slowly waving a long knife.” The alleged attacker is believed to have sprayed hydrochloric acid inside the first and second cars of the train before setting them on fire. People rushed to escape through the train’s windows as the fire spread. A video posted to social media showed over a dozen people fleeing a burning carriage and huddling at the end of the next carriage.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police were later seen entering the carriage where the suspect, dressed as one of Batman’s most famous nemeses, was seated. Reports say the man did not resist as he was arrested and taken into custody.</p> <p dir="ltr">A man who filmed footage of the incident told NHK that he saw passengers fleeing before hearing an explosion. Shunsuke Kimura jumped from a window in an attempt to escape, but fell on the platform and hurt his shoulder. He said, “Train doors were closed and we had no idea what was happening, and we jumped from the windows. It was horrifying.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">こやつが<br />京王線の犯人です<br /><br />右手にナイフ<br />左手にタバコめちゃくちゃ手は震えてた<br /><br />とにかくこいつにむかつきました<br /><br />すごくみんな必死に逃げて<br />僕がみんなに窓から出ろ言い死にものぐるいでみんなででてたこいつの前まで来ました<br /><br />本当に許せなかった<br />殴りたかったです<br />#京王線#京王線刃物#犯人 <a href="https://t.co/fdlLN9nj1Z">pic.twitter.com/fdlLN9nj1Z</a></p> — 生形たけし (@takahashi9811) <a href="https://twitter.com/takahashi9811/status/1454791757917347846?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 31, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Another passenger told the broadcaster that the attacker didn’t display any emotion during the attack. “He held a knife and started spreading liquid,” she said. “He was committing this act without showing any emotion, just mechanically. I think that brought fear to everyone.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Rail services were partially suspended after the incident, which took place just before 8 pm near Kokuryo in Tokyo’s western suburbs. Kyodo News said 15 people had been injured, while NHK reported that 17 were hurt, including a man in his 60s who was in serious condition.</p> <p dir="ltr">The character of the Joker is one of Batman’s most recognisable adversaries, and has famously been played by Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger, Joaquin Phoenix and Jared Leto. 2019’s<span> </span><em>Joker,<span> </span></em>starring Phoenix and which focused on the character’s origin story,<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/9/18/20860890/joker-movie-controversy-incel-sjw" target="_blank">caused concern</a><span> </span>amongst people who felt the film was excusing or justifying the character’s violent response to feeling unheard or ignored. These concerns were exacerbated by the adoption of Phoenix’s Joker as a relatable figure by a certain subset of men who feel betrayed by a society they view as heavily favouring women.</p>

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17 daily habits of people who never get acne

<p><strong>Clean skin isn't easy</strong></p> <p><span>Some people never have to deal with the difficulties of a spotty complexion; others just take extra steps to manage their acne, something that is possible with diligence. </span></p> <p><span>Here are the secrets of the blemish-free.</span></p> <p><strong>They never skip a face-wash</strong></p> <p><span>Wondering how to prevent acne? You might start by considering your choice of skin cleanser and how often you use it, says assistant professor of dermatology, Dr Joshua Zeicher.  </span></p> <p><span>“While having acne does not mean that you are dirty, washing your face has been shown in studies to improve the appearance of acne,” he says. “Using a gentle skin cleanser that effectively removes dirt, oil and makeup from the skin can help maintain a healthy skin barrier.” </span></p> <p><span>The key is to actually wash your face. Every. Single. Night. Skipping your daily face wash regimen, he adds, may lead to breakouts as dirt, oil and makeup can block your pores.</span></p> <p><strong>They clean their smartphones</strong></p> <p><span>Don’t freak out, but your phone screen is way dirtier than you think. “Studies have shown that your mobile phone is dirtier than a public toilet,” Dr Zeichner says. </span></p> <p><span>“If you are not cleaning it regularly with an alcohol swab and it rubs against your face, you may be transferring that dirt to the skin, which combined with friction, may promote breakouts,” he says. </span></p> <p><span>Dermatologist Dr Ted Lain adds, “Plastering a phone to your cheek for minutes on end could lead to not only occlusion of the pores, but also infection and then acne.”</span></p> <p><strong>They never touch their face</strong></p> <p><span>Frequent face-touching can cause breakouts, Dr Zeichner says. </span></p> <p><span>“Leaning on your palm during the day can create friction against the skin, create inflammation and actually transfer dirt and oil that may get trapped in your pores,” he says. The solution? Don’t do it.</span></p> <p><strong>They change their pillowcases frequently</strong></p> <p><span>Even if you are steadfast in your nighttime face washing ritual, not changing your pillowcase on a regular basis can result in breakouts. </span></p> <p><span>When you don’t refresh your pillowcase at least once per week, dirt and oil build-up, and when you put your face into the pillow at night, these blemish-causing substances can clog your pores, explains dermatologist, Dr Betty Rajan. </span></p> <p><span>The type of pillowcase doesn’t matter much when it comes to the transfer of dirt and oil, but one of the ways that dermatologists wake up with younger-looking skin is by sleeping on soft, less abrasive pillowcases.</span></p> <p><strong>They eat like Greeks</strong></p> <p><span>Add better skin to the list of benefits associated with a traditional Mediterranean diet, says Dr Lain. This healthy way of eating is rich in vegetables, olive oil, whole grains, plus small amounts of lean animal protein and of course, some red wine. </span></p> <p><span>“It is clear that the typical [Western] diet, which is high in refined flours and saturated fats, bodes poorly for a good complexion.” </span></p> <p><span>This may be one of the reasons that reservatrol, the beneficial compound in red wine, is popping up in skin-care products.</span></p> <p><strong>They try to never pick, pop or squeeze</strong></p> <p><span>Picking or scratching at your acne leads to open wounds, prolonged healing, and sometimes scarring, Dr Lain says.  </span></p> <p><span>“In addition, we all have bacteria on our hands, therefore you transfer bacteria to your face and lead to more infection.”</span></p> <p><strong>They try to watch their weight</strong></p> <p><span>Being overweight or obese is a risk factor for a host of illnesses including heart disease and some forms of cancer, and there is a link between acne severity and obesity too. </span></p> <p><span>“To minimise acne risk, keep your body mass index in the ideal range by exercising, eating correctly, and minimising sugar intake,” Dr Lain says.</span></p> <p><strong>They mind their microbiome</strong></p> <p><span>The microbiome is the collection of normal bacteria, fungi and viruses that live on the skin and in our gut. A growing body of research suggests that a balanced microbiome is super important for skin health. </span></p> <p><span>“There is no one skin-care product or supplement that will absolutely protect or repair the microbiome,” Dr Lain says, but some studies have shown that people with acne tend to have an imbalance of good to bad gut bacteria and that certain probiotics (such as Lactobacillus paracasei) can improve barrier function and make skin less reactive.</span></p> <p><strong>They try to wash their hair regularly</strong></p> <p><span>All of the natural oils produced by our scalps to protect the hair can also clog pores on the face and lead to acne, Dr Lain says. </span></p> <p><span>“Washing hair helps remove the excess oil on the scalp and hair, which minimises the oil at the hairline and forehead.” But avoid heavy, oily hair-care products during styling, Dr Zeichner warns. </span></p> <p><span>Touching the skin on the forehead may block pores and lead to pimples.</span></p> <p><strong>They may avoid some types of milk</strong></p> <p>People who don’t drink cow’s milk may be less likely to get acne than those who do, says dermatologist, Dr Joel Schlessinger.</p> <p>A 2016 study of 225 teens aged 14 to 19 that was published in the <em>Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology</em> found that people who drank more low-fat or skim milk had more acne than people who did not drink as much. (The study included teens with moderate acne or no acne.)</p> <p>However, there was no link between acne and the consumption of dairy (in general) or full-fat milk. The authors note that the research on the topic has been mixed, and the study can’t determine if one factor caused the other.</p> <p>(It’s possible that skim milk is devoid of the good-for-your-skin fatty acids found in whole milk.) Some think it has to do with the high ratio of sugar found in skim milk. If you like it, you might consider trying almond milk.</p> <p>“Almond milk contains all of the great vitamins and calcium we need, but without any of the hormones,” Dr Schlesinger says.</p> <p><strong>They pass on the pasta</strong></p> <p><span>There may be less white bread, white pasta, white rice, potato chips, or other high glycaemic index (GI)-scoring carbs on the menu for the blemish-free. Instead, they may be more likely to eat foods that rank low on this index, such as multi-grain bread, peanuts, vegetables and beans. </span></p> <p><span>Emerging data suggest that high glycaemic index diets may be associated with acne, according to the latest guidelines from the American Academy of Dermatology. </span></p> <p><span>Exactly how a diet that is high on the GI index can cause or contribute to acne is not fully understood, but low GI foods keep blood sugar levels stable while high GI foods may cause a blood sugar spike that can lead to inflammation and oil production, which plays a role in acne. </span></p> <p><span>What’s more, eating lots of high GI foods can also increase hormones which in turn dial up the activity of oil glands in the skin, causing acne.</span></p> <p><span><strong>They was their hands after working out</strong><br /></span><span></span></p> <p><span>Sure, working out on a regular basis helps us stay fit and healthy, but if we don’t exercise caution with hand hygiene, we may break out – or worse, because gym equipment can be full of bacteria. </span></p> <p><span>“Working out in a gym is potentially very dirty and can cause something that looks just like acne, but is actually a staph infection,” says Dr Schlessinger. </span></p> <p><span>“The best thing to do is to avoid touching your face while playing sports or working out. If you must, bring a towel or use the back of your hand or sleeve.”</span></p> <p><strong>They try not to share makeup</strong></p> <p><span>No matter how jealous you are of your BFF’s new bronzer or a colleague’s mascara, don’t borrow it.</span></p> <p><span> “Sharing makeup is sharing bacteria with a friend,” says Dr Schlessinger. Whatever you do, don’t try on makeup in a store unless you test it on your arm or the back of your hand.</span></p> <p><strong>They don't smoke</strong></p> <p><span>In case you needed one more reason to kick the habit, smoking may also cause acne, according to research out of the San Gallicano Dermatological Institute in Rome, Italy. </span></p> <p><span>Smokers may be more likely to develop non-inflammatory acne.</span></p> <p><strong>They don't stop fighting the fight</strong></p> <p>It can be oh-so-tempting to skip the skin-clearing products in our skin-care regimen, but this is a mistake, says clinical assistant professor of plastic surgery, Dr Mark H. Schwartz.</p> <p>“It is natural to want to stop using acne-fighting products when your skin is clear, but acne is chronic and requires long-term care to keep it under control – even when you are travelling.”  </p> <p>Make sure you take your acne medications as directed for as long as directed.</p> <p><strong>They stay out of the sun</strong></p> <p><span>Just how bad is tanning? Do you really need to ask? Skin cancer risk aside, it may also worsen acne. Despite a popular misconception, tanning doesn’t make acne better, warns Dr Lain. </span></p> <p><span>UV rays actually dry out and damage your skin. Certain acne medications also increase sun sensitivity, making a burn more likely. </span></p> <p><span>Always wear broad spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 30 or higher and reapply it frequently.</span></p> <p><strong>They protect their skin from pollution</strong></p> <p><span>Some research suggests that smog, chemicals and toxins in the air can clog your pores and cause acne, points out Dr Schlessinger. </span></p> <p><span>If you are a city dweller, there’s not much you can do to avoid pollution, but sunscreen will create a barrier between your skin and the toxins, and antioxidant serums can help fight damaging free radicals in air pollution.</span></p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/beauty/17-daily-habits-of-people-who-never-get-acne?pages=1" target="_blank">Reader's Digest</a>.</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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“17 days of hell”: Missing man charged for wasting police time

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A New Zealand man who went missing with his three children has been charged with wasting police resources following a 17-day search for them.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thomas Phillips, 34, is due to appear in the Te Kuiti District Court in November in relation to the search and rescue operation called Operation Marokopa.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The man will be appearing on the 5th of November on a charge of causing wasteful deployment of police personnel and resources,” </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/marokopa-mystery-father-three-kids-spent-17-days-in-bush-man-charged-with-wasting-police-time/5ZYETBLUYJRDDQIDWLVKIY3PJY/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">police said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Operation Marokopa was related to the search for Mr Philips and his three young children: Jayda Jin, 8; Maverick Callum-Phillips, 6; and Ember Phillips, 5.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The family went missing on September 11 in a remote area of Marokopa, on New Zealand’s North Island.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The search began on September 12, when Mr Philips’ car was discovered below the tideline at nearby Kiritehere Beach.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On September 28, Mr Phillips and his children </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-trouble/new-zealand-family-returns-home-safe-after-12-days-missing" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">appeared at his parents’ family home</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in Marokopa.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though he is yet to speak publicly about the disappearance, his family say he had taken the children camping in dense bush.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He apologised to his sister for putting the family through the lengthy ordeal.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Inspector Will Loughrin, Waikato West Area Commander, said the disappearance of Mr Phillips and his children put the rest of their family through “17 days of hell”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Police said it was unclear how the group survived for so long in the rough conditions of the bush.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“They were using a tent. They were in dense bush area.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Inspector Loughrin said the group had set up a tent in an area about 15km away from where Mr Phillips’ ute was found.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When he announced their return, Inspector Loughrin also said it was unknown how they got around the remote, forested areas, or whether they had any help.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The search effort saw police deploy a fixed-wing plane and drones to search the area, with the assistance of the Coastguard and Raglan and Taranaki surf lifesaving teams.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mayor John Robertson said the family’s sudden reappearance was “unreal” when interviewed at the time.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“After three weeks, all the sorts of emotions you go through of all those initial days of hope. We knew he was a good bushman … most thought he’d gone to the bush,” Mr Robertson said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“And then, you know, the search changed over the days. And now - wow. Most of us thought we would never see (this).”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Robertson said it would be difficult to find someone in the area where Mr Phillips’ car was discovered.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“You really have to know it, but I guess he’s a bushman and he would know the area well,” Mr Robertson said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I guess he could live in a tent, though I don’t know the details of how long he was in the bush or where he was.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“That’s another mystery to this. Three weeks is a lot of time for kids to be with him and survive all that.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Police said they would provide no further comments as the matter was before the courts.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: Waikato Police / Facebook</span></em></p>

Legal

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Friends is back 17 years later!

<p>A Friends reunion special at HBO Max is finally coming after being long-delayed.</p> <p><em>Friends: The Reunion</em><span> </span>will debut on HBO Max on May 27.</p> <p>The special show will debut exactly one year after it was originally set to hit the stream service.</p> <p>Unfortunately, the program had to be delayed multiple times due to production shutdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p><em>Friends: The Reunion</em><span> </span>was originally set to film in February 2020 but was only able to begin filming in April.</p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CO0h9nnnNwi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CO0h9nnnNwi/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Lisa Kudrow (@lisakudrow)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Familiar faces are set to hit<span> </span><em>Friends</em><span> </span>including Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, and David Schwimmer.</p> <p>The iconic group returned to the iconic comedy's original soundstage, Stage 24, on the Warner Bros. Studio lot in Burbank.</p> <p>Variety reported in 2020 that each of the six stars were paid at least US$2.5 million (approx. $3.2 million) for participating in the special.</p> <p>A number of A-listers are also set to appear in<span> </span><em>Friends: The Reunion<span> </span></em>including David Beckham, Justin Bieber, Cara Delevingne, James Michael Tyler, Maggie Wheeler, Reese Witherspoon Lady Gaga, BTS, James Corden, Cindy Crawford, Elliott Gould, Kit Harington, Larry Hankin, Mindy Kaling, Thomas Lennon, Christina Pickles, Tom Selleck and Malala Yousafzai.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841218/lisa-kurow.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ca1fc73db260413ca66c3350da7689e6" /></p> <p>The special was directed by Ben Winston.</p> <p>The executive producers included Kevin Bright, Marta Kauffman, and David Crane.</p> <p>While the exact cost of WarnerMedia keeping the rights to the original<span> </span><em>Friends<span> </span></em>is not disclosed, reports suggest the streaming service is paying US$400 million (approx. $518 million).</p>

TV

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"Weightless love": Mary celebrates 17 years as Australia's Princess

<p>Mary Donaldson over twenty years ago could have never guessed her life would have been the fairy tale of all fairy tales, when she met her future-husband in 2000 in Sydney bar.</p> <p>The world has been gripped by Mary ever since she first met the future king of Denmark, Crown Prince Frederik.</p> <p>The pair met during the Sydney Olympics, at the Opera Bar on the harbour, and a little over four years later, they were walking down the aisle of the Copenhagen Cathedral.</p> <p>One of the most breath-taking moments was the moment the world saw Mary in her elegant gown by Danish designer Uffe Frank.</p> <p>It was made of breath-taking ivory duchess satin, and the skirt was lined with 31 metres of tulle.</p> <p>The bride was walked down the aisle by her father, John Donaldson, who made headlines for his traditional Scottish kilt.</p> <p>To pay homage to her homeland, Australia, for her wedding bouquet, she opted for a flowing trail of eucalyptus, roses, and a sprig of myrtle from Fredonsborg Palace.</p> <p>Mary was an ethereal vision, and it was her husband who appeared to shed the first tear.</p> <p>At their reception, the prince set out to honour his new bride by saying: "I love her, and I will protect her with all my heart. I will do my best to make her feel at home in her new country".</p> <p>The royal did not skip over Mary’s father, who he addressed in his opening when he said: "Dear John, what a privilege, what a thrill, what an extraordinary feeling of happiness you have created in me," Frederik said.</p> <p>"One might say Mary also belongs to you - but as of today, she belongs to me and I belong to her."</p> <p>Prince Frederik also shared the moment he first laid eyes on his wife.</p> <p>"I found myself in an unknown country amongst happy, festive foreigners," he said.</p> <p>"My only luggage at that time was my high expectations of my visit and a certain degree of confidence.</p> <p>"I had only been in Australia two days before our fates were sealed, even though neither of us was aware of it. But your radiance shone clearly for me from our very first meeting.</p> <p>"Since then I have been blinded by it and totally dependent on it."</p> <p>Crown Prince Frederik described his wife as the sun that "melts all doubt and darkness".</p> <p>"I love you Mary. Come, let us go, come let us see. Throughout a thousand worlds, weightless love awaits.</p> <p>"The joy and the strength you give me is like the sun in the daytime which, with its radiance, melts all doubts and darkness on earth.</p> <p>"And like the moon at night, you shine with a watchful and delicate beam of gentleness, which extinguishes the mischief and deceit used by the symbols of darkness."</p> <p>17 years later, it seems love is still at the heart of the royal pair’s relationship.</p> <p>The couple share four children together, Prince Christian, 15, Princess Isabella, 14, and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, 10.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Relationships

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17 butt exercises that are better than squats

<p>Step aside squats; there are plenty of other butt workouts that are better for isolating the glutes. Don’t get us wrong, squats aren’t an inherently bad exercise. They are excellent for your quads, the front thigh muscles of your legs, and your back muscles, too. Squats improve the overall strength of the lower body, and the movement also allows you to maintain tension in your glute muscles. (Your glutes are three muscles that make up your butt: the gluteus minimus, gluteus medius, and gluteus maximus.)</p> <p>But the classic squat move might present a few challenges and shortcomings, especially if your goal is to work on your butt. For some people, squats put too much stress on the knees and back. And to get the most glute activation out of a squat, you need to know how to squat correctly. Your butt must be lower than parallel with the floor – a range of motion not everyone can achieve. Squats focus on going up and down. In everyday life, however, we also move side to side. So, it’s important to target other muscles that are part of the glutes to move well.</p> <p>Squats should just be one tool in your arsenal for glute growth. Here are other glute exercises that experts recommend implementing into your butt workouts.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Bodyweight deadlifts</strong></p> <p>Five different strength training experts say deadlifts are one of the best butt exercises. Plus, there are tons of different variations of this movement. Kelly Vargo, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and an instructor for the department of exercise and nutrition sciences at George Washington University, recommends a traditional deadlift. “This exercise is a home run for the posterior chain as it recruits the core, hamstring and glute muscles,” Vargo says.</p> <p><strong>How to do a deadlift:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Start this exercise in a neutral position standing with feet together, core engaged, shoulders relaxed, and a slight bend in the knees.</li> <li>The next step is to hinge at the hips and begin to bend forward. It is important to keep the shoulders back, almost retracted to counteract the tendency to round the shoulders forward, which is harmful to the back. Slowly continue to bend forward, keeping the hands close to the front of the legs and pushing the hips backward. There should be tension building in the hamstrings.</li> <li>Continue to bend forward until your shoulders start to round or until you get to the floor. Slowly extend the body and hips back into a neutral position.</li> </ol> <p><strong>Kettlebell, dumbbell or barbell deadlifts</strong></p> <p>For more challenging butt workouts, add some weight to your favourite moves. Although squats and deadlifts may look similar, they target different muscles, according to personal trainer Henry Halse. “The deadlift involves your hips more because you’re lifting the weight off the ground and standing up with it,” Halse says. “The biggest hip muscles are your glutes.”</p> <p><strong>How to do a kettlebell, barbell, or dumbbell deadlift:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Start with the weight on the ground between your feet. Stick your butt back and arch your lower back as you go down to grab it.</li> <li>Grab the weight with both hands and lift by driving through your heels.</li> <li>Then, stand up tall before lowering the weight back to the ground.<br />Advertisement</li> </ol> <p><br /><strong>Bodyweight Romanian deadlifts</strong></p> <p>Sports physical therapist Leada Malek says that Romanian deadlifts use all the glutes and hamstrings to help protect your back and perform the movement well. If you work on your technique and activate your core, you’ll see awesome results with this movement. Make this movement easier by stopping halfway to parallel, Malek recommends.</p> <p><strong>How to do a Romanian deadlift:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Make sure to select the appropriate resistance band for your current ability, then place the band under your feet and stand with a slight bend in the knees and feet a comfortable hip-width apart.</li> <li>Grip the band with your knuckles facing outwards. Hands should be slightly less than shoulder-width apart.<br />Push the hips backward and maintain a neutral or straight spine as you hinge down, stopping just before parallel with the ground.</li> <li>Keep the core engaged as you initiate from the glutes and extend the hips to stand back up.</li> </ol> <p><br /><strong>Dumbell or kettlebell Romanian deadlifts</strong></p> <p>Kettlebell or dumbbell Romanian deadlifts are a more hip-dominant exercise than the squat, according to kinesiologist Jeremy Ethier. That means the move favours the glutes more and enables you to apply more stress to the glutes in a slightly different way than other butt workout exercises. The movement provides an excellent glute stretch, too.</p> <p><strong>How to do a dumbbell Romanian deadlift:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides. Brace your core by preparing as if someone were about to punch your gut.</li> <li>Next, hinge over at the hips by pushing your hips back like you’re ‘closing a car door with your butt’ and lower the dumbbells. Keep your knees just slightly bent and your back flat as you come down.</li> <li>Once the dumbbells reach about shin level (or as low as you can while still keeping a flat back), squeeze your glutes and thrust your hips forward to stand straight up again.</li> </ol> <p><br /><strong>Glute bridges</strong></p> <p>Glute bridges are another popular butt move with exercise experts. Ethier likes them because a study in the International Journal of Sports Medicine found that they are more effective for glutes growth than the traditional squat. “It’s also a great alternative to squats for the glutes since it enables you to provide a ton of work onto the glutes in a manner that’s very easy on the knees and back,” Ethier says.</p> <p><strong>How to do a glute bridge:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Lie on your back with your knees bent, and your core braced. Without arching your lower back, squeeze your butt muscles to get them engaged.</li> <li>Then, lift up while keeping your glutes contracted.<br />At the top, squeeze your glutes as hard as possible for about 5 seconds before coming back down and repeating.</li> </ol> <p><br /><strong>Single leg glute bridges</strong></p> <p>Take glute bridges to the next level and turn them into a glute isolate exercise by performing this move with one leg, Halse recommends. “Since you’re lying on the ground, you don’t have to concentrate on anything other than squeezing your butt,” he says. “Plus, you don’t need to get your quads and hamstrings involved.” Make it even tougher by holding a weight like a dumbbell in your lap.</p> <p><strong>How to do a single leg glute bridge:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Lie on your back with both feet flat on the ground, 15cm from your butt.</li> <li>Lift one leg straight into the air.</li> <li>Press through the heel of the foot that’s on the ground and lift your hips up as high as you can. That’s one rep.<br /><br /></li> </ol> <p><strong>Lunges</strong></p> <p>Good butt workouts are incomplete without some form of a lunge: this move is transformative, which is just one reason to make it a staple in your glutes workouts. There are many different variations, but the traditional lunge is worth doing, according to Vargo. “Lunges fire up the legs, strengthen the core, promote balance, and recruit the glute muscles,” she says. “These exercises are a win-win for shaping legs and glutes.”</p> <p><strong>How to do a lunge:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Start in a neutral position standing with feet together, core engaged and shoulders relaxed.</li> <li>Step forward with the right foot.</li> <li>As the right foot lands on the ground, simultaneously bend both the right and left knees. Lower your centre of gravity until your back left knee gently touches the ground. Ensure you are in an upright posture with the core engaged and shoulders relaxed.</li> <li>At this point, press off the floor with the right, front foot, raising the centre of gravity and bringing the right foot back next to the left foot into the original starting position. Repeat with the left foot stepping forward.</li> </ol> <p> </p> <p><strong>Lateral lunges</strong></p> <p>Always try to include a lateral movement in your butt workouts because the glutes are responsible for not only forward and back motions of the leg, but side to side motions, too, according to Halse. Not only is the lateral lunge his favourite exercise, but it’s a quick workout move that can transform your body.</p> <p><strong>How to do a lateral lunge:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Hold a weight down in front of your legs with both hands.</li> <li>Step out to one side, stick your butt back, and reach the weight down towards the ground.</li> <li>Then, stand back up and step your feet together. Alternate legs on each rep.</li> </ol> <p><br /><strong>Reverse lunges</strong></p> <p>Hone in on your butt without putting tons of stress on the knees and lower back with this exercise. Plus, if you choose to squat, this is a great complimentary movement as it better activates the glutes and hamstrings, Ethier says. Make sure to focus on your form to avoid exercise injury.</p> <p><strong>How to do a reverse lunge:</strong></p> <ol> <li>If you like, hold a pair of dumbbells at your side.</li> <li>Take a long step back and bring your back knee towards the ground until it just about touches the ground. Avoid rounding your back as you do so and keep your front shin vertical over your front foot.</li> <li>Then, push through the heel of your front foot to rise back up to the starting position. You should feel your glute of the front leg work as you do so. Repeat with the other leg.<br />Need a little cardiovascular workout? Try this at-home HIIT workout.</li> </ol> <p> </p> <p><strong>Hip thrusts</strong></p> <p>Personal trainer Morgan Rees and physiotherapist Lauren Lobert Frison both suggest hip thrusts for good butt workouts. You can use a barbell, resistance band or your body weight to perform the movement. You’ll need a bench or a chair about 30-50cm off the ground, depending on your height.</p> <p><strong>How to do a hip thrust:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Start with your butt on the ground, knees bent up, so your feet are flat on the floor, and leaning against a bench or chair. Line the bench up near the bottom of the shoulder blades.</li> <li>If you’re using a bar, place it along the hip’s crease. If you are using a glute resistance band, set it right above the knees.</li> <li>Keep your hands either behind your neck, in your lap, or resting on the ground, according to Frison.</li> <li>Keep your spine neutral, neck aligned with the spine (do not look down towards your feet), and press your glutes towards the ceiling lifting your butt off the floor, Rees says.<br />You don’t want your back arched at all at the top. You want your lower leg to be vertical at the top, so you may need to adjust your feet to be closer or farther away from your butt.</li> </ol> <p> </p> <p><strong>Kickbacks</strong></p> <p>Perform this glute isolation exercise that Rees and Frison recommend for stronger butt cheeks.</p> <p><strong>How to do a glute kickback:</strong></p> <ol> <li>This can be done with a cable machine using an ankle strap attachment, a band, or a dumbbell behind the knee.</li> <li>Place your knees and arms shoulder-width apart, hands on the floor.</li> <li>Place the resistance band above your knees or a dumbbell behind one of your knees.</li> <li>Press your foot towards the ceiling maintaining close to a 90-degree angle the entire time.</li> </ol> <p> </p> <p><strong>Clamshells</strong></p> <p>Ethier and Malek love clamshells to work your butt. “This exercise is important to target a glute muscle that tends to get overlooked in bigger movements like the squat,” Ethier explains. “It’s called the gluteus medius and plays an important role in hip stability and helping with the overall shape of your glutes.” Malek adds this move also works hip abductors and hip external rotators, which are key balance muscles and help with knee stability so you can avoid injuries and knee pain.</p> <p><strong>How to do a clamshell:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Lie on your side with your knees and hips bent. Use one arm to make a pillow for your head. With your other hand, place your thumb on the bone in the front of your hip. Wrap your other fingers around the upper part of your butt. This muscle is the gluteus medius, and you want to feel this muscle working as you do the following movement, Ethier says.</li> <li>Next, while keeping your feet together and core braced, open up your top knee like a clamshell so that the knee of your upper leg rises towards the ceiling. Maintain a bent knee level with the ankle. As you do so, avoid rotating your hips.</li> <li>Hold at the top briefly before coming down and repeating for more reps. If this move is too easy, add a resistance band around the top of the knees, Malek suggests.</li> </ol> <p><strong><br />Side-lying hip abduction</strong></p> <p>Target the same critical butt muscle, the gluteus medius, with this movement. “This muscle is the balancing muscle in the glute group that helps keep us straight,” Malek explains. “It also plays a large role in controlling our trunk with hip hinges and bending over, which helps protect your back.” If this movement is too challenging, practise holding this at the top instead of doing repetitions.</p> <p><strong>How to do a side-lying hip abduction:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Lie on your side, legs stacked.</li> <li>Straighten the top leg, and lift it slightly behind the torso. Be sure to avoid rolling backwards. Lower your leg, and repeat.</li> </ol> <p><br /><strong><br />Step-ups</strong></p> <p>This glute exercise makes sure you’re working both sides of your butt. It requires stepping up and isolating the glute muscle of each leg, Vargo explains. If this move is hard to do with good form, lower the step or chair’s elevation. But if this is too easy, Vargo recommends adding in weights or increasing your pace.</p> <p><strong>How to do a step up:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Start in a neutral position standing with feet together, core engaged and shoulders relaxed. Step up with the right foot on the chair (or whatever tool for elevation you are using).</li> <li>Press down on the surface of the chair with the right foot, raising the centre of gravity and bringing the left foot onto the surface of the chair.</li> <li>Step back off the surface of the chair with the left foot followed by the right foot, finishing the repetition in the beginning neutral stance. Repeat this with the left foot, Vargo says.</li> </ol> <p> </p> <p><strong>Split squat</strong></p> <p>The need to keep your balance during this movement makes it such a dynamic exercise for your lower body, especially your glutes. This is basically a single leg squat or stationary lunge, a good addition to your butt workouts.</p> <p><strong>How to do a split squat:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Start in a standing position. Your back knee should be relatively perpendicular to the ground and can be elevated on a bench for support.</li> <li>Slightly hinge forward, keeping the front foot firmly placed on the ground. Keep your shoulders back as you hinge forward and lower yourself towards the ground and back up.<strong><br /><br /><br /></strong></li> </ol> <p><strong>Hook-lying hip abduction</strong></p> <p>Hip abduction occurs when you move the leg sideways and away from your body, Frison explains. The muscles used in this movement, hip abductors, not only involve your glutes, but they also help people perform basic everyday activities like walking.</p> <p><strong>How to do a hook-lying hip abduction:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Lying on your back with your knees bent, so your feet are flat on the floor, bring your knees apart and then back together.</li> <li>You will want a strong band around your legs, either just above or just below your knees. You can also do this sitting if you prefer, Lauren says. Don’t let the band snap your knees back together; control it on the way back.</li> </ol> <p><strong><br /><br />Sidestep</strong></p> <p>Sidestep (or crab) targets your glutes with a resistance band.</p> <p><strong>How to do a sidestep:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Stand in an athletic position (slight knee bend, flat back) with and a resistance band around your legs (the higher up it is, the easier it will be so it can be anywhere from your upper thighs to around your feet).</li> <li>Take a large step sideways, keeping your toes pointed forwards. Follow with the other foot, keeping tension on the band the whole time.</li> <li>Repeat, walking sideways, and then go back the other way.</li> </ol> <p><br /><br /><strong>Bonus: Jump squat</strong></p> <p>OK, so this is technically a squat. But according to Halse, it’s worth adding to your butt workouts. “While regular squats aren’t as helpful for glute development, explosive exercises like the squat jump are,” Halse explains. “Your glutes are large and powerful, and designed to help you do explosive activities like sprint and jump.” That’s why you should try to include some jumping exercises in your workouts, like squat jumps. If you have knee, hip or back issues, however, you might want to avoid this exercise.</p> <p><strong>How to do a squat jump:</strong></p> <ol> <li>For this exercise, all you have to do is squat down low then jump up high. Try to get your feet to leave the ground.</li> <li>Land softly on your feet with your knees slightly bent and repeat, Halse says.<br />Now you’ve got your body sorted, give your brain a boost with these weird brain exercises that make you smarter.</li> </ol> <p class="p1"><em>Written by Emily DiNuzzo. This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/fitness/17-butt-exercises-that-are-better-than-squats?pages=1"><span class="s1">Reader’s Digest</span></a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.co.nz/subscribe"><span class="s1">here’s our best subscription offer</span></a>.</em></p>

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Nurse arrested for third time after death of 17 babies

<p>A UK nurse previously arrested twice during investigations into the deaths of infants at a neonatal unit has been arrested again - this time on suspicion of the murder of eight babies and the attempted murder of another nine.</p> <p>Countess of Chester Hospital nurse Lucy Letby was originally arrested in 2018 and 2019 on suspicion of murder in relation to the deaths of eight babies and the attempted murder of six others.</p> <p>The 30-year-old has been questioned in the past by detectives for two days while her Chester home in northwest England was searched, but was released without charge.</p> <p>Police have revealed that Letby, who was once the face of a £3 million fundraising campaign, had been arrested again after new information came to light.</p> <p>Detectives described the investigation as “extremely challenging”.</p> <p>“It has been more than three years since we first launched an investigation into a number of baby deaths and non-fatal collapses at the neonatal unit at The Countess of Chester Hospital,” Detective Chief Inspector Paul Hughes said.</p> <p>“In that time a dedicated team of detectives have been working extremely hard on this highly complex and very sensitive case, doing everything they can as quickly as they can to identify what has led to these baby deaths and collapses.</p> <p>“Today, as part of our ongoing enquiries, the healthcare professional has been rearrested on suspicion of murder in relation to the deaths of eight babies and the attempted murder of nine babies.</p> <p>“The woman is currently in custody helping officers with their enquiries.”</p> <p>Cheshire Police has been investigating the deaths of infants and non-fatal collapses at the UK hospital for a long time now, after the hospital reported 17 infant deaths and 16 non-fatal collapses between March 2015 and July 2016.</p> <p>“Parents of all the babies have been kept fully updated on this latest development and they are continuing to be supported throughout the process by specially trained officers,” Hughes said.</p> <p>“This is an extremely difficult time for all the families and it is important to remember that, at the heart of this, there are a number of bereaved families seeking answers as to what happened to their children.”</p> <p>A friend of Letby has described the nurse as being dedicated to her “dream job” and insisted that she ”wouldn’t hurt a fly”.</p> <p>“We’re still reeling from it to be honest,” she told the Daily Mail.</p> <p>“Even after sleeping on it I think everybody around here is still in a state of shock and disbelief.</p> <p>“Lucy was doing the job she dreamed of doing and appeared nothing but dedicated and professional. You can’t imagine her hurting a fly let alone defenceless babies.”</p> <p>A resident who lives on the same street as Letby told the Daily Mail said she was shocked when she heard of her arrest.</p> <p>“I can’t add much more to what’s been already said about her,” she said.</p> <p>“I knew her when she was a little girl and she was as sweet as anything. I’ve seen her grow up and she seemed a lovely woman.</p> <p>“So this is news is deeply and utterly shocking. I can’t fathom it.”</p> <p>A spokesman for the Countess of Chester Hospital said it was “co-operating fully” with the investigation.</p>

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17 things you didn’t know about Prince George

<p><strong>He missed out on a royal birthday tradition this year</strong><br />Like many youngsters in 2020, Prince George had a low-key birthday during the coronavirus pandemic. And there’s one royal honour he didn’t receiving this year: the tradition of the ringing of the bells at London’s Westminster Abbey was a no-go, as the Abbey was closed until August. But the young prince might not even have noticed, as he’s currently spending time with his family away from London at their country estate, Anmer Hall, in Norfolk. His mum, Duchess Catherine, revealed in a podcast that the family enjoys the “simple things” like being “outside in the countryside and we’re all filthy dirty.” A recent pic taken by the Duchess is proof, showing Prince George and his siblings, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte, roughhousing in the grass with their dad, Prince William.</p> <p><strong>He has sibling rivalry with Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte</strong><br />As with any family, there are squabbles between Prince George and his younger siblings. Duchess Kate recently revealed at a gardening event that the siblings are having a sunflower-growing competition – and Prince George hasn’t exactly been happy with the results. “The children are really enjoying growing their sunflowers – Louis’s is winning so George is a little grumpy about that!” she said. And in typical older-brother fashion, he has also wanted to take over his sister’s school assignments. “George gets very upset because he just wants to do all of Charlotte’s projects,” Duchess Kate told ITV. “Spider sandwiches are far cooler than literacy work!” We’re not sure what spider sandwiches entail, although they do sound enticing for a little boy.</p> <p><strong>He volunteers</strong><br />Duchess Catherine and Prince William strive to teach the future king of England about the importance of giving back to those in need. Not even a spring rainstorm could stop Prince George and his family from delivering homemade pasta to the elderly and vulnerable near their Norfolk home, in a photo released for Britain’s Volunteers Week in early June. The young prince had even helped prepare the packages himself, along with his siblings. “They got drenched as it was pouring with the rain but I think they just wanted to do their bit,” one onlooker told The Daily Mail.</p> <p><strong>He’s a normal schoolboy</strong><br />At the school Prince George attends, Thomas’s Battersea in London, the young prince is just like any other student, which is exactly how his parents want it – Prince William and Duchess Catherine haven’t even told Prince George yet he’ll be king one day. “George is really happy at school, [and] his nickname is P.G.,” a classmate’s parent told Vanity Fair. “He’s very popular and has lots of friends, and there’s very little fuss made about who he is,” the parent said. “Either William or Kate do drop-off, and they are always very friendly.” Prince George’s little sister, Princess Charlotte, joined him at the school last year.</p> <p><strong>He loves the British cartoon Fireman Sam</strong><br />Although Prince George is not allowed to have an iPad, he still gets in screen time while he watches his favourite show, Fireman Sam, as his parents revealed in a BBC radio interview. “Fireman Sam is taking an awful lot of interest,” Prince William said, noting that he has to watch along with his son. “You have to pretend you’re really into [his shows] because George gets very upset if you’re not showing due diligence to the characters.” The creators of Fireman Sam even gave a nod to the young prince in their 30th-anniversary episode, “The Prince of Pontypandy,” in which an unnamed royal family makes an appearance.</p> <p><strong>He’s started wearing long pants</strong><br />Royal watchers know that following tradition, Prince George had always appeared in public in shorts, even in winter. But the youngster is growing up and has begun breaking this protocol. His first public appearance in long pants was at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding. Last December’s Christmas card also featured the young prince in laid-back jeans, described by one British newspaper as a ‘royal shock’. Then again, Prince William and Kate’s Christmas cards are always fantastic, regardless of what the young prince is wearing.</p> <p><strong>His sister wears his hand-me-downs</strong><br />Like any good big brother, Prince George has passed on his clothes to his little sister, Princess Charlotte. In that same Christmas card, Princess Charlotte is wearing a sweater Prince George wore in a 2016 photo with his great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II. Princess Charlotte also wore the same hand-me-down sweater in a photo with their newest sibling, Prince Louis, following his birth in 2018. And this spring, Princess Charlotte was spotted wearing the exact same sneakers Prince George wore the year before, both without socks, no less – although whether she inherited his stinky shoes or is simply wearing a new pair of the same style has not been revealed.</p> <p><strong>He can be ‘naughty’</strong><br />As a toddler, Prince George was something of a handful – so much so that his parents decided to leave him at home when they went on a 2016 trip to India. When asked why the young prince was not with them, Duchess Catherine reportedly replied, “Because George is too naughty. He would be running all over the place.” Maybe now that he’s older, he can accompany them on their next trip there. “The next time we come we will definitely bring them,” the Duchess said.</p> <p><strong>He has seven godparents</strong><br />There are some ways Prince George is just like any other ‘normal’ boy – and some ways his Royal life is very, very different. For example, at his christening, he received not one, not two, but seven godparents to assist, counsel, and support him in his very important royal role. According to the Prince’s official royal biography, they are: Mr Oliver Baker, Mrs David Jardine-Paterson, Earl Grosvenor, Mr Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, The Hon. Mrs Michael Samuel, Mrs Michael Tindall, and Mr William van Cutsem. Just who are these people? They range from childhood and college friends of Prince William and Duchess Catherine to family and other members of the aristocracy. No Royals, though, made the cut, possibly so that the young prince will have others to turn to outside ‘the firm’ as he grows up.</p> <p><strong>He loves dancing, like his late grandmother</strong><br />Prince George’s grandmother, the late Princess Diana, was known for her dancing, such as when she took to the floor with John Travolta at the White House. And the grandson she never got to meet has apparently inherited her skills. “George is doing dancing as well, he loves it,” Prince William shared. “My mother always used to dance, she loved dancing.” Prince George’s school, Thomas’s Battersea, includes ballet class for young students, so he can enhance his natural talent.</p> <p><strong>He tailgates</strong><br />At a polo match last year, with his siblings and new cousin, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, Prince George looked like any boy having a fun outing. (Even though Harry and Meghan’s baby is being raised differently form the Cambridge children). While his dad and uncle, Prince Harry, played, Prince George decided he’d rather kick around a soccer ball than watch the game. At one point, his mother, Duchess Catherine, had to take away a polo mallet he was dangerously wielding near Princess Charlotte. Then, he and his sister had an impromptu tailgate, complete with snacks out of the cooler. They hopped up into the back of their SUV as their mum and brother, Prince Louis, lounged on the grass below.</p> <p><strong>He’s a picture-posing pro</strong><br />From a young age, Prince George was a natural in front of the camera. According to a photographer who took his picture for a special postage stamp when the Prince was only two years old, “he was absolutely charming, as you can see from the picture. You only have a short window of opportunity with small children, but Prince George was on good form and everyone seemed to enjoy seeing him enjoy the day.” Duchess Catherine, an avid photographer herself, also recently revealed her son loves having his picture taken. “Get outside with your camera as well – George and Charlotte love it when we do that,” she advised budding photographers at an event.</p> <p><strong>He goes on spider hunts</strong><br />Speaking of getting outside, Prince George loves being in nature, as his mother recently opened up about during a visit to a ‘forest school’. According to the head of the school, the Duchess “said she often takes her children on spider hunts in their garden, which they love. They can spend hours out there.” At another garden visit, Duchess Catherine talked about how much her children love to learn by exploring the outdoors. “That’s where George and Charlotte would love to be is learning outside of the classroom, not inside,” she said. And Prince George’s grandfather, Prince Charles, has said the youngster is “one of those characters who naturally, instinctively likes to be outside.”<br /><br /><strong>He helped design his mum’s garden</strong><br />With his love of nature, it’s not surprising Prince George actually helped Duchess Catherine design her woodland-themed, play-and-learn garden for the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) this year. “We made the stepping stones because Prince George wanted them,” the landscaper the Duchess worked with told Hello!. “The kids loved jumping across [the stream].” Plus, the official Kensington Palace Instagram revealed, “over the past months, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis have helped the Duchess gather moss, leaves, and twigs to help decorate the RHS Back to Nature Garden. Hazel sticks collected by the family were also used to make the garden’s den.” The Duchess said her kids “played [in the garden] last night in a way I hadn’t imagined. They were throwing stones. I hadn’t actually thought that that was what they would be doing. They kicked their shoes off, and wanted to paddle in the stream…using it in a way that I hadn’t anticipated.”</p> <p><strong>He makes pizza dough</strong><br />What kid doesn’t like pizza? Prince George is no exception and even likes making his own personal pies. At a community centre lunch, Duchess Catherine said, “I’ve done that with George and Charlotte, making pizza dough. They love it because they can get their hands messy.” At a recent event where she actually made pizzas with children, Kate said of her own kids, “they would love to come and do this with you. They’ll be very sad that I’ve been out here making pizzas with all you and they haven’t been!” The budding chef also likes to make cookies, although the Duchess has said, “when I try to do this with George at home, chocolate and the golden syrup goes everywhere. He makes so much mess. It’s chaos.” So relatable!</p> <p><strong>He plays tennis – with Roger Federer</strong><br />Another of the sporty Prince’s interests is playing tennis – but not too many seven-year-olds get to take lessons from one of its top stars. At Wimbledon, Duchess Catherine said that Prince George has actually played with his favourite player, Roger Federer, according to the tournament’s Wimbledon Morning Coffee. And as reported in The Daily Star, Federer is also a fan of Prince George, “He’s a cute boy. I love to see they’re into tennis or into sport,” noting that George has “a good swing.” The tennis champ also said about being the Prince’s favourite, “I think I have a little advantage that I actually spent some time with him, so maybe I’m the only player he’s ever met. Then you have a little head start into who is your favourite player!”</p> <p><strong>He gets totally bored at formal events</strong><br />The future king may lead an extraordinary life, but he sure exhibits some pretty ordinary – if adorable – kid behaviour. At last year’s Trooping the Colour, which celebrates the Queen’s birthday, his priceless expressions, including a scrunched-up nose and facepalm, were just like any other bored little boy at a grownup event. Never mind the Royal Air Force fly-by: George is totally over it. This (almost) tops when his cousin, Savannah Phillips, shushed the giggling Prince and even covered his mouth. Whether smiling or scowling, Prince George steals the show!</p> <p class="p1"><em>Written by Tina Donvito. This article first appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/culture/17-things-you-didnt-know-about-prince-george?pages=1"><span class="s1">Reader’s Digest</span></a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.co.nz/subscribe"><span class="s1">here’s our best subscription offer</span></a>.</em></p>

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Ryan and Tatum O’Neal reunite after 17 years

<p>Ryan O’Neal was reunited with his once estranged daughter Tatum and her three children on Sunday, as they posed happily for their first family photo in 17 years.</p> <p>The Hollywood star looked frail but thrilled in the picture as he sat beside his grandson Sean and Oscar winner Tatum.</p> <p>Tatum’s other children Kevin and Emily were also in the snap.</p> <p>Taking to Instagram to share the photo, Sean celebrated his family being together after so long.</p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CFFYep5nONL/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CFFYep5nONL/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">This is one of the most memorable photos of my life. The last time we were all together was at the 30-year Paper Moon Anniversary in 2003. I could cry tears of gratitude that everyone in this photo is still alive and that we were all able to come together again after so many years of hardship. The entire West Coast is burning, but if the O’Neals can reconcile, truly anything is possible 🙏🏻☺️💛#Reconciliation #Forgiveness #Wholeness #Love #FAMILY</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/sean__mcenroe/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Sean McEnroe</a> (@sean__mcenroe) on Sep 13, 2020 at 9:52am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“This is one of the most memorable photos of my life,” he wrote. “The last time we were all together was at the 30-year Paper Moon Anniversary in 2003.</p> <p>“I could cry tears of gratitude that everyone in this photo is still alive and that we were all able to come together again after so many years of hardship.</p> <p>“The entire West Coast is burning, but if the O’Neals can reconcile, truly anything is possible.”</p> <p>At a mere 10-years-old, Tatum became the youngest person to win an Academy Award, which she won alongside her father for the 1973 comedy-drama Paper Moon.</p> <p>Both father and daughter have suffered from substance abuse and had a famously volatile relationship that resulted in a falling out that lasted nearly 25 years.</p>

Family & Pets

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Coronavirus RNA found on cruise ship 17 days after passengers abandoned liner

<p>Coronavirus RNA has been determined to have the ability to live for up to 17 days among surfaces after health authorities studies the <em>Diamond Princess</em> cruise ship.</p> <p>The disease can survive longer than research has previously shown, new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has shown to us on Monday in new data.</p> <p>The study sought out to show how the Japanese and U.S government’s efforts to contain the COVID-19 outbreaks on the Carnival-owned <em>Diamond Princess</em> ship in Japan and the <em>Grand Princess</em> ship in California has been.</p> <p>RNA is the genetic material of the virus that causes COVID-19, and was “identified on a variety of surfaces in cabins of both symptomatic and asymptomatic infected passengers up to 17 days after cabins were vacated on the D<em>iamond Princess</em> but before disinfection procedures had been conducted,” the researchers wrote.</p> <p>The CDC added the genetic material of the virus that specifically causes COVID-19 revealed that there was no indication that the virus can “spread by surface”.</p> <p>They also added researchers were unable to  “determine whether transmission occurred from contaminated surfaces,” and that more studies focussing on whether COVID-19 can be spread through touching surfaces on cruise ships was warranted.</p> <p>“COVID-19 on cruise ships poses a risk for rapid spread of disease, causing outbreaks in a vulnerable population, and aggressive efforts are required to contain spread,” the data report read.</p> <p>The CDC has urged people to stay away from cruise ships at this time if they are part of the more vulnerable population.</p> <p>Researchers at the national Institutes of Health, CDC, UCLA and Princeton University previously found that COVID-19 can last up to three days on plastic and stainless steel.</p> <p>The study also determined the RNA of the virus decreases over time on plastic and stainless steel.</p> <p>The new study set out to understand just how “transmission occurred across multiple voyages of several ships.” It noted at least 25 cruise ship voyages had confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of March 17.</p> <p>All of these cases where either detected during or after the cruise trip ended.</p> <p>Almost half, 46.5%, of the infections aboard the <em>Diamond Princess</em> were asymptomatic when they were tested.</p> <p>The study revealed it partially explaining the “high attack rate” of the virus among passengers and crew.</p> <p>On February 4, all 3,700 passengers and crew of the <em>Diamond Princess</em> were quarantined at a Japanese port after a passenger had been diagnoses with COVID-19 after returning to Hong Kong.</p> <p>What resulted was the largest cluster of confirmed coronavirus cases outside of China at the time, with more than 800 passengers and crew eventually going on to become infected.</p> <p>Nine people died due to the outbreak after disembarking the ship. Research revealed that 712 of 3,711 people on the <em>Diamond Princess</em>, or 19.2% were infected by COVID-19.</p> <p>78 cases were also found on the <em>Grand Princess,</em> which was force to moor off the coast of California after two passengers tested positive when they disembarked the vessel.</p> <p>The 78 cases tied back to the ship across separate voyages. California officials allowed the ship to remove all passengers from the vessel at the Port of Oakland.</p> <p>The <em>Diamond Princess and Grand Princess</em> has accounted for more than 800 total COVID-19 cases, including 10 deaths.</p>

Cruising

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17-year-old girl dies in horror crash after car bursts into flames

<p>A New Zealand teenager has passed away in a horror crash that left her trapped inside the vehicle before it burst into flames.</p> <p>Tayla Alexander, 17, was in a Suburu hatchback before it rolled down a bank and caught on fire on Summit Road in Christchurch. The accident happened at 11 pm on a Wednesday night.</p> <p>She was driving with three other teenagers, who were all injured and taken to hospital to be treated.</p> <p>At least six people tried to rescue those trapped inside the car before it burst into flames.</p> <p>Friends and family of the teenager have remembered Tayla as a “beautiful” girl that was taken far too soon.</p> <p>“She put her heart on her sleeve,” a friend who wished to remain anonymous told<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/117769916/one-dead-and-another-critical-following-crash-in-christchurch" target="_blank">Stuff</a></em>.</p> <p>“She was a beautiful girl and she's going to be terribly missed.”</p> <p>"I think that's the hard thing about being from a small town, everyone knows everyone, so from this event so many people are going to [be] affected."</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fphoto.php%3Ffbid%3D1392281904282064%26set%3Da.102808339896100%26type%3D3&amp;width=500" width="500" height="561" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>Kevin Clark, who was driving along the road at the time of the accident, said that the road has a “horrible corner”.</p> <p>"It was right on that bend; it's a horrible corner as it is. I've always taken it stupidly slow because I've always thought people [will] go off it if they go too quick around it."</p> <p>Clark also stopped to help rescue those who were trapped in the car.</p> <p>"All of the people there were trying to put out the fire and doing all they could to help the people out." <span> </span></p> <p>In New Zealand, 303 people have died on the roads this year so far alone.</p> <p><em>Photo credit: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1392281904282064&amp;set=a.102808339896100&amp;type=3&amp;theater" target="_blank">Facebook</a></em></p>

News

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Fugitive found in a cave after 17 years on the run

<p>A Chinese fugitive who had been on the run for 17 years has been found living in a mountain cave.</p> <p>Song Jiang escaped from prison camp in 2002 while serving time for trafficking women and children.</p> <p>Yongshan police tracked down the 63-year-old’s whereabouts to the mountains behind his hometown in Yunnan province after receiving a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/man-found-living-cave-fugitive-mountains-17-years-yunnan-province-yongshan-police-prison-a9125941.html" target="_blank">tip-off</a>.</p> <p>The police’s drones spotted a piece of blue steel on a cliff in the forest, along with household garbage.</p> <p>Police said Song had been living in a cave measuring less than 21 square feet (1.95 square metres) in size.</p> <p>Pictures from inside the cave released by police showed blackened pots and layers of makeshift bedding.</p> <p>According to state media, he survived by collecting river water in a plastic bottle and making fires with tree branches.</p> <p>Investigators said Song had trouble communicating and had not taken a bath or done laundry in “<a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/chinese-fugitive-found-living-cave-after-17-years-run-n1060166" target="_blank">a long time</a>” due to his seclusion.</p> <p>Song has now been sent back to jail.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery to see the pictures from the cave.</p> <p><em>Photo credit: Yongshan Police</em></p>

International Travel