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Promising Alzheimer’s drug offers hope for a bright future in treatment

A remarkable and significant breakthrough in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease is ushering in a new era of hope and possibilities for patients grappling with early onset dementia. Scientists and researchers are celebrating this groundbreaking development, viewing it as a tremendous opportunity to transform the landscape of Alzheimer's treatment. The drug in question, donanemab, developed by Eli Lilly, has shown remarkable success in clinical trials and is anticipated to receive approval from the Food and Drug Administration later this year, according to a report in the <a href="https://nypost.com/2023/07/17/alzheimers-drug-donanemab-lowers-risk-of-dementia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a>. Individuals who participated in the donanemab trials experienced a remarkable 40% reduction in the risk of transitioning from mild cognitive impairment to mild or moderate dementia. This is an extraordinary advancement that brings renewed optimism to those affected by this devastating condition. Donanemab would be the third Alzheimer’s drug to emerge in recent months, following the introduction of Leqembi and Aduhelm. This is just the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the realm of molecular therapies for Alzheimer's, as expressed by Dr. Gil Rabinovici, director of the University of California San Francisco’s Memory and Ageing Centre, in an editorial for JAMA. Dr. Daniel Skovronsky, the chief scientific and medical officer at Lilly, has emphasised the significance of this breakthrough. He states, "This will be a very important and meaningful drug," as quoted in Fierce Biotech. Skovronsky further adds, "[T]here’s a huge opportunity here for patients." Such resolute optimism is inspiring, reflecting the tremendous potential this drug holds for transforming lives. Similar to Leqembi and Aduhelm, donanemab is a monoclonal antibody designed to target plaque in the brain, specifically the amyloid protein. These amyloid plaques are responsible for the propagation of another protein called tau, which contributes to the development of Alzheimer's disease. Notably, the donanemab trial also revealed that the drug slowed cognitive decline by an impressive 35% compared to a placebo in individuals with low to intermediate levels of tau protein in the brain. In fact, donanemab demonstrated superior efficacy in clearing amyloid plaques when compared to Aduhelm and Leqembi. Moreover, unlike Leqembi, which necessitates long-term usage, patients taking donanemab may follow a fixed-duration dosing schedule, potentially allowing some individuals to discontinue the treatment after a certain period. "I expect that many patients will be able to stop dosing even as soon as 12 months," Skovronsky affirmed. This stands as a significant departure from being prescribed a lifelong medication, providing an exciting and meaningful prospect for patients. While it is important to note that these new Alzheimer’s drugs do carry limitations and risks, medical experts remain cautiously optimistic. Donanemab, along with the other emerging drugs, has been associated with brain swelling and bleeding. Tragically, three individuals in the donanemab clinical trial lost their lives due to these side effects. The risk of brain swelling and bleeding is heightened among those carrying the APOE4 gene, which is associated with an increased susceptibility to Alzheimer’s. Furthermore, individuals with more advanced stages of the disease showed minimal to no benefit compared to those who received a placebo. As a result, it is possible that donanemab will be recommended primarily for individuals with low to intermediate levels of tau proteins, indicating milder forms of the disease. Nevertheless, Skovronsky and other medical experts maintain their optimism regarding the FDA's approval, expressing the urgent need for it to come to fruition. Skovronsky highlights, "Every day that goes by, there are some patients who pass through this early stage of Alzheimer’s disease and become more advanced, and they won’t benefit from treatment. That’s a very pressing sense of urgency." While challenges and risks remain, the emergence of donanemab and its potential approval by the FDA represents a beacon of hope for the millions of individuals and families affected by Alzheimer's disease. It symbolises the start of a new chapter in the fight against this debilitating condition, offering renewed prospects for a brighter future filled with effective treatments and improved quality of life. Image: Shutterstock

Mind

We were told we’d be riding in self-driving cars by now. What happened to the promised revolution?

According to <a href="https://electrek.co/2015/12/21/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-drops-prediction-full-autonomous-driving-from-3-years-to-2/">predictions</a> <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/09/lyfts-president-says-car-ownership-will-all-but-end-by-2025">made</a> nearly a decade ago, we should be riding around in self-driving vehicles today. It’s now clear the autonomous vehicle revolution was overhyped. Proponents woefully underestimated the technological challenges. It turns out developing a truly driverless vehicle is hard. The other factor driving the hype was the amount of money being invested in autonomous vehicle startups. By 2021, it was estimated more than <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2022/02/04/self-driving-cars-why/">US$100 billion</a> in venture capital had gone into developing the technology. While advances are being made, it is important to understand there are multiple levels of autonomy. Only one is truly driverless. As established by <a href="https://www.sae.org/blog/sae-j3016-update">SAE International</a>, the levels are: <ul> <li> level 0 — the driver has to undertake all driving tasks </li> <li> level 1, hands on/shared control — vehicle has basic driver-assist features such as cruise control and lane-keeping </li> <li> level 2, hands off – vehicle has advanced driver-assist features such as emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, auto park assist and traffic-jam assist </li> <li> level 3, eyes off — vehicle drives itself some of the time </li> <li> level 4, mind off — vehicle drives itself most of the time </li> <li> level 5, steering wheel option — vehicle drives itself all the time. </li> </ul> <h2>Why the slow progress?</h2> It’s estimated the technology to deliver safe autonomous vehicles is about <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/mar/27/how-self-driving-cars-got-stuck-in-the-slow-lane">80% developed</a>. The last 20% is increasingly difficult. It will take a lot more time to perfect. Challenges yet to be resolved involve unusual and rare events that can happen along any street or highway. They include weather, wildlife crossing the road, and highway construction. Another set of problems has emerged since <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonmainwaring/2022/08/22/cruise-ride-hailing-goes-green-and-driverless/?sh=6a7439376843">Cruise</a> and <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/19/23467784/waymo-provide-fully-driverless-rides-san-francisco-california">Waymo</a> launched their autonomous ride-hailing services in San Francisco. The US National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2022/12/16/cruises-autonomous-driving-tech-comes-under-scrutiny-from-safety-regulators/">opened an investigation</a> in December 2022, only six months after the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jun/03/california-driverless-taxi-cars-san-francisco">services were approved</a>. It cited incidents where these vehicles “may have engaged in inappropriately hard braking or became immobilized”. The San Francisco County Transportation Authority <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/01/technology/self-driving-taxi-san-francisco.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>, "[I]n the months since the initial approval of autonomous taxi services in June 2022, Cruise AVs have made unplanned and unexpected stops in travel lanes, where they obstruct traffic and transit service and intrude into active emergency response scenes, including fire suppression scenes, creating additional hazardous conditions." In several cases, Cruise technicians had to be called to move the vehicles. <h2>What’s happening now?</h2> Active autonomous vehicle initiatives can be grouped into two categories: ride-hailing services (Cruise, Waymo and Uber) and sales to the public (Tesla). Cruise is a subsidiary of General Motors founded in 2013. As of September 2022, it operated 100 robotaxis in San Francisco and had plans to increase its fleet to 5,000. Critics said this would increase city traffic. Cruise also began to offer services in Chandler (a Phoenix suburb), Arizona, and Austin, Texas, in December 2022. Waymo, formerly the Google Self-Driving Car Project, was founded in January 2009. The company lost <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/11/23453262/waymo-av-driverless-taxi-phoenix-california-dmv-progress">US$4.8 billion in 2020 and US$5.2 billion in 2021</a>. Waymo One provides autonomous ride-hailing services in <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2023/2/28/23617278/waymo-self-driving-driverless-crashes-av">Phoenix as well as San Francisco</a>. It plans to expand into <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2022/10/19/23410677/waymo-los-angeles-autonomous-robotaxi-service-launch">Los Angeles</a> this year. Uber was a major force in autonomous vehicle development as part of its business plan was to replace human drivers. However, it ran into problems, including a crash in March 2018 when a self-driving Uber killed a woman walking her bicycle across a street in Tempe, Arizona. In 2020, Arizona Uber sold its AV research division to Aurora Innovation. But in October 2022 Uber got back into autonomous vehicles by <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/samabuelsamid/2022/10/06/motional-and-uber-announce-10-year-deal-to-deploy-automated-vehicles-in-multiple-us-markets/?sh=44d83a84273e">signing a deal</a> with Motional, a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv. Motional will provide autonomous vehicles for Uber’s ride-hailing and delivery services. Lyft, the second-largest ride-sharing company after Uber, operates in the US and Canada. Like Uber, Lyft had a self-driving unit and in 2016, Lyft co-founder John Zimmer <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/09/lyfts-president-says-car-ownership-will-all-but-end-by-2025">predicted</a> that by 2021 the majority of rides on its network would be in such vehicles (and private car ownership would “all but end” by 2025). It didn’t happen. By 2021, Lyft had also <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2021/04/26/lyft-sells-self-driving-unit-to-toyotas-woven-planet-for-550m/">sold its self-driving vehicle unit</a>, to Toyota. In 2022, Zimmer <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2022/10/20/lyft-co-founder-says-autonomous-vehicles-wont-replace-drivers-for-at-least-a-decade/">said</a> the technology would not replace drivers for at least a decade. However, Lyft did partner with Motional in August 2022 to launch <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lyft-and-motional-deliver-the-first-rides-in-motionals-new-all-electric-ioniq-5-autonomous-vehicle-301606519.html">robotaxis in Las Vegas</a> and <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/lyft-motional-launch-robotaxi-service-los-angeles-2022-11-17/">Los Angeles</a>. Telsa is the <a href="https://www.ev-volumes.com/">world leader in sales</a> of battery electric vehicles. It also purports to sell vehicles with full automation. However, by the end of 2022, no level 3, 4 or 5 vehicles were for sale in the United States. What Telsa offers is a full self-driving system as a US$15,000 option. Buyers acknowledge they are buying a beta version and assume all risks. If the system malfunctions, Telsa does not accept any responsibility. In February 2023, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration <a href="https://amp.theguardian.com/technology/2023/feb/16/tesla-recall-full-self-driving-cars">found</a>, "[Fully self-driving] beta software that allows a vehicle to exceed speed limits or travel through intersections in an unlawful or unpredictable manner increases the risk of a crash." This led to Tesla <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/feb/16/tesla-recall-full-self-driving-cars">recalling 362,000 vehicles</a> to update the software. Another setback for autonomous vehicle sales to the public was the October 2022 announcement that Ford and VW had decided to <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2022/10/26/ford-vw-backed-argo-ai-is-shutting-down/">stop funding autonomous driving technology company Argo AI</a>, resulting in its closure. Both Ford and VW decided to shift their focus from level 4 automation to levels 2 and 3. <h2>So, what can we expect next?</h2> Autonomous vehicle development will continue, but with less hype. It’s being recognised as more an evolutionary process than a revolutionary one. The increasing cost of capital will also make it harder for autonomous vehicle startups to get development funds. The areas that appear to be making the best progress are autonomous ride-hailing and heavy vehicles. Self-driving car sales to the public are <a href="https://www.drive.com.au/news/level-4-self-driving-technology-mercedes-benz/">further down the track</a>. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-were-told-wed-be-riding-in-self-driving-cars-by-now-what-happened-to-the-promised-revolution-201088" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Images: Getty

Technology

Experimental Alzheimer’s drug shows promise

The first drug that can slow the rate of decline in Alzheimer’s patients has been found. The experimental drug, called lecanemab, is an antibody that targets the toxic clumps of amyloid protein associated with the mind-robbing disease. While these results are cause for celebration, there are still significant questions about its safety and rollout. The full results of the phase 3 lecanemab drug trial (the final stage of testing in humans) have <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2212948">been published in the New England Journal of Medicine</a>. The trial showed that patients receiving the drug had a 27% slower disease progression than those receiving a placebo after 18 months of treatment. Overall, this is good news. For the first time, we have a potential treatment that has a demonstrated effect on both the symptoms and underlying pathology of Alzheimer’s disease. These results are a breakthrough in the search for treatments for this devastating disease and give a strong indication that the course of the disease can be altered. But the results paint a mixed picture for those with Alzheimer’s. On one hand, this is the first drug that has been shown to have any effect on slowing the progression of the disease. On the other hand, the apparent effects are slight and the risks are not inconsiderable. About 1,800 people with early-stage Alzheimer’s took part in the global trial. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either lecanemab or placebo intravenously every two weeks. The study was “double blind”, meaning neither the participants nor the researchers knew who was receiving the experimental drug and who was receiving the placebo until the end of the trial. Throughout the study, the participants’ disease progression was tracked using the clinical dementia rating scale, which scores the patient on cognition and ability to live independently. The participants’ brains were also scanned for the two proteins commonly associated with Alzheimer’s disease: amyloid and tau. Alzheimer’s scores in both groups worsened during the 18 months of the study, but the rate of decline was slower in those receiving the lecanemab. Also, the magnitude of the slowing, while statistically significant (not likely to be due to chance) was small – a 0.45 reduction on an 18-point scale. Some experts are concerned that this effect may not be clinically meaningful. In a <a href="https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-phase-3-trial-results-of-lecanemab-for-early-alzheimers-disease/">statement to the Science Media Centre</a>, Rob Howard, professor of old age psychiatry at UCL, said that “none of the reported results, including the primary outcome, reached accepted levels of improvement to constitute a clinically meaningful treatment effect”. The success of lecanemab was also measured by the amount of amyloid and tau protein in those on the experimental drug compared with those receiving the placebo infusion. The results showed a reduction in these proteins in those receiving lecanemab. Indeed, the levels of brain amyloid were reduced to below the threshold needed for a positive Alzheimer’s diagnosis. However, markers of brain cell death were unaffected, indicating that amyloid in Alzheimer’s disease is just one mechanism in a complicated disease landscape. <h2>Side-effects</h2> About one in four participants (26.6%) in the lecanemab group experienced brain swelling or a bleed on the brain (which can be both minor or major). STAT, a medical news website, <a href="https://www.statnews.com/2022/10/28/patient-death-lecanemab-alzheimers-trial/">reported that a man died of a brain haemorrhage</a> after receiving lecanemab, citing a possible interaction with his blood thinning medication. A short while later, the <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/second-death-linked-potential-antibody-treatment-alzheimer-s-disease">journal Science reported</a> a second death of a trial patient, also after receiving treatment for a stroke. However, the drug’s developer, Eisa, told Science: “All the available safety information indicates that lecanemab therapy is not associated with an increased risk of death overall or from any specific cause.” Nevertheless, given the possibility that patients may be on the drug for the rest of their lives, more research is needed on safety and interactions with existing medications. It’s also important to find out how long-lived the improvements in cognition are, and whether the drug continues to slow the rate of decline, or if the results plateau – or even decline. It should be noted that only patients who had a sufficient level of amyloid detected in the brain or spinal fluid – which requires a PET brain scan or an invasive lumbar puncture – were eligible to take part in this phase 3 trial. In the UK, Alzheimer’s is currently diagnosed via an interview with a doctor. Dr Susan Kohlhaas, director of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, says the <a href="https://www.sciencemediacentre.org/expert-reaction-to-phase-3-trial-results-of-lecanemab-for-early-alzheimers-disease/">NHS is not ready for a new era of dementia treatment</a>. <blockquote> We estimate that unless there are drastic changes in how people access specialist diagnostic tests for Alzheimer’s disease, only 2% of people eligible for drugs like lecanemab will be able to access them. </blockquote> Restructuring NHS dementia services to provide routine and timely PET scans or lumbar punctures would be a costly and lengthy process. Based on previous results, Eisai applied to the US drug regulator (the Food and Drug Administration) for accelerated approval of their drug. A decision is expected by January 6 2023. If accelerated approval is granted by the regulator, these latest results will probably support an application for full approval. <figure class="align-right "><figcaption></figcaption></figure> Listen to The Conversation’s podcast series <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/topics/uncharted-brain-decoding-dementia-128903">Uncharted Brain: Decoding Dementia</a> to find out more about the latest research unlocking clues to the ongoing mystery of how dementia works in the brain. Find all episodes via <a href="https://podfollow.com/the-anthill/view">The Anthill podcast</a>.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/195383/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ritchie-williamson-1346959">Ritchie Williamson</a>, Director of research, Associate Professor in Therapeutics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-bradford-911">University of Bradford</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stuart-dickens-1397610">Stuart Dickens</a>, Post Doctoral Research Assistant, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-bradford-911">University of Bradford</a> Image: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/experimental-alzheimers-drug-shows-promise-but-there-are-many-hurdles-still-to-overcome-195383">original article</a>.

Caring

"I'm so sorry I had to do this": Thief leaves hand-written apology and desperate promise

One desperate thief had left behind quite a sad note after committing a crime in Auckland. In an interesting turn of events, a couple had woken up to find their car had been broken into and the battery was stolen overnight. The offender had left behind a hand-written note in the engine addressed to the victims, apologising to them. The note read: “I’m so sorry I had to do this. When I am in a fortunate position I will put $200 in your wipers.” One of the victims shared: “The thief actually left a nice note. Don’t feel half as angry as I should but still have no way to get to work.” The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Herald that while she should have been furious she wishes the offender had knocked on the door asking for help instead. “I personally felt a bit sorry that he was in such strife that he turned to crime. So I should have been angry - and probably would have been if he hadn’t left the note. “It’s tough out there for some and getting worse. I’d probably have just bloody given him the money if he’d knocked on the door.” Her husband also showed immense sympathy, despite having their privacy violated and being stolen from. “I couldn’t even feel angry about it in the end. It was more or less an apology. We’re all living hard lives at the moment with inflation and the cost of living going up, it’s sad that there is someone out there going around that desperate." While showing sympathy for the offender, the victims also described the note as “strange” given they were able to rip a battery out “in a hurry” but had enough time to “write and deposit a note”. Image: NZ Herald

Legal

Prince Charles mocked over "cost of living" promise

Prince Charles has been relentlessly mocked online for a comment made in a speech at British parliament. The speech was originally meant to be delivered by his mother Queen Elizabeth, who was forced to pull out of yet another key public engagement due to health reasons. As snippets of the speech circulated online, the future king was mocked as he promised the government would aim to "ease the cost of living for families" - all while he sat on a golden, jewel-encrusted throne inside the ornate House of Lords. Many online couldn’t resist a few digs at the Prince over the stark contrast between his speech and his setting. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> i simply would have made this announcement from any other room, wearing any other outfit <a href="https://t.co/2u1XNn6Vj5">https://t.co/2u1XNn6Vj5</a> — rax ‘leads with her crotch’ king (@RaxKingIsDead) <a href="https://twitter.com/RaxKingIsDead/status/1524100216688885761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Note to self. Do not give “cost of living” update while sitting on solid gold throne. <a href="https://t.co/rvhGu89xNO">https://t.co/rvhGu89xNO</a> — Paddy Andrews (@PaddyAMetis) <a href="https://twitter.com/PaddyAMetis/status/1524037178006937602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Gotta love the irony of Prince Charles feigning concern about the cost of living, while decked out in more gold than Flavor Flav at the Pimp of the Year awards <a href="https://t.co/VirBplUoDz">pic.twitter.com/VirBplUoDz</a> — We're Werewolves Not Swearwolves (@punka1977) <a href="https://twitter.com/punka1977/status/1524006462611144705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> As he sits on his gold throne next to a hat made of precious jewels, English Prince Charles adorned with bogus medals talks about how his government will solve the cost of living crisis. Meanwhile, thousands of his subjects are forced to use food banks.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AbolishTheMonarchy?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AbolishTheMonarchy</a> <a href="https://t.co/PZJQiKZyl5">pic.twitter.com/PZJQiKZyl5</a> — Graham Sanders 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 🇺🇦 (@gramatter) <a href="https://twitter.com/gramatter/status/1524134103674765313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2022</a></blockquote> “Her Majesty’s Government’s priority is to grow and strengthen the economy and help ease the cost of living for families,” Charles said in the speech. “Her Majesty’s Government will level up opportunity in all parts of the country and support more people into work.” The Queen’s speech to parliament is traditionally penned by the government and is used to outline the Prime Minister’s plans for the country, meaning Charles would have had no actual input in the content of the speech. The Prime Minister’s office was later forced to defend the speech amid criticism that it did not outline any specific measures to alleviate the cost of living crisis in Britain. “The public understand that we’ve already acted to address some of the immediate challenges facing the public. “The Prime Minister and the Chancellor are very upfront that no government could address all of these global pressures that we’re seeing,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman told <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/18518084/queens-speech-live-watch-video-health-prince-charles-king/">The Sun</a>. “The Queen’s speech, the bills we’re bringing forward, focus on boosting economic growth across the country to create the conditions for more people to have high-wage, high-skilled jobs, so dealing with the medium to long-term issues, that’s what is a sustainable solution to ease the burden of families and businesses.” Image credits: Getty Images

Money & Banking

Spider-Man’s Tom Holland fulfils sweet promise to young hero

Marvel superstar Tom Holland doesn’t merely play a superhero on screen – he’s proved time and time again just how principled and generous he is in real life, too. Most recently, he kept his word to a little boy who saved his sister from a dog attack. Bridger Walker was only six years old when he defended his four-year-old sister from a dog attack in 2020. The children were playing outside their home in Wyoming when a German Shepherd mix ran towards Bridger’s sister and he intervened. He ended up <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CDXgF2TgYZD/" target="_blank">needing 90 stitches and undergoing a two-hour surgery</a> following the July 2020 attack. Upon hearing the news, celebrities like Anne Hathaway, Mark Ruffalo, and Tom Holland, who plays Spider-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, sent messages of support to Bridger both publicly on social media and privately, praising him for his courage. At the time, Holland promised Bridger that he could visit the set of the most recent Spider-Man film, Spider-Man: No Way Home, and photos shared by the Walker family on Instagram show that he kept his promise to the young boy. <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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXmQuR8pNMv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <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/CXmQuR8pNMv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Robert Walker, JD (@robertwalker307)</a> </div> </blockquote> Sharing photos from the set visit, including several of Bridger in his own Spider-Man mask, and one where Holland, as Spider-Man, is carrying Bridger through the air, Bridger’s dad Robert explained just how much the visit meant to their family. He thanked Holland, Holland’s brother Harry, and Spider-Man co-star Zendaya, along with the entire cast and crew, for this “dream-come-true adventure”. He continued to describe their day on set, writing, “When we first arrived on set, I was a little apprehensive that once the “curtain was pulled back” that the magic of the movies would be lost for the kids. The opposite was true! “Tom, Zendaya, Harry, @lifeisaloha, @tonyrevolori, and the entire cast/crew made our kids feel like stars. ✨ They don’t just act the part of friendly neighborhood heroes - that’s what they truly are. “The look on the kids’ faces was priceless when we rounded the blue-screen to see Tom, in full costume, high above the set on a light post. It was emotional to see him waive at the kids like he was the one that was supposed to be excited - not the other way around. A short time later, Tom and Zendaya came over. I will never forget the grace and kindness they showed our children. “We have loved seeing the reviews for @spidermanmovie. While there are so many reasons it will go down as one of the best ever - I personally think it is because the cast and crew are good, kind, and passionate people. Individuals who heard about a little boy’s injury, who wanted to make it right. People who were willing to stop a very busy day of shooting to make my little boy smile, and give him a chance to “web-swing” with his hero. Thank you again to everyone who played some role in Bridger’s special day “hanging” with Spider-Man. 🕷🕸 “ Image: Instagram

Movies

AI-system promises better art reproductions – but not yet

<div> <div class="copy"> A team from the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US is developing a new, deep learning-assisted system to reproduce art with a 3D printer to make more accurate, convincing reproductions. The system combines a process known as halftoning, which uses little dots of ink, and a layering technique that has 10 different colours, rather than the usual cyan, magenta, yellow, and black of 2D printers. This keeps the ink from blotting, which happens when too much is deposited on the printing surface, and it allows the printer to produce a wider range of tones. The technique, combined with a “deep learning model to predict the optimal stack of different inks”, results in “unprecedented spectral accuracy”, the team writes in a new paper, being presented this month at a <a rel="noopener" href="https://sa2018.siggraph.org/en/" target="_blank">computer graphics conference in Tokyo</a>. “If you just reproduce the colour of a painting as it looks in the gallery, it might look different in your home,” says Changil Kim, one of the paper’s authors. “Our system works under any lighting condition, which shows a far greater colour reproduction capability than almost any other previous work.”{%recommended 6743%} The researchers they hope the project will eventually make art more available, since “our reliance on museums to exhibit original paintings and sculpture inherently limits access and leaves those precious originals vulnerable to deterioration and damage”. “The value of fine art has rapidly increased in recent years, so there’s an increased tendency for it to be locked up in warehouses away from the public eye,” notes mechanical engineer Mike Foshey. “We’re building the technology to reverse this trend, and to create inexpensive and accurate reproductions that can be enjoyed by all.” The developers concede that there is still work to be done on the system, which they named RePaint, to truly render a van Gogh simulacrum. For starters, images like Starry Night use a cobalt blue that the ink library isn’t able to “faithfully reproduce”. But paintings – particularly oil paintings – are three-dimensional works. The brush strokes leave ridges and bumps that can reflect light, throwing off the rendering. Right now, the printer reads glossy reflections as white highlights, but the team has plans to incorporate recognition of “the rich spatially-varying gloss and translucency found in many paintings”. The system will learn to use surface reflection, rather than less colour, to reproduce the gloss. One other issue? Those glorious Monet water lilies look more like postage stamps, since the system’s reproductions are only a few centimetres across. The engineers are hoping to bring down the costs and time printing to accommodate larger reproductions. Image credit: Shutterstock  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=23508&title=AI-system+promises+better+art+reproductions+%E2%80%93+but+not+yet" alt="" width="1" height="1" />  </div> <div id="contributors"> This article was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/ai-system-promises-better-art-reproductions-but-not-yet/" target="_blank">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Samantha Page. </div> </div>

Art

Promising pain relief

Chronic pain is a global health burden. In Australia, it is estimated that over 3.4 million people suffer from persistent pain. Nonetheless, a lack of therapeutics has led to <a style="font-size: 14px;" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/medicine/pain-education-could-end-the-opioid-crisis/" target="_blank">overprescription of opioids</a>, which provide only limited relief in patients with chronic neuropathic pain and can lead to severe adverse effects, <a style="font-size: 14px;" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/medicine/opioids-and-overdose-risk/" target="_blank">including addiction and overdose</a>. <div class="copy"> Neuropathic pain is often chronic and occurs when the pain system – brain, nervous and immune system – is not working correctly. When the pain system function well, nerves fire “danger” signals to the brain when a threat is present – when your hand is touching a stove, for example. If the brain perceives the threat as dangerous – the last time you touched the stove, your finger got badly burned – it creates pain to protect the body. An injury, a viral infection, a disease or cancer treatment can damage the pain system leading the nerves to misfire such danger signals and the brain to misinterpret threats. The pain persists because the brain thinks the body needs constant protection. Opioids are the most commonly prescribed painkillers, but while they might be very effective in acute pain episodes, they are ineffective for the long-term treatment of ongoing pain and carry many severe side effects. In a new study <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03897-2" target="_blank">published today</a> in Nature, Monash University researchers reported a new class of molecules that might be a safer and effective alternative to opioids. “The world is in the grip of a global opioid crisis, and there is an urgent need for non-opioid drugs that are both safe and effective,” said Professor Arthur Christopoulos, dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Monash University and author of the study. The researchers discovered that these molecules, called positive allosteric modulators (PAM), bind the adenosine A1 receptor (A1R), which has long been recognised as a promising therapeutic target for non-opioid drugs to treat neuropathic pain, with high precision in rats. By binding to A1R, the PAM regulates the increased adenosine levels in the spinal cord of rats with neuropathic pain. Although non-opioid analgesic agents targeting A1R had been studied before, the development of therapeutics has failed because of a lack of drug-A1R binding selectivity, which led to low efficacy and adverse effects. The Monash researchers used high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy to solve the structure of the A1 receptor bound to either its natural activator, adenosine, and an analgesic PAM to the atomic level. That allowed them to zoom in into the mechanism underpinning allosteric drug actions, said Associate Professor Wendy Imlach, head of the Pain Mechanisms lab at Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and an author of the study. Understanding the drug-A1R binding mechanism to the atomic level could help researchers design an allosteric drug that best binds A1R. “This multidisciplinary study now provides a valuable launchpad for the next stage in our drug discovery pipeline, which will leverage structure-based insights for the design of novel non-opioid allosteric drugs to treat chronic pain successfully,” said Professor Christopoulos. While the current best scientific evidence on chronic pain treatment includes a <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/australia/pain-and-the-brain-closing-the-gap-between-modern-pain-science-and-clinical-practice/" target="_blank">combination of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical therapies</a>, the lack of therapeutics has led to a global opioid crisis. If proved safe and effective in humans, this new class of analgesics could offer some relief to the millions who suffer from chronic pain across the world.  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=164905&title=Promising+pain+relief" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> </div> <div id="contributors"> <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/body-and-mind/non-opioid-painkillers-are-on-the-way/" target="_blank">This article</a> was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/manuela-callari" target="_blank">Manuela Callari</a>. Dr Manuela Callari is a Sydney-based freelance science writer who specialises in health and medical stories. </div>

Body

Princess Diana's voice coach's sweet promise to her sons

Princess Diana's voice coach Stewart Pearce has opened up about his experience with working with the late royal in his new book Diana: The Voice of Change. The biography is almost 25 years in the making after Pearce kept a decades-long promise to Princess Diana after she sought him out after the controversial Panorama interview in 1995. This interview is where she famously said that there "were three of us in the marriage", meaning herself, Prince Charles and his now-wife Camilla. "She sought me out after that Panorama interview because she looked at herself on screen and realized that she wasn't appearing to be as powerful as she wanted to be. She felt quite submissive," Pearce tells T&C. "She wanted to try and find a way of really balancing her private self with her public persona so that there is no change between the two—so she could stand on a platform and render forth whatever she needed to say, but feel good about it, to feel relaxed, to feel confident, to feel empowered, and to feel harmony." She and Pearce spoke about a book about their time together before she died in a car crash, but she was insistent that she didn't want the book published until her sons, Prince Harry and Prince William, were settled in their lives. "When we were working together during the latter stages of her life—not that we knew that then, of course, her death came as a very surprising, shocking, horrific event—but she said to me, 'Wouldn't it be wonderful if all this work we've done became a book? And I said, 'Yeah, that would be wonderful. Wouldn't it?' She said, "Yes, but don't write it until the boys are married, because then they're going to be exploring their own power in the world and discovering their own sovereignty.' And that was just a passing statement, so I thought that was rather amusing, but I waited until now." He wanted to document Diana's "essence" instead of the time they spent together. "I wrote the book because I felt that there was something very valuable to say about Diana's soul what allowed her to ignite the radiance that she brought forth into the world," he says. "[Most biographies] chronicle Diana's life, as though they were social diaries. And I chose not to do that. I wanted to go to the very essence of who she was and to talk about the quality of her soul, which was just so remarkable in its beauty, in its loving, in its compassion, in its empathy."

Books

Kate Middleton fulfils promise to child with cancer

Kate Middleton has fulfilled a promise she made to a young girl fighting cancer in Scotland. The video was shared on social media and the Duchess of Cambridge can be seen meeting five-year-old Mila Sneedon. The Duchess is wearing pink after Mila made the request when the pair spoke last year. <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/CPYpeRClcoe/?utm_source=ig_embed&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/CPYpeRClcoe/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@dukeandduchessofcambridge)</a> </div> </blockquote> “I want to give you a big, squeezy cuddle,” Kate is seen telling Mila in the clip. “I love your dress. Can you give it a twirl?” The pair became fast friends when Mila participated in Duchess Kate's Hold Still photography project. Mila's family submitted a photo of her waving to her father through a window as she underwent chemotherapy for acute lymphatic leukemia. The touching meeting came on day seven of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's royal tour of Scotland.

Beauty & Style

Ash Barty promises to "be better" after COVID-19 breach

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Australia's world No. 1 tennis star Ash Barty has promised she will "be better" after accidentally committing a COVID-19 faux pas while shopping in Melbourne. She was in Coles shopping and forgot her mask after a pre-Australian Open training session at Melbourne Park. She ran into a Sky News reporter, who recognised she was maskless and took to Twitter to share the incident. “I accidentally forgot to wear a mask in a supermarket (on Thursday) in Melbourne,” Barty said. “I apologised as soon as I realised my mistake. “I understand we all need to do our bit to keep the community safe and I will be better next time.” <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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGRVvxjB97s/?utm_source=ig_embed&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/CGRVvxjB97s/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Ash Barty (@ashbarty)</a> </div> </blockquote> Barty has spent the last 10 months in Queensland where restrictions are much more relaxed than they are in Melbourne. She's making her first on-court appearance since last February alongside Serena Williams, Simona Halep, Naomi Osaka and men's legends Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic next Friday. She can't wait to return to the court. “We are so lucky in Australia to have a home grand slam; the support of the Australian fans means the world to me and I always want to do well here,’‘ Barty said. “I understand this year will be different in many respects but I hope I can do the local fans proud. “The circumstances around this year’s event are definitely challenging and I understand the frustration of all the players who have had to quarantine. “But keeping Melburnians safe and making sure we put health first has to be the priority.” </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

News

Weeks to live: Woman marries love of her life after being falsely promised more time

A terminally ill bride has married the love of her life with just days to live after she wrongly told by doctors that a cancerous lump on her leg was something not to think about. 23-year-old Ashleigh Simrajh tied the knot with her boyfriend Jason Hale in a deeply emotional last-minute ceremony that was attended by the couple’s family and friends on the Gold Coast. Ashleigh was diagnosed with cancer in May last year – over a year after she was told a lump on her leg was nothing serious. Her family claims the doctor dismissed it for nothing more than a “wart”. <img id="__mcenew" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837771/grandma.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3d6474caf0c04678ac18366cd6a501a2" /> She was sent her to a surgeon after a quick visual examination and was quoted $2,500 to get the lump removed, her father Tony Simrajh explained to Sunrise. “Ashley went away from those appointments thinking she just had something cosmetic on her and it wasn’t something that she had to worry about,” he said. “About May last year she went to check it again because it was sore, with another doctor, who within five minutes did a biopsy and then we got the devastating news that it was a nodular melanoma.” Scans that uncovered the cancer had determined it was already too late as it had spread to Ashleigh’s lungs, lymph nodes and liver. Tony says that his daughter has been using all of her energy throughout her cancer battle to encourage others to go for regular skin checks. She has also urged people to question a doctor’s diagnosis if something doesn’t feel right “It’s a story that didn’t need to happen,” he said. “If the basics had been done then we wouldn’t be where we are now.” “Ashleigh is 23 years of age and has terminal cancer due to a GP and specialist not conducting basic tests like a biopsy,” Tony said on a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/d8wx3-ashleighs-cancer-journey" target="_blank">GoFundMe page</a> set up for his sick daughter. “She is on a mission to get her story out there for young people to get checked but also to get another doctor to have a look at it if you are still not sure. “That would have saved her life if she did.” Image Credit: Willow And Finch Photography

Relationships

Sun, sand and uncertainty: The promise and peril of a Pacific tourism bubble

Pacific nations have largely <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=12328702">avoided</a> the worst health effects of COVID-19, but its economic impact has been devastating. With the tourism tap turned off, unemployment has soared while GDP has plummeted. In recent weeks, Fiji Airways laid off 775 employees and souvenir business Jack’s of Fiji laid off 500. In Vanuatu 70% of tourism workers have lost their jobs. Cook Islands is estimated to have experienced a <a href="https://www.newsroom.co.nz/2020/05/18/1177034/an-island-in-debt">60% drop in GDP</a> in the past three months. In response, many are calling for the Pacific to be included in the proposed <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/121727144/coronavirus-transtasman-travel-bubble-date-down-to-australians-winston-peters-says">trans-Tasman travel corridor</a>. Such calls have come from <a href="https://devpolicy.org/vanuatu-a-tourism-sector-perspective-on-potential-recovery-from-covid-19-and-tc-harold-20200506-1/">tourism operators</a>, <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/418156/pressure-mounts-on-nz-and-aust-to-include-pacific-in-bubble">politicians</a> and at least one <a href="https://www.newsroom.co.nz/ideasroom/2020/05/28/1205479/nz-pacific-islands-bubble-should-come-first">health expert</a>. Quarantine concerns aside, there is economic logic to this. Australians and New Zealanders make up <a href="http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2019/06/tourism-sector-achieves-3-16-million-visitor-arrivals-in-18/">more than 50%</a> of travellers to the region. Some countries are massively dependent: two-thirds of visitors to Fiji and three-quarters of visitors to Cook Islands are Aussies and Kiwis. Cook Islands has budgeted NZ$140 million for economic recovery, but this will increase the tiny nation’s debt. Prime Minister Henry Puna has <a href="https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/travel/2020/06/cook-islands-prime-minister-calls-for-pacific-bubble-as-soon-as-new-zealand-enters-covid-19-alert-level-1.html">argued for</a> a limited tourism bubble as soon as New Zealand relaxes its COVID-19 restrictions to alert level 1. Cook Islands News editor Jonathan Milne <a href="https://player.whooshkaa.com/coronavirus-nz?episode=665993">estimates</a> 75-80% of the population is “desperate to get the tourists back”. A Pacific bubble would undoubtedly help economic recovery. But this merely highlights how <a href="https://www.eco-business.com/opinion/impact-of-covid-19-on-tourism-in-small-island-developing-states/">vulnerable</a> these island economies have become. Tourism <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/337854342_Development_and_change_Reflections_on_tourism_in_the_South_Pacific">accounts</a> for between 10% and 70% of GDP and up to one in four jobs across the South Pacific. The pressure to reopen borders is understandable. But we argue that a tourism bubble cannot be looked at in isolation. It should be part of a broader strategy to diversify economies and enhance linkages (e.g. between agriculture and tourism, to put more local food on restaurant menus), especially in those countries that are most perilously dependent on tourism. Over-dependence on tourism is a trap Pacific nations such as Vanuatu and Fiji have recovered quickly from past crises such as the GFC, cyclones and coups because of the continuity of tourism. COVID-19 has turned that upside down. People are coping in the short term by reviving subsistence farming, fishing and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/08/two-piglets-for-a-kayak-fiji-returns-to-barter-system-as-covid-19-hits-economy">bartering</a> for goods and services. Many are still suffering, however, due to limited state welfare systems. In Fiji’s case, the government has taken the drastic step of allowing laid-off or temporarily unemployed workers to withdraw from their superannuation savings in the National Provident Fund. Retirement funds have also been used to <a href="https://www.fijivillage.com/news/We-need-Fiji-Airways-to-come-back-strongly-for-the-future-of-the-country---Koroi-48r5xf/">lend FJ$53.6 million</a> to the struggling national carrier, Fiji Airways. Fiji has taken on more debt to cope. Its debt-to-GDP ratio, which ideally should sit below 40% for developing economies, has risen from 48.9% before the pandemic to 60.9%. It’s likely to <a href="http://www.economy.gov.fj/images/Budget/budgetdocuments/supplements/SUPPLEMENT-TO-THE-COVID-19-RESPONSE-BUDGET-ADDRESS.pdf">increase further</a>. High debt, lack of economic diversity and dependence on tourism put the Fijian economy in a very vulnerable position. Recovery will take a long time, probably requiring assistance from the country’s main trading partners. In the meantime, Fiji is pinning hopes on joining a New Zealand-Australia <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/416392/fiji-keen-to-join-nz-australia-travel-bubble">travel bubble</a>. Out of crisis comes opportunity Supporting Pacific states to recover is an opportunity for New Zealand and Australia to put their respective Pacific <a href="https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/about-us/mfat-annual-reports/mfat-annual-report-2018-19/case-study-the-pacific-reset-a-year-on/">Reset</a> and <a href="https://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/pacific/Pages/the-pacific">Step-Up</a> policies into practice. If building more reciprocal, equitable relationships with Pacific states is the goal, now is the time to ensure economic recovery also strengthens their socio-economic, environmental and political infrastructures. Economic well-being within the Pacific region is already closely linked to New Zealand and Australia through seasonal workers in horticulture and viticulture, remittance payments, trade and travel. But for many years there has been a major trade imbalance in favour of New Zealand and Australia. Shifting that balance beyond the recovery phase will involve facilitating long-term resilience and sustainable development in the region. A good place to start would be the recent United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific <a href="https://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/Policy%20brief_MPFD_Combating%20COVID-19%20in%20Asia%20and%20the%20Pacific%20updated.pdf">report</a> on recovering from COVID-19. Its recommendations include such measures as implementing social protection programs, integrating climate action into plans to revive economies, and encouraging more socially and environmentally responsible businesses. This is about more than altruism – enlightened self-interest should also drive the New Zealand and Australian agenda. Any longer-term economic downturn in the South Pacific, due in part to over-reliance on tourism, could lead to instability in the region. There is a clear <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/11/the-next-economic-crisis-could-cause-a-global-conflict-heres-why">link</a> between serious economic crises and social unrest. At a broader level, the pandemic is already <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Coronavirus-gives-China-an-edge-as-it-expands-sway-in-the-Pacific">entrenching</a> Chinese regional influence: loans from China make up 62% of Tonga’s total foreign borrowing; for Vanuatu the figure is 43%; for Samoa 39%. China is taking the initiative through what some call “<a href="https://devpolicy.org/chinas-coronavirus-covid-19-diplomacy-in-the-pacific-20200527-1/">COVID-19 diplomacy</a>”. This involves funding pandemic stimulus packages and offering aid and investment throughout the Pacific, including drafting a <a href="https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/free-trade-agreement-talks-underway-between-fiji-and-china/">free trade agreement</a> with Fiji. That is not to say Chinese investment in Pacific economies won’t do good. Rather, it is an argument for thinking beyond the immediate benefits of a travel bubble. By realigning their development priorities, Australia and New Zealand can help the Pacific build a better, more sustainable future. Written by Regina Scheyvens and Apisalome Movono. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/sun-sand-and-uncertainty-the-promise-and-peril-of-a-pacific-tourism-bubble-139661">The Conversation.</a>

Cruising

Netflix promises to crack down on users who share passwords

Netflix have promised to crack down on users that share their passwords with friends or family members. This means that if you borrow someone’s login, you might have to start paying for your own account in full. Netflix offers account-sharing features, but they’re designed to let people in a single-household use one login. The streaming giant is worried that users are sharing their logins among different households. Netflix product chief Greg Peters spoke at Netflix’s Q3 2019 earnings and said that the company wants to address the issue of password sharing without “alienating a certain portion of the user base”. “We continue to monitor it so we’re looking at the situation,” he said, according to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/home-entertainment/tv/netflix-vows-crackdown-on-users-who-share-logins-with-pals-or-family-and-could-make-you-pay-extra/news-story/09630a28861854c2aa32201a4dae3e25">news.com.au</a>. “We’ll see those consumer-friendly ways to push on the edges of that.” Experts have said that users are already seeing signs of a crackdown. “They are policing this (already) by blocking the third concurrent screen if two screens are in use at the same time,” said Michael Pachter, a top analyst at Wedbush Securities, speaking to <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/10180393/netflix-account-sharing-price-family-pay-extra/">The Sun</a>. “That doesn’t help if the users are in different time zones, as many households with kids in college are. “However, it definitely cracks down on widespread password sharing.” He added: “They also have a way to track device usage and can require two-factor authentication, although they’ve haven’t rolled that out yet.” The news follows an announcement by tech firm Synamedia about a new AI system that cracks down on account sharing by using machine learning technology to track shared passwords on streaming services. “Casual credentials sharing is becoming too expensive to ignore,” said product chief Jean Marc Racine, speaking at the CES event in Las Vegas this year. “Our new solution gives operators the ability to take action. “Many casual users will be happy to pay an additional fee for a premium, shared service. “It’s a great way to keep honest people honest while benefiting from an incremental revenue stream.” The technology, once it has located shared passwords across streaming services, could be used to force users to upgrade to a premium service or even shut down their account.

Technology

Prince Philip’s life-changing promise to the Queen

When a 13-year-old Princess Elizabeth crossed paths with Philip Mountbatten she knew immediately that he was the one she was going to marry. Then, fast forward to 1947, the pair tied the knot with the entire nation listening in via radio. Marriage is about compromise and sacrifice, and as Prince Philip prepared for his new royal lifestyle, there was one thing he gave up for his wife – smoking cigarettes. Royal author and historian Sally Bedell Smith revealed that the Prince made the decision on the day of their wedding and is a promise he has kept till this day. “The morning of the wedding, Philip gave up smoking, a habit that had kept his valet, John Dean, ‘busy refilling the cigarette boxes’,” wrote Bedell Smith. “But Philip knew how anguished Elizabeth was by her father’s addiction to cigarettes, so he stopped, according to Dean, ‘suddenly and apparently without difficulty’." The now 97-year-old most likely has the ditching of the bad habit to thank for his long life. Similar to his grandfather, Prince Harry also reportedly gave up his habit of smoking before marrying the Duchess of Sussex. However, despite the royals slowly freeing themselves from the life-threatening addiction, the Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret was a lifelong smoker. Excessive smoking would ultimately take her life in 2002, as she would suffer from cardiac complications. The Queen has never been a smoker, with former staff members revealing that the practice did not hold her interest. Speaking to the BBC in 2016, the Queen’s former press secretary Dickie Arbiter said: “People smoked a lot more when the Queen was younger.” “Both her father and her sister smoked, but it never attracted her. It was something that just didn’t appeal.” Scroll through the gallery above to see Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip over the years.

Relationships

Heartbreaking promise Prince William made to Diana before her death

During the divorce of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, the former couple hotly-argued whether she would be allowed to keep her title as ‘Her Royal Highness’. Reportedly, the Queen was happy for her to retain the title, however, Charles was against it, so Diana then became Diana, Princess of Wales. The change separated Diana further from the Royal family and meant she had to curtsy to all members, including her own sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. William, who was 14 years old at the time of his parent’s divorce, made a promise to his mum to ease her “distress” over the title change. According to Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, William vowed that he would reinstate her HRH title. In his book A Royal Duty, Burrell wrote: “She told me how he had sat with her one night when she was upset over the loss of HRH, put his arms around her and said, ‘Don’t worry, Mummy. I will give it back to you one day when I am King.” However, William’s promise was sadly left unfulfilled as his mother died in a car crash just one year after the divorce was finalised. Last year, in the lead up to the 20th anniversary of his mother’s death, William revealed his regrets over his final conversation with his mother. In a documentary called Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, the second in line to the throne said he rushed off the phone when she called from Paris as he was playing with Harry and their cousins in Balmoral. A few hours later, she died in the car crash. “Harry and I were in a desperate rush to say goodbye, you know, ‘see you later’. If I’d known now obviously what was going to happen I wouldn’t have been so blasé about it and everything else. But that phone call sticks in my mind, quite heavily,” Prince William said. Prince Harry also revealed how the regret of their last phone call has lingered with him. “It was her speaking from Paris. I can’t really necessarily remember what I said, but all I do remember is probably regretting for the rest of my life how short the phone call was,” he said. “Looking back on it now it’s incredibly hard. I’ll have to sort of deal with that for the rest of my life. Not knowing that was the last time I was going to speak to my mum, how differently that conversation would have panned out if I’d had even the slightest inkling her life was going to be taken that night.”

Family & Pets

This diet promises 7kg weight loss in a week

There are so many diets out there, each promising weight loss, increased energy, greater happiness and so much more – but the latest one sounds almost too good to be true. The GM diet (or General Motors diet) was designed in the 1980s to help overweight General Motors employees get healthy by alternating different food groups throughout the week (think fruit one day, meat the next). It’s a simple, low-carb and low-calorie diet that promises weight loss of up to 7kg per week – but does it really work? Before we find out, here’s how the average weekly food plan goes. <ol start="1"> <li>Day 1 – Only eat fruit. You can have as much as you want (particularly melons), but avoid calorie-dense bananas.</li> <li>Day 2 – Only eat vegetables. Like with day 1, you can eat as many vegies as you want, but potatoes are only allowed at breakfast time.</li> <li>Day 3 – Eat a mixture of fruit and vegetables, again avoiding potatoes and bananas, which aren’t looked upon favourably in the GM diet.</li> <li>Day 4 – Only eat bananas and drink milk. It’s a bit of a backflip from the first few days, but protein-rich dairy and energy-rich bananas will keep you full and give you enough energy to keep going with the diet.</li> <li>Day 5 – Now you can introduce meat – two 200g servings of lean beef, chicken or fish are allowed, along with up to six tomatoes.</li> <li>Day 6 – Again, you’re allowed two 200g servings of lean meat, plus unlimited amounts of vegetables. The carb cravings are likely to set in today, but you don’t have long to wait!</li> <li>Day 7 – Carbs, precious carbs! Today, you get to eat brown rice, fruit juice and unlimited amounts of fruit and veg.</li> </ol> Now to the big question – does it work? As with any calorie-reduced food plan, the GM diet can and will work if you stick to it. The problem with this particular diet is that it’s not sustainable long-term. It’s not dangerous, either – alternating food groups is a great way to get all the nutrients you need, and shaking up the traditional breakfast-lunch-dinner pattern in favour of regular small meals is good for your metabolism. Have you tried the GM diet? Did it work for you? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

News

10 promises to make to yourself today

Dr Carmen Harra is a best-selling author, clinical psychologist, and relationship expert. The word promise comes from the Latin “promittere”, meaning “to send forward.” When you make a promise, you send forth your honest intentions to manifest into reality. In this way, we commit to others on a daily basis; we promise to be on time, take out the trash, and love our spouse ‘til death do us part. Some promises are kept valiantly while others are broken remorselessly. Still, our word remains the almighty root of trust. But if a promise is indicative of our dignity, what about the promises you make to yourself? Do you really respect your personal pledges? Better yet, what have you sworn to yourself today that will serve you tomorrow? Take a moment to make yourself the following 10 promises — virtuous vows that will strengthen your willpower and reaffirm your future potential. <ol> <li>I promise to honour my true worth. Between the demands of daily life and taking care of others, we can easily forget our true worth. But in fact we merit more than we know. We deserve to be blessed with prosperity, good fortune and great health, and the moment we acknowledge this as our birthright is the moment we begin to attract the abundance to which we are truly entitled.</li> <li>I promise to make clear my intentions. Intentions are the bridge linking conscious thought to bona fide action. Think of 10 important things you need to accomplish soon, and list your intentions in a clear, concise way, emphasising the method of action you will adopt to bring your objectives to life.</li> <li>I promise to educate myself as much as possible. Education does not necessarily entail school or books, but it does imply learning — about different beliefs, the past, world events, and future concepts. There is a profound magic in learning and knowing that is seldom present in other activities. That’s because learning instantly empowers us. And all you must do to learn is watch the world with vigilance. Knowledge endows us with an understanding and acceptance of the world as it was, is, and will be. As the Roman poet Virgil said, “Happy is he who has been able to learn the causes of things.”</li> <li>I promise to show more compassion to the world around me. We each possess compassion, an often neglected grace. But because it’s easier to be aggressive than kind, we resort to the former in response to everyday matters. Full resolution to our problems is only possible through empathy and patience. Whether it’s letting a car enter into your lane or recycling to save our environment, compassion takes many forms. Remember always to extend compassion to yourself as well.</li> <li>I promise to stand up for myself. Certain situations in life will reek of unfairness. Stand up for yourself in a polite but firm way. Defending your rights demands respect from others. Don’t be afraid to voice your opinions and make others understand that you seek justice for yourself. After all, if you don’t stand up for yourself, who will?</li> <li>I promise to finish what I started. Leaving a goal halfway finished means you’ll never know what could’ve happened if you would’ve completed it. As difficult as it may be, there is no greater compensation than getting something done through genuine effort and ambition. Practice discipline to meet the finish line of your aspirations.</li> <li>I promise to evolve. Evolution is the law of the universe and what does not evolve dies out. We, too, must shift and change, little by little, day by day. Promise yourself to strive for betterment. It can be as simple as taking up an exercise routine or ending a long-standing, negative habit. Through careful reflection and honest introspection, you will realise exactly what areas of your self-need to be cultivated to spur personal progress.</li> <li>I promise to end patterns. Patterns of detrimental behaviour keep us stagnant and stuck in the same recurring cycles. Often we can become trapped in one phase of life without even knowing it. From a bad relationship or series of similar relationships to a dead-end job or the wrong career choices, all patterns can be broken by acknowledging our faulty actions and steering our future in a different direction. To end the repetition of negative events, we must understand what needs to be changed and modify our actions to yield different results.</li> <li>I promise not to allow others to affect me. Realising that your happiness is in your hands is the only key to unwavering joy. When someone tries to jeopardise your mood, go within yourself and re-stabilise your emotions. Affirm to yourself that no one is allowed to harm you. Say, “I am the keeper of my joy, which is whole, unhurt, and intact.”</li> <li>I promise to take nothing for granted. We’ve all heard the phrase, “You don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone”, but not until we lose something special do these words really hit home. This is because the greatest sadness lies in remembrance. Once we can no longer have something, we begin to think, “Why didn’t I enjoy it when I had the chance?” Immerse yourself in the tender moments you are given each day. Let a tight embrace, a family moment, or a long kiss add to your treasure chest of cherished memories. As tiny or fleeting as they may be, they are yours.</li> </ol> Promises are our word of honour that something will come true in a certain way. Before you make another promise to anyone else, commit to yourself the empowering ideals above. These oaths will fortify your strength and solidify your self-worth. First appeared on <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/" target="_blank">Huffington Post</a>. To find more information about Dr Carmen Harra, visit her <a href="http://www.carmenharra.com/" target="_blank">website here.</a> Related links: <a href="/health/mind/2016/07/benefits-of-believing-in-yourself/">5 wonderful things that happen when you start to believe in yourself</a> <a href="/health/mind/2016/05/how-to-beat-self-doubt/">How self-doubt holds you back</a> <a href="/health/mind/2016/05/self-care-essentials-to-enrich-your-life/">Self care essentials to enrich your life</a>

Mind

Man fulfils promise made in grade 2 to pay off grandparent’s mortgage

A 24-year-old Texan student who scrimped and saved for years has finally fulfilled his second grade vow to pay off his grandparent’s mortgage. Stefun Darts surprised his grandparents, Cecil and Marilyn Roberts, earlier this month, when he presented them with a US$15,000 (NZD$21837) cheque to pay off their mortgage. At the surprise party arranged in their honour, Cecil and Marilyn were left in complete shock from their gift. "Paid your house off?" the boy's grandfather reads. "Who did that? You did that?" As the good deed sinks in, the entire room tears up in joy. For Darts, it was the least he could do after his grandparents had done so much for him. “I couldn’t stand you going to work at night,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “Some nights I didn’t even sleep knowing it shouldn’t be like this.” When Darts was only in second grade, he made a vow. “I promised God in the second grade I would pay off your guys’ house and help you retire. A promise I would never break,” he wrote on Facebook. Having finally fulfilled his big promise, Darts is still looking for ways to make his grandparents lives better and has purchased a trip to the Bahamas for them. What an amazing grandson! Related links: <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/02/how-to-beat-post-retirement-depression/">How to beat the retirement blues</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/02/how-to-make-retirement-happy-and-healthy/">4 tips to ensure a happy and health retirement</a> <a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/02/four-ways-to-stay-active/">From walking groups to tai chi, top 4 ways to stay active</a>

Retirement Life

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Promising Alzheimer’s drug offers hope for a bright future in treatment

We were told we’d be riding in self-driving cars by now. What happened to the promised revolution?

Experimental Alzheimer’s drug shows promise

"I'm so sorry I had to do this": Thief leaves hand-written apology and desperate promise

Prince Charles mocked over "cost of living" promise

Spider-Man’s Tom Holland fulfils sweet promise to young hero

AI-system promises better art reproductions – but not yet

Promising pain relief

Princess Diana's voice coach's sweet promise to her sons

Kate Middleton fulfils promise to child with cancer

Ash Barty promises to "be better" after COVID-19 breach

Weeks to live: Woman marries love of her life after being falsely promised more time

Sun, sand and uncertainty: The promise and peril of a Pacific tourism bubble

Netflix promises to crack down on users who share passwords

Prince Philip’s life-changing promise to the Queen

Heartbreaking promise Prince William made to Diana before her death

This diet promises 7kg weight loss in a week

10 promises to make to yourself today

Man fulfils promise made in grade 2 to pay off grandparent’s mortgage

News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Promising Alzheimer’s drug offers hope for a bright future in treatment

We were told we’d be riding in self-driving cars by now. What happened to the promised revolution?

Experimental Alzheimer’s drug shows promise

"I'm so sorry I had to do this": Thief leaves hand-written apology and desperate promise

Prince Charles mocked over "cost of living" promise

Spider-Man’s Tom Holland fulfils sweet promise to young hero

AI-system promises better art reproductions – but not yet

Promising pain relief

Princess Diana's voice coach's sweet promise to her sons

Kate Middleton fulfils promise to child with cancer

Ash Barty promises to "be better" after COVID-19 breach

Weeks to live: Woman marries love of her life after being falsely promised more time

Sun, sand and uncertainty: The promise and peril of a Pacific tourism bubble

Netflix promises to crack down on users who share passwords

Prince Philip’s life-changing promise to the Queen

Heartbreaking promise Prince William made to Diana before her death

This diet promises 7kg weight loss in a week

10 promises to make to yourself today

Man fulfils promise made in grade 2 to pay off grandparent’s mortgage

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