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1 in 4 adults think smacking is necessary to ‘properly raise’ kids. But attitudes are changing

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/divna-haslam-893417">Divna Haslam</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> “Do you want a smack?!” This has been a common refrain from many parents across history. Right along with “just wait till your father gets home”. Somehow parents thought this threat of violence would magically improve their child’s behaviour. The United Nations <a href="https://www.right-to-education.org/sites/right-to-education.org/files/resource-attachments/CRC_1989.pdf">Convention on the Rights of the Child</a> considers smacking and all types of physical punishment, however mild, a violation of child rights. It’s banned in <a href="https://endcorporalpunishment.org/countdown/">65 countries</a>. Yet it remains <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/resources/resource-sheets/physical-punishment-legislation#:%7E:text=Physical%20punishment%20by%20a%20parent%20towards%20a%20child%20remains%20lawful,'">legal</a> in Australia for parents to use “reasonable force” for discipline. Children are the only group of people it remains legal to hit. Our <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajs4.301">new research</a> found one in four Australians still think physical punishment is necessary to “properly raise” children. And half of parents (across all age groups) reported smacking their children. But attitudes are slowly changing, with newer generations of parents less likely to smack their kids than previous ones. <h2>What is physical punishment?</h2> <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1njkrb">Physical</a> or “corporal” punishment is the use of physical force to cause pain, but not injury, to discipline a child for misbehaviour. It’s distinct from physical abuse which is more extreme and not used to correct behaviour. Physical punishment is <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajs4.276#:%7E:text=Corporal%20punishment%20(CP)%20is%20the,and%20Christian%20missionaries%20during%20colonisation.">the most common type</a> of violence against children. It usually involves smacking, but also includes things like pinching, slapping, or using an implement such as wooden spoon, cane or belt. Smacking doesn’t actually work and makes behaviour <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797617729816?casa_token=YHpEf1m4GiwAAAAA%3A8VRH5_z9fufHJiFGpWVYAk0kuTZCCRB-zneATDatqfLomERAhcyyIES30hMPdIIQ-E-IHOTekiC0Zg&journalCode=pssa">worse over time</a>. And it’s <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Ffam0000191">associated with</a> children internalising problems, increased child aggression, poor parent-child relationships, poorer metal heath and more. In contrast, there are a lot of non-violent parenting strategies that <a href="https://theconversation.com/research-shows-its-harmful-to-smack-your-child-so-what-should-parents-do-instead-186739">do work</a>. <h2>Assessing the state of smacking in Australia</h2> We conducted the first <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajs4.301">study</a> to comprehensively assess the state of smacking and physical punishment in Australia. We wanted to determine if smacking was still common and how many Australians believed we need to smack our kids. We interviewed more than 8,500 Australians aged 16 to 65 years. Our sample was representative of the national population so we can be confident the findings represent the thoughts and experiences of Australians as a nation. Using such a large age range allowed us to compare people across different age groups to determine if changes are occurring. <h2>What we found</h2> Overall, six in ten (62.5%) Australians between 16–65 years had experienced four or more instances of smacking or physical punishment in childhood. Men were slightly more likely to be physically punished than women (66.3% v 59.1%). Young people, aged 16–24, reported slightly lower rates (58.4%) than older people suggesting a slight decline over time. But these rates remain unacceptably high. Overall, one in two (53.7%) Australian parents reported using some type of physical punishment, mostly about once a month. However, older parents reported on this retrospectively (what they did while raising children) and there were clear age differences: <ul> <li>64.2% of parents aged over 65 years had used physical punishment</li> <li>32.8% of parents 25–34 years had used it</li> <li>14.4% of parents under 24 had used it.</li> </ul> So younger generations of parents are substantially less likely to use physical punishment. <iframe id="3dcJw" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/3dcJw/2/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> Concerningly, one-quarter (26.4%) of all Australians still believe physical punishment is necessary to properly raise children. But the vast majority (73.6%) do not. And generational change is occurring. Some 37.9% of Australians older than 65 believe physical punishment is necessary compared to 22.9% of those aged 35–44 years, and only 14.8% of people under age 24. <iframe id="NT51y" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/NT51y/3/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe> Socioeconomically disadvantaged people are 2.3 times more likely to believe physical punishment is necessary than those with no disadvantage. Parents who had been physically disciplined when they were children were both more likely to believe it is needed and more likely to use it with their own children. This indicates this form of violence is transmitted across generations. <h2>Time for change</h2> Law reform works best when changes in community attitudes and behaviours are already occurring. So it’s encouraging that younger people are much less likely to believe physical punishment is necessary and are much less likely to use it. This suggests Australians may be open to prohibiting this common form of violence. All states and territories should immediately enact legal reform to prohibit corporal punishment and protect the rights of Australian children. This should be paired with public health and education campaigns about what parents can do instead. If you are a parent looking for effective non-violent parenting strategies the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-greg-hunt-mp/media/406-million-to-support-the-mental-health-and-wellbeing-of-aussie-kids">government</a> has also made the <a href="https://www.triplep-parenting.net.au/qld-en/free-parenting-courses/triple-p-online-under-12/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiAgqGrBhDtARIsAM5s0_mmMmbY3khwvp306pGOijqntKzYh6dDI5lQYszLgl6_BOGnuk8HMeEaAn_vEALw_wcB">Triple P Positive Parenting Program</a> available for free. This online program provides practical strategies parents can use to encourage positive behaviour and calm, alternative discipline techniques that can be used to instead of smacking. A number of other evidence-based programs, such as <a href="https://tuningintokids.org.au/">Tuning Into Kids</a>, Parents Under Pressure and <a href="https://www.pcit.org/pcit-in-australia.html">Parent Child Interaction Therapy</a>, are also available. Australia has an opportunity to capitalise on naturally occurring societal changes. We can interrupt this cycle of violence and give more Australians a childhood free of violence. <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/218837/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/divna-haslam-893417">Divna Haslam</a>, Senior Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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/1-in-4-adults-think-smacking-is-necessary-to-properly-raise-kids-but-attitudes-are-changing-218837">original article</a>.

Caring

1 in 6 older adults fall victim to impersonation scams

More older adults are likely to fall victim to scams than are currently recognised according to new US research. The problems are global. <div class="copy"> A research team from Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, US, says older Americans who aren’t cognitively impeded, are also at risk. In their study <a href="https://10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.35319" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">published</a> today in JAMA Network Open, the group reports on a behavioural experiment where they targeted 644 adults aged 64-104 in Rush’s Memory and Aging Project – a local scheme that draws on participants from metropolitan Chicago to participate in research – with a pitch mimicking a real-world impersonation scam. The study’s fictitious ‘US Retirement Protection Task Force’ pitched itself to participants as a government social security initiative. This USRPTF told participants via either post, email or a telephone call there’d been irregular activity on their Medicare or social security file and the inquiry was a routine account security check. As part of this, the fake agency asked participants to call a telephone hotline or login to a provided website to provide their details. Over two-thirds of the study failed to respond to any attempts to obtain information by the phoney scheme. The remainder were evenly split by either responding to requests for contact, but expressing scepticism at the authenticity of the USRPTF, or by responding and engaging with the request for information. Those who were engaged with the request for information, but expressed doubts, were also those with the highest cognitive performance, and lowest proportion of dementia. They were also the most financially literate participants, while those who provided their details had the lowest literacy. Those who provided details were also found to have the lowest scam awareness of all participants. Among this group, 1 in 10 willingly provided personal information and 1 in 5 provided details of their social security number. “If extrapolated to a population level, these numbers are astounding and suggest that a very large number of older adults are at risk of victimisation,” the authors say. They also note that, given the use of a fictitious US government organisation name, the number of people vulnerable to well-organised scams is likely much higher. Last year, the US National Council on Aging reported 92,371 older Americans were defrauded of a total of US$1.7 billion. Most were victims of government department impersonation, sweepstakes and robocall scams. Often such scams will simply demand payment while ‘spoofing’ the phone number of a government agency to add the veil of legitimacy. It’s a similar story around the world. This year, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission found Australians lost a record $3.1 billion last year, mostly via phone scams. Australians over 65 years of age accounted for a quarter of losses and reports. The UK’s Action Fraud initiative found Britons lost about ₤2.35 billion in the 2020/21 financial year, with those aged 50-69 most susceptible to falling victim. <div> Image credits: Getty Images <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/society/1-in-6-older-adults-fall-victim-to-impersonation-scams/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="null">Cosmos</a>. </div> </div>

Legal

1 in 6 women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes. But this diagnosis may not benefit them or their babies

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-glasziou-13533">Paul Glasziou</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jenny-doust-12412">Jenny Doust</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> When Sophie was pregnant with her first baby, she had an <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279331/#:%7E:text=Oral%20glucose%20tolerance%20tests%20(OGTT,enough%20by%20the%20body's%20cells.)">oral glucose tolerance</a> blood test. A few days later, the hospital phoned telling her she had gestational diabetes. Despite having only a slightly raised glucose (blood sugar) level, Sophie describes being diagnosed as affecting her pregnancy tremendously. She tested her blood glucose levels four times a day, kept food diaries and had extra appointments with doctors and dietitians. She was advised to have an induction because of the risk of having a large baby. At 39 weeks her son was born, weighing a very average 3.5kg. But he was separated from Sophie for four hours so his glucose levels could be monitored. Sophie is not alone. About <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/diabetes/diabetes/contents/how-many-australians-have-diabetes/gestational-diabetes">one in six</a> pregnant women in Australia are now diagnosed with gestational diabetes. That was not always so. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2827530/">New criteria</a> were developed in 2010 which dropped an initial screening test and lowered the diagnostic set-points. Gestational diabetes diagnoses have since <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/diabetes/diabetes/contents/how-many-australians-have-diabetes/gestational-diabetes">more than doubled</a>. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536691/original/file-20230710-23-v8weyw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536691/original/file-20230710-23-v8weyw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=388&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536691/original/file-20230710-23-v8weyw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=388&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536691/original/file-20230710-23-v8weyw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=388&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536691/original/file-20230710-23-v8weyw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=487&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536691/original/file-20230710-23-v8weyw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=487&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536691/original/file-20230710-23-v8weyw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=487&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>Gestational diabetes rates more than doubled after the threshold changed. AIHW, Author provided</figcaption></figure> But <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2204091">recent</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33704936/">studies</a> cast doubt on the ways we diagnose and manage gestational diabetes, especially for women like Sophie with only mildly elevated glucose. Here’s what’s wrong with gestational diabetes screening. <h2>The glucose test is unreliable</h2> The test used to diagnose gestational diabetes – the oral glucose tolerance test – has poor reproducibility. This means subsequent tests may give a different result. In a <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2214956">recent Australian trial</a> of earlier testing in pregnancy, one-third of the women initially classified as having gestational diabetes (but neither told nor treated) did not have gestational diabetes when retested later in pregnancy. That is a problem. Usually when a test has poor reproducibility – for example, blood pressure or cholesterol – we repeat the test to confirm before making a diagnosis. Much of the increase in the incidence of gestational diabetes after the introduction of new diagnostic criteria was due to the switch from using two tests to only using a single test for diagnosis. <h2>The thresholds are too low</h2> Despite little evidence of benefit for either women or babies, the current Australian criteria diagnose women with only mildly abnormal results as having “gestational diabetes”. Recent studies have shown this doesn’t benefit women and may cause harms. A <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2204091">New Zealand trial</a> of more than 4,000 women randomly assigned women to be assessed based on the current Australian thresholds or to higher threshold levels (similar to the pre-2010 criteria). The trial found no additional benefit from using the current low threshold levels, with overall no difference in the proportion of infants born large for gestational age. However, the trial found several harms, including more neonatal hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar in newborns), induction of labour, use of diabetic medications including insulin injections, and use of health services. The study authors also looked at the subgroup of women who were diagnosed with glucose levels between the higher and lower thresholds. In this subgroup, there was some reduction in large babies, and in shoulder problems at delivery. But there was also an increase in small babies. This is of concern because being small for gestational age can also have consequences for babies, including long-term health consequences. <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540643/original/file-20230802-29-1dw2rw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/540643/original/file-20230802-29-1dw2rw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540643/original/file-20230802-29-1dw2rw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540643/original/file-20230802-29-1dw2rw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540643/original/file-20230802-29-1dw2rw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=438&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540643/original/file-20230802-29-1dw2rw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=438&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/540643/original/file-20230802-29-1dw2rw.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=438&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption>NEJM, Author provided</figcaption></figure> <h2>Testing too early</h2> Some centres have begun testing women at higher risk of gestational diabetes earlier in the pregnancy (between 12 and 20 weeks). However, a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37144983/">recent trial</a> showed no clear benefit compared with testing at the usual 24–28 weeks: possibly fewer large babies, but again matched by more small babies. There was a reduction in transient “respiratory distress” – needing extra oxygen for a few hours – but not in serious clinical events. <h2>Impact on women with gestational diabetes</h2> For women diagnosed using the higher glucose thresholds, dietary advice, glucose monitoring and, where necessary, insulin therapy has been shown to reduce complications during delivery and the post-natal period. However, current models of care can also cause harm. Women with gestational diabetes are often denied their preferred model of care – for example, midwifery continuity of carer. In rural areas, they may have to transfer to a larger hospital, requiring longer travel to antenatal visits and moving to a larger centre for their birth – away from their families and support networks for several weeks. Women say the diagnosis often dominates their antenatal care and their whole <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32028931/">experience of pregnancy</a>, reducing time for other issues or concerns. Women from culturally and linguistically diverse communities <a href="https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-021-03981-5">find it difficult</a> to reconcile the advice given about diet and exercise with their own cultural practices and beliefs about pregnancy. Some women with gestational diabetes <a href="https://bmcpregnancychildbirth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12884-020-2745-1">become</a> extremely anxious about their eating and undertake extensive calorie restrictions or disordered eating habits. <h2>Time to reassess the advice</h2> Recent evidence from both randomised controlled trials and from qualitative studies with women diagnosed with gestational diabetes suggest we need to reassess how we currently diagnose and manage gestational diabetes, particularly for women with only slightly elevated levels. It is time for a review to consider all the problems described above. This review should include the views of all those impacted by these decisions: women in childbearing years, and the GPs, dietitians, diabetes educators, midwives and obstetricians who care for them. This article was co-authored by maternity services consumer advocate Leah Hardiman.<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/205919/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-glasziou-13533">Paul Glasziou</a>, Professor of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jenny-doust-12412">Jenny Doust</a>, Clinical Professorial Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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/1-in-6-women-are-diagnosed-with-gestational-diabetes-but-this-diagnosis-may-not-benefit-them-or-their-babies-205919">original article</a>.

Body

Aussie Olympic medallist marries billionaire F1 heiress

Australian Olympic medallist Scotty James has tied the knot with Chloe Stroll in a lavish Italian wedding over the weekend. James, a four-time Olympian and two-time medallist, was introduced to Chloe, daughter of Formula One billionaire Lawrence Stroll, by her brother Lance who set them up in 2019. The wedding came nearly 18 months after Scotty proposed, and the pair took to Instagram to share pictures of the happy occasion. Chloe shared a series of photos with a simple infinity emoji, while Scotty shared behind the scenes clips from a boat ride around Venice. “Hi everyone. This is our first video as husband and wife - well, on my phone anyway,” he proudly said as he looked lovingly at his wife. “And as you can see behind us, the sun has risen. We’re on a boat back to the hotel - and we got married yesterday!” The beautiful bride donned an off-the-shoulder gown with a stunning floral lace detail and a matching flowing veil. The groom looked dapper in a black suit with a bow tie and beautiful white pocket rose. The wedding weekend included a stay at the Gritti Palace in Venice. Plenty of stars were in attendance including Scotty’s groomsman and best mate, F1 racer Daniel Ricciardo and his girlfriend Heidi Berger, also an F1 heiress. Scotty’s brother-in-law and Sunrise weather presenter, Sam Mac, was also in attendance after taking leave from the show. “So happy for you mate. A true honour to share this special time with you and Chloe ... wow wow wow,” he wrote on Instagram. Rebecca, Sam’s partner, also commented: “I officially have another sister,” to which Chloe replied: “Love you sis!!!” Some other guest stars who reportedly attended the wedding included: Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff and wife Susie, Sarah Ferguson, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas. Images: Instagram

Relationships

Pitt stop! Snubbed rookie’s hilarious response to Brad Pitt’s F1 debut

Brad Pitt is set to make his formula one debut at the Silverstone Grand Prix for his upcoming F1 movie that is co-produced by British F1 Driver, Lewis Hamilton. News that the Hollywood heartthrob will drive an adapted F2 car as part of his role prompted a hilarious response from snubbed rookie Colton Herta, who was denied a super-licence last year because he didn’t have enough points. “Brad Pitt got a super license before me. Tough,” he tweeted in response to the news. “You're not experienced enough mate! 😂,” another user jokingly replied. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Brad Pitt got a super license before me. Tough. <a href="https://t.co/r7gedm1esn">https://t.co/r7gedm1esn</a> — Colton Herta (@ColtonHerta) <a href="https://twitter.com/ColtonHerta/status/1654225843042787330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2023</a></blockquote> The Mr. & Mrs. Smith actor will begin filming on-site at the Silverstone Grand Prix in July between the main F1 sessions. Pitt will play a retired driver making his comeback, and while the movie remains untitled, the project is being led by Joseph Kosinski, director of Top Gun: Maverick and producer Jerry Bruckheimer. Hamilton has also spoken up about his involvement and experience in co-producing the film. “I don’t know absolutely every single plan with all the things we’ll be doing in the paddock, I’m more focused on making sure the script is where it needs to be,” he said. “That’s where all the time is currently, going through the script. “We’ve got a really great and diverse cast. Joe’s focus is to make us as embedded in this sport as possible. For me it’s to make sure it’s authentic, and that all of you and racing fans see its authenticity and say ‘this is believable’, and have a view of racing from a different perspective than you might see on TV. “I’m spending a lot of time right now helping Joe and the team get the script right, it’s an amazing process and I’m really enjoying it.” Fans have also shared a bunch of memes in reaction to the news of Pitt being allowed to race on the track during Grand Prix weekends. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> brad pitt seeing max lap him for the 12th time <a href="https://t.co/fWMyLkSnYF">pic.twitter.com/fWMyLkSnYF</a> — Maude⁴⁷ (@schumihoney) <a href="https://twitter.com/schumihoney/status/1654216747048742917?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> brad pitt at turn one in silverstone <a href="https://t.co/168nTurA43">pic.twitter.com/168nTurA43</a> — bella (@lovesjenson) <a href="https://twitter.com/lovesjenson/status/1654235239911415808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Colton Herta when Brad Pitt is allowed to join F1 without any super licence points but he isn't <a href="https://t.co/Utlt6fRBLz">pic.twitter.com/Utlt6fRBLz</a> — F1 Updates (@paddock2go) <a href="https://twitter.com/paddock2go/status/1654222779900633088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2023</a></blockquote> Images: Getty

Movies

1 in 4 households struggle to pay power bills. Here are 5 ways to tackle hidden energy poverty

<a href="https://energyconsumersaustralia.com.au/news/how-increases-in-energy-prices-are-impacting-consumers#:%7E:text=Energy%2520affordability%2520is%2520not%2520just,in%2520the%2520past%252012%2520months.">One in four Australian households</a> are finding it hard to pay their gas and electricity bills. As winter looms, <a href="https://www.aer.gov.au/news-release/default-market-offer-2023%25E2%2580%259324-draft-determination">energy price rises</a> will make it even harder. Cold homes and disconnections resulting from energy poverty threaten people’s health and wellbeing. <a href="https://www.acoss.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ACOSS-cost-of-living-report2-March-2023_web_FINAL.pdf">Income support for welfare recipients</a> and retrofitting homes to make them more thermally efficient – by adding insulation, for example – can ease the burden. And when homes are not too cold or hot, <a href="https://theconversation.com/fuel-poverty-makes-you-sick-so-why-has-nothing-changed-since-i-was-a-child-living-in-a-cold-home-201787">people’s health benefits</a>. This in turn <a href="https://apo.org.au/node/319556">eases pressure on the public health system</a>. However, many people are missing out on assistance as programs often do not recognise their difficulties. Their energy vulnerability is hidden. <h2>What forms does hidden energy poverty take?</h2> <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629623000737">Our newly published study</a> has revealed six aspects of hidden energy vulnerability. These are: <ol> <li> underconsumption – households limit or turn off cooling, heating and/or lights to avoid disconnections </li> <li> incidental masking – other welfare support, such as rent relief, masks difficulties in paying energy bills </li> <li> some households disguise energy poverty by using public facilities such as showers or pooling money for bills between families </li> <li> some people conceal their hardship due to pride or fear of legal consequences, such as losing custody of children if food cannot be refrigerated because the power has been cut off </li> <li> poor understanding of energy efficiency and the health risks of cold or hot homes adds to the problem </li> <li> eligibility criteria for energy assistance programs may exclude some vulnerable households. For example, people with income just above the welfare threshold are missing out on energy concessions. Energy retailer hardship programs also ignore people who have voluntarily disconnected due to financial hardship. </li> </ol> <h2>5 ways to help these households</h2> Our studies suggest trusted intermediaries such as people working in health, energy and social services can play a vital role in identifying and supporting such households. First, energy efficiency and hardship initiatives may be <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/property-construction-and-project-management/research/research-centres-and-groups/sustainable-building-innovation-laboratory/projects/care-at-home-system-improvements">integrated into the My Aged Care in-home care system</a>. Energy poverty risk identification, response and referral could be built into the national service’s assessment form. This could leverage existing client screening processes. The system’s front-line staff could connect at-risk householders with energy counsellors. These counsellors could help people access better energy contracts, concessions, home retrofits and appliance upgrade programs. A new Commonwealth “energy supplement” could help pay for essential energy-related home modifications. This would help avoid My Aged Care funds being diverted from immediate healthcare needs. Second, general practitioners and other health professionals could help identify energy vulnerability among patients with medical conditions of concern. They could also provide letters of support emphasising renters’ health-based need for air conditioners or heaters. Third, energy providers could use household energy data to identify those that seem to be under-consuming or are often disconnected. They could also identify those that are not on “best offer” deals. They could be proactive in checking struggling householders’ eligibility for ongoing energy concessions and one-off debt relief grants offered by states and territories. Energy providers could also make it easier for social housing providers to ensure concessions for tenants renew automatically. Fourth, local councils could use their data to identify at-risk householders. They might include those with a disability parking permit, discounted council rates or in arrears, on the social housing waiting list, Meals on Wheels clients and social housing tenants. Maternal and child health nurses and home and community care workers making home visits could call attention to cold or hot homes. Councils could employ in-house energy counsellors to provide assistance and energy literacy training. Council home maintenance teams could develop bulk-buying, insulation and neighbourhood retrofit programs. Strategies to reduce vulnerability to energy poverty should be part of municipal public health and wellbeing plans. Under these strategies, net-zero-carbon funds set up by states and local councils to reduce emissions could finance targeted housing retrofits. We also suggest setting up a central helpline to improve access to energy assistance via local referrals. Fifth, residential energy-efficiency programs could become more person-centric. For example, we already have <a href="https://www.homescorecard.gov.au/">Residential Efficiency Scorecard</a> audits to assess the thermal quality of a home. These audits could also explore whether concessions and better energy deals are available to the household. <h2>Building capacity at all levels</h2> <a href="https://cur.org.au/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/tackling-hidden-energy-final.pdf">Capacity-building strategies</a> are needed at all levels – individual, community and government – to overcome the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629623000737">challenges</a> of reducing energy poverty. Current obstacles include the competing priorities of service providers, lack of time and resources, and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214629622003553">poor co-ordination between siloed</a> programs and services. Access to essential energy services should be part of state and local governments’ strategic health plans. Housing, energy and health departments could work together to include housing retrofits in preventive health programs. A comprehensive approach is needed to overcome hidden energy poverty. It must include public education, integrated services and well-funded energy-efficiency programs. Regulatory reforms and ongoing funding are both needed to improve the availability of energy-efficient, affordable homes for tenants. Our suggested strategies start with improving the skills and knowledge of trusted intermediaries. Doctors, social workers, housing officers, community nurses and volunteers can play a central role. Using these front-line professionals to help identify and act on energy poverty offers a novel, cost-effective and targeted solution. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/1-in-4-households-struggle-to-pay-power-bills-here-are-5-ways-to-tackle-hidden-energy-poverty-204672" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Images: Getty

Home Hints & Tips

Schumacher’s family suing German magazine over fake interview

Michael Schumacher’s family is preparing to take legal action against German tabloid magazine Die Aktuelle, for publishing an AI-generated “interview” with the star. The publication has been slammed for using Michael’s face on their April 15 front cover, promoting the piece as “the first interview” since the star’s skiing accident in December 2013. “No meagre, nebulous half-sentences from friends. But answers from him! By Michael Schumacher, 54!” read the text in the magazine. “It sounded deceptively real,” they added in the strapline, which was the only indicator that the piece was fake. The “interview” included quotes that insensitively described Schumacher’s recovery, following the accident where he suffered a serious brain injury. “I was so badly injured that I lay for months in a kind of artificial coma, because otherwise my body couldn’t have dealt with it all,” the quote read. “I’ve had a tough time but the hospital team has managed to bring me back to my family,” they added. It was only at the end of the article that the publication revealed that they used Character.ai, an AI chatbot, to create the interview. A spokesperson for Schumachers confirmed their intention to take legal action against Die Aktuelle to Reuters and ESPN. This isn’t the first time Schumacher’s family have taken action against Die Aktuelle. In 2015, Michael’s wife, Corinna Schumacher filed a lawsuit against the magazine after they used Corinna’s picture with the headline: “Corinna Schumacher – a new love makes her happy.” The story was actually about their daughter, Gina, but the lawsuit was dismissed. Image: Getty Images

Legal

F1 legend shares rare update Michael Schumacher

Formula 1 icon Eddie Jordan has shared a health update about his close friend Michael Schumacher, saying the motorsport legend is “there, but not there” as mystery continues to surround his health. Schumacher, 54, has not been seen or heard from for nearly ten years after his horror ski crash in 2013. He was left with a severe brain injury and in a medically induced coma. Mystery surrounds his condition as his family has imposed a strict “family only” rule on who can visit him. It came as Michael’s son Mick followed in his dad’s footsteps into F1. Unfortunately, 23-year-old Mick struggled and lost his race seat at the end of 2022 after a series of crashes for the Haas team. Eddie was denied a visit to see Michael but has been in contact with Mick. The F1 star said his “love” for the seven-time world champion “still lasts and will always do so while I’m able to draw breath.” when speaking to sports betting firm OLBG. Last year, he revealed his son Mick had reached out to him. “As far as I’m concerned, I was touched by it and the reason I was touched by it was because it can’t be easy knowing that your father is not able to be part of the family, he’s there but he’s not there,” Jordan said. Jordan revealed that Mick spoke highly of his father while he was enduring his own struggles in F1. “It touched me because I felt so much about Michael, I went out of my way to find him, give him his first chance in Spa, didn’t last very long but that love for him still lasts and will always do so while I’m able to draw breaths,” Eddie said. Mick was dropped by Haas in favour of veteran driver Nico Hulkenberg for 2023 and is now a reserve driver at Mercedes. Mick will be backing up Sir Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, potentially stepping in for them if they have to miss a race. Eddie believes Mick has it in him to find his way back into a full-time race seat. “He’s been dropped for somebody else, and that’s a tough decision, he has another fight to come back and to make his name, climb up that ladder again,” Eddie said. “I’m quite sure he will do it.” Jordan also revealed Michael named his son after racing champion Mick Doohan, saying Mick was given his name “as a mark of respect” to Doohan. “Mick Schumacher isn’t named after his dad like a lot of people seem to think,” he said. “Mick Schumacher is named after a person who his father, Michael, was in total awe of, a sportsman who had won five world titles back to back with Honda. “And that is no other than Mick Doohan. “As a mark of respect, Michael Schumacher called his son Mick.” Last year, Jordan revealed that Michael’s wife denied him permission to visit Schumacher after his horror skiing accident. His wife Corinna keeps his health journey a closely guarded secret. Corinna prefers to treat her husband privately at their home in Geneva, Switzerland, with ex-Ferrarri boss Jean Todt, one of the only people allowed to see him outside his immediate family. Jordan said he contacted Corinna, who was once the girlfriend of his team’s driver Heinz Harold Frentzen. Jordan told the Irish Daily Mirror, “I reached out and one stage asked was it appropriate and did I think we should go and visit him. “The answer was no. No visitations for anyone at that moment except the actual direct family. “However, since then, young Mick Schumacher – Michael’s son – has reached out to me, and he has been extraordinary.” Image credit: Getty

Caring

F1 pioneer passes away

French racing driver and engineer Jean-Pierre Jabouille, who in 1979 gave Renault their first Formula One victory, has died at the age of 80. The Renault-owned Alpine team has paid tribute to the two-times race winner as a pioneer whose victory at Dijon-Prenois was also the first in Formula One for a car with a turbocharged engine. The Parisian took only two F1 wins but it was his first at Dijon-Prenois in July 1979 that made his name and ensured he became the toast of France two-and-a-half years after he put the first laps on the Renault RS01 at Silverstone. Jabouille was a late starter to racing and didn’t make his international single-seater debut until he was 27 years old, when he took part in occasional F2 races in 1969. Having become a test and development driver with the Société des Automobiles Alpine manufacturer, Jabouille had entered his first Le Mans 24 Hours in 1968, starting a run of 14 appearances at La Sarthe that spanned a quarter of a century. He was also hired directly by Steve McQueen to be one of the drivers in the classic 1971 Le Mans movie. “BWT Alpine F1 Team is incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of Jean-Pierre Jabouille,” read the moving tribute on the BWT Alpine F1 Instagram post. “A humble racing driver, brilliant engineer, and a pioneer of our sport. Jean-Pierre was a true racer. “He spearheaded Renault’s journey into F1 in 1977 with his resilient and dare to do attitude. He was Renault’s first Grand Prix winner in 1979, a landmark moment in Renault’s journey in Formula 1. His determination and dedication to succeed inspired many, and these values remain central to the current team in its now blue colours of Alpine. “We are where we are today because of Jean-Pierre and his legacy lives on. “We’d like to extend our most sincere condolences to his family and close friends. “Merci pour tout, Jean-Pierre.” <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/CoK-vfvrl-v/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CoK-vfvrl-v/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by BWT Alpine F1 Team (@alpinef1team)</a> </div> </blockquote> Jabouille was still competing well into his 60s, appearing at a national Gran Turismo level for France, and was still occasionally spotted at Le Mans in recent years – even demonstrating his old Renault F1 cars for his legion of racing fans who will remember his legacy for years to come. Image: @alpinef1team / Instagram

News

Pumping loud music is putting more than 1 billion young people at risk of hearing loss

Music is an integral part of human life. It’s all around us, just like sunshine, lifting our mood. We enjoy it so much that many of us take it with us everywhere on our phones or we spend weekends hitting the club scene, live-music venues or concerts. Meanwhile, many of us may have felt annoyed by loud sound from music venues or remarked on sound emanating from someone else’s headphones. We’re probably aware we should prevent hearing loss from loud industrial noise at work or from using power tools at home. A systematic review released today in <a href="https://globalhealth.bmj.com/lookup/doi/10.1136/bmjgh-2022-010501">BMJ Global Health</a> reports unsafe listening practices in adolescents and young adults from using personal listening devices (such as phones or digital music players) and going to loud clubs and gigs are common, and could be a major factor contributing to hearing loss. In fact, the authors estimate the pumping tunes could be placing up to 1.35 billion young people at risk of hearing loss worldwide. <h2>What the study looked at</h2> Systematic analysis involves looking across multiple studies to identify consistent findings. In this study, the authors included 33 peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2021, involving over 19,000 people, aged 12–34. In the study, unsafe listening was identified as listening at levels above 80 decibels for over 40 hours per week. For context, this is the level above which most Australian states <a href="https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/hazards/noise/overview#:%7E:text=Workers%20must%20not%20be%20exposed,on%20decibels%20and%20time%20exposed.">require industry</a> to implement noise protection processes such as use of hearing protectors. The study confirms the rate of unsafe listening practices is high in adolescents and young adults: 23.81% of them were listening to music on personal devices at unsafe levels and 48.2% at loud entertainment venues (though this rate is less certain). Based on global estimates of population, this translates to up to 1.35 billion young people at risk of hearing loss globally. The World Health Organization <a href="https://www.who.int/health-topics/hearing-loss#tab=tab_1">estimates</a> over 430 million people worldwide already have a disabling hearing loss and prevalence could double if hearing loss prevention is not prioritised. The results tally with our previous studies conducted by Australia’s National Acoustic Laboratories and HEARing Cooperative Research Centre. More than a decade ago we <a href="https://acc.hearingservices.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/hso/f1f6299d-96f3-408e-be4b-0775af6d7f41/Lifetime_profile_exposure_sound_what_safe_HLPP2.pdf?MOD=AJPERES">reported</a> a high potential for hearing loss from attendance at nightclubs, pubs and live concerts in young Australians aged between 18–35 years. Back then, we found 13% of young Australians (aged 18–35) were getting a yearly noise dose from nightclubs, concerts and sporting activities that exceeded the maximum acceptable dose in industry. In 2015, the WHO launched the <a href="https://www.who.int/activities/making-listening-safe">Make listening Safe</a>initiative to encourage young people to protect their hearing. <h2>Why it’s bad for your hearing</h2> So what’s the problem with loud music? Like sunshine, overexposure can lead to harm. Loud noise, including music, can <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/how_does_loud_noise_cause_hearing_loss.html">kill off hair cells and membranes</a> in the inner ear (the cochlea). Once hearing is lost, a person mightn’t be able to hear or understand speech or sounds around them. <a href="https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/noise-induced-hearing-loss">Research</a> shows hearing loss results from a combination of sound being too loud (and it doesn’t need to be painful to cause hearing damage), listening to loud sound too long (and the louder the sound, the less time you can listen before your hearing is at risk) and how often you are exposed (and hearing damage is cumulative over time). A good “rule of ear” is that if you hear ringing in your ears at or after listening, you are at risk of damaging your hearing. This type of hearing loss is <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/hearing_loss/how_does_loud_noise_cause_hearing_loss.html">permanent</a> and may require use of hearing aids or cochlear implants. <h2>Wait, so no loud music at all?</h2> So what can we do, short of throwing away our headphones and avoiding clubbing and live music? First, just like with the sun and skin, we need to be aware of the risks to our hearing and take the necessary steps to protect ourselves. We need to be aware of how loud sound is around us and how to keep our exposure within safe levels. We can do this by using personal hearing protection in clubs (such as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-earplugs-for-concerts/">ear muffs or ear plugs</a> that are fit for purpose), or limiting how often we visit noisy music venues or how long we stay at really loud ones. In Australia, people can access a free <a href="https://knowyournoise.nal.gov.au/">noise risk calculator</a> to calculate their personal risk using an online sound level meter, and to explore how changes in lifestyle could protect their hearing while still allowing them to enjoy music. Most phones now come with software that can <a href="https://www.headphonesty.com/2022/03/iphone-headphone-safety/#:%7E:text=Key%20features%20of%20the%20iPhone%20Headphone%20Safety%20feature&text=According%20to%20the%20WHO%20standard,risk%20of%20sustaining%20hearing%20damage.">monitor safe listening levels</a> and limit exposure. Hearing protection at the venue level is more challenging and may require regulatory and industry-based approaches. Our <a href="https://academic.oup.com/annweh/article/64/4/342/5811673">2020 research</a> identified hazard controls for entertainment venues, such alternating volume between louder and softer levels, rotating staff, providing quiet rooms, and raising speaker locations above head height. We also showed DJs and venues were open to initiatives aimed at reducing the risk of hearing loss for their patrons and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19338244.2020.1828241?journalCode=vaeh20">staff</a>. Compromises are possible and they could enable enjoyment of music at live-music venues, while still protecting hearing. That way everyone will be able keep enjoying music for longer. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/pumping-loud-music-is-putting-more-than-1-billion-young-people-at-risk-of-hearing-loss-194537" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

Why Rod Stewart turned down a $1 million gig

Rod Stewart has shared why he turned down a $1 million deal to perform in Qatar. The 77-year-old rockstar said that he was offered the seven-figure deal over a year ago, but refused because of the Gulf state's human rights record. When discussing the controversy surrounding the World Cup host nation, where homosexuality is illegal, the singer told the <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dfab9724-5f6f-11ed-8611-a128c33d7159?shareToken=f282a0832e5a291ac08bf40e06ba678c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sunday Times</a> he thought it would be wrong to play a set there. "I was actually offered a lot of money, over $1m, to play there 15 months ago," he said. "I turned it down. It's not right to go. And the Iranians should be out too for supplying arms," he said in reference to drones supplied by the country to Russia, which was barred from the tournament. He added that he thinks fans attending matches in Qatar, where being gay can lead to imprisonment and even the death sentence for Muslims, "have got to watch out". Stewart has been considered an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, previously saying he was "surrounded by gay men in the 70s". One of the singer's hit songs, The Killing of Georgie, is about the murder of a gay friend and made waves when it came out in 1976, when very few mainstream songs discussed the experiences of gay men. He said it would have been "good" to sing the song as a protest during the opening ceremony of the football tournament. Image credits: Getty Images

Money & Banking

UK woman takes home from dump to dream starting with just £1

A UK woman has shown how she took a derelict property from a dump to a dream address, having paid just £1 ($NZ 1.93). Maxine Sharples was still a university student when she successfully bid for a ramshackle Victorian terrace in Liverpool under the council-run Homes for Pound Scheme. The scheme allowed residents to pay just £1 for a derelict home on the condition that they would renovate it, per <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/woman-transforms-1-house-dream-27496752" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Mirror</a>, and was so popular that 2500 people applied for just 106 houses. But, when Ms Sharples was handed the keys to her new home four years later, she admitted she was worried about how she would fund the work, particularly given that new owners had just 12 months to renovate according to <a href="https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/homeless-woman-turned-1-house-24498719?_ga=2.75979477.1998441293.1658101018-39617459.1654734058" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Liverpool Echo</a>. Ms Sharples was able to take longer due to Covid restrictions, telling local news she spent £60,000 ($NZ 115,000) to bring the home up to a livable standard and transform it into a sweet first home. She now has about £10,000 ($NZ 19,270) left to spend to enhance the property further. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/uk-woman-house1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Maxine Sharple, a 35-year-old yoga teacher, bought her first home for just £1, but had to put in plenty of work to get it up to scratch. “Although initially I didn’t have the funds, I applied anyway and thought, ‘I’ll cross that bridge’ if I was shortlisted. In 2019, four years later, I got a phone call to ask if I was still interested in a home for a pound,” Ms Sharples told the Echo. Though she has walked away with the deal of a lifetime, it was a difficult journey to get her home to where it is now. Ms Sharples lived in a caravan during the renovations and had to do plenty of work herself. “It has taken me 27 arduous months to get it signed off. It was gruelling, I couldn't have been more naive about the process,” she said. “As a yoga teacher I couldn’t have been less experienced in construction management. “With tradespeople in short supply, I took to a lot of labouring myself.” Going beyond just updating the interior and façade, Ms Sharples changed the layout to make the home lighter and more airy. “I began the rip out by myself. It took me nine months to get the house back to brick with a rotary hammer and borrowed electricity from my neighbours,” she said. “A hole in the roof meant a tree had taken root, water ingress, asbestos, rat infestations, you name it, it had it all.” Images: The Liverpool Echo

Real Estate

Top Gun: Maverick surpasses $1 billion worldwide

Tom Cruise’s Top Gun: Maverick has officially surpassed $1 billion at the worldwide box office. Over the weekend, the film saw a huge $30.5 million domestically and $44.5 million in overseas markets. This overall totals to $521 million domestic and $484 million international, putting it just past $1 billion globally. According to Paramount, more than 16 percent of the Top Gun: Maverick audience has seen the film more than once in theatres, while four percent have seen it four times or more. This is only the second time since the pandemic began that a Hollywood title jumped over the $1 billion behind Sony and Disney’s Spider-Man: No Way Home ($1.89 billion). The movie officially became the highest-grossing movie of Cruise’s career when it toppled over $800 million. His 2018 film Mission Impossible: Fallout previously held the highest rank with $791.1 million. Analysts don’t think the momentum will last long with Elvis hitting the screens and Top Gun sitting around the $900 million mark. Image: YouTube

Movies

Wild scenes after No.1 seed slaps opponent at the net

A tennis player has been caught on camera slapping his opponent - so, is this Will Smith’s match? Michael Kouame, 15, lost to Raphael Nii Ankrah, 16, 2-6 7-6 6-7 in the first round of an ITF juniors tournament in Accra, Ghana’s capital. The pair met at the net to shake hands before Michael slapped Raphael in the face before a brawl ensued amongst attendees. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://t.co/4B0NjVI5zv">pic.twitter.com/4B0NjVI5zv</a> — SHARP SHOOTER 🔫 (@Kwesi_Gibson) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kwesi_Gibson/status/1511083902382792716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2022</a></blockquote> Footage of the incident was shared to Twitter with many pointing out that Michael should not have slapped Raphael and tried to run away. “I think he forgot his location..how can you slap someone in his own country,” someone pointed out. “Kid was running ? You can’t start sh*t and then run away,” another commented. “The coward ran away? Disgraceful behavior!” another wrote. Image: Twitter

Legal

How far would you go to save $1?

Would you spend the night at this one-star hotel for just $6? If you’ve travelled on a very strict budget, you’ve probably come across some interesting finds. One TikToker user has people divided over where to draw the line – even if it is cheap – after posting a video at a one-star hotel. <blockquote class="tiktok-embed" style="max-width: 605px; min-width: 325px;" cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@jesseogn/video/7056825451565550850" data-video-id="7056825451565550850"> <section><a title="@jesseogn" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jesseogn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@jesseogn</a> Would you stay at this hotel?? <a title="japan" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/japan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#japan</a> <a title="tiktokjapan" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/tiktokjapan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#tiktokjapan</a> <a title="japantiktok" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/japantiktok" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#japantiktok</a> <a title="japantravel" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/japantravel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#japantravel</a> <a title="osaka" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/osaka" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#osaka</a> <a title="creepy" href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/creepy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#creepy</a> <a title="♬ Amityville Horror - Scary Halloween Sound Effects - Halloween Sound Effects" href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/Amityville-Horror-Scary-Halloween-Sound-Effects-6780285433650612226" target="_blank" rel="noopener">♬ Amityville Horror - Scary Halloween Sound Effects - Halloween Sound Effects</a></section> </blockquote> While travelling through Japan, TikToker Jesse checked in to the 500 yen per-night stay (about $6) in Osaka. Upon entry, Jesse notices the dodgy bedding, rickety TV and overall petite size of the room, before making his way to the questionable window. “The room came with a pillow, blanket, stained mattress and TV,” he says in the tour. “The room had a funky smell but I couldn’t open the window because it was broken,” he explained. Adding to its…appeal, he then demonstrated how small the room is, with just a few inches above his head when standing and lying down. The tour ends on a slightly more sinister note, as he makes his way to a creepy find at the entrance of the hotel – a poster of wanted criminals. The comments section was divided on the hotel, with some claiming it was a steal, while others said they’d rather pay a bit more and stay somewhere else. “I mean, for $90 a month… I’d probably live there,” one person said. “I’d stay there. Too bad they didn’t have mattresses with plastic covers on it. Great deal,” a commenter added. Images: TikTok

Travel Tips

New mum “refused food” over controversial breastfeeding rule

A new mother of twins was left reeling after not being offered lunch while her child was sick in hospital. The 37-year-old woman gave birth to her children who had jaundice and was required to express more breast milk. No matter how hard she tried, the Sydney mother just could not express enough milk for her newborns. And with twins she knew it was “going to be hell” so she opted for formula to ensure her children were satisfied. “I wanted to breastfeed so much…I even tried to express and there was nothing. I just couldn’t and I thought ‘I can’t keep doing this – it’s going to be hell with twins’,” she told <a href="https://www.kidspot.com.au/news/i-was-refused-food-in-hospital-for-24hrs-because-i-didnt-breastfeed-my-newborn/news-story/224a952a530509c7712aff572b856bc2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kidspot</a>. Three months later on February 12, the mother was overwhelmed when one of her twins’ temperature soared to 40C from a UTI infection. The mother rushed her baby to Campbelltown Hospital where she was then admitted to the paediatric ward. After conducting a series of tests, the worried mother waited anxiously for her results in the same room with another mother who was breastfeeding. It was then she noticed that the other woman was given food off the trolley and she was completely ignored. “I saw the food trolley go right past our bed and up and down the hallway, and it never stopped for me, so I thought to myself, ‘What’s going on?’ Why is she not asking me? Does she not know I’m here?’” Not wanting to cause a problem, the mother opted for some muesli bars she had in her handbag and eventually fell asleep. The next morning, the mother missed breakfast after sleeping in and decided it was time to say something after not being given lunch, dinner and breakfast. She approached the front desk and questioned why she was not offered food in the 24 hours she was admitted into hospital. The mother claims the nurse was embarrassed after saying it was because she was not breastfeeding. “They only give food if you’re breastfeeding. That’s the rule,” the nurse said. The nurse eventually came back and apologised and gave her a sandwich, but it was then she realised her child was admitted under private health. The mother once again confronted the nurse who said it was an “old rule” and nothing could be done to change it. Eventually, her husband arrived to look after their daughter while she went back home to care for the son. He was also not offered any dinner. He was given a sandwich and some crackers. The mother said she felt “shamed” for her decision to opt for formula as she was already struggling with the twins. She insists that if in the near future they needed a hospital that the family would not go to Campbelltown Hospital. The hospital issued a statement following the incident insisting that all parents are offered food during their stay. “The hospital offers sandwiches to all parents during lunch and dinner periods. Sandwiches are also stored in the unit’s refrigerator for use between or after meal times.” Image: Instagram

Caring

Russia 0, Door 1: Soldier’s shocking defeat blows up online

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine wages on, a battle between a Russian soldier and a door has <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/russia-ukraine-war-hapless-russian-soldier-loses-fight-against-door/I246LNFUTCXAE3Q2OVUSJ34Y7A/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resulted</a> in a crushing defeat. A clip of the incident from Yeshiva World News reported Moshe Schwartz has gone viral online, with the interaction dubbed the Battle of Techno House. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> At the Battle of Techno House, the door secured a decisive victory against Russian forces <a href="https://t.co/QnMowf5T7l">https://t.co/QnMowf5T7l</a> — 🇺🇦 Sid Chambers, PhD 🇺🇦 (@ArtfulTakedown) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArtfulTakedown/status/1499180997526663174?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2022</a></blockquote> The soldier, reportedly in Kherson, Ukraine, is seen attempting to gain access into a store. When his first attempts fail, the soldier smashes the glass on the door but that also fails. Seemingly exasperated, the soldier tugs on the door handle before accepting defeat and walking away. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Geolocation confirmed. 46.65046, 32.60758 <a href="https://t.co/bfjntnsPsG">https://t.co/bfjntnsPsG</a> <a href="https://t.co/fYUZxlLZGo">pic.twitter.com/fYUZxlLZGo</a> — GeoConfirmed (@GeoConfirmed) <a href="https://twitter.com/GeoConfirmed/status/1499153094076153860?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2022</a></blockquote> The soldier, reportedly in Kherson, Ukraine, is seen attempting to gain access into a store. When his first attempts fail, the soldier smashes the glass on the door but that also fails. Seemingly exasperated, the soldier tugs on the door handle before accepting defeat and walking away. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/FM3zsz5WYA0bOOl.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="1176" /> A Wikipedia page was allegedly created documenting the incident. Image: <a href="https://twitter.com/SwarmDMX/status/1499122912493809670" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a> The page said the incident ended with a “decisive” victory for the door, and that casualties and losses included “ammunition, pride and a window”. One video of the incident was viewed more than a million times in one hour and attracted thousands of comments joking about an otherwise grim situation. It comes as Russian forces have captured the strategically significant hub of Kherson, the first to be captured since the invasion began last week. Image: Twitter

Travel Trouble

Nearly 1 in 3 adults over 65 had a new condition post-Covid

<a href="https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/almost-1-in-3-older-adults-develop-new-conditions-after-covid-19-infection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New research</a> from the US has found that almost a third of older adults who caught COVID-19 went on to develop at least one new condition that required medical attention. The study, published in <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/376/bmj-2021-068414" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The BMJ</a>, discovered that 32 out of every 100 adults over 65 that they studied went on to develop any of a range of conditions that affected the heart, kidney, lungs or their mental health after they were first infected. In comparison, only 21 percent of those in the control groups - who didn’t catch Covid - developed a new condition. To understand the risk of additional illness older adults faced after a COVID-19 diagnosis, the researchers used health insurance records to identify 133,366 people over the age of 65 who were diagnosed with the virus before April 1, 2020. These individuals were matched to three control groups from 2020, 2019, and a group diagnosed with a viral lower respiratory tract illness (RTI), which included the flu, viral bronchitis and non-bacterial pneumonia. The team then recorded any persistent or new conditions 21 days after a diagnosis of Covid, and calculated the excess risk of developing these conditions due to Covid based on age, race, sex and whether patients were treated for the virus in a hospital. When compared to the 2020 and 2019 non-covid groups, patients who had Covid were at more risk of developing conditions including respiratory failure (an extra 7.55 percent), fatigue (5.66 percent higher), high blood pressure (an extra 4.43 percent), and a mental health diagnosis (2.5 percent more) However, the difference between Covid patients and those with a viral lower RTI was much smaller, with risks of respiratory failure, dementia and fatigue being higher. Additionally, the team found the risk of developing several conditions was higher for those who were men, black, or over the age of 75. Though this is only an observational study, the researchers argue it is important to understand the health risks the millions of people who have had Covid face. “These findings further highlight the wide range of important sequelae (new conditions) after acute infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” they wrote. “Understanding the magnitude of risk for the most important clinical sequelae might enhance their diagnosis and management of individuals. “Also, our research can help providers and other key stakeholders anticipate the scale of future health complications and improve planning for the use of healthcare resources.” Image: Getty Images

Body

URGENT RECALL: Fears for deadly contamination in baby formula

Australia and New Zealand's food standards watchdog have issued an urgent recall for a batch of baby formula over fears it could be contaminated with Salmonella and Cronobacter bacteria. Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) on Saturday issued the recall notice for some EleCare, Similac and Alimentum infant formula products. The products were manufactured in the United States but were available nationally in Australia through prescription at pharmacies, hospitals and via direct mail order. Abbott’s Executive Vice President Joe Manning said the company was voluntarily recalling products out of an abundance of caution. “We deeply regret the concern and inconvenience this situation will cause parents, caregivers and health care professionals,” he said. According to FSANZ, the recalled products can be identified by the “7 to 9 digit code and expiration date on the bottom of the package”.”. FSANZ says the recall notice is due to a potential microbial contamination of Cronobacter and Salmonella. According to the US Food and Drug Administration, which issued a warning against using the products on Thursday, the complaints registered related to Cronobacter sakazakii and Salmonella Newport. “To date, this investigation has been associated with four illnesses (three for Cronobacter and one for Salmonella),” it said in a statement. “All four cases related to these complaints were hospitalised and Cronobacter may have contributed to a death in one case.” It continued to note that Cronobacter bacteria can cause life-threatening infections, including sepsis and meningitis. <div>EDITOR'S NOTE: According to an Abbott spokesperson, for Australian consumers, the recall only impacts specific batches of EleCare in Australia. No other nutrition products – or Similac products – distributed by Abbott in Australia are affected by this recall.</div> <div>Alimentum and Similac Human Milk Fortifier (HMF) are not sold by Abbott in Australia and these products are not available in Australia by prescription at pharmacies and hospitals. In Australia, two batches of EleCare are impacted by the recall:</div> <ul data-stringify-type="unordered-list" data-indent="0" data-border="0"> <li style="list-style-type: none;" data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0">EleCare Unflavoured 400 g can (lot number: 26811Z200)</li> <li style="list-style-type: none;" data-stringify-indent="0" data-stringify-border="0">EleCare LCP 400 g can (lot number: 27871Z202)</li> </ul> <div>If parents have EleCare, they should call 1800 225 311 or email <a tabindex="-1" href="mailto:NutritionANZ@abbott.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-stringify-link="mailto:NutritionANZ@abbott.com" data-sk="tooltip_parent" aria-haspopup="menu" aria-expanded="false" data-remove-tab-index="true">NutritionANZ@abbott.com</a> to find out if they have impacted product. Do not use the impacted product. Parents should talk to their child’s healthcare professional about suitable, alternative feeding options. No other nutrition products distributed by Abbott in Australia are affected by this recall, and you can continue to use those.</div> Image: NBC

News

Why this 15-bedroom mansion will fetch well under $1 million

As the cost of housing continues to rise, one mansion in the United Kingdom is looking to buck that trend. Located in the north of Wales in a town called Llandudno Junction, this genuine 17-century Georgian manor is heading to auction in a few weeks with a price guide of just $758,000.Of course, for this price estimate, you could assume there must be strings attached to purchasing this spacious property and there is. Until 2021, the grand abode was owned by the Warwickshire County Council and used as a training and school trip facility for students.As such, the Grade II listed piece of real estate, known as Marle Hall, is currently registered for something called ‘Class C2’, which means it can only be used as a residential care home, nursing home, hospital, boarding school, residential college or a training centre.According to the selling agent, there could be the option to apply for planning consent to change the current classification. Once that’s done, Marle Hall could make for a stunning holiday home or even a small boutique hotel given its central location.Boasting over 14,500-square-metres of verdant land, aside from the main home, the estate also hosts a number of other buildings, including a small cottage.Inside the main structure, which can trace its routes all the way back to the mid-1600s, the manor boasts 15 bedrooms, a professional kitchen and pantry, a substantial dining hall and several sitting roomsMarle Hall is expected to be auctioned off on Wednesday the 2nd of March.Image: Domain Australia

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1 in 4 adults think smacking is necessary to ‘properly raise’ kids. But attitudes are changing

1 in 6 older adults fall victim to impersonation scams

1 in 6 women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes. But this diagnosis may not benefit them or their babies

Aussie Olympic medallist marries billionaire F1 heiress

Pitt stop! Snubbed rookie’s hilarious response to Brad Pitt’s F1 debut

1 in 4 households struggle to pay power bills. Here are 5 ways to tackle hidden energy poverty

Schumacher’s family suing German magazine over fake interview

F1 legend shares rare update Michael Schumacher

F1 pioneer passes away

Pumping loud music is putting more than 1 billion young people at risk of hearing loss

Why Rod Stewart turned down a $1 million gig

UK woman takes home from dump to dream starting with just £1

Top Gun: Maverick surpasses $1 billion worldwide

Wild scenes after No.1 seed slaps opponent at the net

How far would you go to save $1?

New mum “refused food” over controversial breastfeeding rule

Russia 0, Door 1: Soldier’s shocking defeat blows up online

Nearly 1 in 3 adults over 65 had a new condition post-Covid

URGENT RECALL: Fears for deadly contamination in baby formula

Why this 15-bedroom mansion will fetch well under $1 million

News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

1 in 4 adults think smacking is necessary to ‘properly raise’ kids. But attitudes are changing

1 in 6 older adults fall victim to impersonation scams

1 in 6 women are diagnosed with gestational diabetes. But this diagnosis may not benefit them or their babies

Aussie Olympic medallist marries billionaire F1 heiress

Pitt stop! Snubbed rookie’s hilarious response to Brad Pitt’s F1 debut

1 in 4 households struggle to pay power bills. Here are 5 ways to tackle hidden energy poverty

Schumacher’s family suing German magazine over fake interview

F1 legend shares rare update Michael Schumacher

F1 pioneer passes away

Pumping loud music is putting more than 1 billion young people at risk of hearing loss

Why Rod Stewart turned down a $1 million gig

UK woman takes home from dump to dream starting with just £1

Top Gun: Maverick surpasses $1 billion worldwide

Wild scenes after No.1 seed slaps opponent at the net

How far would you go to save $1?

New mum “refused food” over controversial breastfeeding rule

Russia 0, Door 1: Soldier’s shocking defeat blows up online

Nearly 1 in 3 adults over 65 had a new condition post-Covid

URGENT RECALL: Fears for deadly contamination in baby formula

Why this 15-bedroom mansion will fetch well under $1 million

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