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Agoraphobia symptoms: Psychologists list the 5 main signs

<p>Agoraphobia symptoms can include way more than the ‘homebody’ stereotype. Here's how to know if your avoidance means something more...</p> <p><strong>Anxiety disorders</strong></p> <p>Anxiety is nature’s way of preparing us to handle difficult situations. That’s why occasional anxiety is no problem – it’s healthy, even. But when run-of-the-mill nerves become irrational, chronic, or overwhelming, an anxiety disorder may be at play.</p> <p>Anxiety disorders are the most common type of mental health condition, according to research published in Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience. An estimated 33.7 per cent of the population experiences an anxiety disorder at some point in their lifetime.</p> <p>Still, anxiety disorders can manifest in different ways, explains clinical therapist, Dr Joshua Estrin, who specialises in anxiety treatment. Some people experience generalised anxiety, or a persistent worry about everyday issues and situations. Others may develop what he calls more focused anxiety symptoms, like agoraphobia.</p> <p><strong>What is agoraphobia?</strong></p> <p>Most adults struggling with agoraphobia follow one of two common patterns, explains psychologist, Dr Peggy Loo. “One is often an extreme worry that they cannot leave the situation they’re in by their own free will, getting stuck,” she says.</p> <p>Others experience a disproportionate fear that something negative will occur while in a situation they have no control over – like having a panic attack or getting sick – and they won’t be able to get help or escape. “Sometimes agoraphobia may develop after a real-world negative experience you are worried about happening again, but sometimes the perceived threat alone is enough to create debilitating anxiety.”</p> <p>An individual with agoraphobia will often avoid certain places and situations or even opt never to leave the house without company, Dr Loo says. This avoidance behaviour is one reason the condition gets confused with its cousin, social anxiety, which triggers an intense fear or anxiety related to social situations, particularly over being judged, embarrassed, or criticised by others.</p> <p><strong>What are the symptoms of agoraphobia?</strong></p> <p>Diagnostically, a person with agoraphobia has an intense fear response when they’re in (or sometimes just when they’re anticipating) at least two of the following situations: using public transportation, being in open spaces, being in enclosed spaces, standing in lines or crowds, being outside of the home alone. “Even the thought of being in a certain situation can cause someone to literally feel crippled, trapped, immobilised,” Estrin says.</p> <p>Physical symptoms tend to show up following this abrupt surge of intense fear or discomfort, says psychotherapist, Laurie Singer. “They reach a peak within minutes and, typically, present four or more physical symptoms which can include: [heart] palpitations, sweating, trembling or shaking, a shortness of breath, the feeling of being smothered or choked, chest pain, nausea, or feeling dizzy and faint.”</p> <p><strong>How common is agoraphobia?</strong></p> <p>According to a study released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 4.6 per cent of Australian adults experience agoraphobia. But in reality, says Dr. Estrin, this rate could be much higher.</p> <p>The ABS suggests that only 35 per cent of people with an anxiety disorder seek treatment. And just like many mental health disorders, agoraphobia exists on a continuum – and there’s a huge range of severity.</p> <p>“One person might have more mild agoraphobia, experiencing anxiety when they are in very large, crowded places such as a concert or conference for work,” says clinical psychologist, Dr Tynessa. These people might get some symptoms of agoraphobia in these specific situations but are able to work around it in their daily lives by sticking to activities within their comfort zone. Until it causes a disruption in their life, these people may not address the underlying agoraphobia.</p> <p>“Another person might be toward the more severe end of the scale – they might be almost completely homebound,” Dr Franks says. “They will not leave home at all because of their anxiety about being in a situation where they cannot easily escape or get help.”</p> <p>She adds that some people describe their fears as constant, while others say theirs are triggered by specific events or demands.</p> <p><strong>Can agoraphobia develop suddenly?</strong></p> <p>Someone may be aware they’re experiencing symptoms of agoraphobia, Singer says. But like most forms of anxiety, it’s not always so black and white. “Those who are experiencing situational agoraphobia may opt not to engage in activities or events that create anxious feelings – [using] an out of sight, out of mind approach,” she says. Additionally, someone may not know why a panic attack occurs, yet do understand what situations can trigger it. While it can be tempting simply to avoid the trigger, it’s best to try and address this type of anxiety at its core, “as it can easily take on a life of its own,” Singer explains.</p> <p>If someone does notice they’ve started showing signs of agoraphobia, “we would want to watch and wait to see if the anxiety they’re experiencing persists, or if it turns out to be an isolated experience,” Dr Franks says. In some cases, the anxiety may have been present all along, but the person hadn’t noticed it affecting their life or hadn’t really put the pieces together to realise that their agoraphobia has been more longstanding, she says.</p> <p>If you do start to notice that you’re avoiding certain situations, places, or things you previously enjoyed, Singer suggests speaking with a professional at the earliest signs.</p> <p><em><span id="docs-internal-guid-c1a7171f-7fff-d935-866e-8a05b66c774d">Written by Leslie Finlay. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/conditions/mental-health/agoraphobia-symptoms-psychologists-list-the-5-main-signs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a></span></em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Mind

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Main bomb maker of 2002 Bali bombings released early

<p dir="ltr">Umar Patek, a convicted terrorist and the main bomb maker in the 2002 Bali bombings, has been released from jail.</p> <p dir="ltr">Patek, a leading member of the al Qaida-linked network Jemaah Islamiyah, helped build the car bomb that killed more than 200 people, including two Kiwis and 88 Australians, at two nightclubs in Kuta Beach in 2002.</p> <p dir="ltr">Patek served just over half of his original 20-year sentence and was released from jail after Indonesian authorities claimed that he was successfully reformed.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The special requirements that have been met by Umar Patek are that he has participated in the de-radicalisation coaching program," Ministry of Law and Human Rights spokesperson Rika Aprianti said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Patek will be required to report to the parole office once a week, before it becomes once a month.</p> <p dir="ltr">He is required to stay on parole until 2030, but his freedom can be revoked if he fails to report to the parole office or breaks the law.</p> <p dir="ltr">During his jail stint, Patek received a total of 33 months of sentence reduction with the most recent one on August 17, Indonesia's Independence Day.</p> <p dir="ltr">This saw Patek given a five-month reduction of his sentence after fulfilling the parole requirement of serving two-thirds of his current sentence</p> <p dir="ltr">At the time of the reduced sentence, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the government will look at making "diplomatic representations" to oppose Patek’s release.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I feel a great deal of common distress, along with all Australians, at this time," Albanese said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We had been advised by the Indonesian government of this further reduction.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This will cause further distress to Australians who were the families of victims of the Bali bombings."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Nine News</em></p>

Legal

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Main legal issues facing seniors

<p>As we age so do our legal requirements, and the issues we can expect to face. While sometimes these issues are unavoidable, it’s important to know your rights.</p> <p>We’ve taken a look at the main legal issues facing seniors. Understanding what to expect if you have to face these issues will put you in the best position to navigate them successfully, ensuring your wishes are fulfilled and your rights are upheld. </p> <p><strong>Decision making to safeguard your wishes</strong></p> <p>Should something happen, you want to be confident your wishes will be upheld. You can do this by appointing an <a href="../finance/legal/2014/11/why-you-need-to-appoint-a-power-of-attorney-now/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Enduring Power of Attorney</span></strong></a>, which is someone who had the legal authority to manage your affairs when you are no longer able to.</p> <p>When choosing an Enduring Power of Attorney, it’s important you:</p> <ul> <li>Trust the person.</li> <li>Be confident they have no conflict of interest.</li> <li>Be confident they can make difficult decisions.</li> <li>Be confident they will listen to your wishes and respect your decisions.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Putting your will together</strong></p> <p>A will is a legal document that is filled with instructions for distributing your assets. To avoid <a href="../finance/legal/2016/03/common-mistakes-when-writing-a-will/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">common will-writing mistakes</span></strong></a>, its important be thorough when putting this document together. Ultimately you should consider <a href="../finance/legal/2014/11/tips-for-preparing-a-will/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">consulting an expert</span></strong></a>.</p> <p><strong>Superannuation distribution</strong></p> <p>Most superannuation funds have a death benefit nomination which gives you the power to nominate where the fund will be distributed, should you pass way. A binding nomination ensures you funds will be distributed according to your wishes.</p> <p><strong>Development of living situations</strong></p> <p>Sometimes arrangement for living at home with family members can break down, leaving seniors in a vulnerable position. By planning ahead and figuring out alternatives such as aged care you will be able to maintain a comfortable standard of living.</p> <p><strong>Senior abuse</strong></p> <p>Senior abuse can come in many forms – physical, psychological, financial, social abuse or neglect. If this is happening to you it’s important to seek out support. There is a range of organisations available for seniors who feel as though they’re suffering abuse, including the two below:</p> <ul> <li><a href="http://www.myagedcare.gov.au/financial-and-legal/elder-abuse-concerns" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">My Aged Care website </span></strong></a></li> <li><a href="http://www.eapu.com.au/elder-abuse" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Elder Abuse Prevention Unit website</span></strong></a></li> </ul> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Legal

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Exile on Main St turns 50: how The Rolling Stones’ critically divisive album became rock folklore

<p>In May of 1972 the Rolling Stones released their 10th British studio album and first double LP, <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/exile-on-main-street-96177/">Exile on Main St.</a> Although initial critical response was lukewarm, it is now considered a contemporary music landmark, the best work from a band who rock critic Simon Frith once referred to as “the poets of lonely leisure.”</p> <p>Exile on Main St. was both the culmination of a five-year productive frenzy and bleary-eyed comedown from the darkest period in the Stones’ history. </p> <p>By 1969 the storm clouds of dread building around the group had become a full-blown typhoon. First, recently sacked member Brian Jones was found dead, drowned in his swimming pool.</p> <p>Then, as the decade ended in a rush of bleak portents, they played host to the chaos of the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-01/how-the-rolling-stones-killed-the-hippie-dream-at-altamont/11747188">Altamont Speedway Free Concert</a>, a poorly organised, massive free concert, which ended with four dead including a murder captured live on film.</p> <p>Yet amidst all this the Stones produced <a href="https://greilmarcus.net/2020/03/22/the-end-of-the-1960s-let-it-bleed-12-27-69/">Let It Bleed</a> (1969) and <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/album/sticky-fingers-mw0000195498">Sticky Fingers</a>(1971), two devastating albums that wrapped up the era like a parcel bomb addressed to the 1970s. </p> <p>Songs like Gimme Shelter, the harrowing Sister Morphine, and Sway, which broods on Nietzche’s notion of circular time, exuded the kind of weary grandeur that would define Exile.</p> <h2>Rock folklore</h2> <p>The story behind Exile on Main St. has become <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXcqcdYABFw">rock folklore</a>. Fleeing from England’s punitive tax laws, the Stones lobbed in a Côte d'Azur mansion that was a Gestapo HQ during World War II. </p> <p>Mick Jagger was largely sidelined, spending much of the time in Paris with pregnant wife Bianca. The musicians were jammed into an ad-hoc basement studio, a cross between steam-bath and opium den, powered by electricity hijacked from the French railway system. The house was beset by hangers-on, including the obligatory posse of drug-dealers.</p> <p>Yet with control ceded to the nonchalant, disaster-prone Keith Richards – the kind of person a crisis would want around in a crisis – they somehow harnessed the power of pandemonium.</p> <p>The result was a singular amalgam of barbed soul, mutant gospel, tombstone blues and shambolic country, as thrilling in its blend of familiar sources as works by contemporaries <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/sep/02/roxy-music-40-years">Roxy Music</a> and David Bowie were in the use of alien ones. </p> <p>Jagger shuffles his deck of personas from song to song like a demented croupier, the late, great drummer <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/24/arts/music/charlie-watts-dead.html">Charlie Watts</a> supplies his customary subtle adornments, and a cast of miscreants – most crucially, pianist Nicky Hopkins and producer Jimmy Miller – function as supplementary band members.</p> <p>All 18 tracks contribute to the ragged perfection of the document as a whole. Tumbling Dice and Happy are textbook rock propelled by a strange union of virtuosity and indolence. And there is an undeniable beauty to the likes of Torn and Frayed and Let it Loose, albeit a beauty that is tentative, hard-earned.</p> <p>The package is completed by its distinctive sleeve art, juxtaposing a collage of circus performers photographed by Robert Frank circa 1950 with grainy stills from a Super-8 film of the band and a mural dedicated to Joan Crawford.</p> <p>Exile confused audiences at first: Writer <a href="https://www.amazon.com/EXILE-MAIN-STREET-Rolling-Stones/dp/0028650638">John Perry</a> describes its 1972 reception as mixing “puzzlement with qualified praise”. The response of critic Lester Bangs was typical. After an initial negative review, Bangs came to regard it as the group’s strongest work. Critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine <a href="https://www.allmusic.com/album/exile-on-main-st-mw0000191639">confirms</a> that the record over time has become a touchstone, calling it a masterful album that takes “the bleakness that underpinned Let It Bleed and Sticky Fingers to an extreme.”</p> <h2>Inspiration</h2> <p>The roll call of artists inspired by Exile is extensive, from Tom Waits and the White Stripes to Benicio del Toro and Martin Scorsese. But two album-length homages stand out. </p> <p>In 1986, underground punks Pussy Galore concocted a feral, abstract <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHAEkWcgBD8">facsimile</a> of the entire double-LP. In 1993, singer-songwriter Liz Phair used the original as a rough template for her acclaimed <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW1nMJ4-2qM">Exile in Guyville</a>.</p> <p>Nonetheless, journalist Mark Masters notes that by the 1980s, the social and cultural circumstances that produced Exile were waning as acts such as Minutemen, Mekons, The Go-Go’s and Fela Kuti gave listeners access to fresh modes of rebellion.</p> <p>Circa 1972, the Rolling Stones deserved the title “greatest rock and roll band in the world.” That it is still claimed 50 years on shows how classic rock continues to overbear all that followed.</p> <h2>The grandfathers of rock</h2> <p>When in 2020 Rolling Stone <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best-albums-of-all-time-1062063/">magazine</a> made a half-hearted attempt to tweak the classic rock canon – elevating Marvin Gaye, Public Enemy and Lauryn Hill alongside or above Exile and the Beatles – the response was predictably unedifying. </p> <p>One reader complained that the magazine was catering to “young people with no musical history and older people who don’t know anything.” Others raged that rap is not music and the list was proof of rampant political correctness.</p> <p>Such archaic, ignorant language is typical of gatekeepers of the classic rock tradition. It is a language of exclusion, ensuring that exceptional new music by, say, <a href="https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/fiona-apple-fetch-the-bolt-cutters/">Fiona Apple</a> (which sounds something like rock) or <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/culture/listening-booth/the-hypnotic-spell-of-groupers-shade">Liz Harris</a> (which sounds rather different) will always be rated below what came before.</p> <p>The Rolling Stones have an inevitable, if ambiguous, relationship to all of this. In terms of race, writer Jack Hamilton <a href="https://slate.com/culture/2016/10/race-rock-and-the-rolling-stones-how-the-rock-and-roll-became-white.html">argues</a> that they were always “fiercely committed to a future for rock and roll music in which black music and musicians continued to matter.”</p> <p>How they intersect with gender is perhaps more troubling, though also <a href="https://scholar.google.com.au/scholar_url?url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13619460801990104&amp;hl=en&amp;sa=X&amp;ei=GvplYvGUEpyO6rQP_qe3mAs&amp;scisig=AAGBfm2sqr4oKv5EoKYSmkitlR44etMXqA&amp;oi=scholarr">conflicted</a>. While eminent female musicians such as Joan Jett, Carrie Brownstein and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRPpCqXYoos">Rennie Sparks</a> continue to champion the Stones, their role as leading purveyors of an inherently masculine, increasingly archaic musical form cannot be avoided.</p> <p>Exile on Main St. is a significant album made by a bunch of haggard rebels whose heyday (and rebellion) is past but whose art lives on in complex ways. </p> <p>Along with Sly and the Family Stone’s There’s a Riot Goin’ On and Neil Young’s Tonight’s the Night, it fits snugly into an aesthetic of washed out, narcotic-smeared masterpieces from the early seventies.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/exile-on-main-st-turns-50-how-the-rolling-stones-critically-divisive-album-became-rock-folklore-181704" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p>

Music

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In 20 years of award-winning picture books, non-white people made up just 12% of main characters

<p>A highlight for Australian children’s literature is the announcements of the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Book of the Year award winners. This year’s winners will be announced on Friday October 16 — right before the start of CBCA’s Book Week on October 19.</p> <p>Making the <a href="https://cbca.org.au/shortlist-2020">shortlist</a> brings great exposure for the books and their creators. The shortlisted books are put on special display in public school libraries and supermarket shelves. They are even made into teaching <a href="https://petaa.edu.au/w/Teaching_Resources/CBCA2020/2020_CBCA_Guide.aspx">resources</a>, suggesting an exploration of the book’s themes, for instance.</p> <p>Crucially, award lists contribute to the “canon” of literary works that become widely read. This canon is distributed through libraries, schools and homes. Sometimes, benevolent relatives <a href="https://theconversation.com/5-reasons-i-always-get-children-picture-books-for-christmas-127801">give them as gifts</a>.</p> <p>We investigated the diversity — including ethnicity, gender and sexuality — of the 118 shortlisted books in the early childhood category of Book of the Year between 2001 and 2020. We also examined diversity among the 103 authors and illustrators who have made the shortlist over the past 20 years.</p> <p>Our yet unpublished study found most (88%) human main characters in the shortlisted books were white; none of the main characters were Asian, Black or Middle Eastern.</p> <h2>Why diversity matters</h2> <p>The <a href="https://cbca.org.au/">CBCA</a> was formed in 1945, as a national not-for-profit organisation promoting children’s literary experiences and supporting Australian writers and illustrators. The first awards began in 1946.</p> <p>There were originally three categories for Book of the Year: older readers, younger readers and picture book.</p> <p>In 2001, “early childhood” was added as a category. This was for picture books for children up to six years old.</p> <p>Picture books are significant for not only developing early literacy skills, but also for the messages and values they convey about society. They <a href="https://www.betterreading.com.au/podcast/new-6-part-podcast-series-a-conversation-about-diversity-in-childrens-books/">help children learn about their world</a>.</p> <p> </p> <p>The diversity children see represented in that world <a href="https://theconversation.com/bias-starts-early-most-books-in-childcare-centres-have-white-middle-class-heroes-130208">affects their sense of belonging and inclusion</a>. At this age, cultural values and bias settle in and become the foundation for how we develop. These values and biases have a profound influence on our successes and struggles in our adult lives.</p> <h2>A positive for gender diversity, but not ethnicity</h2> <p>We used visual content analysis to examine ethnic diversity, we well as gender, disability, sexuality and linguistic variation in the 118 early childhood category shortlisted books — between 2001 and 2020.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/363296/original/file-20201013-13-1teg5bo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/363296/original/file-20201013-13-1teg5bo.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=237&amp;fit=clip" alt="The cover of picture book Go Home Cheeky Animals" /></a> <span class="caption">Illustrator Dion Beasley.</span> <span class="attribution"><a href="https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/childrens/picture-books/Go-Home-Cheeky-Animals-Johanna-Bell-illustrated-by-Dion-Beasley-9781760291655" class="source">Allen &amp; Unwin</a></span></p> <p>We also examined diversity among the 103 authors and illustrators who have made the shortlist over the past 20 years. Only one person — Alywarr illustrator Dion Beasley, from the Northern Territory, and winner in 2017 for <a href="https://cbca.org.au/book/go-home-cheeky-animals">Go Home Cheeky Animals</a> — identifies as Indigenous.</p> <p>Female authors and illustrators, however, were more represented (66%) than male (34%).</p> <p>Looking at the picture books, we first identified four major types of characters: human (52.5%), animal (41.5%), object (4.4%) and imaginary (1.4%).</p> <p>We then distinguished between main characters and those in supporting roles that make up the story world in which the main characters act.</p> <p>One of the most encouraging findings was the gender parity among main characters. We identified 52 solo human main characters across all 118 books. Fifty-one of these are children, with 25 boy and 24 girl main characters (two main characters were not identified by gender).</p> <p> </p> <p>This placed boys and girls equally in the role of the protagonist, which stands in contrast to <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-looked-at-100-best-selling-picture-books-female-protagonists-were-largely-invisible-115843">previous research looking at best-selling picture books</a>.</p> <p>But in terms of ethnicity, the human main characters are overwhelmingly white (88%). There are just two Indigenous main characters and one who is multiracial. There have been no Asian, Black or Middle Eastern main characters.</p> <p>Looking at the wider story world, supporting characters are still overwhelmingly white. But this world does marginally include characters of Asian, Black and Middle Eastern heritage. Overall, human characters appear in 85 (72%) of the 118 books.</p> <p>White characters appear in 74 of these books, and only nine books have no white characters. Non-white characters appear in a total of 18 books (21%).</p> <p>Our results for ethnic diversity don’t correlate well with the <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/migration-australia/latest-release">latest Australian census data</a> (from 2016). The cultural heritage of Australia’s population is described as: 76.8% white, 10% East and Southeast Asian, 4.6% South Asian, 3.1% West Asian and Arabic, 2.8% Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, 1.5% Maori and Pacific Islander, 0.7% African, 0.6% Latin American.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/362846/original/file-20201012-12-21c85x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/362846/original/file-20201012-12-21c85x.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">The 2020 Early Childhood Book of the Year shortlist.</span> <span class="attribution"><a href="https://cbca.org.au/shortlist-2020" class="source">CBCA/Screenshot</a></span></p> <p>The CBCA early childhood shortlist minimally represents other forms of diversity. We see only two main characters living with a disability and no characters who are sexually and gender diverse.</p> <h2>Other types of diversity</h2> <p>Linguistic variation is also minimal, in only four books, which does not reflect the linguistic diversity of the wider Australian population.</p> <p>In response to our queries regarding their judging criteria, the CBCA said:</p> <blockquote> <p>we do not select books for entry into our awards. It is the publishers and creators who select the books for entry. Our main criterion is literary merit, we do not actively exclude diversity, themes or genre.</p> </blockquote> <p>Only two of the six 2020 shortlisted books in the early childhood category have human main characters. And these are both white.</p> <p>The age of zero to six years is a crucial stage of development. It is important for young readers to see people and surroundings that are like their own to cultivate a sense of belonging. It is equally important to see a different world they are not familiar with.</p> <p> </p> <p>If award-winning books sit at the top of reading lists, these books also need to embrace and reflect the full and rich diversity that makes up our country.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/147026/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/helen-caple-730360">Helen Caple</a>, Associate Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-1414">UNSW</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ping-tian-1124969">Ping Tian</a>, Lecturer , <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/in-20-years-of-award-winning-picture-books-non-white-people-made-up-just-12-of-main-characters-147026">original article</a>.</em></p>

Books

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New Madeleine McCann development: Convicted child murderer emerges as "main suspect"

<p>A convicted serial killer has emerged as a key suspect in the search of missing Madeleine McCann, according to reports.</p> <p>48-year-old Martin Ney, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2012 for multiple child murders and abuses in Germany, is reportedly being investigated by officers from Portugal’s Policia Judiciaria as a “figure of interest”, <a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/news/crime/madeleine-mccann-case-paedophile-and-child-killer-martin-ney-a-figure-of-interest-c-95611" target="_blank">AAP</a> reported.</p> <p>“Detectives are preparing the end of the investigation, with a German paedophile who is in prison right now,” said former Portuguese police chief Goncalo Amaral, who first led the search for the young girl.</p> <p>Ney is believed to have been in Portugal when McCann vanished in 2007. It is claimed that he was working for an evangelical church on a project to help the homeless then.</p> <p>Police believe that Ney resembles a photofit of a man who was seen acting suspiciously in Praia da Luz before the then three-year-old McCann disappeared from her family’s holiday apartment in May 2007.</p> <p>Ney has previously been interviewed by detectives investigating McCann’s disappearance but has denied any involvement.</p> <p>Last Friday, May 2 marked the 12th anniversary of McCann’s disappearance. McCann’s parents, Kate and Gerry McCann, said in a statement released on the day: “Thank you to everyone who continues to support us and for your ongoing hope and belief.</p> <p>“The months and years roll by too quickly, Madeleine will be 16 this month. It’s impossible to put into words just how that makes us feel. There is comfort and reassurance though in knowing that the investigation continues, and many people around the world remain vigilant.”</p>

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Best cities for art lovers to visit (that aren’t on the main tourist route)

<p>This isn’t going to be a list of the typical art cities that you already know – and could name without even looking online. There are many other cities around the world that have equally fantastic art collections and museums that aren’t on the main tourist route.</p> <p><strong>Siena, Italy</strong></p> <p>With powerhouse art cities like Rome and Florence within your borders, it’s hard for anywhere else in Italy to get a look in. But the picturesque Tuscan town of Siena has a wealth of artworks in its many beautifully preserved churches. The city was at the forefront of its own art movement in the early Renaissance and works from local Quattrocento artists are the most prolific. Don’t miss the Cathedral, which houses pieces by Donatello, Michelangelo and Bernini.</p> <p><strong>Bilbao, Spain</strong></p> <p>Art is intricately tied to this northern Spanish town’s whole economic development plan and the city is practically an open-air museum. There are huge sculptures in parks and squares from artists like Salvador Dali and Jeff Koons, as well as street art displays from local up and coming artists. The city is also home to an outpost of the famed Guggenheim Museum (pictured above), which attracts some of the most sophisticated contemporary art exhibitions in the world, as well as its own fine arts museum with a fine collection of work from Basque artists.</p> <p><strong>Vienna, Austria</strong></p> <p>Throughout much of its history Vienna has been the intellectual capital of Europe, rather than the creative one. But that’s all changing. The city has been reborn as a contemporary art capital and is now the place for fresh, innovative, modern visual art. The newly revamped 21er Haus and the Museum of Applied Arts focus on works from living artists from around Europe while the Leopold Museum, the most visited museum in the country, is a treasure trove of modern Austrian art from the likes of Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele.</p> <p><strong>Buenos Aires, Argentina</strong></p> <p>Art doesn’t have to be contained within the four walls of a museum and in Buenos Aires artists use the streets as their canvas. Their work is encouraged by both the residents and local officials, unlike in many cities where street artists are considered vandals and must work under the cover of darkness. Argentina has a long history of street art and, during times of government turmoil, artists were fiercely political. While politics still features, modern murals tend to focus on sports stars, popular culture or fantastical cartoon beings. Organised tours will take you around the best (and often secret) sites for around $20.</p> <p><strong>Abu Dhabi, UAE</strong></p> <p>While Dubai revels in its reputation as a materialistic city of malls and flashy hotels, Abu Dhabi is quietly establishing itself as the arts hub of the Middle East. Its very own Guggenheim Museum will be opening in 2017 and at the end of this year the first satellite Louvre Museum will open its doors with more than 300 paintings from the original on display. Expect to see plenty of French art in Abu Dhabi as the emirate has a 30-year collaboration with a number of Paris museums worth more than one billion euro.</p> <p><em>Image credit: <span>Karol Kozlowski / Shutterstock.com</span></em></p> <p> </p>

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