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The worst country for pickpockets revealed

<p dir="ltr">When it comes to travelling abroad, there are always different rules to abide by in order to have a stress-free holiday experience. </p> <p dir="ltr">Common sense is a huge key player in staying safe while travelling, with holiday goers often taking extra precautions to keep themselves and their belongings safe in foreign countries. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, there will always be sneaky people who prey on tourists, with these pickpockets having the power to turn a holiday potentially disastrous. </p> <p dir="ltr">While lots of savvy travellers will share their stories about a particular city and a close call they encountered on their journeys, a new survey has proven which European cities are the worst for pickpocketing. </p> <p dir="ltr">Travel insurance experts at <a href="https://www.quotezone.co.uk/presszone/european-pickpocketing-index-top-tourist-destinations-to-watch-out-for">Quotezone</a> have compiled a list of the top 10 cities tourists (as well as locals) are likely to be pickpocketed while travelling around Europe, based on customer feedback and complaints. </p> <p dir="ltr">Italy has come in at the top spot, with the major cities reporting the biggest number of theft complaints in comparison to any other European countries. </p> <p dir="ltr">Tourists named hotspots such as the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon in Rome, as well as the Duomo di Milano in Milan and the Gallerie Degli Uffizi in Florence as places they were targeted by pickpockets. </p> <p dir="ltr">Coming in at second place was France, with major tourist hotspots in Paris all being named as places to be wary of pickpockets. </p> <p dir="ltr">Greg Wilson, Founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk, said that unfortunately this new research shows that thousands of people have complained about pickpockets in Europe while experiencing the best that European holiday destinations have to offer.</p> <p dir="ltr">He said, “Theft can happen anywhere and tourist hotspots are convenient places for criminals to target holidaymakers’ wallets and purses whilst they are busy taking in the sites.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is essential always to remain vigilant, leave valuables, like expensive jewellery, in a safe in the hotel and always travel with a secure cross-body bag with zips to secure phones and wallets or even a money belt.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Check out the entire top ten list of destinations with the highest pickpocketing rates below. </p> <p dir="ltr">10. Poland</p> <p dir="ltr">9. Ireland </p> <p dir="ltr">8. Turkey </p> <p dir="ltr">7. Portugal </p> <p dir="ltr">6. Spain </p> <p dir="ltr">5. Greece</p> <p dir="ltr">4. Germany</p> <p dir="ltr">3. The Netherlands </p> <p dir="ltr">2. France </p> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1. Italy</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Travel Trouble

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The world's most promiscuous countries revealed

<p>An analysis of the world's sexual habits has revealed the top 10 most promiscuous countries in the world and Turkey came in first. </p> <p>The average Turk has slept with more than 14 people according to the World Population Review, with Australia coming in a close second with the average Aussie having slept with more than 13 people, according to the <em>New York Post</em>. </p> <p>“The average number of sexual partners can vary significantly from country to country, as cultural norms can have a significant impact on the number of people someone has sex with,” the website declared. </p> <p>Their figures were based on a compilation of “datasets from multiple third party sources.”</p> <p>Turkey's top spot may be surprising to some, with most residents being muslim and the country is widely conceived to have traditional views when it comes sex and relationships. </p> <p>New Zealand came in at third, with a similar number to Australia,  followed by Iceland and South Africa. </p> <p>Countries thought to have more liberal views on sex, such as Brazil and France, were lower down the list, with the average Brazilian sleeping with nine people putting them in 25th place, while France clocked in 29th position. </p> <p>The United States clocked in 13th place, with Americans sleeping with an average of 10.7 people. </p> <p><strong>Here's the Top 10 most promiscuous countries:</strong></p> <p>1. Turkey (14.5 people)</p> <p>2. Australia (13.3)</p> <p>3. New Zealand (13.2)</p> <p>4. Iceland (13.0)</p> <p>5. South Africa (12.5)</p> <p>6. Finland (12.4)</p> <p>7. Norway (12.1)</p> <p>8. Italy (11.8)</p> <p>9. Sweden (11.8)</p> <p>10. Switzerland (11.1)</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p> </p>

International Travel

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Most expensive countries to retire in revealed

<p dir="ltr">Australia has become one of the most expensive countries in the world to spend your retirement, with experts sharing how much we need to retire comfortably. </p> <p dir="ltr">Australia is now regarded as the world's seventh most expensive place to retire, and is also a major target for scammers, given the country’s superannuation initiative. </p> <p dir="ltr">Swedish loan broking group Sambla calculated Australians need at least $640,911 to retire comfortably, with this hefty amount one of the biggest in the world. </p> <p dir="ltr">Australia's 4.1 per cent inflation rate is also higher than most of the rich world, which means a retiree would need $34,221 a year to survive, provided they aren't renting.</p> <p dir="ltr">Australia is also a target for scammers, having $3.6trillion in superannuation savings, or the fourth highest pool in the world.</p> <p dir="ltr">In comparison, Switzerland has been named the most expensive place in the world to retire, requiring $927,034 in retirement savings to grow old in the Alps, translating into annual costs of $46,632.</p> <p dir="ltr">Check out the entire top ten list of most expensive countries to retire below. </p> <p dir="ltr">10. France. $583,950 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr">9. Austria. $598,434 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr">8. Iceland. $607,558 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr">7. Australia. $640,911 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr">6. Canada. $665,752 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr">5. Liechtenstein. $772,984 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr">4. Singapore. $773,456 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr">3. Qatar. $791,029 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr">2. Monaco. $795,431 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1. Switzerland. $927,035 in retirement savings required</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Retirement Life

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Country music star dies at age 62

<p>Country music singer Toby Keith has died at the age of 62 after an 18-month battle with stomach cancer. </p> <p>A statement was posted to the musician's website confirming his passing, saying, "Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on February 5th, surrounded by his family." </p> <p>"He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time."</p> <p>Country music icon Dolly Parton led the tributes to the late star shortly after the news of his death broke. </p> <p>Taking to Instagram, she wrote, "It's always hard when we lose our brothers and sisters in country music."</p> <p>"Toby Keith was one of the greats in every way. He will be missed but his music and legacy will live on. Love Dolly."</p> <p>Musician Carrie Underwood also shared a post to her more than 13 million followers on Instagram, calling him a "a true blue cowboy".</p> <p>"Saddle up the horses, Jesus, 'cause a true blue COWBOY just made his ride up to heaven!!!" she wrote.</p> <p>"We're gonna miss you, Toby, but my heart has no doubt that you are standing in the presence of our King right now!!! See you again someday, friend."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Caring

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The best countries for food lovers to visit

<p dir="ltr">When it comes to travelling, one of the best things about exploring a new place is sampling the local cuisine. </p> <p dir="ltr">From cafes adored by locals and the best of fine dining, to charming markets and unassuming but delicious street food, discovering a country’s culture through their food is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in all the world has to offer. </p> <p dir="ltr">According to TripAdvisor’s 2024 Traveller's Choice Awards, some cities are better than others for foodies, with their top ten list showcasing the best destinations for lovers of food. </p> <p dir="ltr">Coming in hot in the number one spot for foodies to visit is the city of Hanoi, situated in the north of Vietnam. </p> <p dir="ltr">With a plethora of street food, fresh markets, and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, you won't be leaving hungry in this popular tourist destination. </p> <p dir="ltr">The national dish of Vietnam, a noodle soup called Pho, is a speciality for visitors to fall in love with, and compare between the hundreds of restaurants that offer the delicious meal. </p> <p dir="ltr">Other foods to try there include banh mi, rice pancakes, and Bun cha, or Vietnamese meatballs.</p> <p dir="ltr">Check out the entire top 10 list of foodie destinations below. </p> <p dir="ltr">10. Phuket, Thailand </p> <p dir="ltr">9. Lisbon, Portugal </p> <p dir="ltr">8. New Orleans, Louisiana, USA</p> <p dir="ltr">7. Barcelona, Spain</p> <p dir="ltr">6. New Delhi, India </p> <p dir="ltr">5. Florence, Italy</p> <p dir="ltr">4. Cusco, Peru</p> <p dir="ltr">3. Crete, Greece</p> <p dir="ltr">2. Rome, Italy</p> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">1. Hanoi, Vietnam</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

International Travel

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Escape to the Country host dies aged 50

<p>British TV presenter Jonnie Irwin has passed away aged 50 following a battle with terminal cancer. </p> <p>Irwin was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2020, when the disease spread from his lungs to his brain. </p> <p>He was initially given just six months to live, but managed to defy the odds and made his illness public after two years of keeping it a secret. </p> <p>The TV presenter rose to fame in the UK for his roles on shows including <em>A Place in the Sun </em>and <em>Escape to the Country</em>. </p> <p>A statement was shared to Instagram on Friday announcing his death, where he was described as "a truly remarkable soul." </p> <p>"It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnie’s passing," the statement began. </p> <p>"A truly remarkable soul, he fought bravely against cancer with unwavering strength and courage. Jonnie touched the lives of so many with his kindness, warmth, and infectious spirit."</p> <p>“At this time, we kindly ask for the privacy of Jonnie’s family as they navigate through this profound loss," the statement continued. </p> <p>“Their grief is immeasurable, and your thoughts, prayers, and support are deeply appreciated. As we remember the beautiful moments shared with Jonnie, let us celebrate a life well-lived and a legacy that will forever be etched in our hearts.”</p> <p>“Jonnie may be gone from our sight, but his love, laughter, and memories will live on. Rest in peace, dear Jonnie. You will be dearly missed, but never forgotten.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C22vrMPCwmB/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C22vrMPCwmB/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jonnie Irwin (@jonnieirwintv)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Following his death, BBC have paid tribute to the fallen host and described him as an “extraordinary man and wonderful presenter”.</p> <p>“He brought such warmth and fun to Escape To The Country where he was a firm favourite with not just viewers, but the production team too," head of BBC daytime Rob Unsworth said.</p> <p>“More recently, he did some truly inspirational reports for <em>Morning Live</em> about his illness, tackling taboos around end-of-life care and wonderfully demonstrating the limitless positivity that he brought to everything he did.”</p> <p>Irwin’s longtime co-star Jasmine Harman, also shared a tribute on Instagram.</p> <p>“I have never admired you more than over the last few years as you’ve faced life with cancer with positivity, determination and bloody mindedness,” she wrote. “The world is a little darker today without you, but I will always smile when I think of you.” </p> <p>Irwin is survived by his wife Jessica and their three children, Rex, five and three-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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The world’s least visited countries revealed

<p dir="ltr">The world’s least visited countries have been revealed for those who like their holidays to be well and truly off the grid. </p> <p dir="ltr">These 10 countries should be on the travel bucket lists of those who prefer to be away from everyone and everything, and who revel in a crowd-free getaway. </p> <p dir="ltr">According to the <a href="https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/least-visited-countries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">United Nations World Tourism Organisation</a> 2023 report, these ten countries welcome very few tourists for a range of logistic reasons. </p> <p dir="ltr">Some of these remote countries are lying in hard-to-reach corners of the globe, while others are just “too small to host vast numbers of tourists”. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, they're all worth the effort for a traveller after a certain kind of holiday, as they offer golden beaches, crystal clear waters and blissful isolation. </p> <p dir="ltr">The country that came in at number one, as the least visited country in the world, was the country of Tuvalu, which welcomes just 3,700 annual visitors. </p> <p dir="ltr">Tuvalu is located 1,000km north of Fiji in the west-central Pacific Ocean, just below the equator. </p> <p dir="ltr">The three coral islands and six atolls that make up the country have a total land mass of around 10 square miles, making it the fourth-smallest country in the world. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sadly, the future of Tuvalu is uncertain, as the small country is expected to be a victim of climate change, with rising sea levels putting the country and its residents in danger. </p> <p dir="ltr">Tuvalu is also tricky to reach, with no direct international flights, and only three flights a week running to the island from Fiji. </p> <p dir="ltr">Here is the full top 10 list of the least visited countries in the world. </p> <p dir="ltr">10. Guinea-Bissau. Annual visitors: 52,000</p> <p dir="ltr">9. Comoros. Annual visitors: 45,000</p> <p dir="ltr">8. São Tomé and Príncipe. Annual visitors: 34,900</p> <p dir="ltr">7. Solomon Islands. Annual visitors: 29,000</p> <p dir="ltr">6. Montserrat. Annual visitors: 19,300</p> <p dir="ltr">5. Micronesia. Annual visitors: 18,000</p> <p dir="ltr">4. Kiribati. Annual visitors: 12,000</p> <p dir="ltr">3. Niue. Annual visitors: 10,200</p> <p dir="ltr">2. Marshall Islands. Annual visitors: 6,100</p> <p dir="ltr">1. Tuvalu. Annual visitors: 3,700</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Shutterstock</em></p>

International Travel

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Country music star's "racist" song divides audience

<p>A popular country music star has been forced to defend his new song and accompanying music video, after many condemned the track for being racist. </p> <p>Jason Aldean's song, titled <em>Try That in a Small Town</em>, soared to number one on the country music charts in the US, before been pulled by Country Music Television after claims it promoted gun violence, vigilantism and lynching: a form of execution frequently committed against African-Americans.</p> <p>The singer, who is known for his conservative views, defended the song, saying it was about, “the feeling of community that I had growing up in where we took care of our neighbours, regardless of difference of background or beliefs”.</p> <p>He also slammed the furore against the song, saying saying the accusations against the track that it is “pro lynching” are “not only meritless but dangerous”.</p> <p>Singer Sheryl Crow called out Aldean posting on Twitter, “There’s nothing small town or American about promoting violence,” and called the song “lame” for its controversial themes. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Jason_Aldean?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jason_Aldean</a> I’m from a small town. Even people in small towns are sick of violence.There’s nothing small-town or American about promoting violence. You should know that better than anyone having survived a mass shooting.</p> <p>This is not American or small town-like. It’s just lame <a href="https://t.co/cuOtUO9xjr">https://t.co/cuOtUO9xjr</a></p> <p>— Sheryl Crow (@SherylCrow) <a href="https://twitter.com/SherylCrow/status/1681485292425867264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>The music video for the song prompted a new wave of backlash, as it was filmed outside the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, which is a site that African American man was lynched. </p> <p>A writer for entertainment industry magazine <em><a title="variety.com" href="https://variety.com/2023/music/opinion/jason-aldean-try-that-in-a-small-town-worst-country-song-video-column-1235673177/">Variety</a></em> said it was “the most contemptible country song of the decade” which traded on the “implicit moral superiority of having a limited number of neighbours”.</p> <p>“For Aldean, it’s about how tiny burgs are under the imminent threat of attack from lawless urban marauders who will have to be kept at bay by any means necessary – meaning, pretty explicitly, vigilantism,” wrote its music critic Chris William.</p> <p>He went on to say the video was “dangerous” because it “conflates the act of protesting with violent crime”.</p> <p>In the wake of the criticism, Aldean hit back on his social media accounts, saying people had gone "too far" with their interpretation of the song. </p> <p>He wrote on Twitter, “There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it – and there isn’t a single clip that isn’t real news footage – and while I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music – this one goes too far.”</p> <p>“My political views have never been something I’ve hidden from. And I know that a lot of us in this country don’t agree on how we get back to a sense of normalcy, where we go at least a day without a headline that keeps us up at night, but the desire for it to – that’s what the song is about.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Music

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“How good is love”: Riptide singer ties the knot

<p dir="ltr">Australian musician Vance Joy, whose real name is James Keogh, officially tied the knot with his longtime partner, Selen Us on June 12.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair got married in a beautiful waterfront ceremony by the Marmara sea in Istanbul, Turkey.</p> <p dir="ltr">Vance and a few guests took to Instagram to share photos of the big day.</p> <p dir="ltr">In one photo fans get a glimpse into an intimate moment between the pair standing on a balcony overlooking the water. In another photo, we see the happy newlyweds share their first kiss.</p> <p dir="ltr">The bride donned a sleek backless white gown, while the groom opted for a more classic look in a black suit paired with a bowtie.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair dated for over three years, and got engaged last November, after enduring a long-distance relationship during Covid.</p> <p dir="ltr">Friends and fans took to the comments to congratulate the couple.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Wow! Congratulations mate. Beautiful photographs.,” wrote Australian creative portrait and music photographer, Max Fairclough.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Guess I don’t have a chance anymore. Congrats!!!! 😂,” quipped a fan.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Congratulations!! Fire and the Flood was my wedding song. Wishing you both a lifetime of love and happiness x,” commented another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“How good is love,” commented a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">“CONGRATS!!! I’m so happy for the two of yous 🥳,” wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Readers respond: What was the first country you ever travelled to?

<p dir="ltr">Everyone remembers the butterflies and excitement of travelling to another country for the first time.</p> <p dir="ltr">For many, the first trip overseas is unforgettable, because you are exploring another part of the world that is different from home.</p> <p dir="ltr">We’ve asked our readers about the first country they ever travelled to and the responses are diverse. Here’s what they said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Anita Thornton</strong> - Nigeria, in 1956, I was seven. Dad worked there and we joined him. So many wonderful memories.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>MarilyneJames Kelly</strong> - Went to the U.S. to Disneyland when I was 16.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Ruth Jean Jennings</strong> - New Zealand ......and keep going back despite having travelled to heaps of other places!!!</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Susan Moldrich</strong> - Sri Lanka. I loved it so much I've been back nearly every year.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Audrey Jones</strong> - To New Zealand from England. Mum. Dad and us 6 kids came by boat on 9th July 1954. Travelled back and around the world many times.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Hilary Mole</strong> - By car and ferry, France, Switzerland and Italy 1960. By plane, Holland in 1965.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Frances Nelson</strong> - Portuguese Timor. We drove Sydney to Darwin where we caught a small TAA plane to Dili. The only other tourist we met was a chap from Mozambique. Wonderful experience.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Mindy Brown</strong> - Okinawa via Japan. My husband was stationed there in late 1960's</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Diane WillmoreHunsbedt</strong> - England when I was 7 my mom was a war bride and went to see her family</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Jenny Champness </strong>- Uganda from Australia with my sisters and parents for my dads new job.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Amanda Onder</strong> - Italy, first of three trips there as a child.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Pamela Tow</strong> - Papua New Guinea, where I worked in Goroka for a year.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Beryl Hamblin</strong> - France</p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

International Travel

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Michael Bublé reveals disheartening name change request

<p>Canadian icon Michael Bublé has shared that his birth name was unappealing, according to industry bosses.</p> <p>The Sway singer, 47, told <em>9Honey Celebrity</em> that music executives once tried to convince him to change his surname when he was launching his career.</p> <p>"They wanted to change it years ago, the record company… and my dad got really hurt by it," Bublé shared.</p> <p>"So I was really glad we didn't change it, I figured if I was good enough that maybe people would just learn it, but they massacre it everywhere.”</p> <p>However, Bublé, who is of both Canadian and Italian descent, seemingly doesn’t mind some of the nicknames he’s earned over the years.</p> <p>From Australia alone, the superstar has gained the nicknames “Mickey Boobs” and “The Boob”. In Spain, he’s sometimes referred to as Miguel Burbujas which literally translates to "Michael Bubbles”.</p> <p>The star went on to say that thanks to his many visits Down Under, he has learnt the self-deprecating sense of humour Aussies have mastered.</p> <p>"I think you [Australians] are secure enough in yourself that you don't mind taking the piss. I love that you're sweet but I also love that you're tough, not to be messed with," Bublé said of his Aussie fans.</p> <p>"I just love it here. It's cold where I'm from… so to come here like this, people told me, 'You need to dress warm'. But it is so beautiful.”</p> <p>Bublé is keeping currently touring Australia as well as helping kick off the launch of PepsiCo’s latest Aussie product, the line of sparkling water aptly named Bubly</p> <p>The 47-year-old has been in the music industry for over two decades but still marvels at how lucky he feels when he gets on stage.</p> <p>"I love what I do, I love who I do it for… it never gets old," Bublé confessed.</p> <p>"Every single time I'm backstage and I hear that crowd bubbling and there's thousands of people out there who have taken their valuable time and spent their hard-earned money… I remind myself how lucky I am.”</p> <p>Bublé noted he is hyper-vigilant about not taking it all for granted, saying it takes work to “be in the moment”.</p> <p>"Like anybody else, I'll get in a fight with my wife or I'll get worried about what's happening with the kids, it's easy to have a bad day or be grumpy," he said.</p> <p>"It's easy to not be in the moment so I have to remind myself every single night before I go out there of how lucky I am.”</p> <p>Bublé also recalled his earliest memories of touring Australia.</p> <p>He revealed he was booked in for a gig at a small club in Sydney with “about 60 people”.</p> <p>"It was this little basement club in Sydney and I felt like it was huge," Bublé recalled.</p> <p>Although show business comes with a demanding schedule, he manages to keep a positive spirit.</p> <p>"I'm worth 300, 400 million dollars. I'm very wealthy and I'm very sexy," he teased.</p> <p>"I used to have nothing and I was so happy, but I love what I do and I'm so settled. I've got strong faith, beautiful kids and an incredible wife who's so much better than me. And that's my real life, everything else is just a bonus."</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p> <p><em><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/06/PMX0189_static_img1_16x9.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></em></p>

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The Girl from Ipanema singer dies at age 83

<p dir="ltr">Brazilian bossa nova singer, Astrud Gilberto, known for her rendition of <em>The Girl from Ipanema</em>, has died aged 83.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her granddaughter, Sofia Gilberto, took to Instagram to announce the news.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I'm here to bring you the sad news that my grandmother became a star today, and is next to my grandfather João Gilberto," she wrote in the caption, which was originally written in Portuguese.</p> <p dir="ltr">"She was a pioneer and the best. At the age of 22, she gave voice to the English version of Girl from Ipanema and gained international fame."</p> <p dir="ltr">Astrud helped popularise bossa nova worldwide, after her version of <em>The Girl from Ipanema</em> sold over 5 million copies.</p> <p dir="ltr">New York-based guitarist, Paul Ricci who collaborated with Astrud, also confirmed the sad news on Facebook.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I just got word from her son Marcelo that we have lost Astrud Gilberto. He asked for this to be posted: She was an important part of ALL that is Brazilian music in the world and she changed many lives with her energy. RIP from 'the chief', as she called me,” he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fans have paid tribute to the star on social media.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She was the defining cool voice of Bossa Nova which remains intoxicating to this day no matter how often you have heard it and made us dream of Rio,” wrote one fan.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I feel like one part of my childhood suddenly disappeared. RIP Astrud. Much love to all your family,” commented another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My condolences to the entire family,” wrote a third.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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Empowerment, individual strength and the many facets of love: why I fell for Tina Turner

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/leigh-carriage-456522">Leigh Carriage</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a></em></p> <p>For singers – amateur and professional alike – the name Tina Turner evokes instant reverence: Turner is a singer’s singer and perhaps the performer’s performer.</p> <p>A highly successful songwriter, the consummate dancer and fittingly ranked as one of the <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/100-greatest-artists-147446/">100 Greatest Artists of All Time</a> by Rolling Stone magazine, Turner was the ultimate entertainer.</p> <p>Upon hearing of her death, I was deeply saddened. I immediately recalled the intoxicating power and timbre of her voice, her mesmerising energy and her commanding performances.</p> <p>I started singing sections of songs such as <em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2T5_seDNZE">Proud Mary</a></em>, <em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9Lehkou2Do">River Deep Mountain High</a></em> and of course iconic original songs, such as <em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I07249JX8w4">Nutbush City Limits</a></em>. This was an intimate, sentimental, nostalgic and danceable song celebrating Turner’s roots growing up in the small town of Nutbush, Tennessee.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Tina Turner was raw. She was powerful. She was unstoppable. And she was unapologetically herself—speaking and singing her truth through joy and pain; triumph and tragedy. Today we join fans around the world in honoring the Queen of Rock and Roll, and a star whose light will never… <a href="https://t.co/qXl2quZz1c">pic.twitter.com/qXl2quZz1c</a></p> <p>— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) <a href="https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1661514993383120896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <h2>Fierce hard work</h2> <p>My first encounter with Turner’s brilliance and might was hearing her hits of the mid-1980s, with songs like Graham Lyle’s <em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGpFcHTxjZs">What’s Love Got To Do With It</a></em>, Al Green’s <em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rFB4nj_GRc">Let’s Stay Together</a></em> and – love it or hate it – the powerful rock ballad <em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gcm-tOGiva0">We Don’t Need Another Hero</a></em>, the theme song to <em>Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome.</em></p> <p>Once introduced, I immersed myself in her extensive back catalogue, soaking in her early 1960s soul, funk and emerging rock tracks.</p> <p>Today, I flashed back to memories of the physical energy and technical focus and practice it took just attempting to sing any Turner songs in my 20s.</p> <p>The degree of difficulty required to perform as Turner did cannot be understated.</p> <p>To sing with such consistency in such high registers, belting out song after song live with impeccable pitch, breath control, fitness, articulation and rhythmic precision is one thing. To do all of this while dancing with intense pace to highly choreographed routines throughout each show is on a whole other level.</p> <p>Her performance practice exemplified fierce hard work – with an immense energy and vitality in live performance.</p> <p>Try singing any of her songs at a Karaoke bar. Very quickly you gain some insight into the technical demands her songs require.</p> <h2>Making songs her own</h2> <p>For every singer, selecting a repertoire to cover is an ongoing quest.</p> <p>In a sea of the world’s great songs, Turner selected songs she could make her own. She remodelled every song she sang - realigning them so much that we now think of them as hers first.</p> <p>There are so many examples. My favourites are Turner’s formidable versions of <em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIPoC6JlP38">I Can’t Stand the Rain</a> </em>(originally by Ann Peebles), <em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC5E8ie2pdM">The Best</a></em> (Bonnie Tyler) and <em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4QnalIHlVc">Private Dancer</a></em> (Mark Knopfler).</p> <p>A great deal of the songs Turner was known for through the 1960s were covers. Turner’s forceful and expressive vocal delivery gave new life to these songs, realigning them with her uniquely identifiable sound and choice of vocal register, her phrasing choices and her punctuated rhythmic delivery.</p> <p>Turner is perhaps less known as a songwriter, but her diverse songwriting demonstrated her skill and thoughtful, well-crafted lyrics. On her 1972 album Feel Good, nine of the ten songs were written by Turner. From 1973 to 1977, Turner composed all the songs on each album.</p> <p>One of my favourites of her original songs is the power ballad <em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l__zi3OtrQ0">Be Tender With Me Baby</a></em>. It speaks of a request for understanding, of her loneliness and vulnerability, sung with Turner’s intensity.</p> <p>Across her original songs and covers, Turner’s repertoire spoke of empowerment, individual strength and the many facets of love. Beyond performing, Turner represented inner strength, spiritual depth and resilience against adversity.</p> <p>In 1996, when Turner was 57, she recorded her ninth studio album, <em>Wildest Dreams</em>.</p> <p>One track, <em>Something Beautiful Remains</em>, may not be as familiar as many of her other hits, but it is the song I have kept returning to today. In the chorus, Turner’s lyrics are sadly perfectly fitting:</p> <blockquote> <p>For every life that fades<br />Something beautiful remains.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206395/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> </blockquote> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1uXLFtXpeFU?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/leigh-carriage-456522">Leigh Carriage</a>, Senior Lecturer in Music, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/southern-cross-university-1160">Southern Cross University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</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/empowerment-individual-strength-and-the-many-facets-of-love-why-i-fell-for-tina-turner-206395">original article</a>.</em></p>

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There’s a growing gap between countries advancing LGBTQ+ rights, and those going backwards

<p>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong joined 50,000 people to march in support of queer rights across the Sydney Harbour Bridge for World Pride in early March. A week earlier, Albanese became the first sitting prime minister to march in Sydney’s Mardi Gras, something he’s done over several decades.</p> <p>And yet at the same time, in another part of the world, Uganda’s parliament passed <a href="https://theconversation.com/ugandas-new-anti-lgbtq-law-could-lead-to-death-penalty-for-same-sex-offences-202376">a string of draconian measures</a> against homosexuality, including possible death sentences for “aggravated homosexuality”. Any “promotion” of homosexuality is also outlawed.</p> <p>Seven years ago, I co-wrote a book with Jonathan Symons called Queer Wars. Back then, we suggested there was <a href="https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publications/queer-wars-the-new-global-polarization-over-gay-rights">a growing gap</a>between countries in which sexual and gender diversity was becoming more acceptable, and those where repression was increasing. </p> <p>Sadly, that analysis seems even more relevant today.</p> <h2>A growing gap</h2> <p>Some countries have been unwinding criminal sanctions around homosexuality, which are often the legacy of colonialism. This includes, in recent years, former British colonies <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/08/22/singapore-decriminalize-gay-sex">Singapore</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/06/indian-supreme-court-decriminalises-homosexuality">India</a>.</p> <p>But others have been imposing new and more vicious penalties for any deviation from stereotypical assumptions of heterosexual masculine superiority (what Australian sociologist Raewyn Connell <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0891243205278639">terms</a> “hegemonic masculinity”).</p> <p>Anti-gay legislation is currently pending in Ghana, which led US Vice President Kamala Harris to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-43822234">express concerns</a> on a recent visit.</p> <p>These moves echo the deep homophobia of Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has <a href="https://www.bostonreview.net/articles/putins-anti-gay-war-on-ukraine/">bizarrely linked</a> intervention in Ukraine to protecting traditional values against LGBTQ+ infiltration.</p> <p>Meanwhile, reports from Afghanistan suggest that anyone identified as “LGBT” is <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/01/26/afghanistan-taliban-target-lgbt-afghans">in danger of being killed</a>.</p> <p>Indonesia recently passed legislation <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/06/indonesia-passes-legislation-banning-sex-outside-marriage">penalising all sex outside marriage</a>. This follows <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13639811.2022.2038871">years of anti-queer rhetoric</a> from Indonesian leaders and crackdowns in regional areas.</p> <p>And while the Biden administration is supportive of queer rights globally, the extraordinary hysteria <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/07/cpac-anti-trans-rhetoric">around trans issues in the Republican Party</a> reminds us the West has no inherent claim to moral superiority.</p> <h2>Where to next?</h2> <p>Speaking at the World Pride Human Rights Conference, both Wong and Attorney General Mark Dreyfus made it clear Australia would press for recognition of sexuality and gender identity as deserving protection, as part of <a href="https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/penny-wong/speech/sydney-worldpride-human-rights-conference-opening-statement">our commitment to human rights</a>.</p> <p>Wong also announced a <a href="https://www.themandarin.com.au/213443-wong-announces-international-fund-for-lgbt-rights/">new Inclusion and Equality Fund</a> to support queer community organisations within our region.</p> <p>Australian governments have usually been wary of loud assertions of support for queer rights. This is partly due to a reasonable fear this merely reinforces the perception that such language reflects <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/african-studies-review/article/abs/locating-neocolonialism-tradition-and-human-rights-in-ugandas-gay-death-penalty/33A06F4F33CF586E20E208BE790E71E0">a sense of Western superiority</a>, unwilling to acknowledge other societies may have very different attitudes towards gender and sexuality.</p> <p>Australia is part of the Equal Rights Coalition, an intergovernmental body of 42 countries dedicated to the protection of the rights of LGBTQ+ people, and has supported sexual and gender rights in the <a href="https://humanrights.gov.au/our-work/rights-and-freedoms/australias-second-universal-periodic-review-human-rights">country reviews</a> undertaken by the United Nations Human Rights Commission.</p> <p>Australia has a minimal presence in Uganda, and direct representations are unlikely to have much effect. Uganda is a member of the Commonwealth, as are Ghana, Kenya and Zambia, where official homophobia appears to be increasing. But there’s little evidence the Australian government sees this as a significant foreign policy forum, or is prepared to push for sexual rights through its institutions.</p> <p>As persecution on the basis of sexuality and gender identity increases, more people will seek to flee their countries. Queer refugees face double jeopardy: they’re not safe at home, but they’re often equally unsafe in their diasporic communities, which have inherited the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/01/lgbt-refugees-untold-story/">deep prejudices of their homelands</a>.</p> <p>The UN’s refugee agency <a href="https://www.unhcr.org/lgbtiq-persons.html">reports</a> that most people seeking asylum because of their sexuality are unwilling to disclose this, because of discrimination within their own ethnic communities. This makes it impossible to have accurate numbers. But a clear signal from Australia would be a powerful statement of support – that it understands the situation and welcomes people who need flee because of their sexuality or gender expression.</p> <p>An official Canadian government document <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/refugees/canada-role/2slgbtqi-plus.html">states</a>: "Canada has a proud history of providing protection to and helping to resettle the world’s most vulnerable groups. That includes those in the Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and additional sexually and gender diverse community."</p> <p>Theirs is a model worth following.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-a-growing-gap-between-countries-advancing-lgbtq-rights-and-those-going-backwards-203329" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

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6 step guide to travelling in developing countries

<p>Developing countries are endlessly fascinating and a travel experience not be missed, though you will need to be prepared.</p> <p><strong>1. Do your research</strong></p> <p>In developing countries, it’s rare that you can just buy a plane ticket, arrive and wing it. You’ll need to research destinations, accommodation, transport options and safety in much more depth than you would for your typical holiday spot. This research should continue right up until you depart. The situations in these countries can change overnight, so you want to be up to date with any dangerous incidents or government warnings.</p> <p><strong>2. Learn the local customs</strong></p> <p>A little consideration goes a long way. You don’t want to be the obnoxious tourist who is offending locals without even realising it. As part of your research, look into things like appropriate dress code, cultural conventions around touching or the correct type of language to use. You’ll also need to make some observations during your first few days in a country and ensure you’re behaving in an appropriate way. Remember that you are a guest in their community and should be respectful of their beliefs and customs.</p> <p><strong>3. Be prepared for limited facilities</strong></p> <p>Be prepared for a different level of comfort than you would expect at home or in a first world country. You’ll mostly need to avoid drinking the tap water and the toilets may leave something to be desired. Toiletries can also be hard to come by, so come with your own supply of wet wipes, hand sanitisers or any personal items you need.</p> <p><strong>4. Choose wisely</strong></p> <p>This applies to everything from your choice of hotel to buying a snack on the street. Even if you’ve booked a hotel online, make sure that you check the security features and quality of the room before you commit to spending the night. Do your own research or ask a travel agent about the safest transport options. Many developing countries don’t have the same standards for their airlines or trains as we do. And when you’re choosing a restaurant, find somewhere that looks clean, busy and is well patronised by locals (not just tourists) – they are the best judges of where to eat.</p> <p><strong>5. Beware of begging</strong></p> <p>Poverty can be a big problem in many developing countries, so it’s common to see people begging on the street. It’s tempting to give people money, especially when it’s children. While it might seem that you are helping them, handouts from travellers can create an ongoing culture of begging. Instead, look for a local charitable organisation to donate to or approach a local school or church and see if there are any supplies you can purchase for them.</p> <p><strong>6. Understand bartering and bribery</strong></p> <p>Bartering is a part of life in many developing countries and is expected everywhere from the local market to taxi drivers. Vendors often like to get tourists to play the game and will encourage you to bargain with them, even if you are happy to pay the original price. You don’t want to be ripped off but also remember that while saving a dollar or so means little to you, it can be a big difference to them. You also need to be aware that many of these countries operate on an unofficial system of bribery, so you might be expected to pay a small fee to make a transaction go smoothly. If the amount is small enough, just pay it and move on.</p> <p><strong>7. Register your travel</strong></p> <p>New Zealand government organisation SafeTravel encourages all travellers to register with them, but this is most important if you’re visiting developing countries. In the event of a disaster, communication can become impossible so it is a good idea if the local embassy knows you are in the country. They may be able to provide assistance or just let your family back home know that you are safe. It’s free and only takes a couple of minutes.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Escape to the Country star’s heartbreaking cancer update

<p>Jonnie Irwin, star of Escape to the Country, has shared a heartbreaking update on his battle with terminal cancer. </p> <p>The TV star - who was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer and given only six months to live in 2020 - sat down for an interview with <em>The Sun </em>after early 50th birthday celebrations, where he opened up about his diagnosis, and the impact it has had on himself and his young family.</p> <p>Jonnie is the father of three young boys with his devoted wife, Jess. Rex - the couple’s eldest - is four, while their twins Rafa and Cormac are only two. And he was recounting a football game with his eldest son, Rex, when he revealed that he’s feeling the physical weight of his ongoing fight, explaining that he “tried to play football with Rex the other day and was in goal and I couldn’t get near the ball. It was so frustrating.</p> <p>“I’m very sporty and suddenly it’s just like … it was as if it was the first time I’d attempted football. I felt like a granddad. And that broke me a bit.</p> <p>“I always thought, ‘I’m an older dad but I’ll be leading from the front’.</p> <p>“But I’m now at the back.”</p> <p>“I’m weak now, fragile, and my memory is terrible,” he later added, “but I’m still here.”</p> <p>Jonnie only announced his diagnosis in 2020, when his appearance change had become noticeable. </p> <p>“People didn’t know for such a long time, which helped with not having the conversation for some time,” Jess explained. </p> <p>“Our friends knew, but not the severity of it, and Jonnie looked well so it was never really a topic we discussed. The physical side of it came more recently. Now it’s all we talk about at home.”</p> <p>Jess went on to explain that while she knows Jonnie is trying to “cross every T and dot all the I’s” for their family, she’s been trying to stress to him that he should “do what makes you happy. If you want to do something, just do it.”</p> <p>“I just want to be able to bring any bit of fun and enjoyment back into his life,” she added, “which is really hard to do, especially with the reality of how much he’s struggling on a day-to-day basis.”</p> <p>Their children have served as something of a distraction for them, although Jess admits they haven’t quite been able to wrap their heads around the enormity of the truth. </p> <p>“I don’t have time to think to be honest,” Jess said, “and I know that Jonnie is doing all that he can with the diet, the resting, the supplement, research, [and] looking into treatment. Jonnie is partly still here because of sheer willpower. </p> <p>“He’s stubborn and determined and he’s a scrapper. </p> <p>“I think I’m still in denial about a lot of it if I’m honest.”</p> <p>Despite the weight of their situation, Jonnie, Jess, and their loved ones recently came together to celebrate - although he won’t be turning 50 until November, the couple decided to celebrate his birthday early with over 150 of their nearest and dearest friends and family. </p> <p>“It was a great night,” Jonnie recalled. “I chose a playlist with some great tunes from the 90s and 2000s and people came from all over the country and abroad.</p> <p>“I didn’t know the extent of the loyalty and generosity that my friends would exhibit.</p> <p>“I’ve been dumbfounded and spellbound by their support, as well as that of our families, who have been amazing. I just wanted to do something to celebrate my birthday and had no idea how many people would actually turn up. It was incredible.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Mental health: how living in the city and country compare

<p>Is it better to live in a city or in the countryside? While urban dwellers may benefit from more employment opportunities, better access to public services alongside cultural activities and entertainment, people who live in rural areas often argue they have a better sense of community and greater access to nature.</p> <p>A number of studies have sought to determine whether city or country is better for mental health by drawing on national survey data from the <a href="https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/">UK Household Longitudinal Study</a> (UKHLS). This is a national survey which has followed approximately 40,000 UK households since 2009. Each year, data is collected on a range of social, economic and behavioural factors.</p> <p>This is what some of these studies have found when it comes to mental health and where you live:</p> <h2>Physical activity</h2> <p>Research has shown that physical activity can reduce <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749379719302466?casa_token=_QxDT_feTekAAAAA:Sd_9jfW0ukJY1fUCkUx43sTEGHkNBiwqViPI4-HfSx-LngPhuxBjGMRQrokDmpYlZIwzR7wDzA">anxiety</a> and <a href="https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.2018.17111194">depression</a>, alongside <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00223980.2018.1470487">improving mood</a> and <a href="https://academic.oup.com/tbm/article-abstract/10/5/1098/5921063?login=true">wellbeing</a>. Indeed, UK health guidelines recommend physical activity for the <a href="https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng222">treatment of depression</a> and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/physical-activity-guidelines-adults-and-older-adults/physical-activity-for-adults-and-older-adults-19-and-over-text-of-the-infographic">improved quality of life</a>.</p> <p>One easy way of getting more physical activity in your life is through active travel – such as cycling or walking on your way to work or running errands.</p> <p>So how does urban or rural dwelling impact on this? According to UKHLS research which looked at data from 35,295 people in the UK, urban residents were 64% more likely than rural residents to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00038-014-0578-2">engage frequently in active travel</a>. This is likely because there are more active travel opportunities in urban environments where there are shorter distances between facilities, shops, offices and homes.</p> <p>Research shows that the more active travel a person does, the better their <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140520300487">mental health</a>. In fact, the mental health benefits of active travel may be <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28153647">just as good</a> as physical activity for leisure. So, based on this measure, people living in the city may have better mental health overall.</p> <p>But while urban life may offer more opportunities for active travel compared to living in the countryside, that doesn’t mean there aren’t still many ways to incorporate physical activity into your daily life for mental health benefits wherever you live.</p> <h2>Access to green space</h2> <p>Access to green space (such as parks) is believed to support many aspects of <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-44097-3">health and wellbeing</a> – including your <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09638237.2020.1755027?journalCode=ijmh20">mental health</a>.</p> <p>To investigate whether nearby green space was related to mental wellbeing, data from the 2009-2010 UKHLS study was combined with data on the proportion of green space within different areas of England. The analysis found the amount of local green space did not actually <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-017-4401-x">predict mental wellbeing</a>.</p> <p>What this suggests is that while green space may be important for mental wellbeing, having it nearby doesn’t necessarily mean people will engage with it. As such, we can’t assume rural living is inherently more beneficial just because nature is more accessible.</p> <p>This aligns with the findings of a 2021 study, which showed that living near green space <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-87675-0#Sec2">did not improve mental health outcomes</a>. However, the analysis did find that the more frequently a person visited green spaces, the better their mental wellbeing. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439760.2016.1221126">Meaningful engagement with green spaces</a> (such as taking photographs) may also be more important for reaping the mental health benefits of nature.</p> <p>As such, urban living may be just as good as rural dwelling when it comes to the mental health benefits of green space.</p> <h2>Air quality</h2> <p>Numerous studies have found links between high levels of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6447209/">air pollution</a> and <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/exposure-to-air-pollution-linked-with-increased-mental-health-service-use-new-study-finds">poorer mental health</a>. A <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0161813X22001668?via%253Dihub">review of 111 studies</a> even suggests that polluted air may cause changes in the brain regions that control emotions. This may increase the risk of developing anxiety and depression compared to those who breathe cleaner air.</p> <p>To investigate the impact of air pollution on mental health, researchers combined data on air pollution from the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with UKHLS survey data, alongside data from the British Household Panel Survey (which looked at 10,000 UK households and ran from 1991 to 2009). This allowed them to analyse data from the years 1991-2014.</p> <p>The analysis found that people who were exposed to higher levels of air pollution reported lower levels of <a href="https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/research/publications/524260">life satisfaction</a>. The study indicated that the negative effect of air pollution on life satisfaction can be equivalent to major life events, such as divorce.</p> <p>In general, urban areas have between <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lanplh/PIIS2542-5196(21)00255-2.pdf">two to four times the levels of air pollution</a> than rural areas, suggesting people who live in cities may be more likely to experience worse mental health as a result. However, the agricultural industry also generates <a href="https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/aqeg/2800829_Agricultural_emissions_vfinal2.pdf">high levels of air pollution</a> meaning some rural dwellers in certain settings may also be at risk.</p> <h2>Regional variation in wellbeing</h2> <p>Of course, these are just a few of the factors that affect a person’s day to day mental health – and it appears neither city nor country living is significantly better than the other when it comes to your mental health.</p> <p>Indeed, research has found that the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00343404.2019.1645953?needAccess=true">region of the country</a> you live in may be more important when it comes to your mental health than whether you live in the city or the countryside. There are many factors that may explain this effect, including the cost of living in certain areas, alongside local politics and a person’s economic status.</p> <p>Where we live is clearly very important when it comes to our mental health. But the place that works best for your mental health will depend largely on broader social and economic factors as well as which aspects of your lifestyle are most important to you.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/mental-health-how-living-in-the-city-and-country-compare-200402" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a></em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">.</span></p>

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Woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann flees home country amid death threats

<p>A Polish woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann has fled her home country for the United States after being bombarded with death threats.</p> <p>Julia Faustyna left her homeland with California-based private detective and psychic medium Dr Fia Johansson, who is now working on the case and believes she could be the key to cracking it.</p> <p>Dr Johansson, who is renowned for working with police and private investigators to solve missing person cases around the world, said Ms Faustyna was no longer safe in Poland.</p> <p>She said Ms Faustyna felt “terrified” after receiving threats and vile messages from online haters, with one death threat even putting a $48,000 bounty on her head.</p> <p>Dr Johansson, who believes there are a lot of “unanswered questions” surrounding the mystery, flew to Poland to meet with Julia, but determined that she could not continue investigation amid the barrage of abuse online. </p> <p>The pair have now flown to the US, with Ms Faustyna, who has also been forced to close her viral Instagram account after claiming to be the missing British girl who disappeared at the age of three in Portugal in 2007, appearing in a post at LAX Airport.</p> <p>“I’m excited, thank you, Fia,” she said. “Never give up and believe in yourself dreams will come true.”</p> <p>Dr Johansson wrote, “Thanks for the extra protection; I love you USA. Welcome to USA Julia – the land of love and dreams.”</p> <p>In an interview with <em>The Sun</em>, Dr Johansson said her first priority was to keep Ms Faustyna safe.</p> <p>“The haters have been attacking Julia since she came forward,” she said. “The situation in Poland is she has nobody. Her family won’t talk to her."</p> <p>“Julia has never said, ‘I am Madeleine McCann.’ She has lots of questions about her past and she asked for help. We are open to all possibilities.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

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An entire Pacific country will upload itself to the metaverse

<p>The Pacific nation of Tuvalu is planning to create a version of itself in the metaverse, as a response to the existential threat of rising sea levels. Tuvalu’s minister for justice, communication and foreign affairs, Simon Kofe, made the announcement via a chilling digital address to leaders at COP27.</p> <p>He said the plan, which accounts for the “worst case scenario”, involves creating a <a href="https://theconversation.com/au/topics/digital-twin-89034" target="_blank" rel="noopener">digital twin</a> of Tuvalu in the metaverse in order to replicate its beautiful islands and preserve its rich culture:</p> <blockquote> <p>The tragedy of this outcome cannot be overstated […] Tuvalu could be the first country in the world to exist solely in cyberspace – but if global warming continues unchecked, it won’t be the last.</p> </blockquote> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sJIlrAdky4Q?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Tuvalu turns to metaverse as rising seas threaten existence, 16 Nov 2022.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>The idea is that the metaverse might allow Tuvalu to “fully function as a sovereign state” as its people are forced to live somewhere else.</p> <p>There are two stories here. One is of a small island nation in the Pacific facing an existential threat and looking to preserve its nationhood through technology.</p> <p>The other is that by far the preferred future for Tuvalu would be to avoid the worst effects of climate change and preserve itself as a terrestrial nation. In which case, this may be its way of getting the world’s attention.</p> <p><strong>What is a metaverse nation?</strong></p> <p>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-metaverse-and-what-can-we-do-there-179200" target="_blank" rel="noopener">metaverse</a> represents a burgeoning future in which augmented and virtual reality become part of everyday living. There are many visions of what the metaverse might look like, with the most well-known coming from Meta (previously Facebook) CEO Mark Zuckerberg.</p> <p>What most of these visions have in common is the idea that the metaverse is about interoperable and immersive 3D worlds. A persistent avatar moves from one virtual world to another, as easily as moving from one room to another in the physical world.</p> <p>The aim is to obscure the human ability to distinguish between the real and the virtual, for <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-is-the-metaverse-a-high-tech-plan-to-facebookify-the-world-165326" target="_blank" rel="noopener">better or for worse</a>.</p> <p>Kofe implies three aspects of Tuvalu’s nationhood could be recreated in the metaverse:</p> <ol> <li> <p>territory – the recreation of the natural beauty of Tuvalu, which could be interacted with in different ways</p> </li> <li> <p>culture – the ability for Tuvaluan people to interact with one another in ways that preserve their shared language, norms and customs, wherever they may be</p> </li> <li> <p>sovereignty – if there were to be a loss of terrestrial land over which the government of Tuvalu has sovereignty (a tragedy beyond imagining, but which they have begun to imagine) then could they have sovereignty over virtual land instead?</p> </li> </ol> <p><strong>Could it be done?</strong></p> <p>In the case that Tuvalu’s proposal is, in fact, a literal one and not just symbolic of the dangers of climate change, what might it look like?</p> <p>Technologically, it’s already easy enough to create beautiful, immersive and richly rendered recreations of Tuvalu’s territory. Moreover, thousands of different online communities and 3D worlds (such as <a href="https://secondlife.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Second Life</a>) demonstrate it’s possible to have entirely virtual interactive spaces that can maintain their own culture.</p> <p>The idea of combining these technological capabilities with features of governance for a “<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-digital-twins-a-pair-of-computer-modeling-experts-explain-181829" target="_blank" rel="noopener">digital twin</a>” of Tuvalu is feasible.</p> <p>There have been prior experiments of governments taking location-based functions and creating virtual analogues of them. For example, Estonia’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-Residency_of_Estonia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">e-residency</a> is an online-only form of residency non-Estonians can obtain to access services such as company registration. Another example is countries setting up virtual embassies on the <a href="https://www.learntechlib.org/p/178165/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online platform Second Life</a>.</p> <p>Yet there are significant technological and social challenges in bringing together and digitising the elements that define an entire nation.</p> <p>Tuvalu has only about 12,000 citizens, but having even this many people interact in real time in an immersive virtual world is a technical challenge. There are <a href="https://www.matthewball.vc/all/networkingmetaverse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issues of bandwidth</a>, computing power, and the fact that many users have an aversion to headsets or suffer nausea.</p> <p>Nobody has yet demonstrated that nation-states can be successfully translated to the virtual world. Even if they could be, others argue the digital world makes <a href="http://thestack.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nation-states redundant</a>.</p> <p>Tuvalu’s proposal to create its digital twin in the metaverse is a message in a bottle – a desperate response to a tragic situation. Yet there is a coded message here too, for others who might consider retreat to the virtual as a response to loss from climate change.</p> <p><strong>The metaverse is no refuge</strong></p> <p>The metaverse is built on the physical infrastructure of servers, data centres, network routers, devices and head-mounted displays. All of this tech has a hidden carbon footprint and requires physical maintenance and energy. <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-internet-consumes-extraordinary-amounts-of-energy-heres-how-we-can-make-it-more-sustainable-160639" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Research</a> published in Nature predicts the internet will consume about 20% of the world’s electricity by 2025.</p> <p>The idea of the <em>metaverse nation</em> as a response to climate change is exactly the kind of thinking that got us here. The language that gets adopted around new technologies – such as “cloud computing”, “virtual reality” and “metaverse” – comes across as both clean and green.</p> <p>Such terms are laden with “<a href="https://www.publicaffairsbooks.com/titles/evgeny-morozov/to-save-everything-click-here/9781610393706/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">technological solutionism</a>” and “<a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/203186/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">greenwashing</a>”. They hide the fact that technological responses to climate change often <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921800905001084?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noopener">exacerbate the problem</a> due to how energy and resource intensive they are.</p> <p><strong>So where does that leave Tuvalu?</strong></p> <p>Kofe is well aware the metaverse is not an answer to Tuvalu’s problems. He explicitly states we need to focus on reducing the impacts of climate change through initiatives such as a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/nov/08/tuvalu-first-to-call-for-fossil-fuel-non-proliferation-treaty-at-cop27" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fossil-fuel non-proliferation treaty</a>.</p> <p>His video about Tuvalu moving to the metaverse is hugely successful as a provocation. It got worldwide press – just like his <a href="https://youtu.be/jBBsv0QyscE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">moving plea</a> during COP26 while standing knee-deep in rising water.</p> <p>Yet Kofe suggests:</p> <blockquote> <p>Without a global conscience and a global commitment to our shared wellbeing we may find the rest of the world joining us online as their lands disappear.</p> </blockquote> <p>It is dangerous to believe, even implicitly, that moving to the metaverse is a viable response to climate change. The metaverse can certainly assist in keeping heritage and culture alive <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/131407/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">as a virtual museum</a> and digital community. But it seems unlikely to work as an ersatz nation-state.</p> <p>And, either way, it certainly won’t work without all of the land, infrastructure and energy that keeps the internet functioning.</p> <p>It would be far better for us to direct international attention towards Tuvalu’s other initiatives described in the <a href="https://devpolicy.org/tuvalu-preparing-for-climate-change-in-the-worst-case-scenario-20211110/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">same report</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>The project’s first initiative promotes diplomacy based on Tuvaluan values of olaga fakafenua (communal living systems), kaitasi (shared responsibility) and fale-pili (being a good neighbour), in the hope that these values will motivate other nations to understand their shared responsibility to address climate change and sea level rise to achieve global wellbeing.</p> </blockquote> <p>The message in a bottle being sent out by Tuvalu is not really about the possibilities of metaverse nations at all. The message is clear: to support communal living systems, to take shared responsibility and to be a good neighbour.</p> <p>The first of these can’t translate into the virtual world. The second requires us to <a href="https://theconversation.com/ending-the-climate-crisis-has-one-simple-solution-stop-using-fossil-fuels-194489" target="_blank" rel="noopener">consume less</a>, and the third requires us to care.<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/194728/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em>Writen by Nick Kelly and </em><em>Marcus Foth</em><em>. Republished with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/an-entire-pacific-country-will-upload-itself-to-the-metaverse-its-a-desperate-plan-with-a-hidden-message-194728" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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“Rest easy ma’am”: Tributes flow for singer Loretta Lynn

<p>Loretta Lynn, the country singer behind <em>Coal Miner’s Daughter</em> and <em>You Ain’t Woman Enough</em> and a leading feminist in the country music scene, has passed away aged 90.</p> <p>Her family broke the news in a statement on Twitter on Tuesday.</p> <p>“Our precious mom, Loretta Lynn, passed away peacefully this morning, October 4th, in her sleep at home in her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills,” the statement read.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Loretta Lynn ♥️ A pioneering daughter that changed music and the world forever for all the daughters that followed. We’ll miss you but your spirit lives on! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/thepill?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#thepill</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/forher?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#forher</a> <a href="https://t.co/9XTPwLkVru">pic.twitter.com/9XTPwLkVru</a></p> <p>— The Chicks (@thechicks) <a href="https://twitter.com/thechicks/status/1577421929673543681?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>With a career spanning six decades, Lynn built her reputation as a feminist voice in the male-dominated world of country music, tackling issues including the freedom provided by birth control and the inequities of heterosexual relationships.</p> <p>Her choice of subject matter was controversial for country music in the 1960s and ‘70s, with Lynn telling one interviewer that 14 of her songs had been banned by radio stations.</p> <p>“I wasn’t the first woman in country music,” she said in a 2007 interview with <em>Esquire </em>magazine.</p> <p>“I was just the first one to stand up there and say what I thought, what life was about. The rest were afraid to.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Loretta Lynn and Sissy Spacek after the 53rd Academy Awards (March 31, 1981).</p> <p>Spacek, who was personally selected by Lynn to portray her in the biographical musical film 'Coal Miner's Daughter,' earned the Best Actress Oscar for her performance as the country music icon. <a href="https://t.co/mbFnBhY1Ic">pic.twitter.com/mbFnBhY1Ic</a></p> <p>— The Academy (@TheAcademy) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAcademy/status/1577424584709705728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Even so, Lynn became an icon of the genre with more than 50 top 10 hits according to her website.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lynn went on to become the first woman to win the Country Music Association’s ‘Entertainer of the Year’ award in 1972, as well as seven other CMA awards, 12 Academy of Country Music Awards, and three Grammy Awards as an artist.</p> <p dir="ltr">She won an additional two Grammys in 2004 for her work on the album <em>Van Lear Rose</em> in collaboration with White Stripes frontman Jack White, where she either wrote or co-wrote every song.</p> <p dir="ltr">The singer also received a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement in 2010.</p> <p dir="ltr">In 1988, she was voted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and in 2013 she was presented with a Presidential Medal of Freedom by then-president Barack Obama, who <a href="https://twitter.com/ObamaFoundation/status/1577428821590282242" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a> that she “opened doors for women not only by winning tremendous achievements, but also by raising issues few dared to discuss”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d90b7fc5-7fff-0de4-1cad-b78e3987bb9e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Since the news of her passing broke, tributes have begun to flow for Lynn from fans, fellow singers and friends.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">My heart is broken with the news of my sweet friend Loretta Lynn passing. I will remember all the sweet visits and laughs we shared. RIP sweet Angel. <a href="https://t.co/X5IqiD63an">pic.twitter.com/X5IqiD63an</a></p> <p>— Stella Parton (@StellaParton) <a href="https://twitter.com/StellaParton/status/1577314224078217217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Stella Parton penned an emotional tribute to her “sweet friend” and “angel”, accompanied by a photo of the pair together.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My heart is broken with the news of my sweet friend Loretta Lynn passing. I will remember all the sweet visits and laughs we shared. RIP sweet Angel,” Parton wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6759ed07-7fff-3668-31d6-09c08f584b8e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“She was an inspiration. R.I.P. Loretta Lynn ❤️‍,” Carole King tweeted.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">She was an inspiration.<br />R.I.P. Loretta Lynn ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/VqwmkcOAqy">pic.twitter.com/VqwmkcOAqy</a></p> <p>— Carole King (@Carole_King) <a href="https://twitter.com/Carole_King/status/1577318037912330240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Joyous. Fierce. One of a kind. I loved meeting and working with Loretta Lynn ❤️‍🕊️🙏,” singer k.d. Lang <a href="https://twitter.com/kdlang/status/1577381590736388096" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-fadb031b-7fff-50fc-027c-01011cd9263e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Loretta Lynn gave me this ring of hers many moons ago and I’ve cherished it ever since. Rest in peace. We will all miss you so dearly ❤️‍,” actress Brooke Shields said.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Loretta Lynn gave me this ring of hers many moons ago and I’ve cherished it ever since. Rest in peace. We will all miss you so dearly ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/KdgmIiXhXP">pic.twitter.com/KdgmIiXhXP</a></p> <p>— Brooke Shields (@BrookeShields) <a href="https://twitter.com/BrookeShields/status/1577371993611059232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">American band The Oak Ridge Boys tweeted: “Loretta Lynn has gone home… Great Britain lost their Queen … now we have lost ours … Rest easy ma’am. You were loved by all … 😢”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ken Burns, the documentarian behind Country Music, the 2019 miniseries that Lynn took part in, <a href="https://twitter.com/KenBurns/status/1577397952569643009" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>: “Loretta Lynn turned life into song, providing a voice to the experiences of American women. </p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ef6ceebc-7fff-6fb8-a768-0e86d3fc59d3"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“She will always be celebrated as a central part of the history of country music.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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