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"Cringe worthy": Viewers left speechless after star attacks Elmo

<p>Viewers were left shocked after comedian Larry David unexpectedly attacked Elmo during their appearance on the latest episode of the <em>US Today show</em>.</p> <p>The 76-year-old was there to promote the final season of <em>Curb Your Enthusiasm</em>, while Elmo was in the studio alongside his dad Louie to talk about the importance of mental health resources. </p> <p>As the show was transitioning from segment to segment, David walked over to Elmo and smushed his face in before taking a swing at Elmo's dad. </p> <p>The attack caught the show's hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin, off-guard and they began shouting at his ill-timed act. </p> <p>“Oh, my gosh, you love Elmo, don’t you?” Guthrie said to David as an equally shocked Melvin exclaimed, “Oh, my God!”</p> <p>While Elmo didn't seem too bothered by the encounter, the 76-year-old was lectured by muppet dad Louie for his strange act. </p> <p>“Ask permission before you touch people, Larry,” Louie said.</p> <p>“Get back on the couch and let’s talk about how you feel,” Elmo added.</p> <p>Guthrie also called out David's inappropriate act and said: “Larry, you’ve gone too far this time." </p> <p>Although the <em>Seinfeld </em>star was later on forced to apologise to the plush duo and Elmo accepted his apology, the situation left many viewers disgruntled, given the topic matter that Elmo was there to discuss. </p> <p>“Larry David ruined a beautiful story,” one person commented on a video of the segment shared to Instagram. </p> <p>“I felt like I was watching Will Smith all over again. Very sad.”</p> <p>“I must say, I was shocked – it was cringe worthy,” another person wrote. </p> <p>“I love Larry David, but he should have stayed seated until his own segment.”</p> <p>“Although you tried to play it off, Larry David totally messed it up … guess no one told him the theme of the segment” a third shocked viewer added.</p> <p><em>Image: US Today Show/ Instagram</em></p>

TV

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Hunt for Cinderella! Mystery shoe left at Prince Christian's party sparks search

<p>A mystery shoe left at Prince Christian's <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/from-child-to-adult-unseen-pics-of-prince-christian-mark-his-18th-birthday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">18th birthday party</a> inside Christianborg Palace has sparked a search for a real life Cinderella. </p> <p>In the hours after the ball, which saw royalty from around the world attend, the Danish royal household posted a photo of the gold stiletto that was left behind from one of the high profile party guests. </p> <p>The post read, "Is it Cinderella who forgot her shoe last night?"</p> <p>The caption continued, "When the guests at Her Majesty the Queen's gala dinner yesterday had gone home, this lonely stiletto shoe was left at Christiansborg Castle."</p> <p>"The owner is welcome to contact you to get it back."</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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CydeENrNum2/?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/CydeENrNum2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by DET DANSKE KONGEHUS 🇩🇰 (@detdanskekongehus)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The ball was attended by Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik, along with Christian's younger siblings Princess Isabella, 16, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, both 12.</p> <p>His uncle Prince Joachim, who relocated to America in August, was also there with his wife Princess Marie and their three youngest children Count Felix, 21, Count Henrik, 14, and Countess Athena, 12.</p> <p>A number of future monarchs were also present including royals from Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and Belgium.</p> <p>Thankfully, the owner of the shoe was found, with Anne-Sofie Tørnsø Olesen, from Denmark's Egedal region, coming forward to claim the golden stiletto. </p> <p>And it turns out, she left it at the palace on purpose after being inspired by the story of Cinderella who marries her prince after long search.</p> <p>"I thought it was a bit funny myself, and I talked to my family and friends about it before, and they agreed that I should do it," Tørnsø Olesen, 18, told local Danish publication Se &amp; Hør.</p> <p>"It's such a chance you won't get again."</p> <p>She said she was keen to get the shoe back because it was "a memory from a great evening".</p> <p>The lost shoe, by Danish brand Deichmann's Catwalk collection, sparked an immediate flurry of comments on the royal family's Instagram page.</p> <p>The shoe brand said, "If the princess comes from a long way, we will gladly give her a new pair".</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram </em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Ed Sheeran fans left devastated moments before show

<p>Ed Sheeran has been forced to abruptly cancel his show in Las Vegas, just hours before it was set to begin. </p> <p>The British singer-songwriter, who is coming to the end of his Mathematics World Tour, broke the news to devastated fans on Sunday, saying he was "so sorry" for the last minute cancellation. </p> <p>Sheeran wrote on Instagram, “I can’t believe I’m typing this but there’s been some challenges encountered during the load in of our Vegas show."</p> <p>He continued, “It’s impossible to go forward with the show. I’m so sorry. I know everyone has travelled in for this and I wish I could change it."</p> <p>“The gig will be postponed to Saturday October 28th and all purchased tickets will be valid for that date. I’m so, so sorry x.”</p> <p>Fans were quick to express their disappointment, with many saying they had travelled to attend the show and weren't able to come back for the postponed gig. </p> <p>One fan wrote, “I can’t believe we travelled all the way to Vegas 10 hours to see Ed Sheeran for him to cancel less than an hour before the show."</p> <p>“My poor husband a disabled vet along with so many people standing waiting on 103 degree heat to be turned away!!! I can’t come back in October, and no refund!!”</p> <p>Many demanded an explanation as to how the gig could be cancelled at such short notice, to which Ed took to Instagram again in the hours after the cancellation to shed some light on the issue. </p> <p>According to his statement on Instagram, the show was cancelled over safety concerns when two tall towers, used to hold up the stage and lighting equipment, had become unstable. </p> <p>Despite best efforts to restabilise the structures, the issue then travelled to the safety of the floor, which was set to hold 65,000 concertgoers, and the whole show had to be cancelled. </p> <p>Adding to the explanation, Sheeran wrote,  "I really am gutted, this was very much out of my control but I do take full responsibility for everyone that was put out from the cancellation. Of course refunds are available at point of purchase, and there is a rescheduled show October the 28th if people still want to come, I promise it will be special." </p> <p>"We really thought the show was going to happen up until the very last moment but it just couldn’t for safety reasons. Sorry again to everyone affected, and hopefully see you in October x".</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Music

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Shoppers left feeling nostalgic over new chocolate treats

<p dir="ltr">Chocolate lovers are in for a treat with Cadbury’s new range hitting supermarket shelves.</p> <p dir="ltr">The confectionary giant’s new “slices” range may feel quite familiar to some, especially those who often follow their sweet tooth into well-stocked bakeries, which makes perfect sense when considering the new blocks are inspired by the likes of crackle, hedgehog, and mint cream slices. </p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.cadbury.com.au/brand/cadbury-slices">The Cadbury Slices</a>, which carry a price tag of $5.50, are described by their makers as being “inspired by iconic Australian bakery slices and mixed with our iconic Cadbury chocolate to create a new way to enjoy icons, perfect for sharing.”</p> <p dir="ltr">They were an immediate hit with the masses, with one social media snack reviewer even declaring one of the new blocks to be “up there with some of my current favourites”. </p> <p dir="ltr">In a video posted to her Instagram account, she could be seen entering a Woolworths supermarket to pick up the new range, and outlined her journey before reviewing the goods. </p> <p dir="ltr">She did not, however, try the Old Gold mint cream, noting that she wasn’t really a fan of mint chocolate to begin with. </p> <p dir="ltr">First up was the Caramilk hedgehog, and after explaining the “classic Aussie no-bake slice”, she described how the block had a Caramilk base and contained almonds, toasted coconut, and rice crisps, before noting that she “absolutely loved the taste”. </p> <p dir="ltr">Next came the block “inspired by a chocolate crackle”, which also featured rice crisps and toasted coconut, and “definitely resembled the chocolate crackle flavour”. She noted that it had that “recognisable Copha taste”, although she didn’t believe that was one of the ingredients. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It was so delicious,” she surmised, “and I hope this one stays around for a while.” </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/reel/Cr7-qyFJS1q/?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/reel/Cr7-qyFJS1q/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Snack Reviews Aus (@snackreviews_aus)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Her joy at the range and their nostalgic flavours were exactly what the company had been aiming for, and as Paul Chatfield - vice president marketing for ANZ Mondelez International - told <em>news.com.au</em>, “the new Cadbury Slices range, features a variety of familiar and nostalgic flavours that Cadbury and chocolate-fans alike will enjoy.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We know Aussies share fond memories of bakery slices and hope they too will build new memories with family and friends as they share a Cadbury Slices block.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram </em></p>

Food & Wine

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“Absolute agony”: Beauty therapist left housebound from steroid cream withdrawal

<p dir="ltr">Beauty therapist and mother Karyn Flett said she has been “addicted” to steroid creams for over 40 years.</p> <p dir="ltr">In an attempt to ease her painful eczema, Flett revealed she had to wear a balaclava to contain her weeping skin.</p> <p dir="ltr">She began suffering from eczema patches on her face, hands and joints at age 11 and was prescribed topical steroid creams. </p> <p dir="ltr">Flett, 52, has used the medication for decades to soothe her itchy and inflamed skin, but she claims she decided to quit using it after experiencing sweats and rashes similar to menopause symptoms. </p> <p dir="ltr">The mum-of-three, from Fife, Scotland, said she was in “agony” when she went cold turkey and stopped using the medical cream in September 2022.</p> <p dir="ltr">She revealed she went into topical steroid withdrawal and developed a burning rash all over her body and experienced shakes and sweats.</p> <p dir="ltr">Flett was housebound for six months and unable to work due to her condition.</p> <p dir="ltr">She said water felt like acid on her skin and it was so itchy she felt like she could “tear herself to the bone”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 52-year-old resorted to wearing a balaclava and full upper-body bandages for three months in order to keep her weeping skin from sticking to her pillow and sheets and to ease the pain of the relentless itching. </p> <p dir="ltr">She shared that at 45 she began to worry about one of the risks she knew of steroids - that they thin the skin. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I started thinking, ‘Right, I need to use these less’,” Flett said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was going into bouts of withdrawal and getting these severe symptoms, such as shakes and sweats. I had symptoms similar to menopause.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I went away in September and decided not to take my steroid cream, and went into full-blown withdrawal.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Flett explained she had a burning rash from her feet to her entire body. </p> <p dir="ltr">“My face was on fire, it was swollen. My eyes were really hard to open, they were swollen,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">”I went off my food, and then I started going into full-blown shakes.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When I travelled home, my clothes stuck to my skin.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I blistered from my calf up to the back of my thigh and I could feel fluid running down my leg.”</p> <p dir="ltr">When she arrived home, her husband had to help her into the shower and she had to rip the clothing off her skin. </p> <p dir="ltr">“When I first got it, I couldn’t bathe all the time, it was just too painful. The water was like acid,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve always been a mum who likes to do my hair, makeup, get my lashes done, nails and look my best on a night out.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That just left me. You lose all your self confidence, and you don’t know how you ever get back to the person you were.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Flett described the first four to six months of withdrawal as being the worst. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s been likened to being worse than a heroin addiction,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You get a deep, absolute bone itch with topical steroid withdrawal.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s absolute agony, you feel like you can tear yourself down to the bone.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Facebook</em></p>

Body

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Dad left “furious” after mother-in-law rubs whiskey on baby’s gums

<p> A dad has been left “furious” after learning his mother-in-law had rubbed whiskey on his six-month-old daughter’s gums as an “old fashioned” remedy for teething.</p> <p>Some have pointed out that the father’s response is a “red flag”, and perhaps the most concerning part of the story.</p> <p>Posting on Reddit’s “Am I the A**hole” forum, the baby’s 28-year-old first-time mother described the ordeal and asked whether she was in the wrong.</p> <p>She said she was at her mother’s house with her daughter, who is “teething horribly”.</p> <p>“My mum does some old fashion things and she’s really into herbs and natural healing and such, so she wanted to try rubbing whiskey on my daughter’s gums,” she wrote.</p> <p>“She said she did it to me and all three of my siblings. I let her, and it did seem to calm my daughter down a bit.”</p> <p>She told her husband when she got home and said “he was furious”.</p> <p>“He said that’s harmful to our daughter and it does not relieve any pain,” she continued.</p> <p>“He got really upset and said I shouldn’t let my mum do something like that, and told me I couldn’t bring our daughter to my mother’s anymore.</p> <p>“He’s since called the next two days off of work, and is super paranoid watching me every second with our daughter. I feel this is unfair.”</p> <p>While experts emphasise parents should never give whiskey or any other alcohol to teething babies, Reddit users had differing opinions.</p> <p>One wrote, “You’re the a**hole, yeah.”</p> <p>“I mean, you know alcohol is unsafe. It also happens not to work as a topical analgesic – if the baby quietens down, it’s because of the general sedative effect of alcohol. I think it’s hilarious how your mother conflates the use of a well understood but completely inappropriate drug with ‘herbs and natural healing’.”</p> <p>The second most popular reply said the woman was not in the wrong.</p> <p>“A tiny drop of alcohol on someone’s finger is absolutely not sedating a baby and is in no way harmful,” the user wrote.</p> <p>“Alcohol absolutely does have a numbing effect and is used topically for infants and adults with toothache as well. It’s absurd to get up in arms over something so mundane and he’s treating her like she allowed the baby to drink shots or something. I swear this sub is off the rails lately. Is it just solely populated by teenagers now?”</p> <p>A third chimed in, saying she made a “bad judgement call” but it was natural to take her own mother's advice.</p> <p>“It’s natural to look to our elders for guidance and to trust them,” they wrote.</p> <p>“While many mothers (including my own) have used this method, we know a lot more about these older ‘tried and true’ remedies these days … You’re not some monster that’s going to harm your child.”</p> <p>Others expressed that the husband’s reaction was worse than the old-fashioned teething remedy.</p> <p>“Honestly, if this is how your husband is reacting, that’s a red flag,” they said.</p> <p>“He’s right, it doesn’t relieve pain, and if you were to start doing it regularly, yeah, it can be harmful. However, it was a one-time thing that you told him about, and now you know not to do it again.</p> <p>“He shouldn’t be acting like it was a conspiracy to intentionally hurt your daughter.”</p> <p>Another user had the same opinion, writing, “Her husband literally took two days off work to micromanage parenting because of this? That’s excessive. It’s called having a conversation between two adults, saying, ‘We shouldn’t do this again’, and moving on!”</p> <p>A third said, "Your husband’s response is actually the most concerning part of this post … taking off work multiple days to ‘watch over’ your wife over something like this.</p> <p>“This should have been an easy discussion about how that’s not the right way to handle teething and then move on.</p> <p>“This isn’t real a big deal, the damage done to the child was literally zero. If this is how something like this is handled how are things that matter going to handled?”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Cruise passenger left without a single change of clothes in a lost luggage nightmare

<p>When Australian grandmother Cheryl Stuchbery and her husband, John, set sail with Royal Caribbean cruises from Sydney to New Zealand, they thought they were embarking on their dream holiday. </p> <p>But some dreams are destined to turn into nightmares, as Cheryl soon learned, when it was revealed that staff aboard the cruise liner had lost her suitcase. </p> <p>For the next 11 days, Cheryl was left without so much as a change of clothes, forced to wear the same outfit time and time again. John helped as much as he could, offering his own underwear so that his wife wasn’t entirely going without. </p> <p>Speaking to Australia’s <em>A Current Affair</em>, Cheryl admitted that the entire experience had left her “very depressed. I was in tears a lot at the time.”</p> <p>“Cheryl ended up wearing my knickers,” John explained, adding that it only made sense, because his clothes had actually been available.</p> <p>"I've put a pair on, but the only thing is, I couldn't fill out the little pouch in the front," Cheryl added.</p> <p>When the staff were unable to locate her bag on the second day of the trip, they offered to wash her one outfit for her. Every morning, they would drop by, collect her things, and take them off to wash and dry. </p> <p>While this ensured Cheryl had clean clothes to wear each day, it also meant she started them with three hours sitting in her cabin and waiting. </p> <p>“They [would] give Cheryl a t-shirt and a dressing gown,” John explained, “so for the first sort of three hours each day, we're sitting in the room waiting for the clothes to come back.”</p> <p>In the time since, Cheryl has tried to find humour in the whole situation, though she certainly hadn’t even been able to consider it at the time. </p> <p>It wasn’t the first time the couple had set out on a cruise, it was just the first that their belongings hadn’t made it along with them. </p> <p>“They did say it was very unusual for a suitcase not to turn up at all,” Cheryl noted. </p> <p>“For quite a bit of time we felt that it had been stolen because they'd searched the ship," John said. </p> <p>And, in timing that came as no help to the cruising couple, Cheryl’s bag turned up the very day after they’d arrived back in Sydney. </p> <p>To make matters even worse, it had been onboard the whole time.</p> <p>As John put it, “it had been on [the] boat all the time and they say, 'well, that's okay, you've got your case back'.”</p> <p>Royal Caribbean have since issued a statement in apology, writing that they “sincerely apologise for misplacing Mr and Mrs Stuchbery's luggage. During their cruise, Mr and Mrs Stuchbery were provided with complimentary express laundry, an onboard credit to assist with purchasing incidental items, and specialty dining. </p> <p>“The luggage was located on return to Sydney and Mr and Mrs Stuchbery have been offered additional compensation and documentation to support a claim via their travel insurance.”</p> <p>But it hasn’t done anything to help the sour taste of the whole ordeal left in the Stuchbery’s mouths, with Cheryl declaring that she still “feel[s] very angry.” </p> <p><em>Images: A Current Affair / Nine</em></p>

Cruising

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“Thank you stranger”: Woolies shopper left stunned

<p dir="ltr">A shopper at Woolworths was left shocked after a cashier’s unexpected act at the checkout.</p> <p dir="ltr">The single mum shared her feel-good story in a post on Facebook.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There was such a beautiful young lady working the checkout register tonight,” she wrote in the post.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I had a rough day, and when she asked how my day was, I answered with: ‘Not a great one’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The mum-of-three was paying for her groceries with vouchers she’d been gifted from friends who wanted to “lend a hand” as her family was struggling.</p> <p dir="ltr">After she put her shop through the checkout, the vouchers didn’t cover the entire cost, so she asked the cashier to take a bag of bread rolls off the total.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Woolies worker surprised the mum by covering the cost of the bread rolls herself. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I don’t recall her name, but I feel that she deserves a massive thank you, as she made my day and turned it around with her kindness,” the mum said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So thank you stranger - you made an old tired mum have faith there’s still kindness in the world.” </p> <p dir="ltr">Woolworths responded to the mum’s Facebook post and said they would share her feedback with the store’s management team so the staff member can be acknowledged for her random act of kindness.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

Food & Wine

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3 simple DIY trips to spruce up your home with money left over

<p dir="ltr">With the cost of living… need I say more? Well, with the “price of life” going up, everyone is looking for more affordable ways to spruce up their home. Here are some of the best tips for those looking to decorate with a little change left over.</p> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><strong>1. Decoupage an old table to personalise it</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">All you really need is a standard wooden table, some newspaper cutouts or patterns, and no matter the colour or stain - it will work.</p> <p dir="ltr">First, sand the table down and then apply the decoupage glue to the table and the back of the paper. From there, just stick the paper down in the desired pattern and smooth it down with something flat.</p> <p dir="ltr">About half an hour later, apply the glue directly onto the paper and maybe another layer once this has dried - that’s it!</p> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><strong>2. Upcycle your furniture with marble effect sheets</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">While marble bank accounts can hurt the wallet, up-cycling your furniture affordable to get that look is easy enough using self-adhesive plastic sheets</p> <p dir="ltr">Start by placing the sheet on the top of the table and tuck the ends underneath.</p> <p dir="ltr">Make sure you have a tight fit by using a credit card to flattest and then smooth the edges, and that’s it! Enjoy your stylish new table.</p> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation"><strong>3. Replace silicone around the house</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The silicone around your shower and sink will deteriorate over time, sometimes so much so that it will get damaged or break off.</p> <p dir="ltr">Before playing a new layer on top, remove all the old silicone beforehand. Make sure to clear any residue that has been left behind and clean the area with denatured alcohol.</p> <p dir="ltr">Before applying the new seal, bring some tape and place it around the edges you want to reseal.</p> <p dir="ltr">Now, using sealant, slowly close the gap and smoothen the new finish with a caulking tool. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

Home & Garden

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Robert Irwin left in tears after birthday video from his dad appears

<p dir="ltr">Robert Irwin has been left in tears after he received a birthday video message from his late father, Steve Irwin.</p> <p dir="ltr">He was just two years old when his father passed away after he was stung by a stingray in 2006 at the age of just 44.</p> <p dir="ltr">Robert recently celebrated his 19th birthday but now a video has resurfaced of the Crocodile Hunter discussing Robert's birth and his hopes that Robert would follow in his footsteps.</p> <p dir="ltr">The birthday boy was surprised with the video in which it showed footage of his birth in 2003.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At that very moment I saw the light,” Steve said, in a voiceover about Robert’s birth.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is why I was put here,” he said of his children.</p> <p dir="ltr"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nYGMAY9eRHo?start=287" width="560" height="314" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">“Because I could be dead tomorrow.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So I need these blokes to come up as quick as they can, so this little bloke’s (Robert) going to have to catch the crocs with Bindi.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When they’re ready to run up our mission, I will gladly step aside.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Steve then says that it would be the “proudest moment of my life” if his children were to continue his legacy.</p> <p dir="ltr">The video then cuts to show Robert fulfilling his father's dream as he performed shows in the Crocoseum and saving crocodiles in the wild.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Then and only then will I know that I have achieved my ultimate goal and my job will be done. And I guarantee you it will be the proudest moment of my life,” a voiceover of Steve plays at the same time.</p> <p dir="ltr">When the clip ended, Robert shed a few tears and said it was a “privilege” to continue his dad’s legacy in making the world a better place.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It means the absolute world... I just think it's such a privilege, personally and as a family, to continue the legacy of dad,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He gave his life, quite literally, for wildlife conservation and to make the world a better place.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: YouTube</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Mum left devastated after no guests attend her daughter’s party

<p dir="ltr">A US woman has been left devastated after none of the 27 invited guests showed at her daughter’s third birthday party.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mum-of-three Breanna Strong had planned a massive celebration for her daughter, Avery, at KidsTopia Playground, a “jungle-themed indoor playground”, and had catered with pizzas, a Frozen-themed cake, and plenty of goodies for the kids.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, she was left devastated for her daughter when none of the kids turned up.</p> <p dir="ltr">Taking to TikTok, the 27-year-old shared her heartbreak in a clip that quickly went viral and prompted a flood of love to be sent Avery’s way.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We invited 27 kids to Avery's third birthday party. Not a single one of her friends showed up,” she wrote in the video, which showed the empty party room.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9ee893fd-7fff-8937-d660-224fd96a5947"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Money and time wasted. Breaks my momma heart so bad. Literally going to go home and snuggle my babies.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/mum-bday-party1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: TikTok</em></p> <p dir="ltr">The video also included footage of Avery sitting alone eating pizza, before Strong took the rest and threw it in the bin, as well as a clip of Breanna holding back tears while driving home.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I wish I was making this up,” she added in the caption.</p> <p dir="ltr">She later explained in the comments that she had sent out virtual party invitations through Facebook, and while seven families had initially said they would come, some messaged her at the last minute to let her know they couldn’t make it - and the rest stood her up without explanation.</p> <p dir="ltr">But Strong said she was more upset than her daughter was, who was too young to fully understand what happened and had fun at the indoor playground.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She got everything she wanted. Pizza, Frozen cake, and jungle gym. She didn’t know any different rather than having fun. Just shattered my heart,” Strong explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">Commenters were quick to share their support for the young girl, with some sharing that they had similar experiences with their children.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Let’s have a redo. I’ll travel and got a bunch of kids who loves to make friends,” one suggested.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is a rule at my house. If we are invited, we’re GOING!” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We have been the only one that shows up. So sad this happens, I’m so sorry,” a third said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This happened to one of my daughters. Now I make sure we show up to everyone’s party we are invited to. I never want to see that pain for any child,” one parent shared.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-15f411b9-7fff-b93a-a09f-2bf18b53a2aa"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: TikTok</em></p>

Family & Pets

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What will happen to the thousands of Paddington Bears left for the Queen

<p dir="ltr">More than 1,000 Paddinton Bears left for Queen Elizabeth II since her passing will be donated to charity. </p> <p dir="ltr">The plush toys were left at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle following the late monarch’s passing on September 8.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Palace announced that the toys will be cleaned and donated to children's charity Barnardos. </p> <p dir="ltr">They released a photo of the Queen Consort Camilla surrounded by the teddies to mark the special occasion. </p> <p dir="ltr">Queen Elizabeth and Paddington Bear had a loveable friendship when he made a surprise appearance at the Platinum Jubilee.</p> <p dir="ltr">The adorable skit showed the Queen sitting down for tea with Paddington Bear who told the monarch that he hoped she was “having a lovely Jubilee”. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Queen then offered Paddington some tea as the pair discussed their shared love for marmalade sandwiches. </p> <p dir="ltr">Paddington Bear then offered Her Majesty an emergency marmalade sandwich, something he always keeps hidden away in his hat. </p> <p dir="ltr">In a funny turn of events, the Queen did not need the emergency marmalade sandwich as she had also come prepared with her own sandwich in her handbag. </p> <p dir="ltr">The skit, which took the Queen half a day to film, was described better than her Olympic opening show cameo with James Bond.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Renter left “violated” after routine inspection

<p dir="ltr">An Australian renter has sought advice after a routine rental inspection left them feeling violated and uneasy.</p> <p dir="ltr">The tenant, who lives in Western Australia, revealed that the agent took “a ton” of photos, including some of the toilet and inside the oven.</p> <p dir="ltr">Taking to Reddit, they asked whether that level of documentation was allowed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m new to renting in australia (sic) – just had my first routine inspection which involved a ton of photos including inside the oven and the toilet,” they wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Is this legal? I genuinely feel violated. (WA if that matters).”</p> <p dir="ltr">Some responded with suspicion and confusion, questioning whether the number of photos was “intimidation” or whether finding “crumbs in the oven” or “a skid mark in the toilet” would be enough of an issue to inform the landlord.</p> <p dir="ltr">One user explained that the photo of the oven could be used to ensure the tenant was keeping it clean, given the risk of fires starting as a result of grease buildup in dirty ovens.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The photos of the oven be about making sure you’re keeping the oven in a clean order. “Which you should be because having to clean an oven that hasn’t been clean in years is horrible,” they wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, one user revealed that photography was a common practice during inspections and that real estate agents find the task just as much of a chore as renters.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Don’t take it personally, it is common practice among most rentals to take photos of anything and everything, I don’t know about the toilet bowl, that might be specifically related to the photographer, questions you might not want answers to,” they said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The photos and the completed condition report is then sent to the owner, but they can’t open cupboards or wardrobes and take photos, unless there is visible damage.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Side note.. Friend works in real estate doing inspections, it’s no party for them either.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Western Australian law states that, if photos need to be taken during routine property inspections both the agent and the tenant should sight the photos and sign them, as reported by <em>Domain</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, WA’s Consumer Protection also notes that photos shouldn’t “depict anything beyond what is necessary” and that tenants can ask the property manager if photos will be taken so that they can put personal items away.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1879a310-7fff-d6c4-9623-6503226e15ed"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Real Estate

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These 60 gut microbes have evolved alongside humans since we first left Africa

<p>When homo sapiens made their way out of Africa, they were carrying tiny little friends with them.</p> <p>A new study has shown those same friends – gut bacteria – have been evolving, or “codiversifying,” alongside us for the last couple of hundred thousand years.</p> <p>As well as allowing us to understand more about ourselves, it’s hoped the new research will also give us more information on how to treat microbiome-based diseases or create new therapies.</p> <p>The study – published in Science – looked at the differences and similarities between our closest bacterial friends in 1225 humans living around the world. The team found 59 bacterial species, and one archaeon, that have evolved in parallel with humans. (An archaeon are a domain of single-celled organism, originally thought to be bacteria, but are now known to be more similar to eukaryotes – multi-cellular organisms like us.)</p> <p>The human gut microbiome contains hundreds of species of bacteria, and many of the most prominent species are found in people worldwide, says Andrew Moeller, an evolutionary biologist at Cornell University in an accompanying paper. “Gut bacterial communities are not haphazard collections of bacteria but reflections of the distinct ancestries of human populations.”</p> <p>However, within microbial species, some strains can show remarkable genetic diversity between specific human populations. Whether or not this diversity arose through a shared evolutionary history between humans and their microbes hasn’t yet been fully understood.</p> <p>Max Planck Institute for Biology microbiologist Taichi Suzuki and his team evaluated 1225 people living in Gabon, Vietnam, and Germany and discovered 60 microbial strains that, between and within countries, have evolutionary histories that indicates codiversification.</p> <p>The team also found that the species displaying the strongest codiversification appear to have also independently evolved traits such as oxygen and temperature intolerance and reduced genomes, which means they really are stuck with us – also known as host dependency.</p> <p>“The list of human health conditions linked to the microbiome ranges from malnutrition to allergies and cardiovascular disease,” the team write in their new paper.</p> <p>“An awareness of differences in gut microbial strains between populations has already led to the notion that probiotics for treating malnutrition should be locally sourced.</p> <p>“The microbiome is a therapeutic target for personalized medicine, and our results underscore the importance of a population specific approach to microbiome-based therapies.”  </p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/these-60-gut-microbes-have-evolved-with-us-for-200000-years-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Jacinta Bowler.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: </em><em>López et al. 2015</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"She's really left us": Stunning double rainbow graces the skies

<p>As news of Queen Elizabeth's passing broke, people in the UK took to the gates of both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle to pay their respects to the monarch. </p> <p>As mourners gathered arm-in-arm to remember their Queen, they were graced with an emotional and magical sight. </p> <p>A spectacular double rainbow appeared over the dreary skies of London, with devastated Brits saying the Queen "sent us a sign" and that she has "really left us".</p> <p>The double rainbow even appeared over the Victoria memorial, prompting some to say it is "Queen Elizabeth with Prince Phillip". </p> <p>One twitter user said, "The rainbow at Windsor Castle made me cry. The rainbow Queen sent us a sign."</p> <p>Another said, "A rainbow breaks out, as the Union Jack is lowered to half-mast at Windsor tonight. A remarkable image. Farewell, Ma'am."</p> <p dir="ltr">The monarch was under medical supervision due to her deteriorating health but unfortunately died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8th at 8:30pm local time (3:30am AEDT).</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” The Royal Family tweeted.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The public was notified of her death through the traditional form of a formal message placed on an easel on the railings outside the Palace.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images / BBC News</em></p>

Caring

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"10 seconds left to live": Skydive survivor recalls horror moment

<p>Young Aussie Emma Carey has recalled the gut-wrenching moment she realised she only had “10 seconds left to live” during a freak skydiving accident that happened nine years ago.</p> <p>Emma Carey, now almost 29, is lucky to be alive after her parachute became tangled and then strangled her instructor during a tandem skydive. The pair fell 14,000ft out of the sky.</p> <p>The accident unfortunately went down on the fifth day of her three-month long overseas trip when she decided to skydive in Switzerland alongside her best friend. Emma realised something was seriously wrong when she spotted the parachute flapping out in front of her rather than in the air above. When the parachute was finally deployed it became tangled with the strings of the safety chute and choked her instructor, causing him to pass out almost instantly.</p> <p>“I remember thinking, oh my god Jemma will have to find me on the ground, I remember thinking about my family and the main thing I remember feeling is regret for not embracing myself fully up until that point” she shared.</p> <p>The then-20-year-old copped the brunt of the fall, landing facedown with the instructor on top of her. Quickly trying to roll him off, she became distraught realising she couldn’t feel anything from the waist down. Ms Carey was rushed to hospital where surgeons operated on her back and pelvis. Her spine was broken in two places, rendering her a paraplegic.</p> <p>After recovering from surgery, she was reunited with her family and friends in Australia where she started rehabilitation. By some miracle, she slowly but surely began to get the feeling back in her legs and eventually learned to walk, albeit with a small limp.</p> <p>However, Ms Carey has remained positive throughout the ordeal and now looks at the terrifying moment she felt sure she was going to die as a “rebirth”.</p> <p>“I know how it feels. To think I only have 10 seconds left to live and now I get the rest of my life, whatever that is, so I think it's actually really nice for me to have that memory because it helps to keep me grateful,” she said.</p> <p>Carey has written a book “the girl who fell from the sky” detailing the day her life was changed forever.<br />It has been nine years since the shocking incident and little did she know, nine years later she would be where she is today.</p> <p><em>Image: Nine</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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“You left us way too soon”: Tributes flow for Margaret Ulrich

<p dir="ltr">Margaret Ulrich, the New Zealand singer best known for her vocals on Daryl Braithwaite’s hit <em>The Horses</em>, has died aged 57 after battling breast cancer for two and a half years.</p> <p dir="ltr">The songstress passed away peacefully at her home in the NSW Southern Highlands on Monday, surrounded by her family.</p> <p dir="ltr">Tributes to Ulrich have since poured in from fans, artists, and TV stars from Australia and New Zealand.</p> <p dir="ltr">“RIP Margaret Ulrich. Such a beautiful singer. My heart goes out to George and her family. You left us way too soon,” Aussie icon Jimmy Barnes <a href="https://twitter.com/JimmyBarnes/status/1561866835938529280" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tweeted</a>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-4b0a75c7-7fff-4e8b-ed41-f90639c16c44">“One of the most beautiful voices to come out of New Zealand has fallen silent,” Project co-host Angela Bishop <a href="https://twitter.com/AngelaBishop/status/1561678245351018496" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The beautiful Margaret Urlich... one of the most unique vibratos and NZ voices. Will never forget her rendition of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" in Jesus Christ Superstar. "Escaping" is still one of the most iconic jams Saddest news but a life full of incredible achievements❤️❤️ <a href="https://t.co/acimbvx9xn">https://t.co/acimbvx9xn</a></p> <p>— Indira Stewart (@Indiratweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/Indiratweets/status/1561781878566240256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">😢THAT Voice, THAT fashion style for a tom-boy like me. I got to do an Advert with other female artists for TVNZ.I was a 13 yr old nerdy kid. SHE was super gorgeous. 🕊Margaret Urlich an absolute icon from that beautiful melting pot of talent. Moe mai ra beautiful💔🎵 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Escaping?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Escaping</a> <a href="https://t.co/XW7O1FchxM">pic.twitter.com/XW7O1FchxM</a></p> <p>— TheBlackSheep.com (@74MasterBlaster) <a href="https://twitter.com/74MasterBlaster/status/1561782621176270850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“The beautiful Margaret Ulrich… one of the most unique vibratos and NZ voices,” TVNZ journalist Indira Stewart <a href="https://twitter.com/Indiratweets/status/1561781878566240256" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Vale #margaretulrich Much love to George and the family … and immense respect for the beautiful and talented artist who blazed a trail. R.I.P. Margaret 💔,” Channel Nine’s Richard Wilkins <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardWilkins/status/1561671409231081472" target="_blank" rel="noopener">added</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Margaret Ulrich, trailblazer &amp; wonderful human. I was in awe of her as a kid. Aroha (love) to all hurting from this loss,” New Zealand singer-songwriter Hollie Smith <a href="https://twitter.com/holliejsmith/status/1561813545783701504" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ulrich began her career as the vocalist for the band Peking Man, before joining When The Cat’s Away, a Kiwi all-girl pop group.</p> <p dir="ltr">She later made history as the first solo female artist to take the number one spot in the official New Zealand Music Charts with her hit song <em>Escaping</em>, which came from her 1989 debut album <em>Safety in Numbers</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her follow-up album, <em>Chameleon Dreams</em> (1992), spawned the hits <em>Boy in the Moon</em> and <em>Burnt Sienna</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, Ulrich’s Aussie music fame came after she was a guest vocalist on Braithwaite’s 1991 hit, which spent 12 weeks in the Top 10 and 23 weeks in the Top 50 Australian charts and has since been recognised as a beloved national anthem.</p> <p dir="ltr">In 2016, Ulrich admitted she regrets not appearing in the music video, which was being filmed while she was recording an album in London.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I could have come back to do the video but I was doing my own thing by that stage,” she told News Corp.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A lot of people know it's my singing, but they don't put two and two together that it's not me in the video.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In retrospect, it was probably a little bit silly because the song was so huge. But at the time I was young and a bit stupid, I did what I thought was right. But it was absolutely no disrespect to Daryl.”</p> <p dir="ltr">That same year, Braithwaite claimed in an interview commemorating 25 years since<em> The Horses</em> was released that Ulrich pulled out of the video at the last minute.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b7c42a1f-7fff-7264-118d-d2f9b1475375"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

Caring

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Aussie with terminal cancer uses time left to make her mark

<p dir="ltr">An Australian researcher who has been diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer is busy making plans for when she’s gone - including a contribution she hopes will help advance research in animal studies.</p> <p dir="ltr">Siobhan O’Sullivan was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer in July 2020, finding out within a year that the cancer had spread and that her illness was terminal.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In the week prior to my diagnosis, I was starting to say to people, ‘I’m not feeling right - I think it’s stress because Dad’s going to die soon’,” she told <em><a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/a-silent-killer-has-left-her-terminally-ill-now-this-aussie-woman-has-a-simple-message-c-6854866" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The week before dad died, I went to the doctor and said, ‘Something’s not right’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">During her treatments Siobhan suffered multiple strokes - an unexpected side effect - but even extensive treatment couldn’t stop the cancer from spreading.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That was a huge blow for me because a lot of women at that point do get some remission time,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m now at 19 months, which means I’m on borrowed time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Though she’s living with death, Siobhan has maintained her humour and optimism, as well as her advocacy for ovarian cancer and the legalisation of voluntary assisted dying.</p> <p dir="ltr">She also began making plans, divesting her property and funds to her niece, nephew, godson and his sister, and ensuring her podcast is in good hands once she’s gone.</p> <p dir="ltr">Siobhan has also bequeathed $50,000 to the Australisian Animal Studies Association (AASA), which she is a founder of, and is helpling to establish two awards for future researchers.</p> <p dir="ltr">She is an associate professor of politics at Sydney’s University of New South Wales and was extremely involved in research around animal studies and her other passion, the alleviation of social issues related to poverty.</p> <p dir="ltr">Thanks to her donation, the AASA is offering two new prizes: one for early-career researchers, and the other for animal studies scholars, artists or advocates who have worked to promote their insights and findings with their peers and the public.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is an exciting way to help the field of animal studies,” she said in a <a href="https://www.inside.unsw.edu.au/awards/new-awards-scheme-advances-the-emerging-sub-discipline-animal-studies#:~:text=As%20a%20founder%20of%20the,be%20established%20in%20coming%20years." target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “My own research … suggests that many animal studies scholars feel isolated and their research is not acknowledged by their own institutions. </p> <p dir="ltr">“These awards are a way of strengthening the animal studies community and giving scholars a sense of achievement and recognition.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-797bc252-7fff-26df-4e48-a4265576659f"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">As she nears the end of her life, Siobhan has said she would feel immensely comforted by the thought that she could legally end her life before her cancer brings her even more suffering.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I was so honoured to speak on behalf of people facing horrible deaths in NSW. Today I'll be watching <a href="https://twitter.com/nsw_upperhouse?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nsw_upperhouse</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/NSWParlLA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NSWParlLA</a> closely. I hope our political leaders use their power to ease the load of the terminally ill &amp; their friends &amp; family. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AssistedDying?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AssistedDying</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/VAD?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#VAD</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nswpol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nswpol</a> <a href="https://t.co/hecIbBdBAl">pic.twitter.com/hecIbBdBAl</a></p> <p>— Siobhan O'Sullivan 🥦😸♋ (@so_s) <a href="https://twitter.com/so_s/status/1527089433501405184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“My view is that there is no benefit that’s going to come to me, or my family, or this world, for me to suffer the last couple of weeks of a death by ovarian cancer,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">But the very recent <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/caring/emotional-scenes-as-nsw-passes-law-on-voluntary-assisted-dying" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passing of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill</a> in NSW Parliament might still come too late for Siobhan, since it could take up to 18 months for the law to come into effect.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite it not necessarily being an option she could take up, Siobhan says her advocacy will help others in the future.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is for the other people, for the next people - the people in one, two, three years time,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-62a0997d-7fff-4443-1f85-8266d60241af"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Siobhan O’Sullivan (Facebook)</em></p>

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Great grandma left outside hospital for two hours in the cold

<p dir="ltr">A 92-year-old great grandmother who was rushed to hospital by her family due to a shortage of ambulances was left out in the cold for two hours.</p> <p dir="ltr">Maureen Wortley suffered a fall and was taken to Lyell McEwin Hospital in Adelaide about 6.30pm on Monday night. </p> <p dir="ltr">Upon arrival, Maureen underwent a Covid test before having to do another one due to miscommunication with staff.</p> <p dir="ltr">While waiting to be treated, Maureen was forced to wait outside in the freezing cold for two hours dressed only in her dressing gown.</p> <p dir="ltr">​​"She was asked to sit on her walker, wasn't provided with a wheelchair or a blanket, asked to sit on her walker outside in 10 or 12 degrees," a family member told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/south-australia-news-great-grandmother-left-two-hours-in-cold-outside-adelaide-emergency-room/ea975d2d-f2ad-4a37-b173-0d623e86849c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nine News</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The family made a formal complaint about Maureen’s treatment and claimed that staff were provided with heating while patients were not. </p> <p dir="ltr">South Australia Premier Peter Malinauskas was made aware of the complaint and offered his personal apology. </p> <p dir="ltr">"We saw someone not getting the sort of care that any Australian with a degree of compassion would want to see or certainly expect," he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dr Penny Conor from the Northern Adelaide Health Network confirmed that the hospital was busy but was not at capacity. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I probably wouldn't describe it as a substantial stuff up but yes we could've done better," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Again I apologise unreservedly to the family."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Nine News</em></p>

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“Not treated as human beings”: Disabled children left behind in Ukraine

<p>An investigation by a human rights organisation has found that children with severe disabilities have been “dumped” in children’s homes that are too overrun to care for them.</p> <p><a href="https://www.driadvocacy.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Disability Rights International</a> carried out the investigation, finding that the children were tied to their beds in understaffed institutions whose remaining staff were unable to cope.</p> <p>Halyna Kurylo, a representative of the organisation, visited an institution in south west Ukraine and said the children there were not being “treated as human beings”.</p> <p>“Because of their disabilities, they’re not treated as human beings, they are only kept alive here,” Ms Kurylo said.</p> <p>“My heart breaks as a mother of two children.</p> <p>“Even though they’re in a safe place, their state will deteriorate because they are not getting any kind of stimulation, any kind of rehabilitation and to me, this is further disabling them.”</p> <p>After gaining exclusive access to a western Ukrainian institution, the BBC reported that its staff has been caring for 22 teenage girls from the east who were left behind by their carers, who fled to other countries with “the less disabled children”.</p> <p>“They (former carers) were so selfish that they ran out of here as fast as they could,” Vasyl Markulin, the director of the institution, told the BBC.</p> <p>“I thought they would come here and tell us who had epilepsy, who was incontinent and so on.</p> <p>“But then they sat here until lunchtime and left.”</p> <p>The report from the human rights organisation comes just over a month after the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities warned that the lives of an estimated 2.7 million people with disabilities could be at risk in the conflict.</p> <p>“People with disabilities have limited or no access to emergency information, shelters and safe havens, and many have been separated from their support networks, leaving them unable to respond to the situation and navigate their surroundings,” the council said in a statement.</p> <p>The council indicated that a lack of reports of people with disabilities having reached the border or been internally displaced suggests that many haven’t been able to flee to safety.</p> <p> </p> <p>#Ukraine: As a result of Russia's military aggression, the UN Cttee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities urges States+UN+civil society+stakeholders to ensure people w/ #disabilities are accounted for, protected+provided w/ access to humanitarian aid: https://t.co/mTHVpZ1Lbn pic.twitter.com/JorLknN3kx</p> <p> </p> <p>— UN Treaty Bodies (@UNTreatyBodies) April 14, 2022</p> <p>“The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities requires States to ensure the inclusion of people with disabilities when meeting their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law,” the statement continued.</p> <p>“Ratified by both the Russian Federation and Ukraine, the Convention requires States to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection and safety of people with disabilities in situations of risk, including armed conflict and humanitarian emergencies.”</p> <p>The committee called on Russia to end its hostilities immediately and urged both countries, UN agencies, and others involved in the conflict to “recognise and respond to the pleas and requirements of people with disabilities” caught in the middle.</p> <p>“Measures need to be taken to ensure that all people with disabilities are accounted for, protected and provided with immediate access to humanitarian aid, taking into account their individual support requirements,” the committee said, concluding that it would continue to monitor the situation.</p> <p>To see the full BBC story, click here.</p> <p><em>Image: BBC News (YouTube)</em></p>

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