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UK comedian shreds thousands in protest of David Beckham’s Qatar deal

<p dir="ltr">English comedian Joe Lycett has called out footballer David Beckham for his multi-million-dollar deal with Qatar by shredding £10,000 - but Lycett’s protest has come with a twist.</p> <p dir="ltr">After Beckham came under fire for accepting the cash from Qatar - where homosexuality is illegal and you can be jailed or put to death as punishment - to promote the World Cup, Lycett took to social media to call on the former English captain to put his money where his mouth is.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b0f7f24c-7fff-e87b-cd94-977224136cd7"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Lycett shared a video where he said he would donate £10,000 ($AU 17,700 or $NZ 19,386) if Beckham withdrew from his deal with Qatar before the World Cup started on November 19.</p> <p dir="ltr">If Beckham didn’t, Lycett said he would shred it.</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/ClGfxiQIvDb/?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/ClGfxiQIvDb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Joe Lycett (@joelycett)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">"This is a message to David Beckham... I consider you to be a gay icon," Lycett said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You were the first premiership footballer to do shoots with gay magazines like Attitude, to speak openly about your gay fans, and you married a Spice Girl, which is the gayest thing a human being can do.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Qatar was voted as one of the worst places in the world to be gay. You've always talked about the power of football to be a force for good... so with that in mind, I'm giving you a choice.</p> <p dir="ltr">"If you end your relationship with Qatar, I'll donate this 10 grand of my own money to charities that support queer people in football. However, if you do not... I will throw this money into a shredder.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Not just the money, but also your status as a gay icon will be shredded."</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-735f7414-7fff-0c3f-b123-4b37c34f34e3"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">After his video went viral, Lycett shared a message he sent to Beckham’s PR team on social media.</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/ClBdqBgoPAM/?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/ClBdqBgoPAM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Joe Lycett (@joelycett)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve managed to get myself into a bit of a pickle - I’ve been a bit daft and publicly announced that I’m going to shred £10K on Sunday if David doesn’t end his relationship with Qatar, or donate the cash to LGBTQ+ charities if he does, yet we’re now four days out and I haven’t heard a peep from him,” he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Could you do me a solid and let me know if there’s a chance he might budge on his position, or am I to expect radio silence on this? I really don’t want to shred ten grand!!! I also really don’t want a national treasure that has historically supported the LGBTQ+ community to publicly endorse and advertise a nation state that has an appalling human rights record and has the death penalty for gays - call me old fashioned!!!!!!”</p> <p dir="ltr">With Beckham not responding or backing out of the deal with Qatar, Lycett shared a clip on Sunday of himself putting wads into a woodchipper, dressed in a rainbow coat.</p> <p dir="ltr">But that isn’t the end of the story.</p> <p dir="ltr">The comedian shared another video on Monday, where he revealed that the stunt wasn’t what it appeared to be.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is my final message to David Beckham,” he began the clip.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s me! That prick who shredded loads of money in a cost-of-living crisis.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I told you I was going to destroy £10,000 if you didn’t end your relationship with Qatar before the first day of the World Cup. And then when you didn’t end your relationship or even respond in any way, I streamed myself dropping 10K into a shredder.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Or did I?</p> <p dir="ltr">“I haven’t quite told you the whole truth. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Because the truth is, the money that went into the shredder was real, but the money that came out was fake.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Lycett added that he wouldn’t be “so irresponsible” to destroy “real money”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In fact, the ten grand had already been donated to LGBTQ+ charities before I even pressed send on the initial tweet last week,” he continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I never expected to hear from you. It was an empty threat designed to get people talking.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0189d111-7fff-2b5e-96d4-872ebc0b31b0"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“In many ways, it was like your deal with Qatar, David. Total bulls**t from the start.”</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/tv/ClOMLKuIY0r/?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/tv/ClOMLKuIY0r/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Joe Lycett (@joelycett)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Lycett ended the clip by shredding another item: the 2002 cover of <em>Attitude </em>magazine that featured Beckham, which was the first gay magazine to feature a Premier League footballer on it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I asked <em>Attitude </em>if I could shred it and they were more than happy to oblige,” Lycett said, before running the cover through a paper shredder.</p> <p dir="ltr">His final video, captioned with a single rainbow flag, received a flood of praise from fellow celebrities and fans.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh you. It’s like you thought it all through or somethin …” Dawn French commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You are flipping amazing ❤️❤️❤️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈,” singer Sophie Ellis Bexter added.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d1dc9455-7fff-40cd-4ae9-c47bf33ab5ef"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Money & Banking

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The best way to carry travel documents

<p>If something happens overseas and you need to produce an important travel document, you want to be able to do so without having to empty half your suitcase. Keeping your travel documents organised can save you quite a lot of stress when you’re abroad.</p> <p>But what’s the best way to do so?</p> <p>We’ve taken a look at the options for getting your travel documents together, and provided some tips and tricks to do so. Organising ahead of time might be the difference between passing a border easily, and having to deal with an irate customs official.</p> <p><strong>Travel folder</strong></p> <p>There is a range of specialised travel folders on the market at the moment, but even something as simple as a standard A4 folder can do the job well enough, protecting your important documents from the elements while ensuring they all remain in the same place.</p> <p>The advantage of using a travel folder is that it’s a relatively inexpensive solution, but at the same time if it’s not specifically designed for travel, some bulkier items like your passport can be loose.</p> <p><strong>Travel wallet</strong></p> <p>These items are becoming increasingly popular and it’s easy to see why, as they provide a neat little way to store all your important documents. They can also provide a stylish accessory, as we can see in this video which shows how anyone can make their own <a href="../travel/travel-insurance/2016/03/how-to-make-a-diy-travel-wallet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">great DIY travel wallet</span></strong></a>.</p> <p>Travel wallets are lightweight, easy to carry and reliable. The only disadvantage is that they are not really suitable for larger documents like booking confirmations.</p> <p><strong>Money belts</strong></p> <p>Another neat way to carry travel documents around, money belts are generally pretty discreet. Strapped around your stomach, it can be a great way to carry around your important travel documents without running the risk of them being nabbed by pickpockets. That being said, money belts are only so big, and might not be suitable for all of your travel documents.</p> <p><strong>Additional hints and tips</strong></p> <ul> <li>Before you go, take time to make copies of your travel documents such as your passport and airfares, and be sure to carry these around in a separate place.</li> <li>Consider making digital copies of your travel documents as well. Save these on a USB, in an email or on an <a href="https://www.tripit.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">itinerary</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> stor</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">age</span><span style="text-decoration: underline;"> website such as TripIt</span></strong></a>.</li> <li>Review the <a href="../travel/travel-insurance/2015/11/destinations-you-need-a-visa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Visa entry requirements</span></strong></a> of the destination you’re visiting.</li> <li>Be wary when a hotel or travel company asks you to <a href="../travel/travel-tips/2015/12/handing-your-passport-to-a-hotel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">hand over your passport</span></strong></a>.</li> </ul> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Travel Tips

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Surprising things that can invalidate your passport

<p dir="ltr">It goes without saying that a lot of planning goes into booking an overseas holiday, such as flights, accommodation, insurance, packing, and much more. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, what some people don’t consider for their international holiday is the condition of their passport. </p> <p dir="ltr">With many obstacles in the way of getting to your overseas destination, it's worth checking out the state of your passport before you head to the airport. </p> <p dir="ltr">Keep an eye out for these telltale signs that could render your passport invalid before you even set off on your holiday.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>A damaged document</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">As <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/">9Honey</a> reporter Bronte Gossling recently discovered, a damaged passport will prevent you from flying. </p> <p dir="ltr">Bronte was one of the first Aussies booked to jet off to Bali after the Covid-19 restrictions eased, when she was stopped at airport security. </p> <p dir="ltr">"My passport had become a casualty of Sydney's rapidly-growing mould plague, and the resulting water damage meant my Bali dreams had gone up in smoke," she <a href="https://travel.nine.com.au/latest/bali-flights-return-from-australia-passport-mistake-completely-derailed-trip/e3456c17-0ce8-4513-870b-d715395be636">wrote</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">While some general wear and tear is expected on your passport, the <a href="https://www.passports.gov.au/">Australia Passport Office</a> says it must be minimal in order to still be valid. </p> <p dir="ltr">More serious damage such as water damage, tears or cuts in the pages, marks across your photo or in the Machine Readable Zone (MRZ) on the photo page can prevent you from travelling.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Imminent expiration</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">In order to travel internationally, you must have at least six months remaining on your passport. </p> <p dir="ltr">As there is no chance of extending your passport’s time of validity due to the pandemic, it’s best to renew the document sooner rather than later. </p> <p dir="ltr">If you have grand travel plans and your passport is due to expire this year, consider renewing it now to prevent being barred entry to international destinations. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Not enough blank pages</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">While everyone likes to see the stamps of different countries collected in their passport, be wary of how much space you have left. </p> <p dir="ltr">Some countries require up to three blank pages in your passport depending on how much space they need (some visas take up at least two pages), and a limit on space could see your passport rendered invalid. </p> <p dir="ltr">If you’re running low on space, consider renewing your passport and keep your old stamp-filled document as a reminder of all the places you’ve seen. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Souvenir stamps</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">While it’s all fun and games to fill your passport with stamps of everywhere you’ve been, some unofficial stamps could see your passport in big trouble. </p> <p dir="ltr">Collecting souvenir stamps at places such as Berlin’s Checkpoint Charlie or a research station in Antarctica could mean your passport is now invalid. </p> <p dir="ltr">The only stamps that should grace your passport should be placed by government officials working for the destination you're visiting. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>A passport stamp from Israel</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Some countries, such as Lebanon and Iran, do not recognise the Israeli state and will deny entry to any travellers who have the stamp in their passport. </p> <p dir="ltr">In order to avoid this hassle if you’re planning a trip to Israel, simply ask for officials to not stamp your passport and instead ask for an entry card - a document you can keep with your passport until you leave. </p> <p dir="ltr">The limitations around travelling from Israel to other countries in the Middle East vary, so make sure you look up your destination and their rules before planning your trip. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images / 9Honey</em></p>

International Travel

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1,500 secret CIA and FBI JFK assassination files released

<p dir="ltr">The US National Archives<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-16/1000s-jfk-john-f-kennedy-documents-released-assassination/100706500" target="_blank">has released</a><span> </span>nearly 1,500 documents relating to the government’s investigation into the assasination of former president John F Kennedy in 1963.</p> <p dir="ltr">The documents, including secret cables and internal memos, were released in line with federal statute, which has called for records relating to the assassination by gunman Lee Harvey Oswald to be made public.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though there was no indication that the files revealed any new information, historians who are skeptical that Oswald was solely responsible for the assassination have eagerly anticipated the release.</p> <p dir="ltr">Cables and memos from the CIA discussed Oswald’s visits to the Soviet and Cuban embassies in Mexico City, as well as discussions of Cuba’s potential involvement in Kennedy’s death.</p> <p dir="ltr">One memo described how Oswald called the Soviet embassy while in Mexico City to ask for a visa to visit the Soviet Union.</p> <p dir="ltr">He also visited the Cuban embassy to obtain a travel visa to visit Cuba and wait there for his Soviet visa.</p> <p dir="ltr">One month before Kennedy’s death, Oswald re-entered the US through a crossing point at the Texas border.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another memo, dated one day before the killing, said Oswald had communicated with a KGB officer while at the Soviet embassy that September.</p> <p dir="ltr">After Kennedy died, Mexican authorities arrested a Cuban embassy employee who had communicated with Oswald and said he had “professed to be a Communist and an admirer of Castro”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fidel Castro, then the leader of Cuba, was an adversary of Kennedy’s administration and appeared in a CIA document that detailed what is said were government plots to assassinate him.</p> <p dir="ltr">The document, labelled “Secret Eyes Only”, mentioned one scheme that “involved the use of the criminal underworld with contacts inside Cuba”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another document contained considerations by the US government about whether Oswald had been swayed by one of Castro’s newspaper interviews, where he warned of retribution if the US helped take out Cuban leaders.</p> <p dir="ltr">Other files included several FBI reports on the agency’s efforts in investigating and surveilling major mafia figures, including Santo Trafficante Jr and Sam Giancana.</p> <p dir="ltr">These files also revealed that the agency regularly kept tabs on anti-Castro groups in southern Florida and Puerto Rico in the 1960s.</p> <p dir="ltr">In 2017, then-president Donald Trump blocked the release of hundreds of records, after the CIA and FBI raised concerns of “potentially irreversible harm”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite these concerns, about 2,800 other records were released.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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Woman documents her daily struggles as the “most attractive person”

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a world inundated with media perceptions of beauty, plastic surgery and many people on the constant search for superficial validation, a lot of people are striving for beauty. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, as Ariana will tell you, being beautiful is a constant struggle. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 21-year-old American college student posted a video to her TikTok account, saying she often feels that other girls exclude her because they are so jealous of her looks. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In posting the video, a hesitant Ariana said she was worried about posting the confession in case she got “attacked”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While applying her makeup, she spoke candidly to the camera saying, “So there‘s a topic I really want to talk about, and I wanna talk about it often but I have a hard time doing it because I know I’m going to get attacked.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It goes along with pretty privilege. Obviously, pretty privilege is a thing, we know this, we know there‘s a lot of pros to that.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTXrmwzpNfb/?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> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTXrmwzpNfb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by ari;) (@arianasavannahh)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She goes on to say that there are a lot of “downsides” to being good looking, and she wanted to share her “experience as a woman”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“As I said, this topic is very difficult to talk about, because if you know you know, and if you don‘t know, you’re probably going to attack me, my personality, which I am expecting,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This is why I don‘t talk about it often.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ariana explains that she was often excluded by women, and always wondered why. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“College was really the hardest point for me. Girls will always be like oh my gosh, I love you so much, you‘re so gorgeous, we’re gonna hang out,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The time comes around and I always am left out, and talked about poorly behind my back, and it never makes sense because I am always being so kind and genuine.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTDHfpbJ9NP/?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> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTDHfpbJ9NP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by ari;) (@arianasavannahh)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ariana assures her viewers that it was not her personality turning people away from her, but rather her blindingly good looks. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I was super outgoing, especially around girls, and loved empowering women and just being a b**ch, you know we love being b**ches, in a good way,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So I would come home from college on the weekends because I had nothing to do and I would cry to my mum.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Her mum backed her up as a teenager, saying all the girls were just jealous and that was why she found it hard to socialise with other women. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ending the video that has been viewed over 350,000 times she said, “If you know me, you know I don‘t carry myself that way, I was so confused and thought this probably is not true, my whole life that this is the reason I can’t make girlfriends.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The post has racked up thousands of comments from fellow beautiful people, saying they empathise with Ariana and her difficult situation, as they have all banded together online to create a pretty privileged group of people. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Instagram @arianasavannahh</span></em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Banksy’s shredded work sells for 300 percent over estimated price

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">British street artist Banksy has reappeared in the headlines after his painting that shredded itself after it sold for $US 1.4 million ($AUD 1.9 million or $NZD 1.98 million)  has been sold again, this time for an even greater sum.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Love is in the Bin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, formerly known as </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Girl With Balloon</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/news/world/shredded-banksy-artwork-sells-at-auction-c-4240790" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">was sold</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> for $USD 25 million ($AUD 33.71 million or $NZD 35.37 million) at Sotheby’s in London.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With a pre-sale estimate of 4 to 6 million pounds ($AUD 7.4-11.0 million or $NZD 7.75-11.52 million), the work was sold for more than three times its estimated price.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The artwork consists of a half-shredded canvas depicting a spray-painted image of a girl reaching for a heart-shaped balloon, with half of the piece still in one piece within an ornate gold frame.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844914/banksy1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9a381196478843a3bd62b6f88e30edcb" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: @Sotheby’s / Instagram</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When the artwork was first sold at Sotheby’s in 2018, a shredder embedded in the frame started tearing it just as the winning bid was made.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Banksy later implied that the work was supposed to be turned entirely into scraps, but didn’t due to a malfunction.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sotheby’s said the work created by the stunt is “the ultimate Banksy artwork”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It was a big moment because nothing like that had been done before,” art historian Matthew Israel told </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">CNN </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">in an earlier email interview.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bokt2sEhlsu/?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> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bokt2sEhlsu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Banksy (@banksy)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The self-destructing artwork was “entirely at odds with the aims of the auction house, where the condition of an artwork is paramount and the knowledge and expertise about it is core to its authority and value”, he explained.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The most recent auction took the artist’s record for the highest sale price, beating the sale of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Game Changer</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> last year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That artwork sold for 16.7 million ($AUD 31 million or $NZD 32.47 million) to benefit UK hospitals, with the piece depicting healthcare workers as superheroes.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though the identity of the new owner of </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Love is in the Bin</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has not been revealed, Sotheby’s described the person as a female collector from Europe with a long-standing history with the auction house.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The buyer can also choose to pay for the work in cryptocurrency.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Money & Banking

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Iconic shredded Banksy artwork returns to auction

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 2018, Banksy’s iconic </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Girl With a Balloon</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> artwork was sold for just over $1million at an auction in London. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Immediately after the auctioneer's hammer dropped and the sale went through, a shredder built into the frame destroyed half of the image. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Now, three years later, the damaged artwork is returning to auction with an estimated cost of roughly $6million with a new title of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Love is in the Bin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The artwork has been certified by Banksy’s authentication committee called Pest Control, and confirmed that the inflated price is due to the viral moment at the auction three years prior. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The elusive street artist has long denied any claims that the auction house in London was behind the stunt, as the winning bid for the work in 2018 decided to keep the shredded artwork in its new form. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since winning the image, the image has gone on view at two museums in Germany, both boasting massive crowds coming to view the artwork. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a press release, Sotheby’s auction house likened the daring stunt to Robert Rauschenberg’s famed 1953 work, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Erased de Kooning</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, as part of a tradition of destroying artworks as an artistic statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alex Branczik, Sotheby’s senior director and chairman of modern and contemporary art, said, “Today this piece is considered heir to a venerated legacy of anti-establishment art that began with Dada and Marcel Duchamp more than a century ago.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Banksy shared an image of the artwork getting destroyed at the auction with the cheeky caption reading, “Going, going, gone…”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The destruction of the artwork in such a public setting made global headlines, with many art critics saying it was a social statement to the ownership of art. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Love is in the Bin</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> will go on public display at the same auction house where it was once destroyed, before travelling around the world and returning to London for sale. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credit: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Art

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Tennis fans shred Rafael Nadal over blunder in Roger Federer chat

<p>Throughout his incredible career, it has taken a pretty special opponent to make Rafael Nadal worry, but the Spanish great met his match in the form of Instagram Live on Monday.</p> <p>The 33-year-old can make any of his rivals break into a sweat. Whether that’s with his wickedly spinning forehand or backhand, everyone in the tennis world fears his name.</p> <p>But fans on his social media witnessed a completely different side of the Mallorcan as they eagerly awaited his live chat with Swiss legend Roger Federer.</p> <p>He may have 19 Grand Slam titles, one shy of Federer’s all-time men’s record, but when it comes to IT skills, he resembled a Sunday morning park hacker crumbling under pressure.</p> <p>With 40,000 viewers tuning in, a confused Nadal blankly stared into cyberspace, as he tried to work out why Federer, who is currently isolating at home in Switzerland, refused to appear.</p> <p>Eventually to Nadal’s obvious relief, the tennis champion popped up to speak briefly about how he’s dealing with the shutdown amidst the pandemic.</p> <p>“Finally!” said Nadal.</p> <p>Federer revealed he had been practising against a wall, when not spending time with his four children. But Nadal admitted that he hadn’t been training at all. “Perfect! You won’t be able to play tennis any more when you come back,” said a laughing Federer.</p> <p>Federer said the extended lay-off has meant he has had time to rehab his right knee after surgery in February.</p> <p>“I’ve got plenty of time, there is no stress, no rush, if there is a positive that’s it,” he said.</p>

Technology

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The rise of DIY wills and why you shouldn’t go there

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you don’t have a legal background, navigating through a will can be an incredibly daunting experience. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And although they can be an expensive process when going through the official hoops to sort one out for yourself or a loved one, it is an important and necessary cost. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Without proper legal guidance, navigating through the correct procedure can often mean your creation and estate planning process can be an experience that can result in complications, drawn out time periods and costly court proceedings. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bennett &amp; Philip lawyer, Geoff Armstrong says “Do it yourself” wills is not the best process to choose even if they may be cost-effective. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It is common for us to see homemade wills that don’t meet legal requirements,” he explained.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The difference is if you have a professionally drawn will and you have to apply for a probate in the court, there’s rarely a problem. If you have a homemade will that isn’t correct, you may have to go to a judge to get it accepted as a valid will and it would cost a lot of money, in many cases between $30,000 and $50,000.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Armstrong urges those with a professional or DIY will to review them every two or three years. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“…If there has been a big life change for example a marriage, divorce, having children or grandchildren, something you’ve gifted no longer exists or a beneficiary dying or losing capacity – these changes can significantly affect a will and an appropriate amendment is required,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Armstrong advises those managing wills of their own or loved ones to implement these questions if you want to go down the correct path. </span></p> <p>Who will your executors and beneficiaries be?</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Choosing the key people who will play a huge part in dividing all your interests and assets in your will can be a difficult decision to make. While executors have the responsibility of looking after your will and dictate your funeral wishes or gifts, beneficiaries are the people who inherit what is yours. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Typically, children, spouse, or other family members are chosen as beneficiaries, but you are not required to do this. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Charities, organisations or trusts can obtain your belongings, after all it is a decision that is completely yours alone. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“But whoever you do decide, it’s important to ask them first and include their full names with as much detail as you can,” Mr Armstrong said. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Some people choose a professional executor such as a lawyer or accountant because they are independent from the family and managing at arms-length.”</span></p> <p>What are your funeral wishes or special gifts to give?</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">You may wish to have your body cremated and ashes scattered in a special place. If so, it is important to include this in your will. While it is not a legally binding agreement, it is still important you make clear what you want to happen for yourself when you go. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Armstrong said: “I previously had a case in England where a woman wished for her Jack Russel to be euthanised immediately after she passed away, so they could meet up on the ‘other side’. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“When she did pass her dog was with the neighbour, who sent the dog away because it was perfectly healthy and did not need to be put down. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Upon further discussion, it was decided not to focus our efforts in locating the canine as it would cost thousands of pounds in the process at the expense of the ultimate beneficiary.”</span></p> <p>Who will look after your pets if you have any?</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While you cannot physically leave items or money to your pets, you can decide to leave them to someone else with a gift of money to cover the cost it would take to look after them.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Whatever future you want for your pet, be sure to include it in your will.” Mr Armstrong advises.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Because it is not legally binding, people do forget about their pets but in an emergency, the executor can take care of them.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While it may be difficult to decide what to put in your will, you can always start by asking yourself these simple questions. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Should you require expert legal advice on wills and estates or any other legal matter, Bennett &amp; Philp’s Geoffrey Armstrong can be contacted at </span><a href="mailto:garmstrong@bennettphilp.com.au"><span style="font-weight: 400;">garmstrong@bennettphilp.com.au</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> or on (07) 3001 2960.</span></p>

Legal

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UK critics scathing review rips cafe to shreds

<p>Australian cuisine generally goes down well in London, especially when you consider how many Aussie expats call the British capital home. But this wasn’t the case for one cafe, which has been ripped to shreds by a scathing review.</p> <p><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/au" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>The Guardian’s</strong></em></span></a> Jay Rayner has penned an excruciating review of Farm Girl café, which describes itself as “a holistic yet comfortingly simple approach to Australian cafe culture.”</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fabcnews.au%2Fvideos%2F10156697527774988%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>To say Rayner was underwhelmed, would be an understatement.</p> <p>“We don’t stay for dessert, we’ve suffered enough,” he said.</p> <p>“There’s V for Vegan. There’s GF for Gluten Free. There’s DF for Dairy Free. I think they’re missing a few. There should be TF for Taste Free and JF for Joy Free and AAHYWEH for Abandon All Hope, Ye Who Enter Here,” he wrote.</p> <p>And that was just the start for the café, situation in Chelsea.</p> <p>“It fills quickly on a cold winter’s evening with blonde-tressed Chelsea women just bubbling with intolerances,” Rayner continues.</p> <p>“It’s not just the dismal cooking that pains me here. It’s the squandering of ingredients and of people’s time and the tiresome narrative of ‘wellness’ with which it’s been flogged.</p> <p>“I find myself eyeing the Yorkshire terrier, greedily. Just hand him over, give me access to the grill, and five minutes.”</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fthejayrayner%2Fposts%2F1863407513733710&amp;width=500" width="500" height="551" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true"></iframe></p> <p>Rayner has a reputation for being a particularly hard marker, but to her credit Farm Girl’s founder Rose Mann took the piece in good humour.</p> <p>“We think it’s a very entertaining piece and rather enjoyed reading it,” she wrote on Facebook.</p> <p>What do you think? Does the review go too far?</p>

Books

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8 revealing everyday documents you never knew you should shred

<p><strong>1. Boarding passes</strong></p> <p>Shred them after you land: Your boarding pass has your name, your travel plans, and a bar code that free websites can decipher.</p> <p>This code often reveals your frequent flier number, which crooks can use to log in to airline accounts to view upcoming travel plans, check in to flights, and even cancel trips.</p> <p><strong>2. Prescription labels</strong></p> <p>Whether stapled to the bag or on the bottle, these labels may list your name, the date of initial dispensing, the name and strength of the drug, and the dispensing pharmacist’s name.</p> <p>Thieves may use this info to refill prescriptions or steal your identity.</p> <p><strong>3. Receipts</strong></p> <p>Shred all receipts you don’t save. Those from credit card purchases reveal the last digits of your card number and possibly your signature.</p> <p>Crooks can also use receipts for fraudulent returns and benefit from your store credit.</p> <p>If you really want to play it safe, switch to paperless receipts wherever you can – you'll be helping the environment, too!</p> <p><strong>4. Pet medical papers</strong></p> <p>Keep records of major events, and shred the rest. Papers from a vet visit show a pet’s name – which a Google Apps survey of 2,000 people found is the most common password choice.</p> <p><strong>5. Return labels</strong></p> <p>Shred free return labels you receive in the mail, along with any envelopes with your name and address.</p> <p>Thieves often pair this with what you post on social media (family member names, work history) to piece together your identity.</p> <p>When writing your return address on an envelope, omit your name.</p> <p><strong>6. Resumes</strong></p> <p>Don’t toss resume copies or drafts without shredding. Resumes hand crooks your name, phone number, address, email address, employment past and education history in one convenient piece of paper.</p> <p><strong>7. Extra birth announcements</strong></p> <p>Children are 51 percent more likely to be victims of identity theft than adults. Shred birth announcements you don’t save, which typically have the child’s name, birth date, weight, eye colour and other personal identifiers.</p> <p><strong>8. Extra funeral pamphlets</strong></p> <p>Thieves use the identities of millions of deceased people every year to apply for loans, open credit card accounts or file tax returns, collecting billions of dollars in refunds. Shred extra funeral pamphlets or obituaries you don’t save. If a loved one passes, list age in the obituary but not the birth date or mother’s maiden name – these personal identifiers are handy for ID thieves.</p> <p>Did you know you should shred these documents? Let us know in the comments below.</p>

Legal

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The documents you need when travelling with your grandkids

<p>Multi-generational travel was the biggest travel trend of 2018. More and more families are heading overseas with their extended family to make unforgettable memories together, but what if it’s just you and the grandkids?</p> <p>You may need certain documents to travel with grandkids.</p> <p>You might be surprised to know some countries require special documentation to prove your relationship to your grandchildren. For example, the South African Government now requires incoming passengers under 18 to carry an unabridged birth certificate and/or sworn affidavit in order to enter the country. While this is an extreme case, most countries have their own laws regarding who can accompany a minor abroad. Getting the ‘all-clear’ becomes even trickier when you don’t share the same last name as your grandchildren.</p> <p>We believe it is always best to be over prepared than underprepared. We encourage all travellers heading off with their grandkids to carry a written letter of consent from the children’s parents or legal guardians. You can find templates you fill download online, but handwritten notes are adequate and should include the following:</p> <ul> <li>Full names of children, parents or legal guardians, people who will be travelling with the kids</li> <li>Description of the relationship between traveller and children</li> <li>Parents’ or guardians’ contact details</li> <li>Destinations and dates of travel</li> <li>Insurance policy details</li> <li>Necessary medical information</li> </ul> <p>The document should ideally have the signatures of both parents or legal guardians. Having it witnessed and signed by a justice of the peace is even better.</p> <p>Here are a few other things you should know before you take a holiday with your grandkids.</p> <p><strong>Flying with grandkids</strong></p> <p>Children under the age of 18 tend not to need any form of ID when flying domestic. However, it’s always a good idea to carry some anyway. A birth certificate or Medicare card will usually suffice.</p> <p>When flying internationally, the rules vary between countries and airlines. Children require a passport as per usual but, in some cases, a visa or further documentation may be required. Check directly with the airline before you travel to make sure you have all the correct documentation to board the flight.</p> <p><strong>On the ground</strong></p> <p>When travelling abroad, some hotels may want to scan your passport for security reasons. This may include your grandchildren’s passports. In Australia, this is uncommon.</p> <p>When catching trains and buses, ID for adults is rarely needed as long as you have a valid ticket. However, if you plan to take advantage of concession and student discounts, kids may need to show proof-of-age in order to redeem discounted tickets.</p> <p><strong>Before you go</strong></p> <p>Organise and compile all necessary documents. Keep these in a plastic sleeve or folder in an easily accessible part of your bag.</p> <p>Be aware of any medical conditions your grandchildren may have and put a plan in place if things go wrong. You may need a note from the doctor for certain medications. For example, some medications for ADHD are banned overseas. Check these details carefully as the importation of drugs comes with strict penalties. Make sure you have the emergency contact numbers of relatives, emergency services and embassies.</p> <p>Register your travel plans with <a href="https://smartraveller.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx?utm_source=MYDISCOVERIES.com.au">smartraveller.com.au</a></p> <p>Ensure you have the correct travel insurance to cover everyone in your party.</p> <p><em>Written by Bethany Plint. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.mydiscoveries.com.au/stories/documents-travel-with-grandkids/">MyDiscoveries</a>.</em></p>

Travel Tips

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How to sign a document without printing it out

<p><em><strong>Lisa Du is director of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://readytechgo.com.au/" target="_blank">ReadyTechGo</a></span>, a service that helps people gain the confidence and skills to embrace modern technology. </strong></em></p> <p>There are often times when you need to sign or fill in a PDF form that has been sent to you. You could print out the document, fill it in, sign it, scan it and then email it back but that's all such a hassle for something that should be so simple.</p> <p>Thankfully with Microsoft Edge (previously known as Internet Explorer), you can do all that without having to print the document!</p> <p>Here’s how:</p> <p>Step 1: Right click on the PDF file.</p> <p>Step 2: Go to "Open with" and then click on "Microsoft Edge"</p> <p>Step 3: Click on the pencil icon located at the top right.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="NaN" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e785dd9ba906ed79fad48bd7e/images/04a179b2-1e01-4c08-a4e3-4cf46008b44d.png" style="width: 240px; height: 120px; margin: 0px; line-height: 100%; outline: none;"/></p> <p>Step 4: Click on the "pen" icon and choose the right colour and size for you signature.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="320" height="148" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e785dd9ba906ed79fad48bd7e/images/11f3ba9a-4647-40e1-bced-1a137714ef37.png" style="width: 320px; height: 148px; margin: 0px; line-height: 100%; outline: none;"/></p> <p>Step 5: Draw your signature by holding down left click and dragging your mouse. If you're unhappy with the signature (or you've made a mistake) click on the "eraser" icon in the top right and 'draw' over your signature to erase it.</p> <p>Step 6: When you're satisfied with your signature, right click on the open PDF and click on "Save-As" to the document!</p> <p>Have fun signing documents in a jiffy!</p>

Technology

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Secret documents reveal teen tried to kill Queen in NZ

<p>Declassified secret documents have confirmed an assassination attempt on Queen Elizabeth II in Dunedin, and potentially implicate New Zealand police in a "cover-up".</p> <p>On October 14, 1981, teen criminal Christopher John Lewis hid in a deserted toilet cubicle on the fifth floor of a building overlooking the Royal parade. He wanted to assassinate the Queen but his gunshot missed. Incredibly, although the 17-year-old was arrested he was never charged with attempted murder and media, who heard the shot, were told it was a falling sign.</p> <p>Why?</p> <p>The Security Intelligence Service (SIS) has now released previously classified information to <em>Stuff</em> after <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/99760154/the-snowman-and-the-queen-the-story-of-a-kiwi-teen-terrorist-and-wouldbe-assassin" target="_blank"><em>The Snowman and the Queen</em> series</a></strong></span> was published in January.</p> <p>The SIS documents include the file <em>Possible Attempt on the Life of Queen Elizabeth II by National Imperial Guerilla Army</em>, which is dated November 9, 1981 and marked 'SECRET'. </p> <p>The documents, released under an Official Information Act (OIA) request to the intelligence agency, reveal unnamed SIS officials were investigating the assassination attempt, after initial media reports questioning whether an attempt had been made.</p> <p>The documents confirm police officers and members of the public heard "what they took to be a shot".</p> <p>Police initially downplayed the incident, telling local and international media the sound of what appeared to be a gunshot was, in fact, a council sign falling over.</p> <p>It was later revealed the then 17-year-old Christopher Lewis <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/99877641/the-snowman-and-the-queen--chapter-two-the-shot" title="">fired a shot</a></strong></span> as the Queen exited her motorcade at the Otago Museum on the afternoon of October 14, 1981.</p> <p>An SIS official was given access to police reports, including interview notes, after the arrest of Christopher Lewis and two of his teenage off-siders.</p> <p>The newly released SIS file references "two persons who may well be fictitious whom Lewis would only describe as Snowman and Polar Bear respectively".</p> <p>According to Lewis' police interviews he commanded the National Imperial Guerilla Army, alongside a higher ranker person known as the Polar Bear while The Snowman was the leader who ordered the fledgling army<a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/99877641/the-snowman-and-the-queen--chapter-two-the-shot"> <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>"to terrorise Dunedin".</strong></span></a></p> <p>While police expressed doubts over Lewis' claims over the existence of the shadowy pair, the SIS investigated the allegations.</p> <p>SIS had "no knowledge" of the <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/99877641/the-snowman-and-the-queen--chapter-two-the-shot" title="">National Imperial Guerilla Army</a> </strong></span>organisation, and did not believe it was linked to the right-wing National Front movement, which was pro-monarchy.</p> <p>"They are a figment of my imagination," Lewis later conceded to police.</p> <p>The SIS documents appear to vindicate claims made by Tom Lewis, a former Dunedin detective who went public about the assassination attempt in 1997.</p> <p>After he <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/99979652/the-snowman-and-the-queen--chapter-three-the-coverup.html" target="_blank">went public</a></strong></span> it prompted another memo from SIS - also released under the OIA - to an undisclosed recipient. </p> <p>"(Christopher) Lewis did indeed originally intend to assassinate the Queen, however did not have a suitable vantage point from which to fire, nor a sufficiently high-powered rifle for the range from the target," the memo concluded.</p> <p>Tom Lewis, who is no relation to Christopher Lewis doubted the complete truth would ever come out.</p> <p>"It will be like ripping the scab off . . . so much pus would come out."</p> <p><img width="435" height="253" src="https://static3.stuff.co.nz/snowman1-b91dd7dc.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>A memo confirming Christopher Lewis did intend to kill the Queen.</em></p> <p><strong>CLASSIFIED INFORMATION</strong></p> <p>The released information, which included a hand-drawn map, confirmed the shot was heard in the vicinity of Dunedin's Walsh St, metres from the royal motorcade.</p> <p>That supports statements by two witnesses - including a former soldier -  who told <em>Stuff</em> they heard a shot nearby.</p> <p><img width="446" height="259" src="https://static3.stuff.co.nz/snowman4-2e09a554.jpg" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>A hand-drawn map confirms the shot was heard near Walsh St, metres from where the Queen travelled. </em></p> <p>The documents noted the same unnamed SIS official asked questions of the Police Terrorist Intelligence Unit (PTIU) following media reports of the shot.</p> <p>According to the SIS file, Lewis gave a "long meandering story" to police about his self-styled army, known as National Imperial Guerilla Army, which he used to keep his accomplices in line "to feed his own delusions".</p> <p>It took police some time to get the full story from Lewis, but when coupled with the multitude of charges, "the following points appeared certain", the SIS document said.</p> <p>Those include: </p> <p>- The possibility a firearm was <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/99877641/the-snowman-and-the-queen--chapter-two-the-shot" target="_blank">discharged in the vicinity of the Queen</a> </strong></span>was highly likely although it may not have been aimed directly at the Queen or the royal party.</p> <p>- The police received a .22 rifle with a discharged cartridge in the breech from the fifth floor of the Adams Building as a result of Lewis' admissions.</p> <p>- Lewis possibly fired a shot at a nearby road at the time in question, although he does say that he changed his mind about wanting to hurt anyone.</p> <p>- The angle of fire and range would have made it difficult for the Queen to have been a target. Buildings screened her from the firing point except on four occasions of about two seconds duration.</p> <p>- Police ballistic tests subsequently found the bullet's trajectory was more likely to have passed high above the crowd than to have been fired at a road. Lewis will not countenance this suggestion.</p> <p><strong>MEDIA MISLED?</strong></p> <p>The earliest SIS memo was written after Christopher Lewis appeared on initial armed robbery and burglary charges, and while his accomplices were bailed he was remanded in custody.</p> <p>"Current police investigations into the shots have been conducted discreetly and most media representatives probably have the impression that the noise was caused by a firework of some description," the report said.</p> <p>"There is a worry, however, that in court the press may make the connections between the date of the offence and the Queen's visit."</p> <p>Former news editor at Dunedin radio station 4XO, Allan Dick, recalled being called into a meeting with a high ranking detective who said reports of a shot being fired were not true.</p> <p>"We all left that meeting more mystified about what had happened," Dick said.</p> <p>"I have no doubt the matter was covered-up, the cops were embarrassed - they didn't want the media to know and we got embarrassed that we allowed ourselves to be snowballed to such a degree."</p> <p><img width="417" height="242" src="https://static3.stuff.co.nz/15-dp-lewis962-1-68085563.jpg" class="NSImage_photoborder DT_NSImage_photoborder" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Christopher Lewis pictured in December 1996, less than a year before his death.</em></p> <p>Tom Lewis said despite the initial "push from journalists", the latest tranche of released documents confirmed police <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/99979652/the-snowman-and-the-queen--chapter-three-the-coverup.html" target="_blank">wanted the matter to disappear</a> from the outset.</p> <p>"Once you start to cover-up, you then have to keep covering up the cover-up," Tom Lewis said.</p> <p>The documents revealed that while the police investigation was ongoing, police did not intend to charge Christopher Lewis with anything more than unlawful possession and/or discharge of a firearm.</p> <p>That revelation stunned Tom Lewis, who said the teen was facing a charge of treason, and then attempted treason.</p> <p>"We knew we would get home on attempted treason."</p> <p>Those close to the case alleged political interference came into play over fears the country would lose future royal tours due to the security lapse.</p> <p>After the incident police told media that Christopher Lewis, who was never charged with treason or attempted treason, shot at a road. </p> <p>He was sentenced to three years jail.</p> <p>Christopher Lewis went on to commit a string of armed robberies, sparked a mass police manhunt, was given a taxpayer-funded holiday and was then charged with murder.</p> <p>He <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/100176797/the-snowman-and-the-queen--chapter-five-the-end" target="_blank">electrocuted himself</a></strong></span> in his Mt Eden prison cell while on remand on September 23, 1997.</p> <p>After being approached by <em>Stuff</em> about claims of a cover-up, a police spokesman said: "Given the interest in this historic matter, the Police Commissioner Mike Bush has asked the Deputy Commissioner National Operations, Mike Clement, to oversee an examination by current investigation staff of the relevant case file.  </p> <p>"Given the passage of time, it is anticipated this examination of the old file and its associated material will take some time. NZ Police will share the outcome of this examination once it has been completed."</p> <div> <p><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/99760154/the-snowman-and-the-queen-the-story-of-a-kiwi-teen-terrorist-and-wouldbe-assassin" target="_blank">The Snowman and the Queen is a Stuff series</a></span> looking at the life and crimes of Christopher John Lewis, a self-styled teen terrorist and trained "ninja" whose bizarre criminal antics kept police busy from his school days until his strange suicide in prison at age 33.</em></strong></p> </div> <div> <div class="NSImage"> <p><strong><em>The series was meant to be five parts but newly declassified information meant we produced a sixth chapter. </em></strong></p> </div> </div> <p><em>Written by Hamish McNeilly. Republished with permission of <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/101794948/the-snowman-and-the-queen-declassified-nz-intelligence-service-documents-confirm-assassination-attempt-on-queen">Stuff.co.nz.</a></span></strong></em></p>

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WikiLeaks releases thousands of CIA documents

<p>A cache of the US intelligence community's most closely guarded cyber weapons has been put online.</p> <p>It includes secret Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) code to steal data and turn devices such as cellphones, computers and television sets into snooping devices.</p> <p>WikiLeaks published thousands of documents purportedly taken from the CIA's Center for Cyber Intelligence, a dramatic release that appears to provide an eye-opening look at the intimate details of America's cyber-espionage toolkit.</p> <p>The dump of more than 8000 documents on Wednesday, could not immediately be authenticated by media and the CIA declined comment, but WikiLeaks has a long track record of releasing top secret government documents.</p> <p>It includes claims the spy agency had worked on a system to "infect" the system of modern vehicles, allowing it to carry out "largely undetectable assassinations".</p> <p>"As of October 2014 the CIA was also looking at infecting the vehicle control systems used by modern cars and trucks," WikiLeaks claimed.</p> <p>"The purpose of such control is not specified, but it would permit the CIA to engage in nearly undetectable assassinations."</p> <p>Experts who've started to sift through the material said it appeared legitimate - and that the release was almost certain to shake the CIA.</p> <p>"There's no question that there's a fire drill going on right now," said Jake Williams, a security expert with Augusta, Georgia-based Rendition Infosec. "It wouldn't surprise me that there are people changing careers - and ending careers - as we speak."</p> <p>Bob Ayers, a retired US intelligence official currently working as a security analyst, agreed, saying that the release was "real bad" for the agency.</p> <p>If the authenticity of the dump were officially confirmed, it would represent yet another catastrophic breach for the US intelligence community at the hands of WikiLeaks and its allies, which have repeatedly humbled Washington with the mass release of classified material, including hundreds of thousands of documents from the US State Department and the Pentagon.</p> <p>WikiLeaks, which had been dropping cryptic hints about the release for a month, said in a lengthy statement that the CIA had "recently" lost control of a massive arsenal of CIA hacking tools as well as associated documentation.</p> <p>The radical transparency organisation said that "the archive appears to have been circulated among former US government hackers and contractors in an unauthorised manner" and that one of them "provided WikiLeaks with portions of the archive."</p> <p>Jonathan Liu, a spokesman for the CIA, said: "We do not comment on the authenticity or content of purported intelligence documents."</p> <p>Williams, who had experience dealing with government hackers, said that the voluminous files' extensive references to operation security meant they were almost certainly government-backed.</p> <p>"I can't fathom anyone fabricated that amount of operational security concern," he said. "It rings true to me."</p> <p>"The only people who are having that conversation are people who are engaging in nation-state-level hacking," he said.</p> <p>The documents covered a range of topics, including what appeared to be a discussion about how to compromise smart televisions and turn them into improvised surveillance devices.</p> <p>WikiLeaks said the leaked data also included details on the agency's efforts to subvert American software products and smartphones, including Apple's iPhone, Google's Android and Microsoft's Windows.</p> <p>A "substantial library" of digital espionage techniques borrowed from Russia and other countries was in the data as well, WikiLeaks said.</p> <p>Ayers noted that WikiLeaks had promised to release more CIA documents, saying the latest publication was just "the first full part of the series."</p> <p>"The damage right now is relatively high-level," he said. "(But) the potential for really detailed damage will come in the following releases."</p> <p>What’s your view on this controversy?</p> <p><em>Written by Raphael Satter. First appeared on <a href="http://www.Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Stuff.co.nz</strong></span></a>. Image credit: Twitter / The WEDA Coalition.</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2017/01/how-to-take-a-screenshot/"><em>How to take a screenshot</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2016/12/internet-tips-to-make-your-life-better/"><em>4 internet tips to make your life better</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/technology/2016/12/what-to-do-to-when-you-lose-unsaved-documents/"><em>What to do to when you lose unsaved documents</em></a></strong></span></p>

Technology

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