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Channel 7 star secretly welcomes "lionhearted" bundle of joy

<p>Amelia Brace is a mum!</p> <p>The Channel Seven presenter secretly welcomed her first child with husband cameraman Adam Bovino last week, but only just shared the happy news to her followers on Instagram. </p> <p>“One week with Leonardo Andrea Bovino,” she captioned the series of photos of her son and a few intimate moments from her birth. </p> <p>“️His name means ‘lionhearted’ in Italian, something our little Leo has certainly proven to be this year," she added.</p> <p>“He’s a brave boy, just like his Daddy. And looks like him too. Our beautiful reward.”</p> <p>Brace's colleagues were the first to comment their delight. </p> <p>“Congratulations beautiful family,” <em>Sunrise</em> host Natalie Barr commented. </p> <p>“So perfect! Congratulations," added former <em>Sunrise</em> host Melissa Doyle.</p> <p>“Beautiful, beautiful Leonardo. Can’t wait for cuddles xxx,” wrote Tracy Vo, <em>Nine News'</em> <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">weekend presenter in Perth. </span></p> <p>“Congratulations!! You and your beautiful boys,” <em>Weekend Today</em> co-host Belinda Russell also wrote.</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/CyzKweRPTsW/?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/CyzKweRPTsW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Amelia Bovino (@ameliabrace7)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>A few fans also took to the comments to share their congratulations. </p> <p>"He is divine! What a beautiful boy. Congratulations," wrote one fan. </p> <p>"Welcome to the world little Leo ❤️," commented another. </p> <p>"Leo!!! You are the cutest. You are so loved already little man. Congratulations you three. Sending so much love," wrote a third.</p> <p>Brace first announced her pregnancy with an ultrasound video in June.</p> <p>“It’s always darkest before the dawn. A little ray of sunshine, and hope, coming in spring,” she captioned the photo at the time. </p> <p>Brace and her husband Bovino tied the knot in a beautiful outdoor wedding at Kangaroo Valley, NSW in March 2022 after a three-year engagement. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Mother of Charlie Teo's "miracle girl" shares more tragic news

<p>In the face of immense tragedy and loss, Monica Smirk, the mother of 14-year-old Amelia "Milli" Lucas, has opened up about more devastating news that has befallen her family.</p> <p>Amelia, fondly known as Milli, passed away a month after celebrating her 14th birthday on January 4, 2021, following a courageous battle against a rare and terminal genetic cancer.</p> <p>Diagnosed with a Grade VI Glioblastoma at the tender age of nine, Milli was given a mere 12 weeks to live. However, with the help of controversial neurosurgeon <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/dr-charlie-teo-breaks-his-silence-with-post-about-his-miracle-girl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Charlie Teo</a>, she defied the odds, surviving another remarkable five years after undergoing two surgeries.</p> <p>Now, Monica, her resilient mother, has revealed that she is facing her own battle with terminal cancer. Inoperable tumours on her back have cast a shadow of uncertainty, leaving her and her family grappling with fear and hope.</p> <p>The Smirk family has encountered the devastating impact of Li-Fraumeni syndrome, a rare gene disposition that has tragically claimed the lives of Monica's mother, brother, daughter, niece, and nephew. This syndrome, affecting fewer than 1,000 individuals worldwide, greatly increases the risk of various cancers throughout one's life.</p> <p>Recalling the emotional turmoil, Monica shared that she first discovered the lumps on her back while caring for Milli in 2021, but the overwhelming emotions held her back from seeking an immediate biopsy. As her health situation progressed, treatment was halted after fluid was found in her lungs. Nevertheless, she holds on to the possibility of further treatment options pending additional scans later this year.</p> <p>In another heart-wrenching update, Monica also revealed that her 19-year-old daughter Tess is awaiting the results of a concerning annual scan. Tess, who also battles Li-Fraumeni syndrome, faced her own hardships when diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2016, resulting in legal blindness. Despite the challenges, she courageously pursues her dream of becoming a professional dancer.</p> <p>As the Smirk family grapples with these overwhelming health challenges, their community has come together, rallying behind them with love and support.</p> <p>The Millstar Foundation, an initiative started by the family to honour their beloved "angel" Milli, aims to provide alternative therapies for patients in Western Australia. Their efforts have been met with an outpouring of generosity, as they have collected more than $13,000 worth of prizes for a raffle, supporting Monica in her fight for life.</p> <p>Milli's journey with Dr Teo, who she affectionately referred to as her "miracle worker," brought both hope and controversy. Though he successfully removed 98 percent of a brain tumour considered inoperable and incurable by other surgeons in 2019, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/dr-charlie-teo-speaks-out-after-guilty-finding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recent incidents have led to reprimands</a> by the NSW Medical Board.</p> <p>While the circumstances are undoubtedly heartbreaking, Monica expressed her gratitude for the extra years Dr Teo provided Milli, acknowledging the precious time and memories they had together.</p> <p>Amidst the pain, Monica also spoke out about her concern for other patients who may no longer have access to potentially lifesaving surgeries due to restrictions imposed on Dr Teo. She hopes that future research and medical advancements will continue to shine a light of hope for those facing similar battles.</p> <p>In the face of unimaginable adversity, the Smirk family finds solace in the unwavering support and love of their community. For those who wish to contribute to the raffle and extend a helping hand to the Smirk family, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/2378778672391405/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Millstar Foundation Incorporated Facebook group</a> provides an opportunity to make a difference and be a source of hope in their challenging journey.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Caring

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Princess Diana’s niece marries longtime sweetheart

<p>In a stunning mountain-top ceremony, Princess Diana’s niece Lady Amelia Spencer has married her longtime love, Greg Mallett. </p> <p>The couple, who have been dating since they were teenagers and engaged since 2020, teased that the big day was coming with a post to social media captioned “Not long now”. And while they have yet to share any pictures from their big day, Earl Charles Spencer’s daughter opened up to <em>HELLO! </em>about what it meant to tie the knot in a place so dear to their hearts. </p> <p>"It means so much to get married here," she said of their Cape Town location. "Growing up here together for the last 14 years, all of mine and Greg’s happiest times as a couple are here. It’s even more special now."</p> <p>“I’ve been dreaming of watching Amelia walk down the aisle for 14 years,” Greg added. </p> <p>The pair met - and got engaged - in South Africa, and it was in 2021 that Amelia and Greg decided to relocate to the United Kingdom. </p> <p>Amelia has previously stated to <em>HELLO! </em>that the proposal marked the “most romantic” day of her life. And as Greg explained, "I had one big pink box, inside which I put in eight smaller boxes, decreasing in size.</p> <p>"In each box was a photograph of a 'first time'. The final box contained a note instead of a picture, that said: 'But most importantly, I know that you will remember tonight as the night that I proposed.' As Amelia was reading the note, I dropped to one knee with the ring."</p> <p>Amelia’s sisters - twin Eliza and big sister Kitty - were in attendance at the wedding, as well as her younger brother, Samuel. </p> <p>However, according to reports, Amelia’s father - Princess Diana’s brother - was not there. This didn’t come as a huge surprise to some, as he’d also missed Lady Kitty’s wedding - a move that has reportedly created a divide between the Earl and some of his children. </p> <p>As a source told <em>The Daily Mail</em>, “Kitty and Charles were very close when she was growing up, but their relationship has cooled and been more distant since his marriage to his third wife Karen in 2011.”</p> <p>That same source went on to explain that Charles had suffered an injury and that that was likely “the reason for him not travelling”, but it has yet to be revealed what his reasons were for missing out on Amelia’s ceremony as well. </p> <p>It also appears that neither William nor Harry celebrated alongside their cousin on her happy day. </p> <p>Still, fans and friends of the couple were more than happy to share their joy, writing their congratulations on Amelia’s teasing post.</p> <p>“Congratulations [to] you two on your nuptials. You are a beautiful couple,” wrote one. </p> <p>“Wow what a beautiful, happy, healthy, stunning couple,” declared another. “I wish you both all the happiness in the world.”</p> <p>While one announced for all of them, “Simply can’t wait.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

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Aussie airports brace for record crowds over Easter

<p dir="ltr">Aussie travellers are facing ongoing mayhem across the country as airports feel the pressure of the Easter long weekend.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sydney Airport is at the epicentre of the chaos, with travellers in the airport’s domestic terminals experiencing <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/give-us-patience-chaos-continues-at-sydney-airport" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lengthy queues</a> and hours of waiting to check-in and get through security. </p> <p dir="ltr">With an already stretched staffing system and 82,000 people expected to go through the domestic terminal gates on Thursday - the busiest the airport’s been since 80,000 people filed through on March 6, 2020 - it’s unlikely that the pressure will ease anytime soon.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-72648aaa-7fff-12e4-a353-d8b7b6a6fc84"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">An additional 79,000 people are predicted to travel through the terminals on Good Friday, with numbers dropping to around 60,000 on Saturday and Sunday before picking up again.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Melbourne airport 5:45am.. big queues for bag drops but flights being called out to make sure people aren’t missing them. With traffic into airport too the advice is definitely still to get here early though! <a href="https://twitter.com/10NewsFirstMelb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@10NewsFirstMelb</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/melbourneairport?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#melbourneairport</a> <a href="https://t.co/R0M8HcdoO2">pic.twitter.com/R0M8HcdoO2</a></p> <p>— Caty Price (@caty_price) <a href="https://twitter.com/caty_price/status/1513968147052736512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">But the chaos hasn’t been limited to Sydney, after Melbourne and Adelaide airports saw similar situations unfolding on Thursday morning.</p> <p dir="ltr">Melbourne is also expecting crowds over the Easter break, with 380,000 people set to walk through the airport over the entire long weekend.</p> <p dir="ltr">Brisbane hasn’t been spared either, with foot traffic of 56,000 predicted for Thursday.</p> <p dir="ltr">In response, Australians have been advised to arrive at least two hours before their domestic flight - or three hours for international flights - and expect delays.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lyall Stranby, the chief executive of Melbourne Airport, told <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/warnings/sydney-airport-chaos-to-continue-with-more-than-80000-people-expected-on-thursday/news-story/d7b9b0d277cd44cf7240de7ca36dcc5d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em> impacts of the widespread redundancies among airline and airport staff during the pandemic are still being felt despite efforts to rapidly expand the workforce.</p> <p dir="ltr">“COVID-19 decimated airlines and airports and resulted in thousands of highly-skilled workers being stood down or made redundant,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7e015a95-7fff-460f-1493-cd76edce2e9e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“The airlines and their suppliers are now scaling up their workforce but given the safety-critical nature of the jobs they do; recruitment and retraining can take time.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">As someone who works at Sydney Airport, please be kind to us, we are trying to get you to where you need/want to be. Short staffed due to being dead quiet for like 1.5 years and then suddenly going full speed once the borders opened. </p> <p>We get it, it’s hard for us too</p> <p>— louis (@louis20016) <a href="https://twitter.com/louis20016/status/1512282830478356482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Travellers in Melbourne have also faced lengthy wait times for their luggage, with some waiting up to an hour to pick up their bags.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sydney Airport chief executive Geoff Culbert said this period has been challenging for everyone, including passengers.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We’ve got staff shortages, we’ve been rebuilding the business from the ground up,” Mr Culbert told 2GB’s Chris Smith on Wednesday.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You go back to November last year, and we were all in lockdown, we were operating at one percent of normal capacity and we all started recruiting for Easter back in December last year, right when we got a sense of the borders were going to open but we just haven’t been able to get enough staff.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Then you add on top of that the Covid issues, on any given day up to 20 percent of staff can’t come to work due to Covid. So we’re running at 60 percent of ordinary staff capacity.”</p> <p dir="ltr">As staff face the crowds, senior staff at Sydney Airport have been told to leave their offices to help manage queues, while retail and IT staff have been redeployed onto the security floor, as reported by <em>news.com.au</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">With airport service staff, including security workers, now recognised as critical workers in NSW and Victoria, they are exempt from isolating for seven days if they are close contacts and have no COVID-19 symptoms.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-115b4b9c-7fff-6be5-306d-6fc435f40145"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @cajlamb (Twitter)</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"Dark day": Karl condemns tradies as Melbourne braces for third day of protests

<div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p><em>Today</em> host Karl Stefanovic has weighed in on the violent construction worker protests in Melbourne yesterday where three police officers were hospitalised, calling them “heartbreaking and terribly sad.”</p> <p>"It was a dark day. On the streets of a major city - violence, fury, anarchy," Stefanovic added.</p> <p>"Police (were) forced to deploy smoke bombs, pepper spray and plastic bullets,” he said.</p> <p>Three police officers were hospitalised with minor injuries after a group of tradies protesting in Melbourne against mandatory vaccinations in the construction sector turned violent.</p> <p>Police have announced their tactics today "will be different".</p> <p><em>Today</em> reporter Christine Ahern was caught up in the chaos and said earlier on the show the crew and herself was "physically threatened on numerous occasions".</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">2000 protesters charged through Melbourne yesterday, taking over the city for eight hours. Organisers say they won't stop protesting until their demands are met.<br /><br />MORE: <a href="https://t.co/kRDsizvVgX">https://t.co/kRDsizvVgX</a><a href="https://twitter.com/ChristineAhern?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChristineAhern</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/9News?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#9News</a> <a href="https://t.co/Mq5Q8Zha0n">pic.twitter.com/Mq5Q8Zha0n</a></p> — 9News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) <a href="https://twitter.com/9NewsMelb/status/1440403029082054662?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <p>Thousands of tradies filled the streets of Melbourne in mass protests after the $22 billion construction industry was shut down for two weeks.</p> <p>Anger has been brewing over vaccine mandates, designated break spaces on construction sites being shut down, and the sector’s operation under a 25 per cent worker capacity to meet social distancing requirements.</p> <p>Last week, tradies walked off the job in sporadic strikes, setting up tables and chairs in the middle of streets to take coffee breaks. But the ensuing protests have seen ugly brawls break out with police officers and journalists injured and a dog allegedly kicked.</p> <p>When talking to Waleed Aly on <em>The Project</em>, secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Sally McManus, said the issue could have been handled better by both the Victorian Government and industry bosses, given there was a lack of communication with workers before restrictions came in to place on their work sites.</p> <p>“Culturally for the construction industry, they had to fight for ages to get lunch rooms and then all of a sudden you turn up one day and you can’t use your lunch room. They are already at 25 per cent, already have the social distancing, et cetera, et cetera,” she said.</p> <p>The union’s Victorian state secretary John Setka said there had been little consultation with the government over Covid measures affecting the industry.</p> <p>“I have never spoken to Daniel Andrews to be honest,” Setka told the <em>Today</em> program on Tuesday. “I have never met him and never spoken to him. I’ve had no discussions with Daniel Andrews ever.”</p> <p><strong>Tradies unlikely alone in views</strong></p> <p>Those watching the chaos outside the CFMEU office were horrified, but experts say the angry boilover is unsurprising.</p> <p>University of Melbourne law professor Joo-Cheong Tham said the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) fundamentally opposes vaccine mandates.</p> <p>Some individual unions are in favour of requiring jabs among their workforces – teachers for example – but Prof Tham said the broader union movement has been “remarkably cohesive in opposing employer mandates”.</p> <p>“Four interlocking principles underpin this position,” he wrote in an article for <em><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.theconversation.com/" target="_blank">The Conversation</a></em>.</p> <p>“They are (that) high vaccination rates should be attained through encouragement and facilitation, not employer mandates; that where strictly necessary, mandates should be implemented through public health orders; that effective access to vaccines should be secured; and that the voices of workers should be respected.”</p> <p><em>Image: Today and Twitter</em></p> </div>

News

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Melbourne bracing for another lockdown as Holiday Inn cluster grows

<p>Fears are growing over a potential third lockdown in Melbourne as a cluster of cases linked to Victoria's hotel quarantine system grows to 13.</p> <p>It is understood the state government advisers met overnight to draw up a framework for another lockdown, which could be introduced as early as Friday night, or possibly within days.</p> <p>Health officials are not just concerned about the growing Holiday Inn cluster, but they are also fearful about virus fragments detected in wastewater across Melbourne.</p> <p>A source close to Emergency Management Victoria told the Herald Sun authorities feared they had lost control of the outbreak - describing scenes of "pandemonium" at the agency.</p> <p>They revealed to the newspaper there were major concerns at the failure of contact tracers to match information they had been given by confirmed cases and their close contacts due to the results from the sewage testing.</p> <p>Authorities believe all the cases linked to the Holiday Inn outbreak are UK strain cases - meaning it could spread more rapidly than the strain that caused chaos in Victoria last year.</p> <p>In response, the<span> </span><em>Herald Sun</em><span> </span>reports Victorian health authorities are weighing up a snap lockdown, much like the five-day shutdown in Perth at the beginning of the month.</p> <p>In WA, residents were only allowed to leave home for an hour to exercise with a mask within 5km, or if they were an essential worker, needed groceries or medical supplies, were receiving health care or were supporting someone with needs.</p> <p>Schools, gyms and cinemas were also shut, while restaurants and cafes could only serve takeaway.</p> <p>Under those rules, crowds would also be banned from the Australian Open.</p>

News

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Brace yourself! Veggie and fruit prices set to skyrocket in Australia

<p>The global coronavirus pandemic is starting to impact the fruit and vegetable industry in Australia, with fears that there will be a 25 per cent hike in the price of fresh veggies over the summer.</p> <p>This is due to the strict travel restrictions that cut off access to seasonal harvest crews, with NSW being short 90,000 workers.</p> <p>“We usually use backpackers. And we have not had one person,” Orange farmer Guy Gaeta told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/travel/food-wine/fruit-and-vegetable-prices-set-to-skyrocket-in-australia-due-to-labour-shortage-c-1723615" target="_blank"><em>7NEWS</em></a>.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Fruit and vegetable prices are set to soar by up to 25 per cent across Australia this summer due to a COVID-induced labour shortage. <br /><br />More on this story: <a href="https://t.co/lgc7kaIb1O">https://t.co/lgc7kaIb1O</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZPkF42Dvbr">pic.twitter.com/ZPkF42Dvbr</a></p> — Sunrise (@sunriseon7) <a href="https://twitter.com/sunriseon7/status/1336049257384570881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>Gaeta has been a cherry farmer for 35 years and has been forced to call in contractors this year, which costs producers more and passes on the price increase to customers.</p> <p>“We’ve exhausted virtually all of the domestic workforce that actually want to work on a farm and now we’re desperately trying to get people in from overseas,” NSW Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall said.</p> <p>CEO of NSW farmers Pete Arkle said the reality is that they won’t have enough people to pick this season’s crop.</p> <p>“It’s tragic to see crops wilting on the vines or rotting on trees,” he said.</p>

Legal

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“Did it break you?”: Daniel Andrews braces himself before answering deeply personal question

<p>Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews took a long pause this morning before revealing how he personally coped in the last five months of hard lockdown and all the criticism he was faced with due to his response to the pandemic.</p> <p>The moment came as he was being interviewed by Karl Stefanovic on the Today show, and was asked whether he struggled handling the health crisis that claimed 819 Victorian lives.</p> <p>"Did it ever break you at any point, the pressure? Did it break you personally with your family?" Stefanovic asked.</p> <p>Andrews steeled himself before answering.</p> <p>"These are not easy jobs, and this is not an easy time," Andrews said.</p> <p>"The challenge of leadership (is) to have a clear strategy and not to be distracted by the loudest voices, not to be run around the place by critics, but to have the courage of your convictions and get the job done.</p> <p>"That is what we have done. We have built a precious thing, (but) this is not over," he said, before adding 25 days of zero cases is not equal to a vaccine.</p> <p>Over the last five months, Andrews has dealt with an extreme amount of criticism as Melbourne plunged into a hard lockdown.</p> <p>Prime Minister Scott Morrison admitted to clashing with the Victorian leader, stating they had disagreements over "difficult issues".</p> <p>Stefanovic asked Andrews what it was like dealing with such pressure.</p> <p>"On a personal note Dan, in the past months you have faced enormous criticism. How do you deal with that?" he asked.</p> <p>Andrews said it is just part of his job.</p> <p>"That's the job that I have. That's to lead the state; be responsible for the things that go well, and the things that don't," he said.</p> <p>"I send my condolences and sympathies to every family who has lost someone.</p> <p>"It is a wildly infectious and deadly virus. It is a global pandemic.</p> <p>"There is no rule book for this but we have to push on, have a strategy and do the very best we can.</p> <p>"That is what Victorians have done and what I have tried to do."</p> <p>Victoria yesterday recorded its 25th day of no new COVID-19 cases or deaths.</p>

News

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Princess Diana’s niece is engaged!

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text ">The wedding bells are ringing for Princess Diana’s niece and her fiancé who have announced their engagement after marking over 11 years together.<br /><br />Lady Amelia Spencer and husband-to-be Greg Mallett are ready to say “I do”, and it was commemorated with Mallett writing in an Instagram post: "So this was the best day of my life. 22nd of July 2020, I asked the love of my life to spend the rest of her life with me and she said YES."</div> <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/CDJF0WfpJwb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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/CDJF0WfpJwb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Greg Mallett (@gregmallett)</a> on Jul 27, 2020 at 3:23am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <div class="body_text "><br />He continued: "Couldn't be happier and I love you with all my heart @ameliaspencer15."<br /><br />The stunning 28-year-old bride-to-be is clearly just as excited and wrote her own comment beneath the series of pictures of the couple.<br /><br />She wrote: "I couldn't love you more. Happiest day of my life!”</div> <div class="body_text "></div> <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/BjFndtFFiVy/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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/BjFndtFFiVy/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Greg Mallett (@gregmallett)</a> on May 22, 2018 at 10:16am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <br />The proud father to Amelia, Charles Spencer, who is Princess Diana's brother, shared his own heartfelt sentiments for the couple.<br /><br />Taking to Twitter, he wrote: "So happy for my daughter, Amelia, engaged to her boyfriend of 11 years, Greg - it's wonderful to hear them both so excited about their future."<br /><br />"Sending them both love, and every good wish for their life together. I love that Greg asked my blessing before proposing. Very sweet."</div> <div class="body_text "></div> <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/BUqs92tDu4H/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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/BUqs92tDu4H/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Greg Mallett (@gregmallett)</a> on May 29, 2017 at 12:05am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <br />Amelia follows after her older sister Kitty whose own engagement to Michael Lewis was announced earlier this year.<br /><br />Lewis is a millionaire fashion mogul of the Jewish faith, and it's been highly suggested that Kitty will convert to Judaism ahead of their nuptials.<br /><br />The two sisters share two other siblings, Eliza and Louis (who is very easy on the eyes, might we add)<br /><br /></div> <div class="post-action-bar-component-wrapper"> <div class="post-actions-component"> <div class="upper-row"></div> </div> </div>

Beauty & Style

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Sunrise reporter Amelia Brace and cameraman attacked by police live on air

<p><span>A Channel 7 reporter and her cameraman reporting from Washington DC have been knocked down by police in shocking footage which is now going viral on social media.</span></p> <p><em>Sunrise</em><span> reporter Amelia Brace was live from the White House, providing updates on the escalating conditions with her freelance cameraman. </span></p> <p><span>Timothy Myers ACS, ahead of Donald Trump’s speech this morning when heavily-armed police began aggressively pushing the crowd back.</span></p> <p><span>Brace and Myers attempted to hide behind a wall as the stampede took place, but were spotted by heavily-armed officers, who quickly shoved them both back and punched the cameraman. </span></p> <p><span>The entire scene unfolded on live TV:</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Watch the shocking moment <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/7NEWS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#7NEWS</a> reporter <a href="https://twitter.com/AmeliaBrace?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AmeliaBrace</a> and our cameraman were knocked over by a police officer LIVE on air after chaos erupted in Washington DC. <a href="https://t.co/R8KJLnfxPN">pic.twitter.com/R8KJLnfxPN</a></p> — Sunrise (@sunriseon7) <a href="https://twitter.com/sunriseon7/status/1267587976986427393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2020</a></blockquote> <p><span>The disturbing footage was captured on camera by US ABC reporter Ben Siegel, who shared it on Twitter, attracting thousands of retweets within minutes.</span></p> <p><span>A moment later, </span><em>Sunrise</em><span> hosts David Koch and Samantha Armytage checked in on the pair, who were also recovering from a dose of tear gas and rubber bullets deployed by police into the crowd.</span></p> <p><span>“We’re not too bad, it’s actually the tear gas that gets you,” Brace admitted. </span></p> <p><span>“As I tried to continue speaking to you (during the earlier live cross), I could barely breathe and it’s really hard to continue speaking during that.</span></p> <p><span>“I also got a rubber bullet to the backside, and Tim got one at the back of the neck – so we’ll have a few bruises tomorrow.”</span></p> <p><span>Brace praised her co-worker, who got “smashed’ as he protected her from police.</span></p> <p><span>“I’m very grateful for him, he’s a very experienced cameraman and has worked in war zones, so I felt very comfortable with him leading me out there, and he did a wonderful job.”</span></p> <p><span>The reporter went on to say that the two were trapped with “no escape” as the crowds were aggressively pushed back before Trump’s arrival.</span></p> <p><span>“There’s really just no escape at that point. We had the National Guard behind us, and the police coming though, and there was nowhere for us to go,” Brace explained.</span></p> <p><span>“We had no choice but to hide in a corner hoping that they (police) passed by, but as you can see from those pictures … They did not.”</span></p> <p><span>Despite the shocking footage, Myers insisted he was “fine”.</span></p> <p><span>“While this wasn’t meant to be a story - the police did have a job to do. They chose a heavy-handed tactic to get it done. </span></p> <p><span>The way the crowd was goading them prior to the incident, I am not surprised at their approach,” he told </span><em>news.com.au</em><span>.</span></p> <p><span>“Though I am disgusted at the officer who swung his baton at the back of my colleague’s head after she had clearly identified herself as a journalist and while she was retreating.”</span></p>

News

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Asian countries brace for second surge of coronavirus

<p>As Europe and the United States reel from their first waves of the coronavirus pandemic, Asian countries who have flattened their infection curves brace for signs of a second surge.</p> <p>The governments of Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan are reportedly implementing new containment measures after seeing <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/coronavirus-cases-resurge-in-asia-crushing-hopes-that-disease-was-contained">rises in the number of new cases after weeks of declines</a>.</p> <p>According to Ben Cowling, an epidemiologist at the University of Hong Kong, these countries had been able to contain the spread of the virus throughout February following reports of community infections brought by cases from China. However, the pandemic then went transnational, increasing the threat of imported infections as citizens and permanent residents return to their home countries.</p> <p>“At the end of February and early March we started to get more imported cases from Europe. Hong Kong got a lot from Europe, the US, and other parts of the world, and Taiwan got a lot from the US,” Cowling told <em><a href="https://www.wired.com/story/the-asian-countries-that-beat-covid-19-have-to-do-it-again/">Wired</a></em>.</p> <p>He previously told <em><a href="https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/coronavirus/asian-countries-fear-coronavirus-resurgence-i-am-nervous/ar-BB12CoZS?li=AAgfYrC">CBS News</a> </em>that countries around the world might “get into a nasty cycle” of implementing repeated lockdowns every two or three months.</p> <p>“Coronavirus is not going away. We’re not going to eliminate it. We’re going to have to face the prospect that it is always going to be around, but hopefully in small numbers until we can identify an effective treatment or vaccine.”</p> <p>Dr Jerome Kim said cases of viral reactivation, where people who fully recovered from COVID-19 have since tested positive again, have been found in South Korea, China and other countries. However, he emphasised tests need to be carried out to evaluate testing sensitivities or confirm if the coronavirus found a way to evade detection.</p> <p>“I am nervous,” Dr Kim told <em>CBS News</em>. “What I hope is that what we see instead are little blips, so it’s like putting out a fire. You know that there are going to be embers that are glowing or smoking. You want to stamp those out before the fire starts again.”</p>

International Travel

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Brace yourself! Retailers face fines of up to $50,000 as new plastic bag ban starts

<p>Victorian retailers who supply single-use plastic bags to customers could be fined $49,500 per offence under new state laws that come into effect from tomorrow.</p> <p>The plastic bag ban impacts retail outlets in the entire state, which includes supermarkets, fashion stores, fast-food outlets, convenience stores as well as individual businesses who face fines of $9,900 per offence.</p> <p>The new law makes it illegal for any retailer to “lightweight plastic shopping bags with handles with a thickness of 35 microns or less at any part of the bag, including degradable, biodegradable and compostable bags,” according to<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/retailers-face-fines-of-50000-as-victorias-plastic-bag-ban-kicks-in-on-november-1/news-story/db6e33ffdd5c8768ab75ec31afc9ae8e" target="_blank">news.com.au</a>.</em></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/B3avG2YHhoO/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B3avG2YHhoO/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">👍 Don't forget your reusable bag @vicmarket #reusablebags #VICbagban #melbourne #retail #shopping #plasticbagban #national_retail_association</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/vicbagban/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> VIC bag ban</a> (@vicbagban) on Oct 9, 2019 at 5:34pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>In a statement that announced the legislation to parliament, Victorian Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said that the ban is a much-needed step towards protecting the state’s nature from plastic pollution.</p> <p>“Plastic pollution is a significant environmental problem — the actions we take now will help ensure Victoria has a clean and bright future,” Ms D’Ambrosio said.</p> <p>“The feedback on this one was clear. Victorians want to do more to protect the environment from the damage litter causes and are overwhelmingly supportive of banning single-use plastic shopping bags.</p> <p>“We’ve been working closely with businesses to plan for the ban ahead of November and we’ll continue to look at ways we can reduce other types of plastic pollution across Victoria.”</p> <p>The National Retail Association has partnered with the Victorian Government to educate business owners about the ban. They said that thousands of businesses have made the switch to sustainable bags.</p> <p>“Overwhelmingly retailers are embracing this policy,” NRA chief executive Dominique Lamb said in a statement. “We know that consumers are very supportive, and most businesses have already moved to implement more sustainable options well ahead of Friday’s deadline.”</p>

News

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"Killer" flu to hit Australia: Hospitals brace for a horror winter expected to kill more than 4,000

<p>Australians have been advised to prepare for an upcoming killer flu season, which is estimated to take the lives of close to 4,000 people.</p> <p>In March 2019, over 10,000 contracted the flu – 6,827 more than this time last year, according to data released by the Immunisation Coalition.</p> <p>Professor Robert Booy, chair of the coalition, revealed the reasoning behind the severity of this year’s flu season, saying that people failed to build up immunity last year.</p> <p>“This year, we expect the flu to kill at least 4,000 people which is the same number as deaths from suicide and the road toll combined,” he told <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6909797/Hospitals-brace-horror-flu-season-expected-kill-4-000-people.html" target="_blank">Daily Mail Australia</a>.</em></p> <p>“Last year was so quiet that we didn’t build up enough immunity in the community, which means we never achieved ‘herd protection’.</p> <p>“It means many more people will be prone to the flu this year.”</p> <p>According to Professor Booy, Australians travelling from the Northern Hemisphere brought back viruses that could affect the vulnerable, such as primary school students.</p> <p>“We’ve already started seeing peak flu rates in primary schools in year 1 and 2 and while it hasn’t been reported widely, outbreaks in schools are happening,” he said.</p> <p>Research conducted by Professor Booy shows that almost 27,000 people have already been diagnosed with the flu this year alone.</p> <p>The states that were hit the hardest were New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia.</p> <p>And it’s not just the young folk that have been receiving the brute end of the spectrum, as nursing homes were also suffering from the outbreak.</p> <p>“We have seen multiple outbreaks at nursing homes right down the east coast,” he said.</p> <p>Most deaths from the flu occur in people aged over 65 and young children. He urged patients to visit your GP and get immunised to avoid the spreading of the disease any further.</p> <p>“If you consult Dr Google, you end up being confused, but if you talk to an expert who has spent 20 years researching the issue, you might get closer to the truth,” he said.</p> <p>Are you planning to get the flu shot this year? Tell us in the comments below. </p>

Caring

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Brace yourselves: 3 new species of Aussie spiders have just been discovered

<p>Three new species of spiders have been discovered – and thankfully, they are "completely harmless" to humans.</p> <p>The three peacock spiders were found and hand-collected by Project Maratus in the Lake Jasper and Mount Romance regions of southwestern Australia.</p> <p>Joseph Schubert, spider taxonomist and research assistant at Monash University, announced the discovery on Twitter this week.</p> <p>"They are officially named: Maratus aquilus, Maratus felinus, and Maratus combustus," wrote Schubert.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Meet Australia's three newest species! Here are three brand new peacock spiders that I described from Southwestern Australia, discovered by Project Maratus. As of today they are officially named: Maratus aquilus, Maratus felinus, and Maratus combustus. <a href="https://t.co/eDV6JeCMAp">pic.twitter.com/eDV6JeCMAp</a></p> — Joseph Schubert (@j_schubert__) <a href="https://twitter.com/j_schubert__/status/1102825908526768128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">5 March 2019</a></blockquote> <p>The critters, which are about the size of a rice grain, have brightly coloured markings on their abdomens.</p> <p>"They're incredibly small but so charismatic and so colourful," Schubert told<span> </span><a href="https://10daily.com.au/news/australia/a190305euv/new-aussie-spiders-are-the-size-of-a-rice-grain-and-harmless-20190306"><em>Ten Daily</em></a>.</p> <p>"Each species has a specific pattern that is different on their abdomen."</p> <p>The name aquilus was based on the markings that resemble an eagle’s face, while felinus referred to the pattern’s resemblance to a cat. On the other hand, combustus reflected the marking’s similarity to a "fiery explosion".</p> <p>Schubert said these three spider species will not be able to bite or hurt people due to their small size.</p> <p>"Fear of creepy crawlies in Australia is somewhat irrational," said Schubert, explaining that only a handful of spider species in the country pose a significant threat to a human's life.</p> <p>Schubert said 73 Maratus species have been identified and named so far.</p> <p>The discovery brought the tally of described peacock spiders to 74, of which 29 are exclusively found in Southwestern Australia. Schubert referred to the areas in Western Australia as "biodiversity hotspots".</p>

Home & Garden

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ALDI braces for shopping frenzy over new $49.99 item: "I need to get one of those"

<p><span>Shoppers are excited as ALDI is set to launch a coveted foldable five-seater </span><span>at just $49.99.</span></p> <p>The foldable sports seat, which sits 5 people, is part of ALDI’s Special Buys Soccer Training Essentials collection, which will be available in stores on Wednesday – and is also versatile for camping and picnics, even the beach. </p> <p>The connected foldable chairs can seat five adults or children and comes with a one-year warranty.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fanydayadventures%2Fposts%2F1020006458183580&amp;width=500" width="500" height="614" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>The new product has excited families and campers alike.</p> <p>"Should get one of these so we can all sit next to each other next time we go camping," one Facebook user wrote.</p> <p>"Need one of these for when we have the kids sports on, take a nap and cheer from sidelines,” said a fan.</p> <p>An ALDI shopper said: "It's the love couch. But bigger. I need to get one of those."</p> <p>"Wonder if I could get all my kids to sit that close to each other!" one mother jokingly wrote. </p> <p>While another commenter added: "This will solve a lot of problems with seating arrangements."</p> <p>However, some pointed out that a similar seater is on sale at Bunnings for even less. According to Bunnings’ website, its 6-seat connecting camp chair is available in stores for just $25.</p> <p>Another Special Buys item that customers are seeking to get their hands on are the $19.99 trolley bags, which consist of four linked shopping bags to be placed in the shopping cart.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Unpacking the groceries at home just got 1000% easier! Available 20/02 <a href="https://t.co/LH6keRt3xo">https://t.co/LH6keRt3xo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TrolleyBags?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TrolleyBags</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Reusable?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Reusable</a> <a href="https://t.co/DoYqH587yr">pic.twitter.com/DoYqH587yr</a></p> — ALDI Australia (@ALDIAustralia) <a href="https://twitter.com/ALDIAustralia/status/1097258392983236609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>"These are brilliant! I’ve been using mine for over two years now, and I’m always getting asked where I get them from," one shopper wrote on ALDI’s Facebook page.</p> <p>"Love mine and take them everywhere as individual bags too!" another added. "They are great and less trips from the car."</p> <p>Other soccer-related products on offer include a $79.99 gazebo, a $99.99 open goalpost, and a $29.99 St. John Ambulance sports first aid kit.</p> <p>Will you be getting any of these Special Buys from ALDI? Let us know in the comments.</p>

Domestic Travel

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Meet the world's most eligible royals who are yet to marry

<p>Even though Prince Harry has officially been off the market for a while now, since marrying his forever love Duchess Meghan in May last year, there are still plenty of eligible royals that have not yet tied the knot yet – including Princess Margaret's grandson Arthur Chatto and Princess Diana's niece Lady Kitty Spencer. </p> <p>These eligible royals are still bachelors and bachelorettes and looking for their prince or princess. From the attractive prince who just landed a modelling contract to the newly-single princess looking for love, we reveal the most eligible royal members who haven’t walked down the aisle yet.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see some of the world’s most eligible royals.</p> <p><strong>Prince Nikolai</strong></p> <p>Prince Nikolai of Denmark is the eldest son of Prince Joachim and Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg.</p> <p>He is the nephew of beloved Princess Mary and is the sixth-in-line to the Danish throne.</p> <p>In 2018, the 19-year-old was signed with a modelling agency and has shown his skills by walking the catwalk for Dior and Burberry.</p> <p><strong>Lady Amelia Windsor</strong></p> <p>Lady Amelia Winsor, from the UK, is 23 years old and is a distant cousin to Prince William and Prince Harry. She is the granddaughter of the Queen's cousin who is the Duke of Kent, Prince Edward.</p> <p>The royal is the 37th-in-line to the British throne and on occasion works for Dolce &amp; Gabbana as a model. She was once deemed the “most beautiful royal” by <em>Tatler</em>, a British tabloid, and it’s not hard to see why.</p> <p><strong>Lady Marina-Charlotte Windsor </strong></p> <p>Lady Marina-Charlotte Windsor is 26 years old and is the eldest sister of Lady Amelia. She is not included in the line of succession for the throne as she is Roman Catholic.</p> <p><strong>Prince Abdul Mateen</strong></p> <p>The prince is the fourth son of the Sultan of Brunei and the 27-year-old is certainly one of the world's most eligible bachelors.</p> <p>He is currently doing a master’s degree in international diplomacy at SOAS University of London and has an Instagram account with over 1 million followers.</p> <p><strong>Crown prince Al-Hussein Bin Abdullah II</strong><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BnIos_yFZZV/"></a></p> <p>The crown prince is the eldest child of King Abdullah II and Queen Rania, and he is the first in line to the Jordanian throne.</p> <p>The 24-year-old prince shares images to his Instagram account which has amassed over 1.8 million followers. In June 2018, he made headlines around the world after posting a picture of himself and Prince William watching the World Cup from his bachelor pad in his palace in Jordan.</p> <p><strong>Viscount Althorp</strong></p> <p>Louis Spencer, who holds the official title Viscount Althorp, is the eldest son and fourth child of Princess Diana's brother Charles Spencer, and his first wife Victoria Lockwood</p> <p>He is the first cousin to Prince William and Prince Harry and is Prince Diana’s nephew.</p> <p>Louis, 24, will inherit the Althorp estate as his oldest sister, Lady Kitty Spencer, is unable to due to British primogeniture law.</p> <p><strong>Lady Kitty Spencer</strong></p> <p>Lady Kitty Spencer, 28, is the named UK ambassador for the luxury jewellery brand Bulgari. She has modelled for a number of fashion magazines and walked down the runway for Dolce &amp; Gabbana.</p> <p>She is the eldest child of Princess Diana's brother Charles Spencer and his first wife, Victoria Lockwood. The royal is regularly seen attending events, including Prince Harry’s wedding to the Duchess Meghan in May 2018.</p> <p><strong>Hamdan bin Mohammed</strong></p> <p>Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the heir to the Dubai throne and 36 years old.</p> <p>The Crown Prince is an intellectual political figure and is known to mingle with his ‘people’ frequently by dining at local restaurants and driving his own car through the streets of Dubai.</p> <p><strong>Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana</strong></p> <p>The 32-year-old princess is the daughter of the current ruler of Thailand, King Vajiralongkorn.</p> <p>Princess Sirivannavari is a fashion designer and attends some of the world's biggest fashion shows regularly.</p> <p>She famously played professional badminton winning gold with her team at the 2005 Southeast Asian Games.</p> <p><strong>Princess Elisabeth</strong></p> <p>Princess Elisabeth of Thurn and Taxis is a member of Germany’s defunct nobility and has been a style editor-at-large for <em>Vogue</em> in the UK since 2012.</p> <p>She usually goes by the nickname TNT.</p> <p><strong>Albert con Thurn und Taxis </strong></p> <p>Albert von Thurn und Taxis is the 12th prince in his family line. Although Germany no longer rules under a monarchy, the noble families continue to use and pass on their titles.</p> <p>His family is worth an estimated US$1.6 billion and is a champion race car driver.</p> <p><strong>Arthur Chatto</strong></p> <p>Arthur Chatto has made headlines for his topless Instagram posts, constantly posing shirtless as he travels the world.</p> <p>He is the 20-year-old grandson of the late Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth’s sister. He is the son of Princess Margaret's daughter Lady Sarah Chatto and her husband Daniel Chatto.</p> <p><strong>Princess Alexandra of Luxemborg</strong></p> <p>Princess Alexandra from Luxembourg is from one of the most prominently wealthy royal families in the world. The Grand Ducal Family of Luxembourg is worth an estimate of US$4 billion.</p> <p>She is 24 years old and is the only daughter of Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa. For now, she is the fifth-in-line to the throne – just behind her two older brothers and her niece and nephew.</p> <p><strong>Prince Constantine-Alexios.</strong></p> <p>Prince Constantine-Alexios of Greece is 20 years old and currently attends Georgetown University in Washington D.C. The prince’s grandfather, Constantine II – the last King of Greece – is a close friend and second cousin to Prince Charles. King Constantine II is Prince William’s godfather.</p> <p>Prince Constantine-Alexios is the son of Crown Prince Pavlos Greece and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal. </p> <p><strong>Princess Iman and Princess Salma </strong></p> <p>18-year-old Princess Salma recently celebrated her completion of a commissioning course at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, which her brother, the Crown Prince attended.</p> <p>Her older sister, Princess Iman bint Abdullah, is the second child and eldest daughter of the king of Jordan, King Abdullah II and Queen Rania. She is 22 and is currently studying at Georgetown University in Washington D.C.</p> <p>Do you recognise any of these royal members? Let us know in the comments below.</p>

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Extreme temperatures soar over 40C: Brace yourself for a heatwave today

<p>Extreme heatwaves are set to make way across Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and some parts of New South Wales today.</p> <p>Broken Hill is forecast to get up to 45 degrees today yet that’s not the most extreme brunt of heat Australians may be facing today.</p> <p>Melbourne is set to reach 42 degrees and the Mercury is forecast could hit 47 degrees near the Victorian border.</p> <p>Sydney’s west and Hobart, Tasmania will both be reaching for the air con as well with heat projected to hit at 39 degrees.</p> <p>A sticky day is expected for the Northwest in South Australia today, with temps to reach 49.</p> <p>Fires have been totally banned for the whole state of Victoria. Click below to see what these restrictions could mean for you.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Friday 4 January 2019 has been declared a day of TOTAL FIRE BAN for the whole State of Victoria. Plan ahead and understand what this means for you. Know what you can and can't do on a day of Total Fire Ban: <a href="https://t.co/Io6AlZ7Evh">https://t.co/Io6AlZ7Evh</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vicfires?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vicfires</a> <a href="https://t.co/utTkH0rfwT">pic.twitter.com/utTkH0rfwT</a></p> — VicEmergency (@vicemergency) <a href="https://twitter.com/vicemergency/status/1080334467779092480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2019</a></blockquote> <p> </p> <p>Fortunately, the air con might not have to be on for the whole day though as temps are expected to cool down by the late afternoon.</p> <p>However, these cool wind changes could mean issues for firefighters trying to control blazes that may break out from the intense heat, a spokesperson for the CFA said.</p> <p>“The cool changes could make things very problematic,” they said.</p> <p>These winds could be up to 100km/h with the potential to widen fires attempting to be controlled.</p> <p>Forecasters are advising people who are especially susceptible to heatstroke to stay hydrated and remain indoors</p>

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Brace yourself: Snow, hail and storms are coming

<p><span>On Thursday, winter will officially be here, and Australia is embracing the season change with below-average temperatures across the south of the country.</span></p> <p><span>Hobart will face a chilly 12C on Thursday while Melbourne will peak at 14C on the same day.</span></p> <p><span>Forecasters predict snow to fall on high ground in Tasmania and, Victoria and NSW will face thunderstorms. It may even hail in Adelaide.</span></p> <p><span>On the other side of Australia, the cities will experience relatively warm weather with Perth hitting temperatures in the low-20s throughout the week.</span></p> <p><span>As the week progresses, a low-pressure system will travel across the Great Australian Bight into South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">A series of cold fronts will bring showers across southern Australia over the coming days. Showers also for the east coast due to onshore winds. Snowfalls for TAS, VIC and NSW on Tue &amp; Wed. Watch out for warnings. <a href="https://t.co/Wht32WMxqY">https://t.co/Wht32WMxqY</a> <a href="https://t.co/UR3wmxJHyC">pic.twitter.com/UR3wmxJHyC</a></p> — Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) <a href="https://twitter.com/BOM_au/status/1000571144607621121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2018</a></blockquote> <p style="text-align: center;"><span> </span></p> <p><span>“A series of cold fronts will bring showers across southern Australia over the coming days. Showers also for the east coast due to onshore winds. Snowfalls for TAS, VIC and NSW on Tue &amp; Wed. Watch out for warnings,” the Bureau of Meteorology Australia tweeted.</span></p> <p><span>Two cold fronts connected with the system will bring rain and chilly temperatures into Australia’s southeast.</span></p> <p><span>Despite the cooler temperatures this week in the south, Bureau of Meteorology climatologist Dr Linden Ashcroft said there are no major climate drivers affecting the season.</span></p> <p><span>“Conditions remain neutral across both the Indian and Pacific oceans. The Indian Ocean Dipole is inactive and there are no El Nino or La Nina patterns present," she said. </span></p> <p><span>“This lack of large-scale climate drivers means our winter is likely to be more influenced by local effects.</span></p> <p><span>“It also means for much of the country there is an equal chance of a drier or wetter winter apart from southwestern Western Australia where a drier season is likely,” Dr Ashcroft said.</span></p> <p><span>This winter, the south of Australia is expected to experience warmer than average temperatures while minimum temperatures may be cooler in Queensland.</span></p> <p><strong>When it will be coolest in your city this week</strong></p> <p><strong>Hobart</strong></p> <p><span>Hobart will experience temperatures that are usual for mid-July with Thursday dipping to just 12C.</span></p> <p><strong>Melbourne</strong></p> <p><span>Melbourne is expected to be hit with scattered showers this week and on Wednesday night there will be a low of 8C. On Thursday and Friday, the forecast is 14C.</span></p> <p><strong>Adelaide</strong></p> <p><span>On Wednesday, the temperature will sink to a low of 9C. Rain and possible hail is expected to fall this evening.</span></p> <p><strong>Perth</strong></p> <p><span>This week, temperatures will fluctuate around 19-23C. A possible storm is forecast on Thursday and on Friday, overnight temperatures will sink to 6C.</span></p> <p><strong>Darwin</strong></p> <p><span>Overnight lows this week will hit around 21C.</span></p> <p><strong>Brisbane</strong></p> <p><span>By the end of the week it will be sunny, however, nights will get cooler hitting an overnight low of 8C on Friday.</span></p> <p><strong>Sydney</strong></p> <p><span>The end of the week will see the coolest nights in Sydney with overnight lows of 9C.</span></p> <p><strong>Canberra</strong></p> <p><span>The coolest day in Canberra will be on Thursday and Friday with a high of 13C. </span></p>

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Brace yourself for more warm days and unpleasant nights

<p>Summer has sadly come to an end, but you might not want to put away that pedestal fan just yet – according to the experts, we’re in for a warmer than usual autumn.</p> <p>Dr Andrew Watkins, senior climatologist at the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), said summer was exceptionally warm and dry for the majority of Australia’s east coast, while the west was hit with record-breaking rainfall – and things won’t be much different this autumn, either.</p> <p>The weak La Nina that’s been wreaking havoc around the country is breaking down, but Dr Watkins said there’s still an increased chance of a wetter and warmer than average March in eastern Australia.</p> <p>“Historically, autumns following the end of weak La Nina events have been drier than average, however record-high water temperatures in the Tasman Sea may increase rainfall from any east coast lows that form later in the autumn and winter,” he told <a href="http://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/melbourne-sydney-brisbane-weather-autumn-to-be-warmer-than-expected/news-story/eef2d758ec602a43d42a164a9a6e03b6" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">news.com.au</span></strong></a>.</p> <p>So you can expect warm days and unpleasant nights for a while longer, with BOM warning heatwaves still may hit drier parts of the country – especially central Australia. </p> <p><em>Image credit: Bureau of Meteorology.</em></p>

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