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Chinese zoo's "panda" display under fire

<p>A zoo in China has come under fire after visitors noticed something strange about the baby panda display. </p> <p>Taizhou Zoo, in the eastern Jiangsu Province, advertised their baby panda enclosure, which was actually just two small Chow Chow dogs dyed black and white. </p> <p>The tickets to the display which are believed to have gone public late last week, read "Xiong Mao Quan" which translates to "panda dogs", Chinese newspaper The Global Times reported.</p> <p>Footage of the animals in the enclosure has gone viral, with many sharing their confusion over the zoo's special enclosure. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Taizhou Zoo in Jiangsu Province dyed two chow chow puppies black and white and promoted them as so-called “panda dogs.” <a href="https://t.co/Jo7q1dBzZJ">pic.twitter.com/Jo7q1dBzZJ</a></p> <p>— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) <a href="https://twitter.com/shanghaidaily/status/1786948655880290806?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>A staff member at the zoo, Liu Qiuming, told the local publication the panda scheme was used to attract more visitors and better their experience, as the zoo does not have any pandas of its own.</p> <p>The display has reportedly raised concerns of fraud but another staffer has insisted the zoo has not tricked or manipulated its visitors, given the direct translation of the exhibit. </p> <p>"This is just a new display we offer to visitors. We are not charging extra," a ticket seller told The Global Times.</p> <p>"The wording featuring Chow Chow dogs is correct and exactly describes what they are, so we are not cheating our visitors."</p> <p><em>Image credits: X (Twitter)</em></p>

International Travel

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“Makes me proud”: Coles applauded for Anzac Day display

<p>An impressive Anzac Day display at a Coles supermarket has received a flood of attention, with many quick to praise the supermarket for the tribute. </p> <p>The display, situated at the entrance of the Annandale Coles store in Townsville, Queensland, features a large statue of a veteran surrounded by poppies and a “Lest We Forget” flag, and countless packets of Anzac biscuits for customers to enjoy. </p> <p>The worker who created the display said the tribute was in honour of her father: a war veteran. </p> <p>The Queensland store is also situated opposite the Lavarack Barracks in Townsville, the largest army base in Australia.</p> <p>A photo of the display was posted online by a Coles shopper and quickly went viral. </p> <p>“Coles Annandale Townsville. Huge display right as you walk in, brilliant!” the shopper wrote.</p> <p>“Take note, Woolworths.”</p> <p>The comments are in reference to <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/pauline-hanson-slams-woolies-controversial-anzac-day-decision" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Woolworths</a> saying they are not doing anything special for Anzac Day this year, other than selling charity pins for the RSL and selling Anzac biscuits, which are available all year round. </p> <p>Many social media users were elated by the display, sharing their comments to praise the supermarket's efforts. </p> <p>One person said, “Bloody well done Coles - too much Aussie stuff being constantly eroded," while another wrote, “Great respect for our Diggers Thank you Coles Annandale Townsville.”</p> <p>One more added, “That is great. As a veteran it makes me proud.”</p> <p>Despite Woolies announcement about this year's lack of Anzac Day fanfare, shoppers said that they’d seen similar displays at other supermarkets around the country.</p> <p>“My local Woolies has Anzac biscuits and all the Anzac badges on a big display just as you walk in the door,” said one.</p> <p>Another added, “Woolies Maryborough has a similar display!”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p> <p class="css-1n6q21n-StyledParagraph e4e0a020" style="box-sizing: border-box; overflow-wrap: break-word; word-break: break-word; margin: 0px 0px 1.125rem; line-height: 25px; font-size: 1.125rem; font-family: HeyWow, Montserrat, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; caret-color: #292a33; color: #292a33;"> </p>

Caring

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Australian War Memorial urged to remove Ben Roberts-Smith’s uniform from display

<p>The Australian War Memorial is being urged to remove Ben Roberts-Smith’s uniform from its display after the federal court dismissed the defamation case initiated by Australia’s most decorated living soldier.</p> <p>However, the Australian Special Air Association has argued it was “a very disappointing day” for veterans who had served in Afghanistan, noting the majority who had done the right thing were being “re-traumatised after having gone through a difficult war”.</p> <p>In the defamation case ruling on June 1, Justice Anthony Besanko found that, on the balance of probabilities, Roberts-smith kicked a handcuffed prisoner off a cliff in Darwin in 2012 before ordering a subordinate Australian soldier to shoot the injured man dead.</p> <p>Besanko also found that in 2009, Roberts-Smith had ordered the execution of an elderly man found hiding in a tunnel in a bombed-out compound codenamed “Whiskey 108”, including murdering a disabled man with a prosthetic leg during that same mission, with a machine gun.</p> <p>The majority of politicians in Canberra were hesitant to weigh in on the implications of the ruling, but the Greens described the judgement as “an important win for fearless journalism in the public interest”.</p> <p>David Shoebridge, the Greens’ defence and justice spokesperson said, “If this judgment stands, the first step in correcting the official record is for the Australian War Memorial to immediately remove Ben Roberts-Smith’s uniform from public display and to begin telling the entire truth of Australia’s involvement in that brutal war.</p> <p>“This is not justice for the families who lost loved ones or for the communities that have been brutalised by war crimes, but it takes us a step closer.”</p> <p>Shoebridge is also calling on the Albanese government to “urgently progress compensation for families of victims of alleged Afghanistan war crimes, one of the key outstanding recommendations of the Brereton report”.</p> <p>He has urged the attorney general, Mark Dreyfus, to “step in and end the unjust prosecution of Afghanistan war crimes whistleblower David McBride”.</p> <p>A spokesperson for the defence minister, Richard Marles, said, “This is a civil defamation matter to which the commonwealth is not a party and it would be inappropriate to provide comment.”</p> <p>Speaking to ABC TV, the national chairman of the Australian Special Air Service Association, Martin Hamilton-Smith downplayed the broader significance of the ruling, saying it was not a criminal proceeding.</p> <p>When speaking generally about investigations overseen by the Office of Special Investigator (OSI), he said one person had been charged to date over allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan — and raised concerns that “justice delayed is justice denied”.</p> <p>Hamilton-Smith called on OSI to “get these matters into a criminal court where they can be dealt with properly and the truth can be established”.</p> <p>In 2020, the Brereton report found “credible” information to implicate 25 current or former special forces personnel in the alleged unlawful killing of 39 individuals and the cruel treatment of two others.</p> <p>When asked whether Roberts-Smith should hand over his Victoria Cross, Hamilton-Smith said, “I think the only way you will get the real truth of this is to get it into the criminal court where both sides of the story can be told and beyond reasonable doubt the facts established.”</p> <p>A spokesperson for OSI said defamation proceedings were a “a civil matter between the parties”, adding, “It would not be appropriate to comment on specific allegations or whether they are the subject of investigation.”</p> <p>The Coalition’s foreign affairs spokesperson, Simon Birmingham, described the defamation ruling as “certainly significant”, and stated it was a legal process “that deserves to be respected”.</p> <p>However, he said it would be “a difficult day for many” of Australia’s current and former defence force personnel.</p> <p>“Australia is a country that applies a standard, in terms of expectations of our serving personnel and the transparency and accountability, that few other nations in the world apply,” Birmingham told ABC TV.</p> <p>“We should be proud of those standards but we should also be proud overwhelmingly of our personnel, of all who have served.”</p> <p>Birmingham was reluctant to make broader comments about the judgement’s implication for press freedom, adding the outcome would “obviously weigh heavily in terms of what proceedings may be initiated by others in future”.</p> <p>The shadow defence minister and former SAS captain Andrew Hastie was subpoenaed by the newspapers to give evidence during the defamation case but declined to comment.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

News

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"Sexist to the core": Coles blasted over Mother's Day display

<p>A Coles supermarket in Adelaide has come under fire for their "offensive" Mother's Day display, with one person describing it as "sexist to the core".</p> <p>A dedicated space for Mother's Day in the aisle of supermarket showed a shelf filled brimming with cleaning products and sanitary items under a series of signs that read, “More for Mum.”</p> <p>A photo of the display quickly went viral online, after the snap was posted to a local Adelaide Instagram page with the caption, "Happy Mother’s Day from Coles. We hope your mum loves the bottles of Pine O Clean, the peg basket and the incontinence pads." </p> <p>The post racked up thousands of likes and comments, as many claimed it was "wrong" on a number of levels. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CsD-ya3pe6F/?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/CsD-ya3pe6F/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Shit Adelaide (the original) (@shitadelaide)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The online outrage prompted the supermarket giant to share statement on the display, as they described the incident as an “isolated case”, and apologised for the “unintentional human error”.</p> <p>“We are grateful this has been drawn to our attention and our Coles team in Adelaide apologises for this error,” a spokesperson for the supermarket said.</p> <p>“This was an unintentional human error where recently discontinued products, including sanitary and cleaning supplies were placed along the seasonal ‘flex aisle’."</p> <p>“Celebrating Mothers and Mother figures is such an important occasion at Coles and we are committed to providing the best value and range of gifts to make this weekend extra special.”</p> <p>Despite the apology from the supermarket, some said the display was deeply "offensive" and "sexist to the core".</p> <p>“Don’t know what’s worse, the fabric softener down the bottom or the period undies on the top shelf,” one woman said. </p> <p>Unfortunately, this is not the first time Coles have majorly missed the mark on their Mother's Day displays.</p> <p>In 2020, the supermarket was called out for including washing powder in the gifting display, with one woman exclaiming on Facebook at the time, “Washing powder. In the Mother’s Day section. Are you f*****g kidding me Coles?".</p> <p>Coles apologised at the time, stating it was “not our intention to offend customers” and promised to ensure it would “review” displays in future.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock / Instagram </em></p>

Family & Pets

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Readers Respond: What is the most egregious display of wealth you've ever seen?

<p dir="ltr">We asked our readers what they thought were the most extravagant and outrageous displays of wealth that they’ve seen and honestly, we couldn’t believe some of the answers. </p> <p dir="ltr">Melanie Gibbons- My ex showing up in a BMW sports car when he owed 46k in child support and I hadn't received a cent for 2 years... his parents also showing up in their porsche 4wd and demanding I pay them petrol money to see their granddaughter because I moved 90mins away from them.</p> <p dir="ltr">Anita Thornton- Nearly fifty years ago, in my role as a teacher, I went to a School Council dinner. One mother had a copious amount of jewellery on, over the top!</p> <p dir="ltr">Richard Norman Ewing- A man and his wife arriving at a WA country airstrip in an American registered Grumman Gulfstream G650 business jet. Two pilots and two cabin attendants, all the way from the USA. (They stopped in Sydney for customs). What a way to travel.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jim Davies- A person with a huge collection of Vincent motorcycles.</p> <p dir="ltr">Moyra Rocchio- We were staying at "The Minna House. In Cairo , The day we arrived a Sheik was having a wedding reception (we were told ) what appeared to be several other wives who were dripping in gold and jewels, arrived by Limo.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bev Traveller Chad- The Crown Jewels, London Tower.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sam Siney- The Vatican… never seen anything like it.</p> <p dir="ltr">Cathy Pitman-  European castles</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Small town's Christmas display dubbed the "worst in history"

<p>The Port Macquarie Council have been widely roasted online after the unveiling of their Christmas tree display, which has been dubbed the "worst in history".</p> <p>Families and community members turned out by the hundreds to see NSW Central Coast town light up its Christmas tree last week, which was met with a very mixed reaction. </p> <p>The long-anticipated reveal, which forced onlookers to wait until midnight for the lights to be turned on, was met with a chorus of disappointed sighs as the underwhelming tree was finally illuminated. </p> <p>Families expecting a glowing symbol of Christmas cheer were instead treated to a sight of Christmas gloom with sad looking fairy light strings barely clinging onto the huge pine tree's branches. </p> <p>Port Macquarie Hastings Council took the disappointment in its stride, mocking its own tree with an 'Instagram vs Reality' meme on Facebook.  </p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpmhcouncil%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02tkGEispQKQLt4tsc5X3VP8iUQTyp2AFyMqLc1sQKw2CKZdGxsNHJKfSfCXVywhPVl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="677" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>"What can we say except ... you're welcome," the council wrote on Friday, alongside a smirk face emoji. </p> <p>"With everything our community has been through recently, we know everyone appreciates a good laugh!"</p> <p>"We are glad our very sad Christmas tree could provide that for everyone."</p> <p>"So let's be real. Our poor tree does look like it was decorated by Santa after he's whizzed around the world and had too many eggnogs."</p> <p>The council said its tree decoration was done with "the best of intentions" however "extraordinary winds and rain" had destroyed the lights. </p> <p>"Just like the rest of us - she's battered and bruised, but she's still standing," they said. </p> <p>Just days after the tree lights were turned on, the council confirmed it needed to strip the sad looking tree because it had become a "safety risk" to locals.</p> <p>"We have enjoyed your good humour and appreciation of our abstract piece of art," the council joked.</p> <p>"Unfortunately, the infamous lights will be removed, as they are slipping further down the tree and pose a safety risk and we are concerned if we leave the inflatable baubles up, we may not have any left by Christmas."</p> <p>Port Macquarie Hastings Mayor Peta Pinson later said the council was working hard to install their "original outdoor tree will be installed and working for everyone's enjoyment well before Christmas".</p> <p>"Again, I am so thankful to the community for coming and celebrating. Merry Christmas to our wonderful, witty and resilient community," she said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Artwork displayed upside down for 75 years

<p dir="ltr">An art historian has claimed that an artwork by the abstract Dutch painter Piet Mondrian has been displayed upside down for 75 years. </p> <p dir="ltr">The artwork, titled New York City I, was originally put on display at New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in 1945, four years after it was completed. </p> <p dir="ltr">Since then, it has been on display in various galleries around the world, and is currently hanging in the art collection of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Düsseldorf, where it has been since 1980.</p> <p dir="ltr">Curator Susanne Meyer-Büser noticed the longstanding error when researching the museum's new show on the artist earlier this year, but warned it could disintegrate if it was hung the right side up now.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The thickening of the grid should be at the top, like a dark sky," Meyer-Büser told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/oct/28/mondrian-painting-has-been-hanging-upside-down-for-75-years">The Guardian</a>, about the unfinished and unsigned red, blue and yellow striped lattice artwork.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Once I pointed it out to the other curators, we realised it was very obvious. It is very likely the picture is the wrong way around," she added when contacted by the BBC.</p> <p dir="ltr">The evidence seems to bear this theory out, as the similarly-named New York City by the same artist, which is on display at Paris's Centre Pompidou, displays a thickening of lines at the top, rather than the bottom.</p> <p dir="ltr">In order to prevent any damage to the work, it will continue to be displayed upside down. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Art

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Karl Stefanovic's brutal verdict on Meghan Markle's emotional funeral display

<p>Karl Stefanovic has shared his brutal thoughts on Meghan Markle's emotional display at Queen Elizabeth's funeral. </p> <p>Covering the Queen's final farewell in London, the Today host couldn't resist taking a swipe at his least favourite royal as the coverage of the high-profile event started rolling in. </p> <p>As the Duchess of Sussex was seen wiping tears from under her eye, Karl made the outlandish claim that she wasn't actually crying. </p> <p>Stefanovic made clear his verdict on Meghan's public display of emotion, emphasising the word "apparently", which didn't go unnoticed by his co-host Allison Langdon.</p> <p>The moment occurred while Stefanovic and Langdon were speaking to royal photographer Chris Jackson outside Buckingham Palace as the day of the funeral drew to a close. </p> <p>Karl noted how several photos from the funeral were open to interpretation, particularly in regard to whether certain members of the royal family were crying, going on to imply that pictures of Meghan wiping away tears were perhaps misleading.</p> <p>"There's been lots of photos around and interpretations of photos and reading into photos [meanings] that may or may not be true," he said.</p> <p>"There's a couple of Meghan, um, with a tear running down her face - apparently - and also even one of Princess Charlotte that everyone was saying she was crying, and we don't know if it was true or not."</p> <p>As Stefanovic cast doubt on Meghan's tearful display with the word 'apparently', Langdon smiled nervously then offered him a knowing look.</p> <p>Meghan wept as she watched Queen Elizabeth II's coffin being carried out of Westminster Abbey in London on Monday evening, as she stood alongside other members of the royal family. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Today show, Twitter</em></p>

TV

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The easiest way to witness one of nature’s most incredible natural displays

<p>With travel back on the cards for the first time in over two years, many Aussies are jumping at the chance to tick the world’s most breathtaking destinations off their bucket lists.</p> <p>For many, this includes seeing the famous Northern Lights. However, Australians can spend a small fortune to venture to the Arctic to experience these dramatic light transformations, and that’s assuming you’re lucky enough to not have bad weather or light pollution obstruct the natural show.</p> <p>But now, there is a revolutionary way for Aussies to experience the Southern Hemisphere’s equivalent, the Aurora Australis, without having to travel too far from home, thanks to the Southern Lights scenic flights with Chimu Adventures. The incredible Aurora Australis, or Southern Lights, dance across the sky in amazing colours and formations, one of nature’s most unique scenes, but are best visible from the air, away from light pollution. </p> <p>The Southern Lights occur naturally in the earth’s sky around the magnetic north and south poles, producing an ethereal and dynamic exhibition of colours that are most visible in high latitude areas. </p> <p>When we observe this electrical phenomenon, we are witnessing billions of individual collisions of energy lighting up the magnetic lines of our planet.</p> <p>The Aurora Australis has received much less attention than the Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights, due to its accessibility.</p> <p>While the Northern Lights are most visible from Scandinavian countries such as Norway, Sweden and Iceland, the Southern Lights shine brightest in one of the world’s most remote regions: the Antarctic Circle.</p> <p>While Aurora enthusiasts have been capturing rare glimpses of the Aurora Australis from Australia and New Zealand at a distance, they have been at a disadvantage due to their inaccessibility.</p> <p>But how much could we learn, and how much more could we see if we could get closer?</p> <p>Australians can now experience the Aurora Australis like never before with<a href="https://www.chimuadventures.com/blog/2021/03/southern-lights-aurora-australis-guide/"> Chimu Adventures</a>, with lucky travellers getting a front row seat to the Southern Lights.</p> <p>After boarding a private Qantas 787-9 Dreamliner with a team of expert astronomers, you will head over the Southern Ocean towards Antarctica.</p> <p>Leaving mid-evening to avoid light pollution and unpredictable weather systems, you will travel above the clouds to chase the Southern Aurora Zone.</p> <p>With flights leaving from Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane, you will witness the beauty of stars, constellations and planets unlike you’ve ever seen before.</p> <p>With Chimu Adventures being the only company to offer this extraordinary experience, the 12-14 hour flights are truly a one-of-a-kind travel adventure.</p> <p>Passengers will enjoy Qantas inflight services in both business and economy classes, as astronomers will provide expert information during the flight about how an Aurora is created.</p> <p>During the flight, travellers will witness the majestic curtains of light dancing across the sky, as the kaleidoscope of colours ignite the senses like never before.</p> <p>The colours of the Aurora differ depending on your altitude, with green the most common colour we see in both the Southern and Northern lights.</p> <p>The green in an aurora is caused by ions colliding with oxygen at lower altitudes, where reds are the result of collisions occurring at much higher altitudes, making them less common to see.</p> <p>Blue and purple lights also make an appearance in the Auroras, however our eyes are largely incapable of picking these up.</p> <p>What can help capture the wide range of colours in the natural Aurora shows is the invaluable lens of a camera.</p> <p>A modern, sophisticated camera is far more sensitive than the human eye and better at capturing the complexities of colours on display within an Aurora.</p> <p>The astrophotographers onboard will offer valuable commentary on how to photograph the Aurora, as well as capturing a series of images for your personal collection, allowing you to watch the natural light show first-hand rather than through a lens.</p> <p>With different booking classes and a seat swapping structure in place to share the best view of this amazing natural display from the large Dreamliner windows, there is an option for everyone to experience the Southern Lights in all their natural glory.</p> <p>To experience the Aurora Australis natural light show in stunning luxury, with a front-row view of the wonder of the Southern Lights, you can book your seat <a href="https://www.chimuadventures.com/en-au/antarctica/greatsouthernflights">here</a>.</p> <p>With Chimu Adventures offering rare and uninterrupted views of the Aurora Australis with the invaluable guidance of astronomy and astrophotography experts, an unforgettable trip to the Southern Lights should be on everyone’s travel bucket list.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Supplied</em></p> <p><em>This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a href="https://www.chimuadventures.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Chimu Adventures</a>.</em></p>

International Travel

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Queen Elizabeth's coronation outfit goes on display

<p>In celebration of Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee, the dress, robe and jewels she wore for her coronation in 1953 are being displayed in Her Majesty's residence at Windsor Castle. </p> <p>The Sir Norman Hartnell coronation dress and Robe of Estate are now on display in the largest room in the castle, in the spectacular setting of St George's Hall.</p> <p>The eye-watering jewels include a platinum, gold and silver set diamond necklace, which features 25 graduated cushion-shape brilliant cut diamonds with a central drop-shape pendant, and are accompanied by matching earrings.</p> <p>They were originally created by Garrard for Queen Victoria in 1858 and will be available for viewing in the Lantern Lobby.</p> <p>The exhibition also features other key jewels, including a number of brooches from around the Commonwealth - with the Australian wattle and New Zealand silver fern brooches amongst those on display.</p> <p>Also featured in the display are the first official portraits taken of Her Majesty, as well as unseen photos that document her accession. </p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lgPowhnhSA8" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>The collection, titled <em>Platinum Jubilee: The Queen's Coronation</em>, opened to the public on Thursday and runs until September 26th. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Royal Collection Trust / Getty Images</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Never-before-seen portrait of Diana goes on display

<p dir="ltr">A previously unseen portrait of Princess Diana is set to <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/unseen-portrait-of-princess-diana-revealed-for-life-through-royal-lens-exhibition/9cedcc32-1f96-4060-b855-fedad3546d0c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">go on display</a> for the first time at a new exhibition in her former home of Kensington Palace.</p> <p dir="ltr">The photo, taken in 1988 by minimalist photographer David Bailey, reveals a different side to Diana.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b3dc988f-7fff-dc55-38d4-15c0e7f308ea"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Claudia Acott Williams, the curator at Historic Royal Palaces, said the image was one of several taken during the sitting, which was kept by Bailey while the rest were shown at the National Portrait Gallery.</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/Cab7ZAAoRnr/?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/Cab7ZAAoRnr/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Historic Royal Palaces (@historicroyalpalaces)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“For me, this is the most powerful of all the pictures in that sitting,” Ms Williams told <em>The Telegraph</em> UK.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Here, she’s retreating from the camera a bit, she looks stoic. It’s doing something very different.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The photograph is a late addition to the exhibition <em><a href="https://www.hrp.org.uk/kensington-palace/whats-on/life-through-a-royal-lens/#gs.rgro6r" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Life Through a Royal Lens</a></em>, which features some of the most iconic images taken of the British royals.</p> <p dir="ltr">It was loaned to the exhibition by the digital Princess Diana Museum with Bailey’s agreement.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0c93fe6f-7fff-f554-4dd0-938d42e4b420"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Other never-before-seen images include one of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh laughing together during their 70th wedding anniversary photo shoot in 2017, which was considered too intimate and informal to be released as an official portrait.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNen0VzA5I_/?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/CNen0VzA5I_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Matt Holyoak Photographer (@mattholyoak)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“I think this speaks to their relationship with each other,” Ms Williams said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is them as a married couple, as husband and wife, not just monarch and consort.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s such a subtle difference from the existing photographs and yet it tells us a different story, the chemistry between these two as long into their marriage as it was.”</p> <p dir="ltr">A photo considered to be the earliest surviving image of a royal family member will also be on display, taken by William Constable in March 1842 of Prince Albert.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-60ea9130-7fff-0e62-7d58-f21e682562a1"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">More intimate shots of Queen Elizabeth II and her children will be on display as well, along with photos of Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis taken by the Duchess of Cambridge.</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fkensingtonpalace%2Fposts%2F5032744336748945&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="754" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">50 photographs taken by members of the public, including one of Diana from her 1993 visit to Hinde Street Church, round out the exhibition, which opens on Friday, March 4.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-59178110-7fff-299d-c273-076fcb9e69e1"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Kensington Palace</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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The world’s best Christmas displays

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cities all around the world are putting up their Christmas trees to get in the festive spirit, which results in some very impressive displays. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Each year, a 25-metre tree stands tall in front of 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, with people flocking from all over the world to see the famous tree and frolic on the ice skating rink beneath it. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In Barcelona, a luminous star is placed on top of the tower of the Sagrada Família basilica to illuminate the city. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The star weighs a total of 5.5 tons and costs around $2.4 million. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Washington D.C has an impressive display on the White House lawn, with one grand Christmas tree overlooking 50 smaller trees: one for each of the United States. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">London’s Natural History Museum boasts an impressive Christmas tree that sits in the middle of an ice skating rink, which will be running for its final year in 2021 after 16 Decembers in operation.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In Moscow, ice skaters perform the story of Swan Lake in the iconic Red Square with all the buildings lit up in Christmas lights.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Slovenian capital of Ljubljana showcases a light-covered Christmas tree, with annual markets offering all the festive goodies you could wish for.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vancouver celebrates the festive season with its annual Festival of Lights at the VanDusen Botanical Gardens, where more than 15 acres of grass and trees are decorated with over one million lights. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">All image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Travel Tips

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Woolies takes down “scary” displays while Coles stands firm

<p><em>Image: Facebook and Getty</em></p> <p>A Coles customer did not receive quite the reaction they were expecting after sharing her concerns on Facebook over “frightening” in-store Halloween displays.</p> <p>The concerned mother slammed the Halloween displayed she encountered at the storefront of Coles' Ferny Grove store in Brisbane, claiming it is too scary for children.</p> <p>But a lot of people commenting on the post disagreed, accusing the shopper of being "overly sensitive”, and instead vehemently hoping the decorations would remain up.</p> <p>The display in question features a large skeletal prop looming over the front counter at the Brisbane shopfront, as well as several skeletons playfully suspended from the ceiling.</p> <p>“I was quite taken aback by the Halloween display at the storefront counter with the skulls and quite scary/frightening things and gravestones for young children to see,” wrote the concerned mum.</p> <p>She explained that she mentioned her concern for young children to the woman at the checkout and asked if she could raise it with the manager, but says her request was denied.</p> <p>“I do think that you should try to keep Halloween decorations in all stores light and not leaning too dark and scary/frightening for young children,” she said.</p> <p>“Not all of us want to explain to young children why there’s a skull at supermarket entrances when they cannot understand things yet, but just sees images and cannot choose what they wish to see or not.”</p> <p>A Coles spokesperson told Yahoo News Australia that stores are getting into the spirit of Halloween with spooky displays. “Every year we see more customers looking for ways to celebrate the fun of Halloween and some of our stores are getting into the spirit with spooky decorations.”</p> <p>“Our intention is to inspire customers, not frighten them, so we are grateful for customer feedback and will follow up with our stores.”</p> <p>Despite several customers echoing similar sentiments over the spooky Halloween displays popping up in Coles stores, the majority of people defended the supermarket.<br />“I couldn’t disagree more. My three and six-year-old love the display, it’s a work of art and a great conversation piece,” wrote one Ferny Grove shopper in defence of the supermarket.<br />"I’ve heard many positive comments and think this sensitivity is too much."<br />Another wrote: “I really hope these stay".<br />"The Ferny Grove team put an amazing amount of effort into it and the majority of locals love it. Hopefully one negative Karen doesn't ruin it for the rest of us,” they said.<br />A third shopper wrote: “Love the Halloween display. My children have been brought up to be resilient and I talk to them and explain things, so they don't become scared of a plastic display."</p> <p>It’s not just Coles copping flak from customers over their Halloween displays, with Woolworths being forced to take down their spooky display in a Western Australian store.<br />A local mother shared a post to Facebook on Friday, asking for the Grim Reaper skeletal display at Woolworths Esperance be taken down as it was “too scary”.</p> <p>“We want all customers to feel comfortable and welcome in our stores, and appreciate this customer's feedback on the decorations at her local store,” the Woolworths store said in a statement.<br />“We have passed this feedback on to the store team, who have since amended the display.”</p>

Legal

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Never-before-seen Van Gogh drawing goes on display

<p>A newly discovered Vincent Van Gogh drawing has made its debut in in Amsterdam.</p> <p>The Van Gogh Museum revealed that the never-before-seen piece was drawn in 1882, marking the early days of the famous artist's extraordinary career.</p> <p>The artwork had been sitting in a Dutch family's private collection for over 100 years, and was loaned to the Amsterdam Museum for viewing for the first time.</p> <p>The unique piece will be visible to the public until January 2nd 2022, before returning to the private collection.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">🎉We have discovered a new work by Vincent van Gogh! Study for ‘Worn Out’ from 1882 is added to Van Gogh's oeuvre. What do you think of this study? On display in the museum from tomorrow on. Find out more: <a href="https://t.co/LyjgpLkRtv">https://t.co/LyjgpLkRtv</a> <a href="https://t.co/86fu9XRbeY">pic.twitter.com/86fu9XRbeY</a></p> — Van Gogh Museum (@vangoghmuseum) <a href="https://twitter.com/vangoghmuseum/status/1438498921169391623?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2021</a></blockquote> <p>The drawing depicts an exhausted old man and has been titled <em>Study for Worn Out</em>.</p> <p>Signed <em>“</em><em>Vincent”</em>, the drawing shows an elderly labourer dressed in boots, trousers and a waistcoat bending over with his head in his hands.</p> <p>Teio Meedendorp, a senior researcher at the Van Gogh Museum, told the BBC that it was "absolutely impossible" to predict how much the piece was worth.</p> <p>The artwork seems to be an earlier version of a more well-known Van Gogh piece titled <em>Worn Out</em>, which has been on display at the museum for many years.</p> <p>This first draft of an artwork gives researchers an exclusive insight into Van Gogh's working process as an early artist.</p> <p>As expected, the team at The Van Gogh Museum, were “delighted with this discovery” and felt like they had contributed to their specialty.</p> <p>The owner of the artwork, who wishes to remain anonymous, was conversing with the museum about the likelihood of the piece being attributed to Vincent Van Gogh.</p> <p>Teio Meedendorp stated, "In stylistic terms, it fits perfectly with the many figures we know from Van Goghs time in the Hague and the connect with <em>Worn Out</em> is obvious”.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty Images</em></p>

Art

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Nine-year-old competition winner will have her art displayed in the White House

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A talented nine-year-old girl has won a coveted prize with her original drawing that holds an aspirational message. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Gabrielle Faisal from Detroit </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">entered a White House student art competition with a drawing inspired by African-American history, and won against over 500 competitors. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The artwork, titled Enslaved African Americans Built the White House, features two Black hands bound in shackles holding up the White House with an American flag in the background. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The young artist explained the meaning behind her artwork to Fox 2 News Detroit, explaining its historical significance. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The white stripes represent the purity of the struggle,” Gabrielle said. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The blue means justice and the white stars represent the unity for all people.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The organisers of the White House History Association’s National Student Art Competition were on the lookout for creativity, depth and historical relevance from the hundred of entrants. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rashid, Gabrielle’s father, said his daughter’s choice of art came naturally as she was inspired by things she had learned about African-American culture and history.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I have a home library which is filled with books on African-American history, Blacks who were part of building the White House.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So for her, when it came to time to do art, it was just organic for her,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As well as winning first place in her age bracket, Gabrielle also won a $1,000 cash prize and a trip to Washington, D.C.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Her painting will be displayed in the White House visitor centre until September 22nd. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Shutterstock/Instagram</span></em></p>

Art

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Princess Diana's wedding gown to be displayed for the first time in decades

<p>Princess Diana fans will get the chance to see her iconic wedding dress in real life 40 years after she wore it down the aisle thanks to a new fashion exhibition opening at Kensington Palace this summer.</p> <p>Historic Royal Palaces curators made an announcement on Monday that Prince William and Prince Harry have given their permission to their late mother's gown included as the centrepiece of a new temporary exhibition called Royal Style in the Making opening on June 3 in the Orangery of Kensington Palace.</p> <p>This is the first time the gown will be on display since the Princess was in residence.</p> <p>The show will shed light on the relationship between designers and their royal clientele throughout the years.</p> <p>Other items included in the exhibition will be never-before-seen historical pieces such as a rare surviving toile for the 1937 coronation gown of the Queen Mother.</p> <p>“Our summer exhibition at Kensington Palace will shine a spotlight on some of the greatest talents of British design, whose work has been instrumental in shaping the visual identity of the royal family across the twentieth century,”<span> </span>Matthew Storey, the exhibition curator at Historic Royal Palaces, said in a statement. “We'll be exploring how the partnership between each designer and client worked, and revealing the process behind the creation of a number of the most important couture commissions in royal history. While one of the highlights will undoubtedly be Diana, Princess of Wales's show-stopping Emanuel designed wedding dress, which goes on show at the palace for the first time in 25 years – we've got some real surprises up our sleeve for fashion fans!”</p> <p>One of the designers behind Princess Diana's gown, Elizabeth Emanuel, told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://people.com/royals/princess-dianas-iconic-wedding-dress-to-be-displayed-at-kensington-palace-in-new-royal-style-exhibit/" target="_blank"><em>People</em></a><span> </span>that getting to visit her creation at the exhibition, “will be like seeing an old friend after all these years. I was looking at the images again today and I can't believe how many sequins we sewed onto the dress. This is going to be a wonderful exhibition.”</p> <p>The wedding dress came complete with the longest train in royal history measuring at 25 feet and covered in sequins.</p> <p>The exhibition will also kick off a number of commemorative events in honour of what would have been Diana’s 60th birthday.</p>

Beauty & Style

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Mum shocked by heartwarming letter from Bunnings

<p>A mum shared the unexpected surprise she received from her "neighbour" after putting up her Christmas lights.</p> <p>The NSW mum decorates her home every year with a range of lights and festive figurines, which delights her neighbours and community.</p> <p>She went bigger and better this year for her kids, aged 6 5, and 3, and was surprised to receive a letter from one of her neighbours.</p> <p>“We put lights out every year but this year I went to a little more effort,” she wrote in the Bunnings Mum Facebook group.</p> <p>“Having Christmas lights out and driving around looking at everyone else’s brings the kids and I so much joy.”</p> <p>She posted a letter from her local Bunnings, which thanked her for her festive display.</p> <p>“Thank you for brightening our area with your amazing Christmas lights,” the letter read.</p> <p>“Your display has brought great joy to many of our Team Members so we would like to say thank you and present you with a voucher.</p> <p>“We all hope you have a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.”</p> <p>The note was signed from the "team at Bunnings Glendale" and came with a $10 gift card.</p> <p><img style="width: 360.5990783410138px; height:500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839280/bunnings-mum.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/cd0cb5cfaee64ab9bfba607ae78db8cd" /></p> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>People were thrilled with the effort.</p> <p>“Aww how lovely of them. Good ole’ Bunnings,” one said.</p> <p>“That’s lovely of Bunnings to acknowledge your effort,” another wrote.</p> <p>“What a thoughtful and smart initiative,” someone else agreed.</p> <p><em>Photo credits:<span> </span></em><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/home/diy/mum-shocked-by-surprise-letter-from-bunnings/news-story/0dc9d533e55f184c75e52bb710ff0b1f" target="_blank">news.com.au</a></em></p> </div> </div> </div>

Caring

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Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan removed from royal family wax display

<p>Wax figures of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been taken from the display featuring other members of the royal family at Madame Tussauds in London. </p> <p>The museum’s move follows after both Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan announced they would be stepping down as “senior” members of the royal family while simultaneously working to become financially independent. </p> <p>The display featured a number of prominent figures including the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.</p> <p>However, since the couple’s surprising announcement, the models have since been relocated in the museum to reflect their “progressive new role within the royal institution”.</p> <p>“Alongside the rest of the world we are reacting to the surprising news that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be stepping back as senior royals,” said Steve Davies, general manager of Madame Tussauds London.</p> <p>“From today Meghan and Harry’s figures will no longer appear in our royal family set.”</p> <p>Mr Davies added that the couple will still be a main fixture at the wax museum. </p> <p>“As two of our most popular and well-loved figures they will of course remain an important feature at Madame Tussauds London as we watch to see what the next chapter holds for them,” Mr Davies stated</p> <p>The Duke and Duchess’ of Sussex issued a statement on Instagram which outlined their intention to split their time between the UK and North America while also continuing to honour their commitment to the Queen, the Commonwealth and their royal patronages.</p> <p>A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said discussions with the couple on the issue remained “at an early stage”.</p> <p>“We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through,” they stated.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery to see the royal family at Madame Tussauds in London. </p>

International Travel

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"We were all in tears": Mum reveals Woolworths’ display of kindness after bushfire tragedy

<p>A NSW mum has shared her gratitude for Woolworths’ “generosity and kindness” after losing her home in the bushfires.</p> <p>Anna Lawrence lost her home in Willawarrin on the state’s Mid-North Coast earlier this month, according to a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-get-anna-and-her-kids-back-on-their-feet?utm_source=facebook&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1&amp;fbclid=IwAR3kyqT0_wEYmmnmQswk2CO0mdr0e1Eevs2z1Xt9RL7IbJQ_muU3GAZ2I6Q">GoFundMe page</a>.</p> <p>Lawrence’s home was one of the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-17/nsw-bushfires-nearly-500-homes-destroyed-since-start-of-season/11711898">476 homes destroyed in this bushfire season</a> so far.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3D119903756113534%26id%3D100042817299621&amp;width=500" width="500" height="650" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>Lawrence and her two children have since moved to a rental property in Kempsey.</p> <p>Last weekend, Lawrence went to a Woolworths store in the suburb to get the “bare essentials” amounting to $700 worth of items.</p> <p>“As we got to the checkout the woman behind the counter went to the manager to try and get $100 off our groceries,” Lawrence told <em><a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/mum-reveals-woolworths-stores-touching-act-after-bushfire-tragedy-061933418.html">Yahoo News Australia</a></em>.</p> <p>“The manager then came down to speak with us.”</p> <p>The manager then offered to pay for all her groceries, she said. “We were all in tears. It was so nice of them,” she said. “It was really overwhelming.”</p> <p>Lawrence also expressed her appreciation with a post on the supermarket’s Facebook page.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3D125010565602853%26id%3D100042817299621&amp;width=500" width="500" height="797" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe></p> <p>“After losing our home and all our possessions to the Bush fires in Willawarrin last week, this has been an extremely challenging time for us,” she wrote.</p> <p>“You have no idea how much your help has meant to us. Words are really hard to express it. You took generosity and kindness to an uncommon level today with surprising us by paying for our first shop for our new home. We’re so grateful for your support.”</p> <p>Woolworths responded to the post this morning. “Hey Anna, our hearts are with you during these tough times,” the message read. “We wish you all the best for your new beginnings and we're always happy to help. We’ve shared this with our team at the Kempsey store, we’re sure they will appreciate your kind words.”</p> <p>A Woolworths spokesperson told <em>Yahoo News Australia</em> in a statement: “It’s important for local communities to rally together in response to the devastating bushfires.</p> <p>“We’re delighted our Kempsey store was able to provide a helping hand in this time of need.”</p>

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