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Heading to Bali or somewhere tropical these holidays? Here’s what you need to know about dengue fever

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cameron-webb-6736">Cameron Webb</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>If you’re looking to escape the Australian winter for your next holiday, don’t forget where there’s warmth, there will also be mosquitoes.</p> <p>In turn, tropical destinations can be hot spots of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue. In fact, Australian health authorities have warned travellers to Bali <a href="https://www.health.wa.gov.au/Media-releases/2024/May/Dengue-fever-warning-for-Western-Australian-travellers">to be aware</a> of the risk of dengue, with cases surging in the region.</p> <p>So here’s how to protect yourself and your family on holidays.</p> <h2>What is dengue?</h2> <p><a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue">Dengue virus infection</a> (commonly known as dengue fever, or just dengue) is caused by viruses spread by the bite of a mosquito. The mosquito species that typically transmit dengue are <em>Aedes aegypti</em> and <em>Aedes albopictus</em>.</p> <p>There are four strains of dengue virus. Each has the potential to cause illness that can range from <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/signs-symptoms/index.html">mild to severe and potentially life threatening</a>.</p> <p>Symptoms <a href="https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/Infectious/factsheets/Pages/dengue.aspx">typically include</a> rash, fever, chills, headache, muscle and joint pain, and fatigue. People also often report abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.</p> <p>While infection with just one of these viruses can make you sick, subsequent exposure to other strains can have more <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-are-antibodies-and-why-are-viruses-like-dengue-worse-the-second-time-68227">serious health implications</a>. In these cases, symptoms can also include the presence of blood in vomit, bleeding gums and breathing difficulties.</p> <p>Dengue infection must be confirmed via a blood test, but there are <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/dengue-fever">no specific treatments</a>. Most people will recover on their own however <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/treatment/index.html">staying hydrated is crucial</a> and pain relief can help with symptoms. If more severe illness occurs, seek urgent medical care.</p> <h2>Are travellers at risk?</h2> <p>The disease is now endemic in around 100 countries and <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/dengue/areas-with-risk/index.html">an estimated 4 billion people</a> are considered at risk. Asian countries represent <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dengue-and-severe-dengue">around 70%</a> of the global disease burden. Even <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-paris-olympics-could-become-a-super-spreader-event-for-dengue-231853">Europe is at risk</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2023-DON498">One of the worst years</a> on record was 2023, but the burden of dengue continues to grow. In the first four months of 2024, Indonesia reported <a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2024-DON518">three times as many cases</a> of dengue compared to the same period in 2023.</p> <p>Dengue is not a new risk to Australian travellers. Before COVID disrupted international travel, the number of Australians returning from tropical destinations with dengue <a href="https://europepmc.org/article/med/23692160">was steadily increasing</a>.</p> <p>For example, between 2010 and 2016, there was an average <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/3/1/9">annual increase of 22%</a> of travellers returning to Victoria with dengue. Almost half of these people contracted the illness in Indonesia. Bali is well documented as posing <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jtm/article/25/1/tay061/5065180?login=false">a risk of dengue</a> to travellers.</p> <p>International travel restrictions due to COVID <a href="https://academic.oup.com/jtm/article/31/2/taae014/7577676">abruptly stopped this trend</a>. But now Australians are again embracing international travel, <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13303747/Worrying-reason-Aussie-travellers-Bali-coming-sick.html">cases are rising once more</a>.</p> <p>Bali isn’t the only destination with <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2024/06/30/dengue-puerto-rico-mosquito-climate-change/">a surge in dengue</a>, but we know it’s a popular holiday destination for Australian travellers. There’s little doubt plenty of families will be heading to Bali these school holidays.</p> <h2>How about the risk in Australia?</h2> <p>Not all mosquitoes can spread dengue viruses. This is why the risk is different in Bali and other tropical regions compared to Australia.</p> <p>Although there are more than 40 Australian mosquito species known or suspected to be transmitting local pathogens, such as <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1005070">Ross River virus</a>, Australia is generally free of local dengue risk due to the limited spread of <em>Aedes aegypti</em> and <em>Aedes albopictus</em>.</p> <p>While <em>Aedes aegypti</em> is found in <a href="https://www.health.qld.gov.au/clinical-practice/guidelines-procedures/diseases-infection/diseases/mosquito-borne/dengue/virus-fever">parts of Queensland</a>, thanks to interventions by the <a href="https://www.worldmosquitoprogram.org/en/global-progress/australia/cairns-and-surrounds">World Mosquito Program</a> and local authorities dengue risk is low. These interventions include the release of laboratory-bred mosquitoes that prevent mosquitoes in the environment <a href="https://www.worldmosquitoprogram.org/en/work/wolbachia-method">spreading viruses</a>, as well as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2221169115309096">community education</a>. But <a href="https://theconversation.com/after-decades-away-dengue-returns-to-central-queensland-117821">local cases</a> occasionally occur.</p> <p><em>Aedes albopictus</em> is not currently found <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-we-kept-disease-spreading-asian-tiger-mozzies-away-from-the-australian-mainland-72873">on the Australian mainland</a> but is present in the islands of the Torres Strait. A dengue outbreak <a href="https://www.torres-cape.health.qld.gov.au/about-us/news/further-cases-of-dengue-fever-on-mer">has occurred</a> there this year.</p> <h2>Keep mozzies away during the day, not just at night</h2> <p>While there is a vaccine available, it’s not recommended for <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.5694/mja2.50471">short-term travellers</a>. There are <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/atagi-advice-on-the-use-of-dengvaxiar-for-australians">strict eligibility criteria</a> for its use, so speak to a health professional for advice.</p> <p>For the majority of travellers, preventing mosquito bites is the only way to prevent disease.</p> <p>But there are differences in the behaviour of dengue mosquitoes that mean the normal measures to avoid mosquito bites may not be as effective.</p> <p>During the Australian summer, mosquitoes found in local wetlands can be <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-worst-year-for-mosquitoes-ever-heres-how-we-find-out-68433">incredibly abundant</a>. We tend to need to reach for the repellent and cover up to stop bites as soon as the sun starts going down.</p> <p><em>Aedes aegypti</em> and <em>Aedes albopictus</em> <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0010818">can aggressively bite people</a> but they’re not as abundant as the swarms of summer mosquitoes back home.</p> <p>They also bite during the day, not just at night. So for those travelling to Bali or other areas at risk of dengue, putting insect repellent on <a href="https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/news-and-updates/global-dengue-fever-outbreaks">throughout the day</a> is recommended.</p> <h2>What to pack for protection</h2> <p>If you’re staying in a major resort, there’s likely to be a mosquito control program in place. This may include minimising available water for mosquito breeding in combination with insecticide use. Mosquitoes are also less likely to be an issue in air-conditioned accommodation.</p> <p>But if you’re planning to spend time out and about visiting local villages, markets, or in nature, it’s best to protect against bites.</p> <p>Light coloured and <a href="https://www.health.wa.gov.au/Media-releases/2024/May/Dengue-fever-warning-for-Western-Australian-travellers">loose fitting clothing</a> will help stop mosquito bites (and help keep you cool). Covered shoes can help too – dengue mosquitoes <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2016/02/22/465594861/why-zika-spreading-mosquitoes-love-ankles">love smelly feet</a>.</p> <p>Finally, it’s best to take some insect repellent with you. There may not be any available at your destination, and formulations on sale might not have been through the same thorough testing as products <a href="https://www.apvma.gov.au/">approved in Australia</a>.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/233670/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/cameron-webb-6736"><em>Cameron Webb</em></a><em>, Clinical Associate Professor and Principal Hospital Scientist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/heading-to-bali-or-somewhere-tropical-these-holidays-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-dengue-fever-233670">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Travel Tips

The voice in your head may help you recall and process words. But what if you don’t have one?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/derek-arnold-106381">Derek Arnold</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a></em></p> <p>Can you imagine hearing yourself speak? A voice inside your head – perhaps reciting a shopping list or a phone number? What would life be like if you couldn’t?</p> <p>Some people, including me, cannot have imagined visual experiences. We cannot close our eyes and conjure an experience of seeing a loved one’s face, or imagine our lounge room layout – to consider if a new piece of furniture might fit in it. This is called “<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-blind-and-deaf-mind-what-its-like-to-have-no-visual-imagination-or-inner-voice-226134">aphantasia</a>”, from a Greek phrase where the “a” means without, and “phantasia” refers to an image. Colloquially, people like myself are often referred to as having a “blind mind”.</p> <p>While most attention has been given to the inability to have imagined visual sensations, aphantasics can lack other imagined experiences. We might be unable to experience imagined tastes or smells. Some people cannot imagine hearing themselves speak.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/we-used-to-think-everybody-heard-a-voice-inside-their-heads-but-we-were-wrong">recent study</a> has advanced our understanding of people who cannot imagine hearing their own internal monologue. Importantly, the authors have identified some tasks that such people are more likely to find challenging.</p> <h2>What the study found</h2> <p>Researchers at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark and at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the United States <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09567976241243004">recruited 93 volunteers</a>. They included 46 adults who reported low levels of inner speech and 47 who reported high levels.</p> <p>Both groups were given challenging tasks: judging if the names of objects they had seen would rhyme and recalling words. The group without an inner monologue performed worse. But differences disappeared when everyone could say words aloud.</p> <p>Importantly, people who reported less inner speech were not worse at all tasks. They could recall similar numbers of words when the words had a different appearance to one another. This negates any suggestion that aphants (people with aphantasia) simply weren’t trying or were less capable.</p> <h2>A welcome validation</h2> <p>The study provides some welcome evidence for the lived experiences of some aphants, who are still often told their experiences are not different, but rather that they cannot describe their imagined experiences. Some people feel anxiety when they realise other people can have imagined experiences that they cannot. These feelings may be deepened when others assert they are merely confused or inarticulate.</p> <p>In my own <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1374349/full">aphantasia research</a> I have often quizzed crowds of people on their capacity to have imagined experiences.</p> <p>Questions about the capacity to have imagined visual or audio sensations tend to be excitedly endorsed by a vast majority, but questions about imagined experiences of taste or smell seem to cause more confusion. Some people are adamant they can do this, including a colleague who says he can imagine what combinations of ingredients will taste like when cooked together. But other responses suggest subtypes of aphantasia may prove to be more common than we realise.</p> <p>The authors of the recent study suggest the inability to imagine hearing yourself speak should be referred to as “anendophasia”, meaning without inner speech. Other authors had suggested <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8551557/">anauralia</a> (meaning without auditory imagery). Still other researchers have referred to all types of imagined sensation as being different types of “imagery”.</p> <p>Having <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0010945222000417">consistent names</a> is important. It can help scientists “talk” to one another to compare findings. If different authors use different names, important evidence can be missed.</p> <h2>We have more than 5 senses</h2> <p>Debate continues about how many senses humans have, but some scientists reasonably argue for a <a href="https://www.sensorytrust.org.uk/blog/how-many-senses-do-we-have#:%7E:text=Because%20there%20is%20some%20overlap,sensation%20of%20hunger%20or%20thirst.">number greater than 20</a>.</p> <p>In addition to the five senses of sight, smell, taste, touch and hearing, lesser known senses include thermoception (our sense of heat) and proprioception (awareness of the positions of our body parts). Thanks to proprioception, most of us can close our eyes and touch the tip of our index finger to our nose. Thanks to our vestibular sense, we typically have a good idea of which way is up and can maintain balance.</p> <p>It may be tempting to give a new name to each inability to have a given type of imagined sensation. But this could lead to confusion. Another approach would be to adapt phrases that are already widely used. People who are unable to have imagined sensations commonly refer to ourselves as “aphants”. This could be adapted with a prefix, such as “audio aphant”. Time will tell which approach is adopted by most researchers.</p> <h2>Why we should keep investigating</h2> <p>Regardless of the names we use, the study of multiple types of inability to have an imagined sensation is important. These investigations could reveal the essential processes in human brains that bring about a conscious experience of an imagined sensation.</p> <p>In time, this will not only lead to a better understanding of the diversity of humans, but may help uncover how human brains can create any conscious sensation. This question – how and where our conscious feelings are generated – remains one of the great mysteries of science.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/230973/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/derek-arnold-106381">Derek Arnold</a>, Professor, School of Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-queensland-805">The University of Queensland</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-voice-in-your-head-may-help-you-recall-and-process-words-but-what-if-you-dont-have-one-230973">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Mind

All the head-turning looks from the 2024 Met Gala

<p>Known as "fashion's biggest night out", the Met Gala 2024 has kicked off in spectacular style with A-listers from all over the world gracing the carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. </p> <p>The event, which is a fundraising event for the Met, is held every year on the first Monday of May, to celebrate the Costume Institute’s new exhibition, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion”.</p> <p>The dress code this year, The Garden of Time, is said to be inspired by a short story of the same title written by JG Ballard in 1962. </p> <p>The who's who of Hollywood hit the carpet at the Met this year, led by actress Zendaya, who is this year's co-chair of the event after returning to the Gala for the first time in five years. </p> <p>Many Aussie superstars walked the carpet, such as Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, Naomi Watts, Troye Sivan, Chris Hemsworth and Kylie Minogue, who attended for the first time since 2014.</p> <p>Hugh Jackman also graced the Met carpet solo for the first time, last attending alongside his now ex-wife Deborra Lee-Furness in 2023. </p> <p>The Aussie actor took to Instagram to share that his dapper Tom Ford tuxedo was the very same outfit that he wore to his first Met Gala in 2004 that had been "refitted and repaired". </p> <p>Other Hollywood legends that graced the carpet included Sarah Jessica Parker, Meg Ryan, Jennifer Lopez, Uma Thurman, Penelope Cruz and many more. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Beauty & Style

Home and Away star accused of "stomping" on woman's head

<p>A former <em>Home and Away</em> star, who has been accused of "stomping" on a woman's head during a violent altercation, was cast to appear on Seven's reality show <em>SAS</em> while battling “declining mental health and escalating drug use” according to court documents. </p> <p>Orpheus Pledger has been accused of the violent alleged assault that took place on March 25th, and was arrested on Thursday following a three-day manhunt by police after he absconded from a Melbourne hospital on Tuesday while on remand.</p> <p>At a bail application that lasted two days, the court heard details of Pledger's years-long deterioration of his mental health, in addition to his alleged prolonged and increasing drug use.</p> <p>A police statement submitted to the court alleged that Pledger was dealing with “declining mental health and escalating drug use” between February 2021 and his alleged attack in March this year. </p> <p>Court documents also alleged that Pledger has been “refusing to engage with mental health services and appears to spend his Centrelink payments on drugs” and had been known to police for many years. </p> <p>During a difficult period with his mental health and drug use, Pledger was cast on Seven's reality show <em>SAS</em>, before he abruptly quit after just two episodes over concerns of his "erratic behaviour". </p> <p>At the bail application, documents alleged the accused is at an “extreme risk of further assaulting” the alleged victim, although Pledger’s lawyer Jasper MacCuspie argued his client’s mental health would deteriorate if he were to remain in custody.</p> <p>Pledger’s matter will be heard again by the Melbourne Magistrates Court in May, where he will face the charges of assault. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Seven </em></p>

Legal

Pete Evans gives up his wellness retreat

<p>Former<em> My Kitchen Rules </em>chef Pete Evans and his wellness advocate wife Nicola Evans are selling their Northern Rivers wellness retreat. </p> <p>The couple have been renovating the property - located 66km northwest of Byron Bay - since 2020, after initially purchasing the Byrrill Creek rainforest property for $1m. </p> <p>The seven newly renovated cabins now run as a space for Evans' cooking retreat, Evolve Sanctuary, which costs $1650-a-weekend. </p> <p>"Our weekend cooking retreats offer our guests to learn the fundamentals of a paleo and keto lifestyle,” the Evolve Sanctuary website reads. </p> <p>Recent events at the sanctuary include fasting retreats with Pete in a five-day juice, water and broth fast, costing $2250 per person.</p> <p>In addition to cooking courses, it also offers ice baths, red light treatment, a float tank and an infra-red sauna. </p> <p>JET Real Estate agents Tania Sheppard and Elizabeth Hickey have listed the 7.9ha property as “a leader in wellness tourism with a strong cashflow”. </p> <p>The vendors are offering a leaseback, as this is the first property for sale in Byrrill Creek in the last 12 months. </p> <p>This comes after Evans and Robinson sold their longtime 10ha Tweed Shire hinterland property in 2021 for $3.15m. </p> <p>They also previously sold two Malabar homes for a combined $6m when they were heading north. </p> <p><em>Images: Realestate.com.au</em></p>

Money & Banking

"Hot girl summer": Jackie O turns heads in swimsuit on enchanting getaway

<p>Radio host Jackie 'O' Henderson has embarked on a "magical" vacation to Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, accompanied by her close friend, Gemma O’Neill – leaving left her fans in awe with the beachside photos she shared online.</p> <p>The 48-year-old shared an image of herself and Gemma on the sandy shore, prompting her followers to declare that Jackie was fully embracing a "hot girl summer".</p> <p>"Deserted beaches, sunsets, super moons, no phones, and swimming with gentle whale sharks 💛 @gemmyjean, thank you for this incredible birthday gift," Jackie captioned the photos, some of which showed the duo swimming alongside these magnificent creatures.</p> <p>"Wow, that looks absolutely amazing 🙌," remarked Kylie Gillies.</p> <p>"It looks absolutely incredible! Adding it to my list ❤️❤️❤️," chimed in Michelle Bridges.</p> <p>"Your beautiful friendship with Gem is heartwarming. Hip, hip hooray, Jack! ❤️," gushed Melissa Hoyer.</p> <p>"Seems like you had a blast on your little getaway! Looks like so much fun," one user commented, while another exclaimed, "Absolutely stunning!"</p> <p>"That's the way to live 🙌," added a third.</p> <p>"Radiant beauties basking in the joy of life!" another fan noted.</p> <p>Several others complimented Jackie, calling her "gorgeous" and the experience "magical".</p> <p>This exciting adventure followed an amusing incident in which Jackie was caught with an embarrassing item in her luggage while en route to Western Australia.</p> <p>Before her departure, the producers of the Kyle and Jackie O show surreptitiously placed a large vibrator in her carry-on bag, ensuring it would be discovered by airport security by attaching it to a sizeable aerosol can.</p> <p>Jackie recounted the prank to her listeners on-air, stating, "That [phallic object] was in my suitcase, planted by our staff, so that when I went through security, it was uncovered. I could have died!"</p> <p>"They placed this [adult toy] in my bag, thinking it would be a funny joke," she continued. "[Airport security] showed me the X-ray and asked, 'What is this?' And I genuinely had no idea."</p> <p>Video footage of the prank was shared on the show's Instagram account, featuring Jackie with airport security as they inspected her bag.</p> <p>"I'm turning beet red! Stop it! Someone has placed something in there. It's not mine," she exclaimed to the unamused security personnel. "I'm mortified. My colleagues at work played a prank on me. I'm sure you've seen this happen before."</p> <p>"I felt like such a fool," Jackie admitted to her producers.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxxDebVPe72/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxxDebVPe72/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Ultimately, Jackie had to retain the item and dispose of it herself, tossing it into a nearby bin.</p> <p>"Seriously, do you realise how humiliating that was? It was an incredibly lifelike object!" she exclaimed in the video once she realised that her producer had filmed the prank at the airport.</p> <p>Listeners thoroughly enjoyed the prank, with one Instagram user writing, "I'm currently in the hospital, and this made my day."</p> <p>"Best prank ever!!! It brightened my day," another fan praised.</p> <p>"OMG, this is hilarious!" a third person added. "I'm sorry, Jackie, I know you were embarrassed, but it was genuinely funny."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Domestic Travel

Marvel star ties the knot in super secret ceremony

<p>Marvel movie star Chris Evans has tied the knot with his girlfriend Alba Baptista in an intimate ceremony at their home in the state of Massachusetts. </p> <p>According to <a href="https://pagesix.com/2023/09/10/chris-evans-marries-alba-baptista/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Page Six</em></a>, the Hollywood A-lister and Baptista, a Portuguese actress, got married on Saturday, with only a handful of their closest friends and family attending the nuptials. </p> <p>An insider told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/hook-ups-break-ups/chris-evans-marries-alba-baptista-in-intimate-athome-wedding/news-story/872c843aa221bc8173f0a82feb7c6477" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>news.com.au</em></a> that the nuptials were “locked down tight,” as guests signed NDAs and phones were forfeited for the "beautiful" ceremony. </p> <p>The guest list also included some of the actor’s Marvel co-stars, including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth and Jeremy Renner.</p> <p>The <em>Captain America</em> actor and Baptista first sparked rumours of a romance in November 2022, when a source told <em><a href="https://people.com/movies/chris-evans-dating-alba-baptista-source-exclusive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People</a></em> that the duo had been dating for “over a year.”</p> <p>“They are in love, and Chris has never been happier,” the insider said, already calling their relationship “serious” at the time.</p> <p>“His family and friends all adore her.”<iframe id="google_ads_iframe_/5129/ndm.nent/entertainment/celebritylife/hookupsbreakups_5" tabindex="0" title="3rd party ad content" role="region" name="google_ads_iframe_/5129/ndm.nent/entertainment/celebritylife/hookupsbreakups_5" width="4" height="4" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" aria-label="Advertisement" data-load-complete="true" data-google-container-id="6" data-integralas-id-69c76c0a-f5d2-9885-70ea-25cce3e0243a=""></iframe><iframe width="1" height="1" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <p>Just hours after the news broke, the couple was spotted holding hands during a stroll in Central Park.</p> <p>While little is known about the low-key couple’s relationship, Evans has proudly been flaunting his affection for Baptista online.</p> <p>The <em>Knives Out</em> star was spotted leaving a flirty comment on Baptista’s Instagram post around the same time that news broke of their relationship.</p> <p>Then, in February, the couple went Instagram-official as Evans began posting a series of PDA-filled pics to his Instagram Story in honour of Valentine’s Day.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

Ally Langdon goes head-to-head with Albo over the Voice to Parliament

<p dir="ltr">Ally Langdon has grilled Anthony Albanese over the Voice to Parliament, after the Prime Minister announced the vote would take place on October 14th. </p> <p dir="ltr">The PM appeared on <em>A Current Affair</em> for the fiery interview, in which Langdon asked for clarification on what the Voice would mean for everyday Aussies if it was voted in. </p> <p dir="ltr">Langdon accused Albo and the Yes campaign for their “wishy-washy” messaging, while arguing that “people don’t understand” what would change if a Voice was appointed. </p> <p dir="ltr">Albanese said it will give Indigenous Australians an opportunity to be heard on important matters, because up until this point they "quite clearly" haven't been listened to enough.</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/reel/Cwj_d0msmPp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cwj_d0msmPp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by A Current Affair (@acurrentaffair9)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">"We know that when programs have involved Indigenous Australians … the programs that have been the most successful in overcoming disadvantage have been ones that have had that ownership; have come from the bottom up listening to Indigenous Australians," he said. </p> <p dir="ltr">"(The Voice) is aimed at closing the gap on health and education and housing," Albanese said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The prime minister said First Nations Australians will be the ones to elect a representative and that the Voice to Parliament is important because it's an opportunity for the current generation to make a change.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This will not impact most Australians directly, but it might just make life better for the three per cent of Australians who happen to be the most disadvantaged group - the First Nations people," he said. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I think it will be a moment where we can show respect to them; where we can feel better about ourselves as well as a nation and where the world can look at us and say 'Australia is a mature, grown-up nation'."</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite Albo’s diplomatic answers, Langdon’s line of questioning caused a stir with viewers, as many took to X - formerly known as Twitter, to share their brief that Ally’s questions skewed toward giving weight to the No campaign.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Genuinely offended by Ally Langdon’s utter ignorance of the Voice referendum and diminishing herself to a mere mouthpiece for the No vote’s disinformation. <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlboMP</a> was patient and clear. Wasn’t a balanced interview.</p> <p>Not good enough <a href="https://twitter.com/ACurrentAffair9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ACurrentAffair9</a>.</p> <p>— Howie Jakeway (@howierj) <a href="https://twitter.com/howierj/status/1696846355774513358?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ally Langdon is really trying to absolutely tear the Referendum down right now <a href="https://twitter.com/ACurrentAffair9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ACurrentAffair9</a>. Disgraceful. Absolutely so one sided questioning. </p> <p>Australia severely lacks middle of the road media coverage.</p> <p>— PiesMag (@PiesMag) <a href="https://twitter.com/PiesMag/status/1696813546364088546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ally Langdon clearly voting no for the voice to parliament. Constantly cutting off the Prime Minister, aggressive interview, utterly ignorant and badgering. What Is she so angry about and why is she on her high horse with the man who runs the country? <a href="https://twitter.com/9NewsQueensland?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@9newsqueensland</a>…</p> <p>— GirlScoutCookies (@Girlscout_cuki) <a href="https://twitter.com/Girlscout_cuki/status/1696816812896477505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 30, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Despite the online opposition for the interview, many came out in support of Langdon’s questioning, saying she asked exactly the right questions to clarify the purpose of the Voice, and how it would be put into practice. </p> <p dir="ltr">Nine’s Director of News and Current Affairs, Darren Wick, backed Langdon, telling <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/current-affairs/allison-langdons-a-current-affair-interview-with-anthony-albanese-divides-viewers/news-story/19875cc1d9668b845ac019efc116a737" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em>, “Ally did an excellent and professional job by asking the questions that the majority of Australians have long wanted answered.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: A Current Affair</em></p>

Queen and Princess heading down under for Women's World Cup final

<p>Queen Letizia of Spain is set to make a journey Down Under to witness the climactic finale of the FIFA Women's World Cup in Sydney.</p> <p>Her Majesty, married to King Felipe VI, will grace the occasion by attending the highly anticipated match featuring Spain and England at Stadium Australia.</p> <p>Accompanied by her youngest daughter Sophia, Queen Letizia's presence has been confirmed by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), injecting a burst of energy into Spain's team as they face off against England's Lionesses in a bid for victory.</p> <p>In contrast, Prince William, who holds the position of president within England's football governing body, is not anticipated to undertake the transcontinental voyage. Despite having assumed the role of Football Association president in 2005, <em>The Telegraph UK</em> suggests he won't be travelling to Australia for the decisive match.</p> <p>Formal communication regarding Prince William's plans is yet to emerge from Kensington Palace.</p> <p>Amid swirling rumors of a potential separation from King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia has remained in the public eye. Her recent vacations alongside the Spanish royal family haven't quelled speculations concerning her marriage, which continue to cast a shadow over her, potentially impacting her role within the monarchy.</p> <p>Of notable significance is Princess Leonor, the offspring of Queen Letizia and King Felipe VI, who has garnered substantial attention for her military training in Zaragoza and her imminent transition into adulthood.</p> <p>As the heir apparent, Princess Leonor's ascendancy to adulthood raises discussions about her potential to assume a pivotal role in the monarchy, potentially succeeding Queen Letizia in the event of King Felipe VI's passing or abdication.</p> <p>These forthcoming months mark a period of temporary respite for Queen Letizia, as she enjoys her royal status without the looming spectre of potential replacement by her daughter.</p> <p>Notwithstanding these considerations, Queen Letizia remains the legitimate queen of Spain during King Felipe VI's reign. Nevertheless, the spectre of her replacement, potentially by Princess Leonor, remains a possibility. Insights suggest that King Felipe VI is actively preparing Princess Leonor for her future role as the Queen of Spain through rigorous military training and adherence to established protocols.</p> <p><em>Images: Spanish Football Federation</em></p>

International Travel

The "happiest place on Earth" heading Down Under

<p>Australia could be getting its first Disneyland theme park, after one state capital claim they have the "perfect spot for it". </p> <p>Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp has thrown her support behind the idea of a Down Under Disney, while also pitching the perfect location. </p> <p>“As Australia’s capital city of fun, of course we should have a Disney theme park in Melbourne. We’ve even got the perfect spot for it – Fishermans Bend,” Ms Capp told the <em>Herald Sun</em>.</p> <p>“We saw with the Firefly Zipline just how much Melburnians love a thrilling ride. At Fishermans Bend, exhilarating roller-coasters could soar over the Yarra as part of a Disneyland, Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom."</p> <p>“Melbourne also offers visitors the best tourism experience available in Victoria, from world-class hotels, unbeatable retail offerings and some of the best food and drink in Australia."</p> <p>“I know a Disney theme park in our municipality would be a huge hit with residents — myself included — visitors, students and traders.”</p> <p>Another piece of land has been floated for the location, with a prime spot north of Geelong, 30 minutes from the CBD, seeming to be a more achievable spot for a theme park. </p> <p>A third site has also been proposed, with David Fox, the son of billionaire trucking magnate Lindsey Fox, confirming an entertainment precinct is already earmarked for the huge block of vacant land near Avalon Airport.</p> <p>“There’s an entertainment precinct that we’ve defined. I wouldn’t say (for a) Disneyland at this moment in time, but anything is possible,” Mr Fox said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Domestic Travel

Mystery object washed up on WA beach finally identified

<p>Ok space enthusiasts and beachcombers. Here's one for the X-Files – Intergalactic Travel edition.</p> <p>Picture this: A strange and baffling object, looking like it's straight out of a sci-fi flick, decided to take a little trip to Green Head beach, about 250 kilometres north of Perth on the pristine WA coastline.</p> <p>As soon as the locals caught sight of this extraterrestrial-looking thingamajig, the news spread like wildfire, and it made international headlines faster than a speeding rocket, with all kinds of fascinating theories popping up as to what on <em>Earth</em> (or not on Earth) it could be.</p> <p>Was it a UFO? A top-secret government experiment gone awry? Well, turns out it was nothing that exciting. The Australian Space Agency put on their Sherlock Holmes hats and deduced that this enigmatic piece of debris probably came from a satellite launch vehicle. Eureka! Case closed!</p> <p>Of course, when something weird and otherworldly shows up on your doorstep, you can't be too careful. So, the local authorities played it safe and put the object under police guard for an entire week. (Better safe than sorry, right?)</p> <p>And who needs a red carpet when you have a front-end loader to transport your newfound cosmic artifact? The experts were summoned to figure out where this space junk came from, and they concluded it was most likely a fuel tank from some rocket launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation. </p> <p>Professor Alice Gorman from Flinders University explained to <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-31/australian-space-agency-identifies-space-junk-green-head/102669472" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC News</a> that this fuel containment vessel was meant to fall off after launch. And it turns out that statistically, we've been pretty lucky not to have had more collisions with falling rocket parts. Imagine explaining that to your insurance company? "A rocket booster landed on my house. Is that covered?"</p> <p>But here comes the tricky part: What to do with all of this space garbage? Should they ship it back to India like some interstellar postcard, or leave it Down Under as an intergalactic souvenir?</p> <p>While India is technically (and legally) responsible for their space debris, they could decide to gift it to Australia if they so choose. It could be like an exotic space decoration for the country - "The Land of Kangaroos and Rocket Wreckage."</p> <p>Even better, the Green Head community itself appear to have come up with a few fabulous ideas. Forget the Sydney Opera House: let's make the space debris a tourist attraction! Move over, Eiffel Tower - we've got our own piece of space history right here.</p> <p>The WA Premier even suggested storing it next to space debris from NASA's Skylab space station (remember that?) in some kind of attempt to build a cosmic cabinet of curiosities. </p> <p>Of course, the local council is also very keen on keeping this celestial treasure. They're hoping the Indian government won't come back to claim it, to the point that everyone in the surrounding Shire of Coorow is buzzing with excitement over the possibility of having their very own space souvenir to draw crowds of star trekkers.</p> <p>And so while the mystery of the object on the beach has been solved, the debate over its fate is just beginning. Will it become a star attraction in a local park? Or will it be shipped off to India like an interplanetary package return? Only time will tell.</p> <p><em>Images: Nine News</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Pete Evans "silenced" by Kyle and Jackie O

<p>Pete Evans has been silenced while defending his controversial opinions on <em>The Kyle and Jackie O Show</em>. </p> <p>The disgraced celebrity chef appeared on the KIISFM show on Thursday morning in an attempt to clear his name, after destroying his own career by spreading misinformation about the Covid pandemic. </p> <p>Throughout 2020 and 2021, Evans found himself in hot water after claiming that Covid-19 was a "f**king hoax", and was slapped with many fines after peddling fake, and often dangerous, treatments for the virus online. </p> <p>Calling into the show from his property in north-eastern New South Wales, the 50-year-old doubled down on his opposition to Covid vaccines, masks and social distancing.</p> <p>The former <em>My Kitchen Rules</em> judge also went on to cast doubt upon Covid rapid antigen tests and defended his claims about the "healing" abilities of the BioCharger lamps he was fined for promoting in 2020. </p> <p>However, much of his conversation with Kyle and Jackie O was beeped out by the station's censor.</p> <p>The censorship divided listeners, while some fans of the show called in to declare it was time to "un-cancel" him, because he is a "real man" who "stands up" for his beliefs. </p> <p>Another alleged that Evans had "gone and done the research" and "wasn't just talking s**t", and therefore shouldn't be barred from sharing his opinions publicly, even if they are viewed as scientifically incorrect.</p> <p>Others praised the work of the station's censor, saying the hosts and the station have a responsibility to stop dangerous misinformation being spread, especially when it could cause harm. </p> <p>One caller, who was a medical professional, pointed out that Evans, isn't qualified to give health advice, and that what he said on-air was "just the tip of the iceberg".</p> <p>"The issue is everyone with 100,000 followers, or whatever it may be, thinks all of a sudden they're a doctor or a personal trainer or wherever it may be and that they're qualified to give this health advice," she said.</p> <p>Another argued that Evans should remain cancelled because he has never apologised over his claims that were proven wrong by Australia's top medical authorities.</p> <p>Kyle Sandilands later explained why the censor had beeped out parts of Evans' interview, as well as some of what was said by the fans who called in to defend him. </p> <p>"I believe that this isn't the censor beeping out what she doesn't believe is right or wrong. This is the censor beeping out what legally we can and cannot put to air," Sandilands explained. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

Grant and Chezzi Denyer head up all-star cast in new show

<p> The celebrity cast for Channel 10’s 2023 <em>The Amazing Race Australia</em> season has been revealed, with 11 teams set to take off on a thrilling journey across the globe. </p> <p>Beau Ryan will return as host, overseeing the contestants as they race for victory, and a $100,000 prize to hand to their chosen charity, in a race described as “heading in a new direction”, with twists and turns at every stop along the way.</p> <p>The 11 duos set to compete are bringing a wide range of skill sets to the race, with stars from sports to entertainment, comedy, and music strapping on their running shoes. </p> <p dir="ltr">Grant Denyer and his wife, Chezzi Denyer, are one of those 11 teams, with the pair joking that the whole competition will be more like a holiday from their kids than anything else - though Chezzi added that she’s also looking forward to their daughters seeing her “kick butt” on screen. As for their charity, they’ve selected Lifeline Central West.</p> <p>Emma Watkins and her sister, Hayley Watkins, are excited to spend some time together over the course of their adventure, as well as “meeting the people that we get to see and the different countries” - especially for Hayley, who hasn’t had the opportunity to do a lot of travel. They’ll be racing to raise money for the Leonie Jackson Memorial Fund. </p> <p>Peter Rowsthorn will be racing alongside his daughter, Frankie Rowsthorn, hoping that their humour will win over allies, while promising a barrel of laughs along the way. They’ll be racing for a cause close to their hearts, All Stars for Autism, as Peter explained “my grandson has autism, so we’re doing it for him.”</p> <p>Jana Pittman will be keeping it in the family too, racing with her son Cornelis Rawlinson. The former Olympian is excited to have quality time with Cornelis - the eldest of her six children - and feels honoured to have been asked to participate. Meanwhile, he has other priorities, with his sights firmly set on “the food”. They’ll be competing on behalf of The Royal Hospital for Women.</p> <p>Darren McMullen and his nephew, Tristan Dougan, will be joining the others, and promise a foolproof plan to get them through - even if they aren’t quite able to agree on who’s the brains behind the entire operation. They’ve selected Feel the Magic as their charity, noting that the children involved are “an inspiration for all of us.”</p> <p>Dane Simpson will be joined by his dad, Bow Simpson, as Dane looks to showcase the man who pops up so often throughout his comedy routines, certain that Australians everywhere are going to fall in love with him. They’ll be racing to win the $100,000 for the Dharriwaa Elders Group Incorporated.</p> <p>Alli Simpson and her mum, Angie Simpson, are another team racing to raise funds for a cause that means a lot to their family - Dementia Australia. As Alli explained, “my grandma, my dad's mum Chrissie, has gone down really fast with dementia in the last few years. It's been really difficult for us to watch. We just want to do as much as we can to prevent other families [from] feeling the pain that we do."</p> <p dir="ltr">Bec Judd will have her sister, Kate Twigley, at her side for the journey, bringing their competitive spirit and excitement to do it “together as sisters” to the competition. They’ll be racing on behalf of Impatient Advocacy - A Nicole Cooper Foundation.</p> <p>George Mladenov is no stranger to the world of reality TV competition - though his sister, Pamela Mladenov, may be a fresh face. George is sure they’ll bring drama to the screen, as they race for the Bankstown Women's Health Centre.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ben Gillies and his wife, Jackie Gillies, are hoping that the race experience will bring them closer, and teach them how to “live in the moment”. Self-confessed competitive souls, they have their sights set on the grand prize, which they hope to bring home to the Moira Kelly Creating Hope Foundation. </p> <p>And last but not least, Harry Jowsey is bringing his best friend, Teddy Briggs, along for the ride. And while they don’t expect to be “the best at this”, they’ve guaranteed that viewers are in for a fun time with their antics, and hope to bring some money to Beyond Blue with their efforts.</p> <p><em>Images: Ten </em></p>

"Forgotten pizza cook" Pete Evans' wild new look

<p dir="ltr">Former Seven personality Pete Evans has made an unexpected appearance on social media, though many took a moment longer than usual to realise who it was they were looking at in the clip.</p> <p dir="ltr">The former chef and <em>My Kitchen Rules</em> judge was a far cry from the polished persona audiences had come to expect from his days at the helm of the hit cooking competition, roaming through an outdoor kitchen in a ‘Food is Medicine’ t-shirt and unexpected mullet cut.</p> <p dir="ltr">The footage marked a new chapter in Evans’ public fall from grace, and as one account sharing the content wrote, it had “captured a quick raw video of the set up” for a cooking retreat with eight guests and “approx 25 recipes”.</p> <p dir="ltr">It did provide some insight into Evans’ new ‘career’ path, with the chef having turned his back on the entertainment industry in 2020, after 11 years as a household name hosting <em>My Kitchen Rules</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">His controversial opinions on health - and his mounting support in conspiracy theories as well as his non-scientifics views - had initially turned attention his way, but it was his take on the global COVID-19 pandemic that sealed his fate. </p> <p dir="ltr">Also in 2020, Evans received a $25,000 fine from the TGA for his part in peddling a $15,000 ‘Biocharger’ device with the incorrect claim that it could combat the coronavirus.</p> <p dir="ltr">Evans was quickly removed from social media - namely Facebook and Instagram - for spreading misinformation during the pandemic, and lost 15 different sponsors in just 38 hours after sharing a meme that contained a neo-Nazi symbol with his remaining followers. It was estimated that the latter act alone could cost Evans millions of dollars.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the time since, Evans has purchased a $1 million tourist ‘healing’ retreat close to Byron Bay, where he offers the likes of ‘fasting retreats’ - charging $2250 a head for a “5-day juice, water, and froth fast” with Evans.</p> <p dir="ltr">When news of the venture broke on social media, opinion poured in thick and fast, with most condemning the experience. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, it wasn’t enough to keep Evans from returning to the internet, with the 50-year-old launching his presence on the alternative platform, Telegram, where he shares the likes of detail on his retreats, his experience with bitcoin, anti-vaccination takes, and right-wing political opinion.</p> <p dir="ltr">As one user wrote in response - and on behalf of the majority - to the fresh footage of the disgraced chef, “I won’t have what he’s having”. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Obviously vaccines are bad. Not ‘licking toads’ though. That’s cool. Forgotten pizza cook Pete Evans continues to have a normal one. <a href="https://twitter.com/krunchymoses?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@krunchymoses</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/petesscience?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@petesscience</a> <a href="https://t.co/a5fDzGIups">pic.twitter.com/a5fDzGIups</a></p> <p>— Cam (@camliveshere) <a href="https://twitter.com/camliveshere/status/1664565941219508225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“This is a hard second-hand cringe,” one said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“And here I was thinking that scone of his couldn't get any more offensive,” another said. “I was wrong.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“So funny, and sad at same time hope he is ok,” one wrote, “but I have had 4 vax, travelled [the] world twice in ]the last 12 months, kept a good job and have healthy friends and fam around me. Pete's approach hmmmm”.</p> <p dir="ltr">And as someone else pointed out., “he seems quite short of breath after placing a few small sticks under the pizza oven. Not a great advert for his lifestyle.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Twitter, Facebook</em></p>

Food & Wine

"A true legend": Jane Fonda pegs award at director's head

<p>Film icon Jane Fonda is known to entertain the masses, and her cheeky antics at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival saw her do just that.</p> <p>While hosting Palme d’Or Awards on May 27, Fonda, 85, called up director Justine Triet who had won the award for <em>Anatomy of the Fall</em>, but it was Fonda’s deliverance of said award that had viewers in stitches.</p> <p>The 85-year-old tried to get Triet's attention, but after multiple attempts of calling out to her, Fonda decided to throw the scroll at the director’s back.</p> <p>When the scroll hit Triet on the back of the head and fell to the floor, she didn’t appear to notice.</p> <p><em>The Book Club</em> star’s unconventional passing of the award sent Twitter users into a frenzy, with many praising her, calling her a “queen” with an “excellent shot.”</p> <p>"A true legend." one person wrote.</p> <p>"This just made my day! 😂😂😂" another said.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">favorite cannes moment is officially jane fonda throwing the palme d'or certificate at justine triet because she forgot to take it <a href="https://t.co/6tv8TEj8zw">pic.twitter.com/6tv8TEj8zw</a></p> <p>— flo ¨̮ (@astralbarnes) <a href="https://twitter.com/astralbarnes/status/1662568221931601920?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Fonda hit the red carpet dazzled in black sequins. Her black gown was faired with a chain necklace and matching earrings.</p> <p>The beloved actress has been documenting her Cannes weekend via Instagram, sharing photos of herself with Hollywood greats Eva Longoria and Kate Winslet, as well as a snippet of her accommodation.</p> <p>Fonda’s attendance comes five months into her remission after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/jane-fonda-reassures-fans-after-cancer-diagnosis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announcing her non-Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosis</a> in September 2022.</p> <p>She revealed the happy news on her Instagram, titling it "BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER!!!"</p> <p>”Last week I was told by my oncologist that my cancer is in remission and I can discontinue chemo," she wrote. "I am feeling so blessed, so fortunate."</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

Property from a galaxy far, far away heads to the market

<p dir="ltr">The time has come for dreams to be realised, particularly if you’re someone with a passion for outer space - or more specifically, a galaxy far, far, away - and want to live among the stars while keeping your feet planted firmly on the ground. </p> <p dir="ltr">Approved plans for a <em>Star Wars </em>light cruiser-inspired property are heading to the auction block, with a Melbourne-based IT specialist launching his 131 Pipers Creek Road campaign on May 4 - better known as ‘Star Wars Day’. </p> <p dir="ltr">With a price guide of $1.05m-$1.15m, the 2.42ha block in Kyneston is perfect for any buyer with enough passion to carry out Shyam Avatapalli’s galactic-level plans. </p> <p dir="ltr">As Avatapalli explained, his intention was to either build the home and sell it, or just to sell it along with the appropriate permits. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s inspired by one of the space ships from one of the older films and The Mandalorian TV series, called a<em> Star Wars</em> light cruiser,” he told <em>Herald Sun</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve always been a <em>Star Wars </em>fan and always like to think outside of the box when designing or building something.”</p> <p dir="ltr">It isn’t the first unique approach to property planning that Avatapalli has taken, with his own home in Donvale boasting a kitchen that also draws heavy inspiration from<em> Star Wars</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">The potential Kyneston home’s location was selected for its otherworldly and treeless landscape, with Avatapalli even securing a permit for “a low cost culvert crossing” over the block’s creek, along with those for the property itself. </p> <p dir="ltr">The five-bedroom home was designed in collaboration with an architect, and would feature Colorbond steel as well as a hallway resembling one aboard a fictional spacecraft, and three water tanks that may draw Boeing 747 jet engine’s to mind, as they were inspired by the real-life planes.</p> <p dir="ltr">As for where the hallway’s ‘middle cylinder’ might come from, Avatarpalli intends to put the buyer in contact with an art dealer who could help them to get their hands on a jet engine “built by Rolls Royce in the 1970s”. According to Avatarpalli, it would even be from a “real British Airways flight”.</p> <p dir="ltr">As Ray White’s Brendan Milner said, “the sky was the limit” for the property’s next proud owner, as well as noting that they were likely to be someone searching for “a bit of a wow factor, one-off property, with eccentric taste that goes with the design …</p> <p dir="ltr">“Because it’s a spaceship anyone with an otherworldly fascination would definitely have an interest.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: realestate.com.au </em></p>

Real Estate

Hit your head while playing sport? Here’s what just happened to your brain

<p>It’s Friday night, your team is playing, and scores are nail-bitingly close. A player intercepts the ball, and bam! A player tackles his opponent to the ground. Trainers and doctors gather nervously while the commentators wait for confirmation: a concussion, mild traumatic brain injury, head knock, strike, tap, bump, blow … there are many terms for it.</p> <p>How to prevent and treat such injuries is the subject to a <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/Headtraumainsport">Senate inquiry</a>, with public hearings this week.</p> <p>But what exactly are these injuries? What’s going on in the brain?</p> <h2>What is concussion?</h2> <p>Concussion is a form of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Concussion typically falls at the milder end of the spectrum, and so is often called mild TBI.</p> <p>Concussions happen most often when the head directly hits against something. But it can also happen without head impact, when a blow to the body causes the head to move quickly.</p> <p>The brain is a soft organ in a hard case, floating in a thin layer of <a href="https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/cerebrospinal-fluid-csf-analysis/">cerebrospinal fluid</a>. The brain can be damaged away from the site of impact for this reason, as it bounces with force within the skull.</p> <p>Concussions that happen during sport can be complex because the head often rotates as the person falls. This “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3979340/">rotational acceleration</a>” can cause more damage to the brain. This is especially the case for cells in the long tracts of white matter responsible for relaying signals around the brain.</p> <p>As well as causing initial damage to brain cells at the time of injury, concussion sets off a cascade of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4479139/">chemical and biological changes</a>. These occur within minutes and may last for days or even weeks after concussion.</p> <p>Cell membranes become permeable (more leaky), causing an imbalance of brain chemicals inside and outside cells. Cellular functions shift into overdrive to try to restore balance, using more fuel in the form of glucose. At the same time, blood flow to the brain is often reduced, resulting in a mismatch between energy supply and demand.</p> <p>The structural scaffolding of cells in the white matter may begin to weaken or break, preventing or reducing the ability of cells to communicate.</p> <p>Sensing danger, cells from the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28910616/">immune system</a> begin to migrate to the brain in an attempt to stem the damage, spouting chemical signals to recruit other inflammatory cells to the sites of injury.</p> <p>These initial responses to concussion typically resolve over time, but the recovery period may be different for each person, and may persist even after symptoms go away.</p> <h2>What are the symptoms?</h2> <p>Concussion <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/concussion/symptoms-causes/syc-20355594">symptoms</a> can differ depending on the person and the circumstances of injury.</p> <p>Some people have more obvious symptoms like loss of consciousness, vomiting and confusion; others may have headaches, problems with their vision, or thinking and concentration. Some people may have one symptom while others have many. Some people’s symptoms may be severe, and others may have only mild symptoms.</p> <p>So diagnosing and managing concussion can be difficult. Most people who have a concussion will find their symptoms subside within days or weeks. But around <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26918481/">20% of people</a> will have persistent symptoms beyond three months after their concussion.</p> <p>Ongoing symptoms can make it harder to perform at work or school, to socialise with friends and to maintain relationships. Scientists don’t know why recoveries are different for different people. We have no way to <a href="https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/5/e046460.info">predict</a> who will recover from concussion and who won’t.</p> <h2>How about repeat blows to the head?</h2> <p>People who play contact sports are more likely to have multiple concussions over a playing career. Higher numbers of concussions tend to mean <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28387556/">worse symptoms and slower recovery</a> for subsequent concussions.</p> <p>This indicates the brain doesn’t get used to concussions, and each concussion is likely to impart additional damage.</p> <p>Emerging evidence suggests repeated concussions may lead to <a href="https://n.neurology.org/content/88/15/1400.short">ongoing changes</a> in people’s brain cell structure and function.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32326805/">Inflammation</a> may persist inside and outside the brain. Inflammation may also <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30535946/">cause or contribute</a> to someone developing symptoms, and long-term brain functional and structural changes.</p> <p>Prolonged symptoms and long-term brain changes may be worse in the long run for people who experience their concussions as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6595074/">young adults</a> compared to people who have concussions as older adults.</p> <p>Scientists are also starting to find differences in <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30618335/">symptoms</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8596946/">brain alterations</a> in males and females. These could be related to newfound sex differences in the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29104114/">scaffolding proteins</a> of male and female brains, making female brains more susceptible.</p> <h2>We’ve known about this for a long time</h2> <p>The long-term brain and behaviour changes resulting from repeated sports concussions have been reported since at least the <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/1/3306/816">1920s</a>. Back then, it was seen in boxers and termed dementia pugilistica, or <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/260461">punch-drunk syndrome</a>.</p> <p>We now call this condition <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1934148211005296">chronic traumatic encephalopathy</a> (CTE). People found to have CTE don’t always experience severe symptoms. Instead, symptoms tend to emerge or worsen later in life, even decades after injury or at the end of a playing career.</p> <p>People also have <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8166432/">varied symptoms</a> that can sometimes be hard to measure, like confusion, impaired judgement and aggression. This has made diagnosis difficult while people are alive. We can only confirm CTE after someone dies, by detecting altered structural proteins of the brain in <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12024-023-00624-3">specific brain areas</a>.</p> <p>There is still a lot to learn about CTE, including the exact processes that cause it, and why some people will develop it and others won’t.</p> <h2>Concussion is common</h2> <p>Concussion is a common injury almost <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7048626/">30%</a> of us will experience in our lifetime.</p> <p>Although we have a lot still to learn, the current advice for people who experience concussion is to seek medical advice to help with initial management of symptoms and guide decisions on returning back to playing sports.</p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/hit-your-head-while-playing-sport-heres-what-just-happened-to-your-brain-203038" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Body

Steve McQueen’s Ferrari heads to auction

<p>Steve McQueen’s Ferrari 275 GTB/4 is set for auction in California in late 2023, almost 10 years on from its previous sale at ~$14.9 m AUD (~$19.3 AUD in today’s economy). </p> <p>The vehicle, listed by RM Sotheby’s, found its first ever owner in the American actor, and was one of only 330 examples created between 196 and 1968 with bodywork by Scaglietti. </p> <p>And while McQueen had previously owned the car’s convertible version - the N.A.R.T Spider - an accident saw him purchase the coupe from Hollywood Sport Cars’ Chic Vandagriff. </p> <p>When McQueen received the car, it was actually coated in a Nacciola golden metallic paint, but was soon transformed into its iconic red self asking a request from McQueen to his mechanic, Lee Brown. Brown had also worked on the Ford Mustang from McQueen’s Bullitt, and with this job, created the colour known as ‘Chianti Red’. </p> <p>The paint job wasn’t the only custom work that the Ferrari saw, with parts from the N.A.R.T Spider transferred across - including its Borrani wire wheels and its bespoke wing mirror. </p> <p>None of it, however, was enough for the actor to keep the car, with McQueen selling it on to fellow screen star Guy Williams in 1971.</p> <p>From there until 2009, it encountered a number of new owners, before it arrived in the United Kingdom and crossed paths - as a silver vehicle - with retired Australian Formula One driver 1983 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Vern Schuppan. </p> <p>Schuppan had a vision in mind from the moment of the sale, intending to restore the Ferrari to how it had been in the hands of McQueen. It was a big task, and Schuppan had to call in help, even sending the car to Ferrari for restorations. </p> <p>In the hands of the company and its in-house restoration program, the car underwent another painting session - first to its original Nocciola, before it was sprayed back to its Chianti Red roots with a little help from a swatch from Lee Brown.</p> <p>Back in prime condition, the Ferrari made its way to Italy’s Museo Ferrari and then California’s Petersen Automotive Museum, before Schuppan made the decision to sell - also with RM Sotheby’s - in 2014.</p> <p>And while it sold then for a staggering ~$14.9m, an estimate is unavailable for the car’s - likely astronomical - 2023 selling price.</p> <p><em>Images: RM Sotheby’s </em></p>

Money & Banking

Crown Princess Mary is heading Down Under

<p dir="ltr">Crown Princess Mary of Denmark is returning to Australia in two weeks for her first official visit since 2013.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Danish royal will be in Sydney for a business meeting on April 28, where she will meet with Danish representatives to discuss sustainability and Australia's "green transition".</p> <p dir="ltr">Her climate focused trip will start on April 23 in Vanuatu, and then continue in Fiji where she’ll travel alongside Denmark's Climate Minister.</p> <p dir="ltr">The trip was announced on the Danish royal house’s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrBVK8Xtbnz/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=fc42cb26-bb00-479d-90a6-266674dc0b47" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> on Friday night.</p> <p dir="ltr">Although the Hobart-born royal spent <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/international-travel/crown-princess-mary-is-heading-down-under-for-christmas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christmas in Australia with her family</a> , it was a private visit, where she was not in an official capacity and no public engagements were held.</p> <p dir="ltr">Last December the Crown Princess went to her hometown with her husband Crown Prince Frederick their four children, Prince Christian, 17, Princess Isabella, 15, and twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, 11.</p> <p dir="ltr">The royal had another private visit to Australia in 2017, where she enjoyed quality time with her family at a number of Sydney beaches including Palm Beach.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Crown Princess’ last trip to Australia on official duties was in October 2013.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

International Travel

Home and Away star shares astonishing 10kg transformation

<p><em>Home and Away</em>’s Matt Evans has stunned fans and followers after sharing the results of his eight-week body transformation on social media.</p> <p>The 26-year-old actor - best known for his work as Theo Poulos on the hit soap - posted two side-by-side snaps, apparently taken just two months apart, of his body at two different stages in his fitness journey.</p> <p>The location was the same in both, with Evans standing in Bonds underwear in front of a door in both, with only the lighting - harsher in the ‘after’ pic - and Evans’ muscle mass and body weight changing.</p> <p>“8 WEEK CHALLENGE RESULTS,” he captioned the image, before thanking his trainer, Harris Barclay.</p> <p>“I did a massive bulk last year which then lasted through christmas and it was the first time I had ever weighed 90kgs in my life. I am now back at 80kgs where I like to sit.”</p> <p>Evans went on to explain that his trainer had helped him come up with both a diet and training plan, and then revealed the key element that they had dropped from his regime, with Evans telling followers that it “DID NOT involve cardio.</p> <p>“I just went for an occasional walk if I wanted to be more active. Harris made the diet easy to follow and all you have to do is eat the food and show up to the gym. The training program was catered to my needs with weight training. Harris also checks in fortnightly to keep you on track and is just a downright good bloke.”</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/CprfXTBvYFQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&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/CprfXTBvYFQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Matt Evans (@thisismattevans)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Evans’ friends, fans, and fellow Channel 7 personalities were primed to celebrate his progress in his comments section, with many declaring that his “hard work paid off”.</p> <p>“Well done mate,” wrote Seven’s Sam Mac, who had recently undergone his own intense body transformation, “now, can I just borrow a couple of those abs. Don’t be greedy.”</p> <p>“Bloody hell mate well done!” said <em>Home and Away’</em>s Kirsty Marillier.</p> <p>“Looked good before and looks good after!” one fan declared.</p> <p>“Well done!! Phenomenal results,” stylist Donny Galella praised.</p> <p>“You should be proud,” another said on TikTok, where Evans had posted his ‘8 week shred results’ in video format, “all the hard work pays off.”</p> <p> </p> <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important; width: 620.262px; max-width: 100%;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7210308452218932481&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40thisismattevans%2Fvideo%2F7210308452218932481&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2FociBnEnnI8AcQoBEQBDQEKEfBeCvbRQQkxVEgD%3Fx-expires%3D1680595200%26x-signature%3DUDQ2Y1sY0ji5sKmGAxwXeCnw%252Bes%253D&key=5b465a7e134d4f09b4e6901220de11f0&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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