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Trump's insult to Biden after he drops out of presidential race

<p>Joe Biden has officially withdrawn from the presidential race against former president Donald Trump. </p> <p>Biden, who is the oldest US president at 81, has been facing mounting calls to drop out of the election from both his opponents and supporters, amid fears of his failing health, mental clarity and age. </p> <p>On Sunday, the 46th president shared a lengthy statement to share that he would be dropping out of the race, saying it is "in the best interest" for both his Democratic Party and the country to take a step back. </p> <p>“While it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Mr Biden wrote in a letter he posted on his X account.</p> <p>“I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision. It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as your President.”</p> <p>Biden shared a second announcement to social media following his bombshell withdrawal, saying he would be endorsing his Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee to run for President in the November election against Trump. </p> <p>"My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President, and it’s been the best decision I’ve made," he began.</p> <p>"Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this."</p> <p>Mere hours after Biden's announcement, former President Donald Trump reacted to the news on TRUTH social, his own social media platform, exactly as many expected. </p> <p>“Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve — And never was!” Trump said.</p> <p>“All those around him, including his doctor and the media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t. We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly.”</p> <p>In a phone call with CNN minutes after Biden announced his exit from the 2024 race, former Trump described Biden as going “down as the single worst president by far in the history of our country”.</p> <p>Mr Biden will remain President until the end of his term next January.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Bonnie Cash / Pool via CNP/ Ron Sachs/CNP /Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

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Joe Biden has COVID. Here’s what someone over 80 can expect

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hassan-vally-202904">Hassan Vally</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p>If US politics leading up to the 2024 presidential election was a Hollywood thriller, it would be a movie full of plot twists and surprises. The latest twist is President Joe Biden has <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/07/17/politics/joe-biden-tests-positive-covid-19/index.html">COVID</a> and is isolating at home.</p> <p><a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/07/17/statement-from-press-secretary-karine-jean-pierre-3/">Biden’s doctor says</a> his symptoms are mild and include a runny nose, cough and generally feeling unwell. His temperature, oxygen levels and respiratory rate are said to be normal.</p> <p>Biden, who has <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cv2gj8314nqo">been diagnosed</a> with COVID twice before, <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/07/17/statement-from-press-secretary-karine-jean-pierre-3/">has received</a> his COVID vaccine and booster shots, and has taken the first dose of the antiviral drug Paxlovid.</p> <p>No doubt, Biden will be receiving the best of medical care. Yet, as much <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-joe-biden-experiencing-cognitive-decline-heres-why-we-shouldnt-speculate-234487">recent media coverage</a> reminds us, he is 81 years old.</p> <p>So let’s look at what it means for an 81-year-old man to have COVID in 2024. Of course, Biden is not just any man, but we’ll come to that later.</p> <h2>Luckily, it’s not 2020</h2> <p>If we were back in 2020, a COVID diagnosis at this age would have been a big deal.</p> <p>This was a time before COVID vaccines, before specific COVID treatments and before we knew as much about COVID as we do today. Back then, being over 80 and being infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus (the virus that causes COVID) represented a significant threat to your health.</p> <p>It was very clear early in the pandemic that your chances of getting severe disease and dying <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-older-people-more-at-risk-of-coronavirus-133770">increased with age</a>. The early data suggested that if you were over 80 and infected, you had about a 15% likelihood of dying from the illness.</p> <p>Also, if you did develop severe disease, we didn’t have a lot in the toolkit to deal with your infection.</p> <p>Remember, former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson <a href="https://theconversation.com/scott-morrison-has-covid-its-a-big-deal-but-not-how-you-think-178298">ended up in the ICU</a> with his COVID infection in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/17/boris-johnson-and-coronavirus-inside-story-illness">April 2020</a>, despite being 55 at the time. That’s a much younger age than Biden is now.</p> <p>Former US President Donald Trump also had what was understood to be a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/feb/11/trump-coronavirus-ventilator-covid-illness">very severe case</a> of COVID in October 2020. He was 74 at the time.</p> <h2>How things have changed</h2> <p>So let’s wind the clock forward to 2024. A lot has happened in four years.</p> <p>COVID is still a disease that needs to be <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/whats-new/changing-threat-covid-19.html">taken seriously</a>. And for some people with other health conditions (for instance, people with heart disease or diabetes) it poses more of a threat. And of course we know more about the well-publicised <a href="https://theconversation.com/i-have-covid-how-likely-am-i-to-get-long-covid-218808">longer term effects</a> of COVID.</p> <p>But the threat COVID poses to an individual is far less now than it has ever been.</p> <h2>More of us have some immunity</h2> <p>First, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/dec/03/who-estimates-90-of-world-have-some-resistance-to-covid">most people</a> have some immunity to COVID now, whether this has come from vaccination or prior infection, and for many both.</p> <p>The fact that your immune system has had some exposure to the virus is transformative in how you respond to infection. Yes, there’s the ongoing problem of waning immunity over time and the virus mutating meaning you need to have regular booster vaccines. But as your immune system has “seen” the virus before it allows it to respond more effectively. This means the threat posed by infection has fallen drastically.</p> <p>We know Biden has received his booster shots. Boosters have been shown to offer <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-the-new-covid-booster-vaccines-can-i-get-one-do-they-work-are-they-safe-217804">substantial protection</a> against severe illness and death and are particularly important for older age groups.</p> <h2>Now we have antivirals</h2> <p>Second, we also have antiviral medicines, such as Paxlovid, which is effective in reducing the likelihood of severe illness from COVID if taken soon after developing symptoms.</p> <p>In <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2118542">one study</a>, if taken soon after infection, Paxlovid reduced the likelihood of severe illness or death by 89%. So it is <a href="https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/therapies/antivirals-including-antibody-products/ritonavir-boosted-nirmatrelvir--paxlovid-/">highly recommended</a> for those at higher risk of severe illness. As we know, Biden is taking Paxlovid.</p> <p>Paxlovid has also been associated with rebound symptoms. This is when a person looks to have recovered from infection only to have symptoms reappear. Biden experienced this <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-some-people-who-take-paxlovid-for-covid-get-rebound-symptoms-or-test-positive-again-like-president-biden-188002">in 2022</a>.</p> <p>The good news is that even if this occurs in most instances the symptoms associated with the recurrence tend to be mild.</p> <h2>Biden would have the best care</h2> <p>The other factor of course is that Biden would have access to some of the world’s best medical care.</p> <p>If his symptoms were to become more severe or any complications were to develop, you can be assured he would get the best treatment.</p> <p>So is Biden’s diagnosis news? Well of course, given all the speculation about his health. But in terms of COVID being a major threat to Biden’s health, there are no indications it should be.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/234999/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hassan-vally-202904"><em>Hassan Vally</em></a><em>, Associate Professor, Epidemiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757">Deakin University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Bonnie Cash/Pool via CNP/Shutterstock Editorial </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/joe-biden-has-covid-heres-what-someone-over-80-can-expect-234999">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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Sofia Vergara opens up on divorce

<p>Sofía Vergara has revealed the reason why she and Joe Manganiello decided to call it quits after seven years of marriage. </p> <p>In an interview with <em>El País</em>, the 51-year-old actress revealed that Manganiello’s desire to have children led to their divorce. </p> <p>“My marriage broke up because my husband was younger; he wanted to have kids, and I didn’t want to be an old mum,” she said. </p> <p>“I feel it’s not fair to the baby.”</p> <p>The <em>Modern Family</em> actress added that although she respects those who wish to have children later in life, the path is just not for her anymore.</p> <p>The actress already has shares a 32-year-old son with her first husband, Joe Gonzalez. </p> <p>“I had a son at 19, who is now 32, and I’m ready to be a grandmother, not a mother,” she said. </p> <p>“When my son becomes a dad, let him bring the baby to me for a while and then I’ll give it back to him and go on with my life; that’s what I have to do," she added. </p> <p>Despite this, the actress is open to love again - as long as her next romantic partner has kids of his own. </p> <p>In July 2023, Vergara and Joe Manganiello announced their <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/sofia-vergara-and-joe-manganiello-announce-separation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">separation</a> in a statement shared to <em>Page Six</em>. </p> <p>“We have made the difficult decision to divorce. As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect of our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives,” the statement read. </p> <p>Manganiello, has since moved on, after making his red carpet debut with his 33-year-old actress girlfriend Caitlin O’Connor in December 2023. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello announce separation

<p>Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello have announced their separation, after being married for seven years.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair, who have previously been dubbed one of Hollywood’s most solid couples, confirmed the news of their divorce in a statement to <em><a href="https://pagesix.com/2023/07/17/sofia-vergara-and-joe-manganiello-separate-after-7-years-of-marriage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Page Six</a></em> on Monday.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We have made the difficult decision to divorce. As two people that love and care for one another very much, we politely ask for respect of our privacy at this time as we navigate this new phase of our lives,” the statement read.</p> <p>Vergara is currently celebrating her 51st birthday with a group of friends in Italy, with Manganiello notably absent from the celebrations.</p> <p dir="ltr">A source also told <em>Page Six</em> that they have been “growing apart for a while now” and “are taking some distance from each other to contemplate their future”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another source added that “no one out there (in Italy) with her is even attempting to pretend that it’s not over. It’s over. It’s done.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Vergara and Manganiello’s last public sighting together was in June, when the actress visited Manganiello on the set of his new film, <em>Nonnas</em>, in New Jersey.</p> <p dir="ltr">The couple first met through Vergara’s former <em>Modern Family</em> co-star, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, in 2014 at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner, while she was still engaged to ex Nick Loeb.</p> <p dir="ltr">When Vergara and Loeb’s engagement was called off, Manganiello reached out and the pair started dating.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I knew pretty quickly that I could trust her, and she knew pretty quickly that she could trust me,” Manganiello told <em><a href="https://people.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People magazine</a></em> of their bond in 2020.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And we’re both the kind of people who are capable of putting the other person ahead of ourselves. I was capable of putting her wishes ahead of mine, whatever they were, and she was capable of doing the same. Once you have that, you don’t let go of it.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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“Surely a baby can’t do that”: Fitness guru stuns fans

<p>British fitness coach has left fans shocked after posting a photo of his seven-month-old hanging from a pull-up bar.</p> <p>The fitness guru, and founder of the popular fitness app The Body Coach, posted a series of sweet snaps to his Instagram of a recent family holiday to California, USA.</p> <p>The photo has gained a lot of traction online among his 4.6 million followers.</p> <p>The image shows baby Leny dressed in a white onesie dangling from a tall monkey bar at the beach while Wicks looks on proudly.</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/Cq3C-ywLb6k/?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/Cq3C-ywLb6k/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Joe Wicks (@thebodycoach)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p> Many followers were concerned about Leni, calling out the dad-of-three for such a “risky” pose.</p> <p>"Jesus, is the first pic photoshopped?" wrote one follower.</p> <p>"How is the first pic even possible?!" asked another. "Surely a baby can't do that?”</p> <p>Another added, ”Is that safe for her shoulders and joints to hang onto bars supporting her own weight like that?</p> <p>"Please don't do that to your baby. She would be frightened," wrote a fourth, sparking a debate in the comment section.</p> <p>"She doesn't look fine to me and a lot of people agree. This is cruel and would instinctually cause fear in the baby. If you think that's OK you are a cruel person.”</p> <p>Some were impressed by the “super baby”, taken back by her strength for her age and defended Wicks against his critics.</p> <p>"That first picture of Leni is amazing! You need to recreate that every year!" wrote one follower. "I love how you let them take risks.”</p> <p>"Your kids have iron man genes," another added. "Wow Leni is strong holding on to the monkey bars, that's brilliant.”</p> <p>Those that came to the dad’s defence reminded critics that the baby would not have been there for long.</p> <p>"My babies/toddlers could all do this when they were young. It was only for a few seconds. We were there ready to catch them," one said.</p> <p>"It is called the palmar grasp reflex and it is normal for babies," wrote another.</p> <p>A child gymnastics company, Little Gym UK also came to the dad’s defence, saying, "For those questioning if it's photoshopped, our classes start at four months and babies can absolutely grasp and hang this little.”</p> <p>While it’s no myth newborns do have a grasp reflex and the grip is often “strong enough to hold the baby’s entire weight”, experts do not advise picking up or swinging a toddler by their arms as it can lead to a common injury called Nursemaid’s elbow.</p> <p>Wicks has two other children with his wife Rosie, Indie, four, and Marley, three.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

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Massive backlash against Channel 10 for urging staff to work on Australia Day

<p>Joe Hildebrand – a former employee of Channel 10 – has appeared on <em>Sunrise</em> to take his former employers to task after it was reported that two senior executives had sent an email urging staff to <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/channel-10-declares-january-26th-a-day-not-for-celebration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boycott Australia Day</a> by working instead of observing the public holiday.</p> <p>Hildebrand, 46, was formerly a host of the Studio 10 morning program from 2013 until he was let go in 2020. </p> <p>He has now accused execs at Network Ten of “virtue signalling”. </p> <p>Hildebrand went on to insist that, rather than condemn the idea of Australia Day altogether –  a national holiday that the majority of Australians still support – that instead Channel 10 should consider donating to a variety of Indigenous charities.</p> <p>During the fiery conversation on <em>Sunrise</em> with host Monique Wright and News.com.au political reporter Samantha Maiden, Hildebrand also couldn't resist taking a swipe at Channel 10's continuing woes amid diving ratings and rounds of redundancies.</p> <p>“I understand they're going to allow republicans to work on the Queen's Birthday, and they're going to allow Liberal voters to work on Labour Day, so there's some terrific initiatives coming through,” he said.</p> <p>“I'd also like to see from all these companies that have sent out group emails to their employees recently - and the good thing about Channel 10 is that every year there are fewer and fewer employees to send group emails to - why don't they instead donate half their profits to charities that actually help Indigenous people?”</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/12/SunriseJoeHildebrand01.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p>After mentioning several non-profits that are achieving positive results for First Nations people, including the Australian Literacy and Numeracy Foundation, Hildebrand said that improving literacy is “probably the most important thing you can do to reduce intergenerational poverty”.</p> <p>“I'm pretty sure you'll see them jump at the chance to [donate to Indigenous charities], just as they've jumped at the chance to show how sensitive they are about Australia Day,” Hildebrand continued. “By January 26, they'll be falling over themselves to hand out their money, all their profits – obviously profits don't apply to Channel 10 – to these terrific charities that work so hard for so little money, all the time.”</p> <p>Two execs at Channel 10 have sent emails to staff informing them that the network won’t be celebrating Australia Day, saying that employees can come to work instead of taking the day off. Parent company Paramount ANZ's chief content officer Beverley McGarvey and co-lead Jarrod Villani told staff it was “not a day of celebration” for Indigenous people and said employees could decide whether they wished to take the day off as a public holiday or work if they preferred.</p> <p>“At Paramount ANZ we aim to create a safe place to work where cultural differences are appreciated, understood and respected,” the pair wrote. “For our First Nations people, we as an organisation acknowledge that January 26 is not a day of celebration. </p> <p>“We recognise that there has been a turbulent history, particularly around that date and the recognition of that date being Australia Day.”</p> <p>Staff could choose to work through the national holiday if they didn't feel comfortable celebrating it and could take another day of leave instead.</p> <p>“We recognise that January 26 evokes different emotions for our employees across the business, and we are receptive to employees who do not feel comfortable taking this day as a public holiday,” the email read.</p> <p>The network bosses were adamant that those who did wish to celebrate Australia Day “reflect and respect the different perspectives and viewpoints of all Australians”.</p> <p>Channel 10 has also been struggling in the ratings with questions now being raised about the station's viability. It was also revealed by Daily Mail Australia that the network was forced to <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/lisa-wilkinson-s-big-night-out-after-channel-10-cancels-christmas-bash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cancel its annual Christmas Party</a>.</p> <p><em>Images: Sunrise</em></p>

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

<p dir="ltr">English comedian Joe Lycett has called out footballer David Beckham for his multi-million-dollar deal with Qatar by shredding £10,000 - but Lycett’s protest has come with a twist.</p> <p dir="ltr">After Beckham came under fire for accepting the cash from Qatar - where homosexuality is illegal and you can be jailed or put to death as punishment - to promote the World Cup, Lycett took to social media to call on the former English captain to put his money where his mouth is.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b0f7f24c-7fff-e87b-cd94-977224136cd7"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Lycett shared a video where he said he would donate £10,000 ($AU 17,700 or $NZ 19,386) if Beckham withdrew from his deal with Qatar before the World Cup started on November 19.</p> <p dir="ltr">If Beckham didn’t, Lycett said he would shred it.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClGfxiQIvDb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClGfxiQIvDb/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Joe Lycett (@joelycett)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">"This is a message to David Beckham... I consider you to be a gay icon," Lycett said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You were the first premiership footballer to do shoots with gay magazines like Attitude, to speak openly about your gay fans, and you married a Spice Girl, which is the gayest thing a human being can do.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Qatar was voted as one of the worst places in the world to be gay. You've always talked about the power of football to be a force for good... so with that in mind, I'm giving you a choice.</p> <p dir="ltr">"If you end your relationship with Qatar, I'll donate this 10 grand of my own money to charities that support queer people in football. However, if you do not... I will throw this money into a shredder.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Not just the money, but also your status as a gay icon will be shredded."</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-735f7414-7fff-0c3f-b123-4b37c34f34e3"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">After his video went viral, Lycett shared a message he sent to Beckham’s PR team on social media.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClBdqBgoPAM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClBdqBgoPAM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Joe Lycett (@joelycett)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve managed to get myself into a bit of a pickle - I’ve been a bit daft and publicly announced that I’m going to shred £10K on Sunday if David doesn’t end his relationship with Qatar, or donate the cash to LGBTQ+ charities if he does, yet we’re now four days out and I haven’t heard a peep from him,” he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Could you do me a solid and let me know if there’s a chance he might budge on his position, or am I to expect radio silence on this? I really don’t want to shred ten grand!!! I also really don’t want a national treasure that has historically supported the LGBTQ+ community to publicly endorse and advertise a nation state that has an appalling human rights record and has the death penalty for gays - call me old fashioned!!!!!!”</p> <p dir="ltr">With Beckham not responding or backing out of the deal with Qatar, Lycett shared a clip on Sunday of himself putting wads into a woodchipper, dressed in a rainbow coat.</p> <p dir="ltr">But that isn’t the end of the story.</p> <p dir="ltr">The comedian shared another video on Monday, where he revealed that the stunt wasn’t what it appeared to be.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is my final message to David Beckham,” he began the clip.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s me! That prick who shredded loads of money in a cost-of-living crisis.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I told you I was going to destroy £10,000 if you didn’t end your relationship with Qatar before the first day of the World Cup. And then when you didn’t end your relationship or even respond in any way, I streamed myself dropping 10K into a shredder.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Or did I?</p> <p dir="ltr">“I haven’t quite told you the whole truth. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Because the truth is, the money that went into the shredder was real, but the money that came out was fake.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Lycett added that he wouldn’t be “so irresponsible” to destroy “real money”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In fact, the ten grand had already been donated to LGBTQ+ charities before I even pressed send on the initial tweet last week,” he continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I never expected to hear from you. It was an empty threat designed to get people talking.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0189d111-7fff-2b5e-96d4-872ebc0b31b0"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“In many ways, it was like your deal with Qatar, David. Total bulls**t from the start.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/ClOMLKuIY0r/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/ClOMLKuIY0r/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Joe Lycett (@joelycett)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Lycett ended the clip by shredding another item: the 2002 cover of <em>Attitude </em>magazine that featured Beckham, which was the first gay magazine to feature a Premier League footballer on it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I asked <em>Attitude </em>if I could shred it and they were more than happy to oblige,” Lycett said, before running the cover through a paper shredder.</p> <p dir="ltr">His final video, captioned with a single rainbow flag, received a flood of praise from fellow celebrities and fans.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Oh you. It’s like you thought it all through or somethin …” Dawn French commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You are flipping amazing ❤️❤️❤️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍🌈,” singer Sophie Ellis Bexter added.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d1dc9455-7fff-40cd-4ae9-c47bf33ab5ef"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Meghan Markle dethrones Joe Rogan for top spot on Spotify

<p dir="ltr">Meghan Markle has dethroned Joe Rogan on Spotify following her first episode on her podcast, <em>Archetypes</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Duchess of Sussex released the first episode of <em>Archetypes</em> on August 23 and two days later the podcast had soared to the number one spot on Spotify’s most-listened chart.</p> <p dir="ltr">This subsequently knocked Joe Rogan’s podcast, <em>The Joe Rogan Experience</em> from the top spot where he discusses everything from current events and politics to science and philosophy on his weekly podcast.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meghan and Prince Harry reportedly signed a whopping $18 million, three-year podcast deal with Spotify for the new show.</p> <p dir="ltr">Two years later, The Duchess of Sussex released her first episode with her "dear friend" and tennis champion Serena Williams. </p> <p dir="ltr">Meghan spoke with Serena about her tennis career, before she brought up a terrifying story in which there was a <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/meghan-markle-confirms-fire-in-archie-s-nursery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fire in baby Archie's nursery</a> during a royal engagement in Africa in 2019. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Duchess explained how their family had only been in the township of Nyanga for a few hours before the incident took place.</p> <p dir="ltr">She detailed how then four-month-old Archie narrowly avoided a fire in his nursery as his nanny took him to another part of the residence when the heater burst into flames. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Duchess then shared how she was required to attend another formal engagement, rather than stay home with her child. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I'm giving this speech to women and girls, and we finish the engagement, we get in the car and they say, 'There's been a fire at the residence. There's been a fire in the baby's room.' What?” Meghan says in the podcast. </p> <p dir="ltr">She went on to explain how Archie's nanny Lauren had taken him downstairs briefly before he was put to bed for a nap, and the heater in the room caught fire. </p> <p dir="ltr">Luckily, no one was injured during the fire, but Meghan said both her and her husband were rattled by the experience and were rushed out to attend another engagement, rather than stay with their son. </p> <p dir="ltr">She said, "And we came back. And of course, as a mother, you go, 'Oh my God, what?' Everyone's in tears, everyone's shaken. And what do we have to do? Go out and do another official engagement?"</p> <p dir="ltr">"I said, 'This doesn't make any sense'. I was like, 'Can you just tell people what happened?' And so much, I think, optically, the focus ends up being on how it looks instead of how it feels."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Spotify</em></p>

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Beverly Hills, 90210 star Joe E. Tata dead at 86

<p dir="ltr"><em>Beverly Hills, 90210</em> star Joe E. Tata has passed away at the age of 86 following a battle with Alzheimer’s. </p> <p dir="ltr">His devastating death was announced by Tata’s co-star Ian Ziering on Instagram, who paid tribute to the man who played Peach Pit owner Nat Bussichio on the show for 10 years.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ziering started off his post acknowledging the deaths of other colleagues, Jessica Klein one of 90210’s most prolific writers and producers, Denise Douse who played Mrs. Teasley, before sharing the heartbreaking announcement. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m very sad to say Joe E Tata has passed away. Joey was truly an OG, I remember seeing him on the Rockford files with James Garner years before we worked together on 90210,” his post began.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He was often one of the background villains in the original Batman series. </p> <p dir="ltr">“One of the happiest people I’ve ever worked with, he was as generous with his wisdom as he was with his kindness. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Though the peach pit was a 90210 set, It often felt like the backdrop to the Joe E Tata show. </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/ChsG7TirHFW/?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/ChsG7TirHFW/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Ian Ziering (@ianziering)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“The stories of days gone by that he would share, incredible experiences in the entertainment industry that he was a part of would keep us all captivated. </p> <p dir="ltr">“He may have been in the back of many scenes, but he was a leading force, especially to us guys, on how to appreciate the gift that 90210 was. </p> <p dir="ltr">“My smile dims today but basking in fond memories moves him from my eyes to my heart where he will always be.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My sincere condolences go out to his family and friends, and everyone else he was dear too. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Rest In peace Joey.” </p> <p dir="ltr">Tata’s health began to deteriorate in 2014 but it was only in 2018 when he was officially diagnosed with Alzehimer’s </p> <p dir="ltr">“Now 86 years old, his illness has progressed to its final stages," Tata’s daughter Kelly wrote on a crowdsourcing page for her father. </p> <p dir="ltr">"He spends his days scared and confused. The few times I've seen him, there is relief and joy in his eyes."</p> <p dir="ltr">"Nat was a loving father figure to the kids of West Beverly High. In real life, my Dad, Joey, is honest, kind, and a truly incredible father."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Jacinda Ardern slammed for “shocking” gift to Joe Biden

<p dir="ltr">A gift the New Zealand Prime Minister gave to US President Joe Biden has been criticised by environmentalists who say she showed a “lack of care” in her “appalling” gift choice.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Ardern gave Mr Biden a swamp kauri bowl, made from glazed timber harvested from kauri trees commonly found in wetlands and culturally significant sites in the country’s North Island.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fiona Furrell, the chair of the Northland Environmental Protection Society criticised the “faux pas”, saying Ms Ardern shouldn’t have given a gift that promoted the exchange of indigenous plants and a process that harms the ecosystem.</p> <p dir="ltr">“To us, swamp kauri, of all things for a gift to America, is really not on. It's shocking after all the work we've gone through to try and protect these wetlands that produce the swamp kauri,” chair Fiona Furrell told <em><a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/471281/environmentalists-mana-whenua-criticise-pm-s-appalling-gift-to-us-president" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RNZ</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The milling of kauri timber often damages or destroys the peat swamps where they are buried, often for up to 60,000 years, which prompted the Supreme Court of New Zealand to restrict what was considered a legal export of the timber in 2018.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the ruling, swamp kauri items must be a product in itself, in its final or kitset form, and ready to be used or installed into a larger structure.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-42fc494e-7fff-0b8e-9157-735dd9f2115a"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">However, Ms Ardern’s office confirmed the gifted kauri bowl was bought from Nelson Parker, who was investigated for exporting wood products to China and was found to have likely broken the Forest Act for exporting a large kauri log arrangement and calling it art.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/07/jacinda-ardern-gift1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>A pamphlet of swamp kauri products from Nelson Parker, including bowls. Image: RNZ</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Parker wasn’t prosecuted because the manufacturer was originally told the kauri was compliant, even though little work had been done to change it from being raw wood.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Furrell said the Kiwi PM should have done more “investigating” before choosing such a polarising gift.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Any use of swamp kauri that is featured by our government, therefore puts our wetlands at risk, because people will want more swamp kauri now,” Furrell said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He [Biden] could make the decision himself. Perhaps it could be returned to New Zealand.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Parker has defended Ms Ardern’s decision, claiming that anyone who questioned her gift choice was a “parasite”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“To think that people, somebody, can out of the goodness of their heart give a gift to somebody and then somebody comes in behind and says, 'Well that's wrong, it's illegal, it's immoral' or whatever they say. To me that shows you the quality of the people actually,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“To be quite blunt, these people, they're probably listed as zero in my opinion, as far as I'm concerned.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I can pretty well describe these people to you, they probably don't do anything. They're parasites. As far as I'm concerned, if they want to meddle in what we do, well, then it's not a wise thing to do.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-eb42abf8-7fff-60b9-4bce-64e6ccdd4fe6"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @jacindaardern (Instagram)</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Jacinda Ardern welcomed as “good friend” by Joe Biden

<p dir="ltr">New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has left talks with US President Joe Biden on a positive note, saying the interaction pointed to the “warmth” in their relationship as political leaders.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Ardern was initially scheduled to meet with Mr Biden for one hour during her ongoing US tour, but the pair continued to talk for another 30 minutes, as reported by <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/jacinda-ardern-wows-us-president-joe-biden-in-white-house-meeting/news-story/a05ab88bfe0e2bfcc93a29f337db4684" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I think that is a demonstration of the warmth in our relationship,” Ms Ardern said after the meeting.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Biden welcomed Ms Ardern as a “good friend”, citing the last time they met at the launch of the Indo-Pacific Framework and said: “We need your guidance”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You understand that your leadership has taken on a critical role in this global stage - and it really has,” Mr Biden said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair also discussed gun control, online extremism, Ukraine, climate change, and the growing influence of China in the Pacific, with the last issue becoming the main focus as the US attempts to bolster its presence in the region.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8c909d5e-7fff-d3f9-ef5f-8e1a34bb0e44"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“We are in an incredibly difficult international environment,” Ms Ardern said.</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/CeP0hflvMcD/?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/CeP0hflvMcD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">According to a senior administration official, the leaders had a “very warm” and “direct” conversation, as the Biden administration looks to step up its cooperation to support the Pacific Island states.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The President and the Prime Minister met for well over an hour,” the official said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The conversation was very warm, very direct, and there was a great understanding between the two of them, as you would expect.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And there really was discussion about the shared vision for the Indo-Pacific and the importance, in particular, of stepping up engagement with the Pacific Island states.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In a joint statement after the meeting, both leaders expressed their concern about the security agreement between the People’s Republic of China and the Solomon Islands, which also caused a stir in Australia in April.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In particular, the United States and New Zealand share a concern that the establishment of a persistent military presence in the Pacific by a state that does not share our values or security interests would fundamentally alter the strategic balance of the region and pose national-security concerns to both countries,” the statement read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A freer and more open Indo-Pacific depends on preserving the international rules-based order in the maritime domain.</p> <p dir="ltr">“To that end, we reaffirm our support for freedom of navigation and overflight, in the South China Sea and beyond, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).</p> <p dir="ltr">“We oppose unlawful maritime claims and activities in the South China Sea that run counter to the rules-based international order, particularly UNCLOS.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We reiterate our grave concerns regarding the human-rights violations in Xinjiang, and the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, which undermines the high degree of autonomy enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The meeting comes as China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, finishes his ten-day tour of the Pacific Island region, having visited eight nations in total and raising concerns that deals similar to that between China and the Solomon Islands would be struck with other countries.</p> <p dir="ltr">Within hours of Ms Ardern and Mr Biden’s meeting, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian accused the US of “distorting the truth that the cooperation between China and the Pacific Island countries has been in line with regional benefits”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“China and Solomon Islands have no intention to establish military bases,” Mr Zhao said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Australia is also making efforts to meet with leaders in the region, with newly-sworn-in Foreign Minister Penny Wong jetting off to Samoa and Tonga for her second visit to the Pacific in nine days.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We want to make a uniquely Australian contribution to help build a stronger Pacific family - through social and economic opportunities including pandemic recovery, health, development and infrastructure support, as well as through our Pacific labour programs and permanent migration,” Ms Wong said in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We will increase our contribution to regional security: we understand that the security of the Pacific is the responsibility of the Pacific family, of which Australia is a part.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We will stand shoulder to shoulder with our Pacific family in addressing the existential threat of climate change. And we will deepen cultural and sporting ties.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0c2debcf-7fff-0413-2aec-9fcf453570fb"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

International Travel

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“It's extraordinary”: Biden praises Albo after new PM hits the ground running

<p dir="ltr">Just days after the federal election and within 24 hours of being sworn in as Australia’s 31st Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese has hit the ground running and brought in a slew of changes.</p> <p dir="ltr">Shortly after he was sworn in on Monday morning, Mr Albanese was jetting off to Tokyo for the Quad Summit, where he was welcomed and congratulated by his peers, including US President Joe Biden.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Prime Minister Albanese, I welcome you to your first Quad meeting. Like I said, you got sworn in, got on a plane and if you fall asleep while you’re here, it’s okay,” he joked.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d8694510-7fff-7d20-f34a-312b4e0a2fbc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Because I don’t know how you’re doing it! It’s really quite extraordinary just getting off the campaign trail as well. Congratulations on your election.”</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/Cd7SKB9BQWB/?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/Cd7SKB9BQWB/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Anthony Albanese (@albomp)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Though he might be in Japan at the moment, the newly minted leader has made some noticeable changes, including one in Parliament House’s Blue Room.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Indigenous recognition</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">During his first press conference, members of the Canberra press gallery were present for the installation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags behind the podium, joining the Australian flag for the first time.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Albanese didn’t make note of this big change while speaking to reporters, but he did make reference to his plans to accept the Uluru Statement of the Heart in its entirety.</p> <p dir="ltr">The statement, which was first delivered by First Nations leaders in 2017 and rejected by then PM Malcom Turnbull, involves implementing a Voice to parliament to act as an official representative body for First Nations Australians and establishing a Makarrata Commission, which would involve signing a treaty and engaging in a truth-telling process.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Staffing at the Public Service</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Though he suggested that he wouldn’t be sacking anyone in the public service before he was elected, moves have already been made to remove Phil Gaetjens, the country’s top public servant, hours after Mr Albanese was sworn in.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Gaetjen, who was tasked with investigating what Scott Morrison’s office knew about the rape allegations from former staffer Brittany Higgins, is understood to have offered to stand aside, as reported by <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/all-the-changes-anthony-albanese-made-on-day-one-as-prime-minister/news-story/19a989209036d37b0a94a7172ffdadcf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Getting acquainted with fellow leaders</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">As well as attending the Quad meeting, where he has met with leaders from Japan, India and the US, Mr Albanese has already spoken with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson about the “strength of Australia’s close relationship with the United Kingdom” and their shared commitment to AUKUS and acting on climate change.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Albanese has also scheduled one-on-one meetings with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Mr Biden, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Mass texts come under the microscope</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The Prime Minister has reportedly tasked his government with investigation into the arriverl of a Sri Lankan asylum seeker boat on Saturday morning - the same day the Liberals sent out a mass of robo-texts to voters announcing that an asylum seeker vessel had been intercepted.</p> <p dir="ltr">Senior Labor members questioned the timing of the texts sent to voters in marginal seats, which also came after Mr Morrison warned voters that people smugglers would prepare to send more boats in the event of a Labor win.</p> <p dir="ltr">The message read: “BREAKING – Australian Border Force has intercepted an illegal boat trying to reach Australia. Keep our borders secure by voting Liberal today. https://vote.liberal.org.au.”</p> <p dir="ltr">On Tuesday, multiple senior Labor sources confirmed there would be an investigation into how the boat got so close to Australia and the timing of the texts, as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-084401cc-7fff-99e2-f49b-cc16e6ec379e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @albomp (Instagram)</em></p>

News

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Meghan Markle called on to run for president

<p dir="ltr">Meghan Markle would make a “great presidential candidate” according to US President Biden’s sister. </p> <p dir="ltr">Valerie Biden Owens, who works as President Biden’s campaign manager, has called on the Duchess of Sussex to join the Democratic Party saying she would be welcomed with open arms. </p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking to <em>Good Morning Britain</em>, Ms Owens was firm in her statement about Meghan Markle being a US President candidate. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Yes, perhaps. Of course she will," she said on the show.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's wonderful to have women in politics. The more women we have, the better our democratic system will work. A better point of view, a different point of view.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We embrace all women and we welcome her to come in and join the Democratic party."</p> <p dir="ltr">Meghan has previously weighed in on the politics in America after she left her royal duties with husband Prince Harry. </p> <p dir="ltr">She urged Americans to vote in the 2020 Election and also called for more paid parental leave. </p> <p dir="ltr">Author Tom Bower is writing a biography about the Duchess and previously said that it is “possible” and “likely” that she would run for president.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The prospect of Meghan running for president is possible and I'd even say likely. I really believe it's where she sees herself going,” he told Closer Magazine.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fellow author Omid Scobie concurred saying: "Meghan is the embodiment of the American dream. One day we may see Meghan become president."</p> <p dir="ltr">Back in 2020, an anonymous friend told Vanity Fair that Meghan refused to give up her American citizenship in order to have the option to get into politics. </p> <p dir="ltr">As per the British Royal Family, all members are required to remain neutral which Meghan has not - pointing out that she has already met with senators to lobby a bill.</p> <p dir="ltr">A legal expert has called it “controversial” but only time will tell what Meghan decides to do. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Do YOU know Joe? Football team's desperate search for 6-year-old superfan

<p>A UK football club is trying to track down a dedicated six-year-old fan who sent 50 cents in a letter to his favourite player. </p><p>The boy, known only as Joe, wrote to Swindon Town FC in a touching note, explaining his love for the football club and the devastating reason why he cannot attend a football game in person. </p><p>The note reads, "Mummy doesn't have any money to come to Swindon games because she has no money for food and has to pay for my dinner at school."</p><p>"I like Swindon Town Harry McKirdy. I will come one day."</p><p>Joe then attached three coins, a 20p, 5p and 1p, to the note and singed his name and age of "6 1/2".</p><p>After receiving the note, the football club shared a photo of it on Twitter in a bid to track down Joe so they can get in touch with him. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">📢 | We have received this letter from Town fan Joe, aged 6 and a half. <br /><br />We'd really love to get in touch with Joe, but we don't have a return address. <br /><br />If anyone recognises the writing or thinks they know who Joe is, please email supporters@swindontownfc.co.uk<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/STFC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#STFC</a> 🔴⚪️ <a href="https://t.co/JFgLgNm2Lz">pic.twitter.com/JFgLgNm2Lz</a></p>— Swindon Town FC (@Official_STFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/Official_STFC/status/1493630090533613574?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 15, 2022</a></blockquote><p>The post has since received thousands of likes and comments in support of Joe and his mother. </p><p>One social media user said, "I can see there are lots of offers here for Joe and his mum to come to a game. So if you manage to find Joe I'd like to pay for a weeks worth of food shopping for them. Please keep us informed."</p><p>A <a href="https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/thisisforjoe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JustGiving</a> page has been launched by a likeminded football fan to help find Joe and get him to Swindon for a game. </p><p>The page reads, "Swindon Town FC have been contacted by a young boy called Joe who unfortunately doesn't have the privileges of being able to attend football matches!"</p><p>"This is where football comes together. Lets all get together and fund for Joe &amp; his family to attend a game &amp; for Joe to be mascot for the day giving him an experience for life!"</p><p>The page has already raised over $12,000 AUD, with all proceeds going to Joe and his family once they are found. </p><p>As well as the kindness from these football-loving strangers, the Swindon Town FC tweeted a message saying Joe's letter prompted them to join forces with a local food bank to help their community. </p><p><em>Image credits: Twitter @Official_STFC</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Spotify’s response to Rogan-gate falls short of its ethical and editorial obligations

<p>Audio streaming giant <a href="https://www.spotify.com/au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Spotify</a> is getting a crash course in the tension between free speech and the need to protect the public from harmful misinformation.</p><p>The Swedish-founded platform, which has 400 million active users, has faced a hail of criticism over misinformation broadcast on its <a href="https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/joe-rogan-experience-most-popular-podcast-news-roundup-1235123361/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">most popular podcast</a>, the Joe Rogan Experience.</p><p>Rogan, a former ultimate fighting commentator and television presenter, has <a href="https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/joe-rogan-anti-vaccine-podcast-spotify-1234961803/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">argued</a> healthy young people should not get a COVID vaccination. This is contrary to medical advice from governments all over the world, not to mention the <a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/covid-19-vaccines/advice" target="_blank" rel="noopener">World Health Organization</a>.</p><p>A recent episode of his podcast, featuring virologist Robert Malone, drew <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jan/14/spotify-joe-rogan-podcast-open-letter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticism from public health experts</a> over its various conspiracist claims about COVID vaccination programs.</p><p>There were widespread calls for Spotify to deplatform Rogan and his interviewees. Rock legend Neil Young issued an ultimatum that Spotify could broadcast Rogan or Young, but not both.</p><p>Spotify made its choice: the Joe Rogan Experience is still on the air, while Young’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jan/28/joe-rogan-neil-young-spotify-streaming-service" target="_blank" rel="noopener">music</a> is gone, along with <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-29/joni-mitchell-take-songs-off-spotify-solidarity-with-neil-young/100790200" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joni Mitchell</a> and <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/nils-lofgren-spotify-neil-young-1292480/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nils Lofgren</a>, who removed their content in solidarity.</p><p><strong>Spotify’s response</strong></p><p>Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek has since <a href="https://newsroom.spotify.com/2022-01-30/spotifys-platform-rules-and-approach-to-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">promised</a> to tag controversial COVID-related content with links to a “hub” containing trustworthy information. But he stopped short of pledging to remove misinformation outright.</p><p>In a statement, Ek <a href="https://newsroom.spotify.com/2022-01-30/spotifys-platform-rules-and-approach-to-covid-19/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>:</p><blockquote><p>We know we have a critical role to play in supporting creator expression while balancing it with the safety of our users. In that role, it is important to me that we don’t take on the position of being content censor while also making sure that there are rules in place and consequences for those who violate them.</p></blockquote><p><strong>Does it go far enough?</strong></p><p>Freedom of expression is important, but so is prevention of harm. When what is being advocated is likely to cause harm or loss of life, a line has been crossed. Spotify has a moral obligation to restrict speech that damages the public interest.</p><p>In response to the controversy, Spotify also publicly shared its <a href="https://newsroom.spotify.com/2022-01-30/spotify-platform-rules/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rules of engagement</a>. They are comprehensive and proactive in helping to make content creators aware of the lines that must not be crossed, while allowing for freedom of expression within these constraints.  </p><p>Has Spotify fulfilled its duty of care to customers? If it applies the rules as stated, provides listeners with links to trustworthy information, and refuses to let controversial yet profitable content creators off the hook, this is certainly a move in the right direction.</p><p><strong>Platform or publisher?</strong></p><p>At the crux of the problem is the question of whether social media providers are <a href="https://socialmediahq.com/if-social-media-companies-are-publishers-and-not-platforms-that-changes-everything/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">platforms or publishers</a>.</p><p>Spotify and other Big Tech players claim they are simply providing a platform for people’s opinions. But <a href="https://www.zdnet.com/article/scott-morrison-says-social-media-platforms-are-publishers-if-unwilling-to-identify-users/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">regulators</a> are beginning to say no, they are in fact publishers of information, and like any publisher must be accountable for their content.</p><figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/443600/original/file-20220201-19-1kyj1oy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="Logos of big tech platforms" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Tech platforms like to claim they’re not publishers.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Pixabay</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other platforms <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/blog/techtank/2021/06/01/addressing-big-techs-power-over-speech/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have significant power</a> to promote particular views and limit others, thereby influencing millions or even <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/264810/number-of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide/#:%7E:text=How%20many%20users%20does%20Facebook,the%20biggest%20social%20network%20worldwide." target="_blank" rel="noopener">billions</a> of users.</p><p>In the United States, these platforms have immunity from civil and criminal liability under a <a href="https://www.eff.org/issues/cda230" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1996 federal law</a> that shields them from liability as sites that host user-generated content. Being US corporations, their actions are primarily based on US legislation.</p><p>It is an ingenious business model that allows Facebook, for example, to turn a steady stream of free user-posted content into <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/277963/facebooks-quarterly-global-revenue-by-segment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US$28 billion in quarterly advertising revenue</a>.</p><p>Established newspapers and magazines also sell advertising, but they pay journalists to write content and are legally liable for what they publish. It’s little wonder they are <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/apr/24/newspapers-journalists-coronavirus-press-democracy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">struggling</a> to survive, and little wonder the tech platforms are keen to avoid similar responsibilities.</p><p>But the fact is that social media companies do make editorial decisions about what appears on their platforms. So it is not morally defensible to hide behind the legal protections afforded to them as platforms, when they operate as publishers and reap considerable profits by doing so.</p><p><strong>How best to combat misinformation?</strong></p><p>Misinformation in the form of fake news, intentional disinformation and misinformed opinion has become a crucial issue for democratic systems around the world. How to combat this influence without compromising democratic values and free speech?</p><p>One way is to cultivate “news literacy” – an ability to discern misinformation. This can be done by making a practice of sampling news from across the political spectrum, then averaging out the message to the moderate middle. Most of us confine ourselves to the echo chamber of our preferred source, avoiding contrary opinions as we go.</p><p>If you are not sampling at least three reputable sources, you’re not getting the full picture. Here are the <a href="https://libguides.ucmerced.edu/news/reputable" target="_blank" rel="noopener">characteristics</a> of a reputable news source.</p><p>Social media, meanwhile, should invest in artificial intelligence (AI) tools to sift the deluge of real-time content and flag potential fake news. Some progress in this area has been made, but there is room for improvement.</p><p>The tide is turning for the big social media companies. Governments around the world are formulating laws that will oblige them to be more responsible for the content they publish. They won’t have long to wait.<img style="border: none !important;margin: 0 !important;max-height: 1px !important;max-width: 1px !important;min-height: 1px !important;min-width: 1px !important;padding: 0 !important" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/176022/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p><p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/david-tuffley-13731" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Tuffley</a>, Senior Lecturer in Applied Ethics &amp; CyberSecurity, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Griffith University</a></em></p><p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/spotifys-response-to-rogan-gate-falls-short-of-its-ethical-and-editorial-obligations-176022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p><p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Technology

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Neil Young’s ultimatum to Spotify shows streaming platforms are now a battleground where artists can leverage power

<p>Neil Young has given Spotify an ultimatum: remove the Joe Rogan Experience podcast or Neil Young walks. In a letter to his management team and label, the 79-year-old rocker lambasted Spotify for spreading Rogan’s misinformation about COVID vaccinations.</p> <p>“I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform,” <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/neil-young-demands-spotify-remove-music-vaccine-disinformation-1290020/">said Young to his management team</a> and record label.</p> <p>“They can have Rogan or Young. Not both.”</p> <p>Young is the first high-profile artist to condemn Spotify for its handling of COVID misinformation, but far from the first person to single out Rogan’s podcast on the platform.</p> <p>The Joe Rogan Experience podcast has the highest amount of subscribers on Spotify. In 2020 the podcast became a Spotify exclusive through a deal <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/19/21263927/joe-rogan-spotify-experience-exclusive-content-episodes-youtube">estimated at $100m</a>. Despite its massive popularity, the Joe Rogan Experience has been frequently criticised for promoting conspiracy theories, misinformation and other problematic content.</p> <p>In January 2022, 270 medical health practitioners and researchers submitted <a href="https://spotifyopenletter.wordpress.com/2022/01/10/an-open-letter-to-spotify/">an open letter</a> calling on Spotify to moderate misinformation on its platform. The letter was prompted by an episode that featured a controversial physician who openly promoted conspiracy theories and baseless claims about COVID vaccinations.</p> <p>“This is not only a scientific or medical concern; it is a sociological issue of devastating proportions and Spotify is responsible for allowing this activity to thrive on its platform,” the letter read.</p> <p>Two days later, <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/spotify-neil-young-joe-rogan-1235081916/">Spotify has reportedly removed Young’s music from its platform</a>. This isn’t the first time Young has removed his songs from Spotify, citing poor sound quality as the reason when he temporarily <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/neil-young-interview-archives-crazy-horse-upcoming-albums-784773/">pulled his entire catalogue</a> from Spotify in 2015.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442842/original/file-20220126-14-1914439.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/442842/original/file-20220126-14-1914439.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <span class="caption">Joe Rogan on his podcast The Joe Rogan Experience. A few weeks ago, 270 doctors, scientists, healthcare professionals and professors wrote an open letter to Spotify, expressing concern about medical misinformation on Rogan’s podcast.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">YouTube</span></span></p> <h2>Stream of conscience</h2> <p>Neil Young is not the first musical artist demanding change from the streaming giant.</p> <p>Spotify and other music streaming platforms have become a battleground where artists can leverage their power, notably over disputes concerning artists’ revenues and the value of music in an era of streaming.</p> <p>In 2015, <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2017/6/9/15767986/taylor-swift-apple-music-spotify-statements-timeline">Taylor Swift briefly removed her album 1989</a> from Apple Music due to the platform offering a three month free trial that would not generate royalties for artists.</p> <p>In 2021, the artist payout debate was reignited after the publication of a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/apr/10/music-streaming-debate-what-songwriter-artist-and-industry-insider-say-publication-parliamentary-report">Parliamentary report in the UK</a> calling attention to Spotify’s handling of artists’ rights management, revenue rates, and commercial fairness.</p> <p>Recently, following the release of her latest album 30, <a href="https://theconversation.com/adele-has-successfully-asked-spotify-to-remove-shuffle-from-albums-heres-why-thats-important-for-musicians-172301">Adele took aim at Spotify</a> demanding the shuffle feature be removed from albums encouraging users to listen to the tracks in their intended order.</p> <h2>Self-regulation</h2> <p>Spotify has taken action to regulate harmful content on its service in the past. In 2017, Spotify <a href="https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/8/17/16162146/spotify-removing-white-supremacist-neo-nazi-bands">announced it would remove content</a> from bands connected to white supremacist and neo-Nazi movements.</p> <p>Spotify also joined several other social media and streaming platforms including Facebook, Apple Music and podcast platform Stitcher to remove the <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/8/6/17655516/infowars-ban-apple-youtube-facebook-spotify">polemical right wing conspiracy theorist Alex Jones</a> and his podcast InfoWars for spreading misinformation and lies about the 2012 Sandy Hook school shooting.</p> <p>In 2018, Spotify added <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/pro/news/spotify-is-officially-policing-the-music-it-hosts-627638/">a new hate conduct policy</a> to its terms of use that included guidelines for removing music that “promotes, advocates, or incites hatred or violence.” Spotify developed the policy in partnership with the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League. The platform faced immediate backlash when it <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/10/arts/music/rkelly-spotify-accusations-xxxtentacion.html">cited the policy to defend</a> removing American artists R. Kelly and XXXTentacion from its editorial and algorithmically curated playlists. The two artists’ catalogues were not removed from Spotify’s streaming library, but would be far less visible to listeners.</p> <p>Critics viewed Spotify’s use of the policy an attempt to censor music. With such a sweeping definition of hate conduct, some observers wondered, why were R. Kelly and XXXTentacion removed and not the dozens, if not hundreds, of other artists with controversial pasts or criminal convictions?</p> <p>The move prompted other prominent artists, most notably Kendrick Lamar, to threaten <a href="https://pitchfork.com/news/kendrick-label-head-confirms-he-threatened-to-pull-music-from-spotify/">withdrawing their music from Spotify</a> entirely. Shortly afterwards, Spotify rolled back the policy. In a <a href="https://newsroom.spotify.com/2018-06-01/spotify-policy-update/">corporate statement</a> announcing the shift, Spotify also minimised its responsibility in political matters or public controversies: “That’s not what Spotify is about. We don’t aim to play judge and jury.”</p> <p>Digital platforms have taken steps to moderate misinformation. For example, in the lead up to the 2020 US election, Twitter began <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/twitter-adds-fact-check-warning-trump-tweets/">adding fact-check labels</a> to tweets shared by former president Donald Trump. Later that year, Facebook’s Oversight Board <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/10/22/tech/facebook-oversight-board/index.html">began hearing cases</a> to oversee key decisions related to content moderation.</p> <p>Throughout the COVID pandemic, academics and public health officials <a href="https://theconversation.com/when-a-virus-goes-viral-pros-and-cons-to-the-coronavirus-spread-on-social-media-133525">have called on social media platforms</a> to help fight the spread of dangerous health-related misinformation.</p> <h2>Policing platforms</h2> <p>Reliance on platforms to moderate podcast content is a tenuous proposition. As commercial entities operating internationally, platforms simultaneously seek to serve their corporate interests and comply with regulations and laws in multiple jurisdictions.</p> <p>Significant change can be achieved when platforms act in unison, such as in <a href="https://www.npr.org/2019/12/28/792078881/spotify-becomes-latest-tech-company-to-hit-on-pause-political-ads">the decision to ban political advertising</a> implemented by several major digital platforms including Spotify after facing significant public pressure. Still, users and advocates should not hold their breath waiting for platforms to do the right thing.</p> <p>Failures to moderate harmful content are harder to ignore when they involve bigger name artists. Neil Young has never shied away from political action in a musical career spanning nearly six decades. The singer’s demands were bolstered by a credible threat: he’s removed his music before and now he’s done it again.</p> <p>Ideally, the pressure from Young’s fans and other prominent artists will push Spotify to take effective action against misinformation so users can spend time rockin’ in the free world instead of listening to COVID conspiracy theories.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/175732/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/d-bondy-valdovinos-kaye-1046676">D. Bondy Valdovinos Kaye</a>, Lecturer, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a></em></span></p> <p>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/neil-youngs-ultimatum-to-spotify-shows-streaming-platforms-are-now-a-battleground-where-artists-can-leverage-power-175732">original article</a>.</p>

Music

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Neil Young demands his music is removed from Spotify

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In an open letter to his management team, record label, and Spotify executives, Neil Young has demanded his entire music catalogue be removed from the streaming service.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His reasoning behind the demand stems from Spotfiy giving a platform to podcasters who spread vaccine misinformation and dangerous rhetoric about the Covid-19 pandemic. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He wrote, “</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">I am doing this because Spotify is spreading fake information about vaccines – potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform,” he continued. “They can have [Joe] Rogan or Young. Not both.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Neil’s callout directly targets right-wing podcaster Joe Rogan, who regularly pedals an anti-vaccine sentiment on his show </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Joe Rogan Experience</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and even claimed he used livestock medication ivermectin to “cure” his bout of coronavirus. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“With an estimated 11 million listeners per episode, JRE, which is hosted exclusively on Spotify, is the world’s largest podcast and has tremendous influence,” the letter reads. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Spotify has a responsibility to mitigate the spread of misinformation on its platform, though the company presently has no misinformation policy.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Just 48 hours after Neil Young issued his public demand, Spotify confirmed they would be removing his music from their platform. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The company said they regretted the turn of events and hoped to “welcome him back soon”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We want all the world’s music and audio content to be available to Spotify users,” it said in a statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“With that comes great responsibility in balancing both safety for listeners and freedom for creators. We have detailed content policies in place and we’ve removed over 20,000 podcast episodes related to Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Neil Young responded to Spotify’s move, saying he was willing to take the hit to his yearly revenue, and urged other artists to contemplate a similar move. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Spotify represents 60 per cent of the streaming of my music to listeners around the world. Almost every record I have ever released is available – my life’s music. (It is) a huge loss for my record company to absorb,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I truly want to thank the many, many people who have reached out to me thanking me for taking this position – people who are health professionals on the front lines, people who have lost loved ones to Covid or who are worried for their own children and families. I have never felt so much love coming from so many,” said Young.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I sincerely hope that other artists and record companies will move off the Spotify platform and stop supporting Spotify’s deadly misinformation about Covid.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Music

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JFK's daughter named as Ambassador to Australia

<p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p>US President Joe Biden has announced his intention to nominate Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of former president John F. Kennedy, to serve as ambassador to Australia.</p> <p>Ms Kennedy, who is a longtime friend, ally and donor to Mr Biden, and who endorsed the president's candidacy early in the 2020 campaign, previously served as US ambassador to Japan in the Obama administration.</p> <p>In a statement, Ms Kennedy called Australia "a country that is vital to our future security and prosperity".</p> <p>"I am always grateful to the courageous Solomon Islanders and Australian coast watchers who rescued my father during World War II, and if confirmed, I will work hard to repay this debt," Ms Kennedy said.</p> <p>"I look forward to collaborating with the Government of Australia to strengthen our alliance, improve global health and increase vaccine access during this terrible pandemic and to address the urgent climate crisis.</p> <p>"I am excited to get to know the Australian people, learn about their fascinating country and share with them what I love most about America."</p> <p>Ms Kennedy, a scion of one of America's most high-profile political families, threw her support behind Mr Biden relatively early in the crowded 2020 Democratic primary process.</p> <p>Mr Biden also said he will nominate Michelle Kwan, a former Olympic figure skater and longtime Democratic activist, to serve as ambassador to Belize.</p> <p>Ms Kwan, who worked on the Biden campaign and has been pressing for an ambassador post, said she was honoured by the nomination.</p>

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Hunter Biden’s art venture poses ethical headache for the White House

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hunter Biden has unveiled his first art collection in a New York gallery, which is an impressive feat for someone with no formal artistic training. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With his passion for art previously kept secret from the rest of the world, Hunter has burst onto the scene with his artworks that are attracting mildly favourable reviews, and are anticipated to sell for tens of thousands of dollars. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite the early success of Hunter’s collection with the </span><a href="https://bergesgallery.com/our-artists/hunter-biden"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Georges Berg</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">ès Gallery</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, his venture into the art world has posed a series of quandaries for the lawyers of his father, President Joe Biden. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lawyers were first concerned when there appeared to be no recommended retail price for an original painting. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Instead, a buyer would make an offer and the dealer chooses whether to accept or decline. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">So, while President Biden would be unable to accept a briefcase full of a million dollars as a donation, someone would instead be able to offer the same sum for one of his son’s paintings. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Walter Shaub, who headed the Office of Government Ethics under the Obama Administration, was outraged by the younger Biden's venture into art.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"There is no ethics program in the world that can be built around the head of state's staff working with a dealer to keep the public in the dark about the identities of individuals who pay vast sums to the leader's family member for subjectively priced items of no intrinsic value," he tweeted.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"If this were Trump, Xi or Putin, you'd have no doubt whatsoever that this creates a vehicle for funnelling cash to the first family in exchange for access or favours."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, thanks to the White House’s new ethics rules, if someone offers a suspiciously high figure for a painting, Hunter’s art dealer Georges Bergès will turn down the offer. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On top of this, Georges would keep the identity of any buyer secret from Hunter Biden or the White House. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Bergès told </span><a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/hunter-biden-gallery-show-1979790"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Artnet News</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that he expected some of Mr Biden's pieces to sell for as much as half a million dollars, and although Hunter has agreed to abide by the White House ethics rules, he is not legally bound to them.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Georges Berg</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">ès Gallery</span></em></p>

Art

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Joe Biden and Boris Johnson caught napping at COP26

<p dir="ltr">US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson were both caught trying to catch some shut eye during the COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow this week, and while that may sound bad, many people were quick to look for the nuance in the situation.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a video posted to Twitter by<span> </span><em>Washington Post<span> </span></em>journalist Zach Purser Brown, President Biden can be seen closing his eyes for approximately 20 seconds, before he is approached by an aide. After their conversation, Biden can be seen rubbing his eyes.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Biden appears to fall asleep during COP26 opening speeches <a href="https://t.co/az8NZTWanI">pic.twitter.com/az8NZTWanI</a></p> — Zach Purser Brown (@zachjourno) <a href="https://twitter.com/zachjourno/status/1455174496164458496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Some weren’t convinced he was actually falling asleep, with one Twitter user writing, "I have extensive knowledge re: watching old men fall asleep during church. This ain’t that. I’d bet everything he was just closing his eyes so he can listen better w/out distraction."</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, others accepted that he was falling asleep, but shared their own experiences of what his schedule might have looked like that contextualised his exhaustion. One Twitter user wrote, “When I worked in the Joint Staff and would go NATO meetings, we'd typically fly overnight then have a whole day of meetings...I'd grow my fingernails long to stick them into my palms during the meeting to keep from falling asleep. Nice work by the aide to intervene.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Others said it indicated he was not up to the job, with one person writing, “If it isn’t that important, then he shouldn’t be there. If it is important and he can’t stay awake, then he shouldn’t be there. Either way it shows he is not up to the job.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Fortunately, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on hand to help Biden feel less alone. He was spotted shutting his eyes during the opening ceremony of the conference, while seated next to Sir David Attenborough and the Secretary-General of the United Nations. While some made fun of the Prime Minister for nodding off, others wondered why he was not wearing a mask when both men next to him were.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Takes an extra special kind of dickhead to not wear a mask to protect David fucking Attenborough <a href="https://t.co/UwJFBxc3pz">pic.twitter.com/UwJFBxc3pz</a></p> — James Felton (@JimMFelton) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimMFelton/status/1455271483102703622?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">A source at Number 10 said it was “total nonsense” to suggest Johnson had been falling asleep. Obviously, he was just resting his eyes.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter/<span>Getty Images</span></em></p>

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