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Fasting, eating earlier in the day or eating fewer meals – what works best for weight loss?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hayley-oneill-1458016">Hayley O'Neill</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/loai-albarqouni-452476">Loai Albarqouni</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a></em></p> <p>Globally, <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight">one in eight people</a> are living with obesity. This is an issue because <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/risk-factors/risk-factors-to-health/contents/overweight-and-obesity">excess fat</a> <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27423262/">increases the risk</a> of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33393504/">Modifying your diet</a> is important for managing obesity and preventing weight gain. This might include reducing your calorie intake, changing your <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39143663/">eating patterns</a> and prioritising healthy food.</p> <p>But is one formula for weight loss more likely to result in success than another? Our <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11530941/">new research</a> compared three weight-loss methods, to see if one delivered more weight loss than the others:</p> <ul> <li>altering calorie distribution – eating more calories earlier rather than later in the day</li> <li>eating fewer meals</li> <li>intermittent fasting.</li> </ul> <p>We analysed data from 29 clinical trials involving almost 2,500 people.</p> <p>We found that over 12 weeks or more, the three methods resulted in similar weight loss: 1.4–1.8kg.</p> <p>So if you do want to lose weight, choose a method that works best for you and your lifestyle.</p> <h2>Eating earlier in the day</h2> <p>When our metabolism <a href="https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/metabolic-syndrome">isn’t functioning properly</a>, our body can’t respond to the hormone insulin properly. This can lead to weight gain, fatigue and can increase the risk of a number of chronic diseases such as diabetes.</p> <p>Eating later in the day – with a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23512957/">heavy dinner</a> and late-night snacking – seems to lead to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33172509/">worse metabolic function</a>. This means the body becomes less efficient at converting food into energy, managing blood sugar and regulating fat storage.</p> <p>In contrast, consuming calories <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31151228/">earlier</a> in the day appears to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29754952/">improve</a> metabolic function.</p> <p>However, this might not be the case for everyone. Some people naturally have an evening “chronotype”, meaning they wake up and stay up later.</p> <p>People with this chronotype appear to have <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36803075/">less success losing weight</a>, no matter the method. This is due to a combination of factors including genes, an increased likelihood to have a poorer diet overall and higher levels of hunger hormones.</p> <h2>Eating fewer meals</h2> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30700403/">Skipping breakfast</a> is common, but does it hinder weight loss? Or is a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28967343/">larger breakfast and smaller dinner</a> ideal?</p> <p>While <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28137935/">frequent meals</a> may reduce disease risk, recent studies suggest that compared to eating one to two meals a day, eating six times a day might increase <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32437566/">weight loss success</a>.</p> <p>However, this doesn’t reflect the broader research, which tends to show consuming <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33485709/">fewer meals</a> can lead to greater weight loss. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39485353/">Our research</a> suggests three meals a day is better than six. The easiest way to do this is by cutting out snacks and keeping breakfast, lunch and dinner.</p> <p>Most studies compare three versus six meals, with limited evidence on whether <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7490164/">two meals is better than three</a>.</p> <p>However, <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11530941/">front-loading your calories</a> (consuming most of your calories between breakfast and lunch) appears to be better for weight loss and may also help <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9605877/">reduce hunger</a> across the day. But more studies with a longer duration are needed.</p> <h2>Fasting, or time-restricted eating</h2> <p>Many of us eat over a period of more than <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26411343/">14 hours a day</a>.</p> <p>Eating late at night <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26411343/">can throw off</a> your body’s natural rhythm and alter how your organs function. Over time, this can increase your risk of type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases, particularly among <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8617838/">shift workers</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35194176/">Time-restricted eating</a>, a form of intermittent fasting, means eating all your calories within a <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7262456/">six- to ten-hour window</a> during the day when you’re most active. It’s not about changing what or how much you eat, but <a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7262456/">when you eat it</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7262456/">Animal studies</a> suggest time-restricted eating can lead to weight loss and improved metabolism. But the evidence in humans is still limited, especially about the long-term benefits.</p> <p>It’s also unclear if the benefits of time-restricted eating are due to the timing itself or because people are eating less overall. When we looked at studies where participants ate freely (with no intentional calorie limits) but followed an eight-hour daily eating window, they naturally consumed about 200 fewer calories per day.</p> <h2>What will work for you?</h2> <p>In the past, clinicians have thought about weight loss and avoiding weight gain as a simile equation of calories in and out. But factors such as how we distribute our calories across the day, how often we eat and whether we eat late at night may also impact our metabolism, weight and health.</p> <p>There are no easy ways to lose weight. So choose a method, or combination of methods, that suits you best. You might consider</p> <ul> <li>aiming to eat in an eight-hour window</li> <li>consuming your calories earlier, by focusing on breakfast and lunch</li> <li>opting for three meals a day, instead of six.</li> </ul> <p>The <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s13679-024-00555-2">average adult gains 0.4 to 0.7 kg per year</a>. Improving the quality of your diet is important to prevent this weight gain and the strategies above might also help.</p> <p>Finally, there’s still a lot we don’t know about these eating patterns. Many existing studies are short-term, with small sample sizes and varied methods, making it hard to make direct comparisons.</p> <p>More research is underway, including well-controlled trials with larger samples, diverse populations and consistent methods. So hopefully future research will help us better understand how altering our eating patterns can result in better health.<!-- 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/242028/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><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hayley-oneill-1458016">Hayley O'Neill</a>, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences and Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/loai-albarqouni-452476">Loai Albarqouni</a>, Assistant Professor | NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/fasting-eating-earlier-in-the-day-or-eating-fewer-meals-what-works-best-for-weight-loss-242028">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Body

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Aussie Vietnam vet reunited with lost war medals just in time

<p>A Vietnam veteran has been reunited with his lost war medals that were missing for a year, just in time for Remembrance Day. </p> <p>When attending a Remembrance Day event in New Zealand last year, Townsville veteran Malcolm Edmiston lost his medals somewhere along the journey to Christchurch from Brisbane. </p> <p>The medals were left sitting unclaimed in Brisbane Airport's lost and found after being found in an airport terminal, before airport staff launched a social media campaign to find their owner. </p> <p>After seeing a post on Facebook, Edmiston was finally reunited with his precious medals just in time for this year's Remembrance Day events. </p> <p>"It's very good to have them back, great to have them back, I thought they were gone and gone for good," Malcolm told <em><a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/today/lost-war-medals-returned-to-vietnam-veteran-in-time-for-remembrance-day/b03bf4df-0d3c-440b-9783-1e6c7ac73a11" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Today</a></em>.</p> <p>"The zip was opened on my case and somehow they fell out, so it's a good reminder for us to take extra care when we pack."</p> <p>Malcolm was not the only one in his family to serve the country, sharing how his father served in the Royal Navy, he had uncles in the Royal Australian Air Force and and the Royal Air Force and a brother who served in Naval Reserve.</p> <p>His son also served in the Navy and with so many of his fellow Vietnam veteran soldiers no longer alive, having his medals back today is something special.</p> <p>"Remembrance Day is a very important day for me," he said.</p> <p>Brisbane Airport's media manager Peter Doherty added that he was thrilled to see the medals return to their rightful owner. </p> <p>He said, "For Malcolm's lifetime of service, the least we could do was the door-to-door service to get the medals back to him."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Today </em></p>

Retirement Life

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Elizabeth Hurley reunites with Shane Warne's kids

<p>Two years after Shane Warne's death, his ex-fiancé, Elizabeth Hurley has reunited with his three kids. </p> <p>Elizabeth and her son Damian Hurley, 22, caught up with Brooke Warne, 27, Jackson Warne, 25, and Summer Warne, 23, at Oaks Day.</p> <p>"Today deserves a double upload," Brooke captioned a series of photos with Warne's kids. </p> <p>"Special memories with this bunch, a special day with our special people!"</p> <p>In one photo, the 59-year-old actress had her arm around Brooke as the pair smiled for the camera. </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/DCEGMZMyMpD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCEGMZMyMpD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by B R O O K E 🍿 W A R N E (@brookewarne)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Elizabeth and her son flew out to Australia for the race, with Damian opening up about how important the trip was for him in his own Instagram post. </p> <p>"My forever family ♥️ Coming back to Australia was always going to be hard. Part of me wanted to put it off forever, knowing that once here, the reality of SW’s passing would truly sink in," he wrote on Instagram. </p> <p>"Now, being back in this beautiful place which I was once lucky enough to call home, I’m overwhelmed with more love than I’ll ever be able to put into words. My heart is full." </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCEsxMxviXc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCEsxMxviXc/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Damian Hurley (@damianhurley1)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Brooke also shared a video on her Instagram stories with Damian, with the caption: "Baby brother, missed you." </p> <p>Elizabeth and Shane were together from 2010-2013 and they got engaged in 2011. </p> <p>The former couple often made appearances together at race days, including Royal Ascot in the UK and the 2011 Melbourne Cup Carnival. </p> <p>Despite their split, Shane and Elizabeth stayed good friends. </p> <p>On Tuesday, the actress opened up about how "bittersweet" it was to be back in Australia. </p> <p>"Bittersweet to be back in Melbourne - home to so many memories. Thank you @flemingtonvrc for inviting me and my son. We had a beautiful day," she wrote. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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"Stern warning": William Tyrrell's foster mother abused outside court

<p>William Tyrrell's foster mother has been targeted in wild scenes outside court as she left the inquest into the child's disappearance, as another woman was seen "hurling abuse at her".</p> <p>When leaving court on Monday afternoon, the woman, who is unable to be named, was abused and heckled by an unknown female, as Counsel Assisting Gerard Craddock SC informed NSW Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame.</p> <p>"There is no place in civil society for that at all," he told the inquiry. "It is particularly terrible in these circumstances."</p> <p>He asked the coroner to "remind people in attendance that orderly conduct is required. That sort of conduct could amount to being punishable by contempt of court".</p> <p>Coroner Grahame said, "That is very disappointing. If that person is in this court now they should be warned (the court) can take action."</p> <p>"That sort of behaviour must not occur. I'm just disturbed by that sort of behaviour. I use a stern warning. Please behave."</p> <p>The incident was revealed at the beginning of the second day of the resumed inquest into the disappearance of the three-year-old boy 10 years ago.</p> <p>The inquest is probing the <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/new-corpse-disposal-theory-tested-in-william-tyrrell-inquest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">police theory</a> that William Tyrell's foster mother buried his body in bushland after he fell from a balcony and died on the morning he vanished from Kendall, on the NSW mid north coast, in September 2014.</p> <p><em>Image credits: NSW Police</em></p>

Legal

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Bride's touching tribute to late father on her wedding day

<p>"Who's going to walk me down the aisle?" those were the first words 13-year-old Bianca Accurso told her mother when she found out her father had passed away. </p> <p>"I knew from that moment that I needed to feel like he was going to be there right there with me [on my wedding day]," the now mum-of-one told <em>Yahoo Lifestyle</em>. </p> <p>"It was always important for me to acknowledge my dad in a special way at my wedding as he was my first love and whole world."</p> <p>Bianca kept her promise to her teenage self when she got married earlier this year, and the way she did it was by tracking down the man who owned her late father's car, and asking him if she could use it on her big day. </p> <p>"When going down the path of planning, I was writing down all that we needed to organise and tick off and ‘cars’ was one of the many things on the list," she recalled. </p> <p>Her husband had asked her what car she wanted for the special day, and she quickly responded "an XY GT just like my Dad’s". </p> <p>It was only when she brought up the topic of wedding cars to her mum that she had her "light bulb moment". </p> <p>"I literally then had a light bulb moment and said out loud, ‘Hey imagine if I could get it..’. I asked my Mum to see if she still had the transfer papers and contact details of the male that she sold it to after Dad had passed." </p> <p>It didn't take long for her to find the contact details for a man named Harold, while the phone call started a little awkwardly, once he realised who she was, they started talking like they were long lost friends. </p> <p>"I then proceeded to ask if he still owned my dad’s GT, to which he responded, ‘I would never sell it’. I had total goosebumps," Bianca said.</p> <p> </p> <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important; width: 537px; max-width: 100%;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7430359178104802561&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40loverslenssocials%2Fvideo%2F7430359178104802561&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2FoQ4D7LDJFHhEO47CqjA4ACqIYzZIQoCfAOeHfE%3Flk3s%3Db59d6b55%26x-expires%3D1730498400%26x-signature%3DZNBsHGDfkYMa0%252F22tUjN3D3RPjE%253D%26shp%3Db59d6b55%26shcp%3D-&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>"I then told Harold the real reason why I had called and explained to him my wish of driving to my wedding in my Dad’s GT. There was no hesitation and he quite literally responded, ‘I would be absolutely honoured to do that for you, count me in.’ I was speechless. The butterflies were fluttering in my tummy... it was a meant-to-be moment."</p> <p>People were moved by Bianca's story which she posted on TikTok, with the video gaining almost a million views. </p> <p>"Your father is watching down crying and praising that man for taking time out of his day to make yours even better ❤️❤️," one person wrote.</p> <p>"The pure joy and happiness on your face ❤️ your dad may have not walked you down the aisle but he made sure you arrived in style..bless this beautiful man for doing this for you on your special day🥰🥰🥰,"  another added. </p> <p>Bianca recalled the moment she saw the car for the first time, saying: "seeing my Dad’s car after 10 years was indescribable."</p> <p>"My smile said it all. It looked like it had never been touched. I could picture my Dad in the driver's seat with me buckled in tightly by his side.</p> <p>"When we were driving in it, it was pure joy and happiness! We were just so present and tried to enjoy every last moment. Harold made us feel so comfortable and gave us a ride that we will never forget."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram/ TikTok</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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Stranger wanted after assaulting child in mother's arms

<p>Police are searching for a woman who callously attacked a toddler who was being carried by her mother through a busy shopping centre in Western Australia.</p> <p>The shocking act unfolded in East Victoria Park shopping centre, in south-eastern Perth, with CCTV capturing the distressing moment. </p> <p>In the security footage, a mother can be seen holding her two-year-old daughter near the entrance of the shopping centre, who are then approached by the woman who lunges at the child before fleeing. </p> <p>Staff working in the surrounding shops say it all happened incredibly quickly, one only hearing a scream from the mother, as nearby shoppers rushed to help.</p> <p>The little girl has been left with facial injuries, as well as the mother and daughter being left shaken and scared by the incident.</p> <p>Police said the child sustained "facial injuries", adding, "A female approached a mother who was holding her child, before assaulting the child and leaving the area.”</p> <p>“The female is not known to the mother and child.”</p> <p>The woman behind the attack has not been found, as police have called on the public for information. </p> <p>The attacker is described as having a medium build and a shaved head, and was wearing a pink singlet and grey shorts.</p> <p>Police are asking anyone who recognises the woman or who witnessed anything in the area at the time to come forward, and anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.</p> <p><em><strong>Editor's note:</strong></em> On Wednesday morning, Western Australian police said they want to speak to 21-year-old Pamila-Raye Jetta over the attack, and appealed for public help in finding her.</p> <p>"Jetta is described as female, olive skin, 170cm tall, heavy build, shaved head and was last seen wearing green coloured shorts with white stripes, pink coloured singlet and blue trainers," police said.</p> <p>"Jetta has also recently been observed wearing a fluorescent pink wig."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine News</em></p>

Caring

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"Police have done nothing": William Tyrrell's foster mother speaks out

<p>William Tyrrell's foster mother has issued a rare statement, slamming the police investigation into the disappearance of the toddler. </p> <p>In her first public comments in two years, the woman - who cannot be identified - has been insistent on denying any involvement in William's disappearance despite being at the centre of a dedicated Strike Force team.</p> <p>She claimed police had “gone to great lengths to blacken my character in the media” as they built a case against her, since she was publicly outed as the current person of interest for Strike Force Rosann detectives in 2021.</p> <p>As <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/crime/done-nothing-william-tyrrells-foster-mother-issues-statement/news-story/0503f8940a3bad2bb2648c38bc44e288" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>news.com.au</em></a> continue their investigative podcast into William's disappearance and the subsequent investigation, the foster mother has slammed the authorities for the way they have handled the high-profile case. </p> <p>She said, “I believe that if the police had properly investigated this case, instead of persecuting me, they may well have found the person responsible for William’s disappearance.”</p> <p>She went on to reiterate she believes the three-year-old was taken from her mother’s yard in Kendall in September of 2014 and that she has “no idea who took William, or what happened to him”.</p> <p>“For the past five years, the police have done nothing to try to discover who took William, and what has happened to him," she said.</p> <p>“Instead, they have concentrated all their efforts on trying to build a case that I was in some way to blame for his death, and the disposal of his precious little body."</p> <p>“They have gone to great lengths to blacken my character in the media.”</p> <p>She went on to say she loved William “as much as any mother could love her child … if not more”.</p> <p>She said, “It did not matter one bit that he was not connected to us biologically. William made my life complete; I loved him fiercely. I just loved being his ‘mummy’.”</p> <p>“Never ever for a moment did I regret becoming a foster mother”, she said, adding the family was “and still are … connected as one”.</p> <p>“It’s challenging to have hope and build plans for the future when our hearts remain shattered and in pieces,” she said. “All I can hope for is that some person who knows something comes forward.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: NSW Police</em></p>

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"Unimaginable sorrow": Mother and two children drown during family outing

<p>A mother and two children have died after struggling to swim in a Sydney waterway, with tributes and donations flowing in to support the grieving father.</p> <p>Hoai Nguyen, 32, and her two children, Mitchell, seven, and Hazel, five, were enjoying a day out at Shearer Park in south-west Sydney on Sunday, when they were spotted in distress in the waters of the Georges River. </p> <p>Hoai was pulled from the river, but despite the best efforts of bystanders and paramedics, she was unable to be revived. </p> <p>Police and volunteers from the State Emergency Service launched a large search and rescue operation for the two children, with divers locating their bodies in the water hours later, metres from a jetty.</p> <p>According to <em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-news-georges-river-mother-hoai-nguyen-and-children-drown-lansvale/c8601ec9-47a1-4a79-8a12-67c3ff18f3ea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a></em>, the children's father and Hoai's husband had been at work during the incident and was only alerted to the tragedy when police showed up at his house. </p> <p>A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/hoai-mitchell-and-hazel-nguyen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page has been set up by a family friend to support the children's father, Hoai's husband, and their one-year-old brother during the "time of unimaginable sorrow".</p> <p>"A beloved mother and her two young children tragically drowned... leaving behind a profound void in our hearts and a father and baby who is only 1 years old," the fundraiser reads.</p> <p>An investigation into how the mother and her children ended up in the water is ongoing, as NSW Police acting superintendent Luke Scott yesterday described the tragedy as "beyond words".</p> <p><em>Image credits: GoFundMe</em></p>

Caring

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Aussies chat with King Charles on first day of royal tour

<p>Hundreds of Aussies have lined up for a hours to catch a glimpse of King Charles and Queen Camilla on the first day of their royal tour of Australia, with some royal fans getting the chance to have a brief moment with the monarch. </p> <p>In their first public appearance of the royal couple’s five-day tour Down Under, Charles and Camilla attended a church service at St Thomas Anglican Church on Sunday morning in North Sydney as hundreds of fans waited to see the royals. </p> <p>After the service, Charles and Camilla made an unexpected stop to talk fans who had congregated on the street. </p> <p>Royalist Mary-Anne Spring said the monarch made the stop after a boy “yelled out” asking him to come over to the group, as Ms Spring shared that she spoke to the King about his health. </p> <p>“I welcomed them to Sydney and I wished the King all the very best in his cancer treatment. He said thank you very much I really appreciate it,” she told <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/king-charles-queen-camillas-first-public-appearance-in-australia-on-royal-tour/news-story/f23713cc089ce37d149fd829c68e50fd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em>. </p> <p>“I think it’s good to support them and the work they do.”</p> <p>Another royal fan, Malcolm Lemirae, managed to gift the Queen a bunch of red roses. </p> <p>“They accepted the flowers and Camilla asked if I grew them and I said I grew them in my garden,” he said. "I think she was thrilled about that. It’s just a little symbol of my gratitude for them coming out. The guy's got cancer. To come out here and do that trip, it’s a long, long trip.”</p> <p>Julianne McCartney, who is originally from the UK, also had her own moment with the King, recalling her previous encounter with the royal family.</p> <p>She said, “He told me he really appreciated the crowd. He noticed my British accent and asked if I was from the UK, I said I had met his mother before and I think he thought that was quite nice actually.”</p> <p>On Monday, King Charles and Queen Camilla will head to Canberra for a reception with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, along with other political and community leaders. </p> <p><em>Image credits: DEAN LEWINS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Mother helps raise over $1 million for her children ahead of her death

<p>A single mother from America has left an enduring financial legacy to her two young children in the weeks before her untimely death. </p> <p>Erika Diarte-Carr, 30, started a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-erika-and-her-children-with-funeral-expenses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page after she was diagnosed with terminal cancer in order to cover costs of her own funeral, as well as providing funds to raise her two kids,  Jeremiah, 7, and Aaliyah, 5.</p> <p>After setting the fundraising goal for $5,000 USD, generous members of her community spread the word of her selfless actions, with the fundraiser now reaching over $1.7 million USD and counting. </p> <p>Titled “Support Erika: A Mother planning her own funeral”, the page has garnered more than 38,000 individual donations.</p> <p>The page reads, “Dear family, friends and to all of those of you who may or may not know know me..."</p> <p>“My name is Erika Diarte-Carr. I am 30 years old and a single mother of two beautiful children. Jeremiah (7) and Aaliyah (5). ❤️ They are my whole life, light and soul. My children are my fight and what keep me going.”</p> <p>The mother then shared the tragic details of her cancer journey, as she recalled being diagnosed with stage 4 terminal cancer in May 2022 after presenting for “normal shoulder surgery”.</p> <p>“By that point, the damage had already been done. In that moment, mine and my kids’ entire lives had changed forever, as well as all of those around us,” she wrote.</p> <p>On top of her cancer diagnosis, Erika was hit with another blow in January 2024 as she was diagnosed with Cushing's Syndrome, which resulted in rapid weight gain, Type 2 diabetes, and further debilitating symptoms the mother claimed had “taken so much away” from her family.</p> <p>The page was updated in mid-September upon advice Ms Diarte-Carr had just three months to live and that treatments would “no longer help”.</p> <p>The mother added to the GoFundMe page how the excess funds would be allocated, writing, “For anyone’s concern, all the funds that have exceeded my funeral costs goal will be now put into a trust fund for my babies that way I can leave behind something for them and I can still ensure they are going to be ok as they grow up."</p> <p>On October 4th, the mother thanked donors and announced she and her family were able to take one final trip together hoping to leave her kids with “memories that’ll last a lifetime”.</p> <p>Just days later, Erika's cousin shared a post to social media to announce that Erika had passed away on October 12th.</p> <p>“It is with a heavy heart that this is the final update I will be giving for my cousin Erika,” she wrote on Facebook.</p> <p>“She fought a long and hard battle. She was strong and held on as long as she could for her babies. I know she was so thankful for all of your support and love and prayers.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: GoFundMe</em></p>

Caring

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Nicole Kidman bids farewell to her mother at intimate funeral

<p>Nicole Kidman has said a tearful goodbye to her beloved mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, during an intimate funeral service held at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Lavender Bay, Sydney.</p> <p>The 57-year-old Oscar winner was supported by her husband, country music star Keith Urban, and their two daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, as family and close friends gathered to honour Janelle’s life.</p> <p>84Janelle Kidman, 84, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/nicole-kidman-confirms-heartbreaking-family-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">passed away in early September</a> after a long illness. The family, including Nicole's sister, journalist Antonia Kidman, and Janelle’s eight grandchildren, shared moving tributes at the service. Among them was TV host Lucia Hawley, the eldest of the grandchildren, who gave a heartfelt speech.</p> <p>The service was also attended by a number of notable figures from Australia’s entertainment industry, including actor Russell Crowe, broadcaster Peter Overton, and his wife, television personality Jessica Rowe.</p> <p>The news of her mother's passing reached Nicole while she was in Venice, Italy, for the Venice Film Festival on September 8, where she was being honoured with the Best Actress award for her role in the upcoming thriller <em>Babygirl</em>. Unable to attend the ceremony, director Halina Reijn accepted the award on her behalf and read a touching message from Kidman, in which the actress expressed her grief.</p> <p>“Today, I arrived in Venice to find out shortly after my brave and beautiful mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, had just passed,” Kidman’s statement began. “I’m in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her. She shaped me, she guided me, and she made me. I am beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you through Halina. The collision of life and art is heartbreaking. My heart is broken.”</p> <p>Janelle Kidman’s cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, but she had reportedly been battling health issues since 2016 when she suffered a suspected heart scare. Her passing comes nearly a decade after the death of her husband, Dr Antony Kidman, who died of a heart attack in Singapore in 2014.</p> <p>Kidman, who divides her time between Nashville, Manhattan, and Australia, remains close to her family despite her international career, often speaking about the pivotal role her mother played in her life and career.</p> <p><em>Images: 9News / Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Mother and son reunited after rigid aged care rules divided them

<p>An elderly woman and her disabled son are celebrating after they successfully beat a bureaucratic blockage that threatened to <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/red-tape-threatens-to-remove-a-man-with-down-s-syndrome-from-his-elderly-mother" target="_blank" rel="noopener">split</a> them up for good. </p> <p>Anne Deans, 81, and her 56-year-old son, Mark, who suffers from Down's syndrome, were hoping to live together in Anne's aged care facility, but the pair were met with countless hurdles when trying to get Mark a room of his own. </p> <p>Now, Mark's sister Sharon shared the happy news that the mother and son are to be reunited.</p> <p>"We're very happy today. We've got a great result," Sharon told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/melbourne-mum-and-son-living-with-downs-syndrome-reunited-in-aged-care-facility/ff023844-be2d-4ab8-be95-75bf91f17b4a" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>A Current Affair</em></a>.</p> <p>"I'm so grateful that people understood and they listened. That's all I ever wanted through this whole thing, was someone to listen."</p> <p>The problems began when authorities originally refused Mark's request to move into Anne's aged care facility, with federal government policy saying that aged care is "not appropriate for people under 65".</p> <p>But Mark's relatives argued that given the life expectancy of people living with Down's syndrome is 60 years, an exception should be made.</p> <p>A new assessment was done and Mark has been granted a place at the same nursing home as his mother, as Mark's other sister Michelle said, "We got what we wanted. Everything worked out perfectly, the way it's supposed to."</p> <p>After Anne received the exciting news, she said, "I'm feeling great. He's staying with Mum!"</p> <p>Sharon and Michelle hope that their experience will assist other families with unique circumstances.</p> <p>"My advice is to keep pushing," Sharon said. "Only you know your family and you have to be their voice.</p> <p>"There's a lot of difference out there and a lot of people who are individuals [and] they need to be looked at individually."</p> <p><em>Image credits: A Current Affair </em></p>

Legal

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Charlise Mutten's grieving mother speaks out about her daughter's killer

<p>The heartbroken mother of Charlise Mutten has spoken out about her "amazing little girl", and how she will never forgive herself for starting a relationship with the man who would go on to kill the nine-year-old. </p> <p>In her first TV interview, Kallista Mutten revealed what the final days were like between her, Charlise and Justin Stein - Kallista's partner - who was jailed for life in August after being found <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/unspeakably-vicious-judge-hands-down-verdict-to-justin-stein" target="_blank" rel="noopener">guilty</a> of Charlise's murder. </p> <p>In the days before the young girl's death in January 2022, the trio were celebrating Christmas in the Blue Mountains. </p> <p>Kallista revealed that during their holiday, Stein had asked Charlise to call him "daddy", saying he was “always going to be a father figure”. </p> <p>“That was a very touching moment for both of us because she’s always longed for a dad,” she told <em>60 Minutes</em>. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBDz4pqhG4e/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBDz4pqhG4e/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 60 Minutes Australia (@60minutes9)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Kallista and Justin met in 2018 in prison and formed their relationship on wanting to build a better life together, but Kallista now says she will always hate herself for trusting him. </p> <p>“I am forced to live with the fact that I trusted someone with my daughter and that because of my trust in someone, I put my daughter in harm’s way,” She said. </p> <p>"I hate myself for it. I really do. It’s taken this for me to wake up and realise that I already had someone that loved me … He’s a monster, pure evil.”</p> <p>The grieving mum opened up about the nature of her relationship, admitting that her time with Stein had been erratic, in no small part due to their drug use, but she never believed he was capable of what happened. </p> <p>“The thought of what she had gone, would’ve gone through, that’s … that’s what breaks me,” Ms Mutten said. “There is just not enough justice that will make it better for me and my family.”</p> <p>Ms Mutten said she understands why she was judged by those who blamed her for her daughter's death and now knows “Charlise deserved more”. </p> <p>“I do take accountability of the things that I have done,” she said. “I wish I had been there more for her and, like, I see that now and I’ve got to live with that.”</p> <p>While Kallista continues to mourn the loss of her daughter, she hopes Charlise is remembered as a bundle of joy with a kind soul. </p> <p>“We just had this amazing connection and that she just absolutely, she was my number one fan,” she said. “She just was just the most incredible amazing little girl.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: 60 Minutes / NSW Police / Facebook</em></p>

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"Ridiculous and disrespectful": Groom goes viral for working on wedding day

<p>A wedding photo has gone viral for the wrong reasons after a groom was pictured working on his own wedding day. </p> <p>Torrey Leonard, the founder of US-based start-up company, Thoughtly, shared a photo of his co-founder, Casey Mackrell, pulling out a laptop at his own wedding to get some work done.</p> <p>“My co-founder Casey has built a reputation for himself as ‘the guy who sits on his laptop in bars’ from SF to NYC,”  he wrote in the post. </p> <p>“Last week Thoughtly brought on a customer that needed to launch within 2 weeks. He just so happened to be getting married within that 2 week window.</p> <p>“So, here he is wrapping up a pull request. At his own wedding. Congrats Casey – now please, go take some time off.”</p> <p>Hundreds of people were quick to comment on the post, labelling it “one of the most depressing LinkedIn posts to exist” and it was even shared to other social media pages. </p> <p>The groom himself eventually had to clarify saying:  “Don’t worry I got back to dancing and champagne 2 seconds later.” </p> <p>But that wasn't enough to appease fellow LinkedIn users. </p> <p>“So your company has such terrible work/life balance that you can’t have a WEDDING without having to work? That’s just sad as hell," one wrote. </p> <p>Another commenter quipped that it was "really sad" the groom didn't call off the wedding to focus on work, saying: “Someone who actually knows how to grind would have called it off the second the contract was signed." </p> <p>A few others questioned the authenticity of the post, saying that it had to be staged as they couldn’t believe that someone would be “that ridiculous and disrespectful to his bride and family”.</p> <p>“Aside from the fact that this is probably staged, pushing people to sacrifice their private life and mental health is not the flex you think it is," another added. </p> <p>In an interview with <em>news.com.au</em> Leonard defended his co-founder's decision and explained the situation. </p> <p>“As a company, what we do is very high-stakes. Every single one of our customers, they depend on us to function perfectly, 24-7, around the clock, no questions asked,”  he told the publication. </p> <p>“We work with many publicly traded companies across the globe, and we spend long hours of the night, early mornings awake, monitoring these calls, proactively fixing issues, fixing problems, building new features.</p> <p>“The context of this post, he had to solve a problem, and it was really only something that he could solve. It was a three- to five-minute task.</p> <p>“We understand that this lifestyle is not for everybody. It’s obviously something that is a lot of work, but it’s something that we love.”</p> <p>He also clarified that Mackrell's bride, Grace, did not have a problem with the brief interruption on their happy day. </p> <p>“They were dating for many years, so she’s seen him pull a laptop out at a restaurant dinner table. I mean, it looks crazy, but that’s just who Casey is. She’s obviously fine with it.”</p> <p><em>Images: LinkedIn</em></p> <p> </p>

Relationships

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Daylight savings is about to start. But why do the days get longer?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-nicole-driessen-892965">Laura Nicole Driessen</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>The days are getting longer and in Australia, the switch to daylight saving time is almost upon us (for about 70% of the population, anyway).</p> <p>But why do we have longer days in summer and shorter days in winter?</p> <h2>It’s all about the tilt</h2> <p>Earth goes around the Sun in an almost circular orbit. But not everything is lined up perfectly. Earth’s axis is tilted by 23.44 degrees relative to its orbit around the Sun.</p> <p>Imagine Earth’s orbit as a flat frisbee with the Sun in the middle and Earth as a ball on a stick going around the edge.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/623235/original/file-20241003-16-xourdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/623235/original/file-20241003-16-xourdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/623235/original/file-20241003-16-xourdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/623235/original/file-20241003-16-xourdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/623235/original/file-20241003-16-xourdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/623235/original/file-20241003-16-xourdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/623235/original/file-20241003-16-xourdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/623235/original/file-20241003-16-xourdg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="Diagram of Earth's rotation around the sun." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Earth goes around the Sun in an almost circular orbit.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/earths-orbit-earth-rotation-around-sun-2441275921">Angela Cini/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p>If Earth’s axis wasn’t tilted (if its tilt was zero degrees) the stick would be exactly perpendicular to the frisbee. If you grab that perpendicular stick and tip it 23.44 degrees sideways, that’s what Earth’s tilt looks like now.</p> <p>As Earth orbits the Sun, the tilt of the stick does not rotate relative to the Sun. If you were in outer space looking at the Sun and you watched from the exact same position for a whole year, you would see Earth go around the Sun while the stick stayed tilted the same direction.</p> <p>In other words, if the top of the stick was pointing to the right when you started watching Earth go around the Sun, it would stay pointing to the right the whole way around.</p> <p>This tilt gives us longer days in summer and shorter days in winter. Let’s set up the scenario so the Northern Hemisphere is the top of the planet and the Southern Hemisphere is the bottom of the planet.</p> <p>When Earth is on one side of the Sun, the top of the stick is pointed towards the Sun. This is summer in the Northern Hemisphere and winter in the Southern Hemisphere. Six months later, when Earth is on the other side of the Sun, the bottom of the stick is pointed towards the Sun – and the seasons are reversed.</p> <h2>Solstices and equinoxes</h2> <p>Those two points, when the top of the stick is pointing directly towards the Sun or directly away from the Sun, are the solstices. They are the longest and shortest days of the year, depending on your hemisphere.</p> <p>The shortest day of 2024 in Australia was June 21. Looking forward to sunnier times, the longest day of the year in 2024 will be December 21.</p> <p>In between the summer and winter solstice, we have the equinoxes – when days and nights are almost exactly the same length. Those are the days when the stick through Earth is “side-on” to the Sun. The equinox is also the day when the Sun passes directly over Earth’s equator. In 2024 this happened on March 20 at 2:06pm AEDT and September 22 at 10:43pm AEST.</p> <p>That means that since September 22, days have been getting longer than nights in the Southern Hemisphere.</p> <h2>What does daylight savings do?</h2> <p>Earth’s tilt means the Sun both rises earlier and sets later as we head towards summer. When the clocks (in some states) switch to daylight saving time, people in these states all get one hour less of sleep. However, the total length of the day doesn’t change just because we changed our clocks.</p> <p>For me, daylight savings means I need an extra cup of coffee in the morning for about a week before I adjust to the daylight savings-lag (like jet lag, but without the fun of travel).</p> <p>What it really gives us is more daylight in the evening, instead of more daylight in the morning. If you’re already a morning person, this isn’t the way to go. But if you prefer to have a long dinner in the summer sun it’s ideal.</p> <h2>Has it always been this way?</h2> <p>Earth’s axis hasn’t always been tilted at 23.44 degrees. It cycles from a minimum 22.1 degree tilt to a maximum 24.5 degree tilt and back again once every approximately 41,000 years.</p> <p>Earth’s axis also “precesses”, where the stick through it draws a circle once every approximately 26,000 years. You can see this in the animation below.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/622704/original/file-20241001-16-lh8pl9.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/622704/original/file-20241001-16-lh8pl9.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/622704/original/file-20241001-16-lh8pl9.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=600&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622704/original/file-20241001-16-lh8pl9.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=600&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622704/original/file-20241001-16-lh8pl9.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=600&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622704/original/file-20241001-16-lh8pl9.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=754&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622704/original/file-20241001-16-lh8pl9.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=754&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/622704/original/file-20241001-16-lh8pl9.gif?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=754&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="A gif of the Earth wobbling in a circle on its axis." /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Demonstration of the precession of Earth’s axis.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://science.nasa.gov/resource/axial-precession-wobble/">NASA/JPL-Caltech</a></span></figcaption></figure> <p>The length of a day on Earth hasn’t always been the same, either.</p> <p>At the moment, the length of a day is nearly exactly 24 hours. But it’s shifting all the time by tiny amounts. This is tracked very closely by a system of telescopes and satellites. These systems measure “<a href="https://ggos.org/item/earth-orientation-parameter/#:%7E:text=Accordingly%2C%20the%20EOP%20describe%20the,as%20tides%20and%20continental%20drift">Earth orientation parameters</a>” that describe Earth’s exact orientation compared to the position of stars in the sky.</p> <p>These are important to astronomers because the exact location of our telescopes is important for creating accurate maps of the sky. On top of all of this, the gravitational drag from the Moon causes days to become longer by around 2.3 milliseconds every 100 years. A few billion years ago, Earth’s day was a lot shorter – <a href="https://www.earthscope.org/news/a-day-is-not-always-24-hours-how-earths-shifting-systems-cause-day-length-variation/#:%7E:text=Billions%20of%20years%20ago%2C%20the,to%20the%20day%20every%20century">only 19 hours long</a>.</p> <p>Even though some of us are losing an hour of sleep this weekend, at least we get to enjoy 2.3 milliseconds longer every day than our great – and great-great – grandparents did.<!-- 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/240221/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/laura-nicole-driessen-892965"><em>Laura Nicole Driessen</em></a><em>, Postdoctoral researcher in radio astronomy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/daylight-savings-is-about-to-start-but-why-do-the-days-get-longer-240221">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Domestic Travel

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Fresh claims about Queen Elizabeth's health in her final days

<p>Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has shared a sad claim about Queen Elizabeth and her secret health battle that she was going through before her death in 2022. </p> <p>Johnson reflected on his relationship with the former monarch in his upcoming memoir, <em>Unleashed</em>, detailing his final meeting with the Queen at Balmoral Castle just days before she died.</p> <p>In the book, he explained that the Queen had been battling bone cancer and was worried about the deterioration of her condition.</p> <p>“I had known for a year or more that she had a form of bone cancer, and her doctors were worried that at any time she could enter a sharp decline,” Johnson wrote in an excerpt obtained by the <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13901877/BORIS-JOHNSON-meeting-Queen-inspirational-words-wisdom.html">Daily Mail</a></em>.</p> <p>Before their meeting, Johnson claimed the Queen’s private secretary, Edward Young, warned him that her health had “gone down quite a bit over the summer.”</p> <p>“She seemed pale and more stooped, and she had dark ­bruising on her hands and wrists, probably from drips or injections,” Johnson wrote.</p> <p>He continued, “But her mind – as Edward had also said – was completely ­unimpaired by her illness, and from time to time in our ­conversation she still flashed that great white smile in its sudden mood-lifting beauty.”</p> <p>Queen Elizabeth died just two days after their final meeting. </p> <p>According to Johnson, the Queen “had known all ­summer that she was going, but was determined to hang on and do her last duty” by overseeing the “peaceful and orderly transition” of power from him to his successor Liz Truss.</p> <p>Johnson isn’t the first person to have claimed the late monarch was diagnosed with cancer during her final years, as royal author Gyles Brandreth wrote about rumours Her Majesty had a rare form of myeloma, a bone marrow cancer, in his book, <em>Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait</em>.</p> <p>He explained that the diagnosis “would explain her tiredness and weight loss and those ‘mobility issues’ we were often told about during the last year or so of her life.”</p> <p>However, the Queen’s official cause of death was listed as “old age” and the palace has never disclosed any other medical records.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street/UPI/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Caring

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Iconic Days of Our Lives star dies aged 70

<p>Drake Hogestyn has passed away aged 70. </p> <p>The<em> Days of Our Lives </em>actor, known for his long-running role as John Black passed away on Saturday after a battle with pancreatic cancer, according to a statement shared by his family on Instagram.</p> <p>“It’s with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Drake Hogestyn,” the statement began.</p> <p>“He was thrown the curve ball of his life when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but he faced the challenge with incredible strength and determination.”</p> <p>“After putting up an unbelievable fight, he passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones. He was the most amazing husband, father, papa and actor. He loved performing for the ‘Days’ audience and sharing the stage with the greatest cast, crew, and production team in the business. We love him and we will miss him all the Days of our Lives.”</p> <p>Hogestyn first appeared on the iconic US soap opera in 1986, and played John Black for 38 years. </p> <p>In a statement to<em> Soap Opera Digest, Days Of Our Lives</em> executive producer Ken Corday remembered the actor, who appeared in more than 4,200 episodes of the show. </p> <p>“This is a very difficult one for all of us,” he said. </p> <p>“Hogey was the ultimate team player and there are not sufficient words to express how deeply he will be missed. His impact on our show, personally and professionally, was profound and will forever remain unmatched.”</p> <p>His co-stars and colleagues have also paid their respects on social media. </p> <p>“I’m so saddened by this news,” tweeted Kassie DePaiva, who played Eve on the soap. </p> <p>“One of the kindest people I have ever worked with. What an amazing life he lived. He will be missed. He made the world a better place.”</p> <p>Fellow veteran soap star Nancy Lee Grahn, who plays Alexis on <em>General Hospital</em> tweeted: “My deepest condolences to Drake Hogestyn’s family, friends and fans. What a lovely, lovely gracious man.”</p> <p><em>Image: SplashNews.com/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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Mother's heartbreaking farewell at bullied daughter's funeral

<p><em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;">Warning: This article contains discussions about suicide that some readers may find distressing. </span></em></p> <p>The mother of 12-year-old Charlotte Frances O’Brien, a victim of relentless bullying, broke down at her daughter's funeral in a <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">heartbreaking farewell, </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">expressing her anguish and grief. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Charlotte, a Year 7 student at Santa Sabina College in Strathfield, Sydney, tragically took her own life on September 9, leaving her family, friends and community devastated.</span></p> <p>Hundreds of mourners gathered at Mary Immaculate Catholic Church in Bossley Park on Friday for the solemn service. Many wore pink ribbons in their hair, a tribute to Charlotte’s favourite colour. The student body of her primary school was given the day off to attend the funeral.</p> <p>As the service began, Charlotte’s parents, Mat and Kelly, struggled to hold back tears as they carried their daughter’s casket, adorned with lavender and butterflies, through the church. During an emotional eulogy, Kelly expressed her profound love for her daughter, saying, "I will grieve the life you never had."</p> <p>Kelly described Charlotte as her soulmate and best friend, recalling moments of joy and love they shared. “The first moment I held her in my arms will always be the best day of my life," she said tearfully. "I knew within a moment of being her mother that I had met my soulmate."</p> <p>Charlotte's stepfather, Mat, also spoke lovingly of her, recalling her kindness, bravery and the special bond they shared. He read from her final Father’s Day card, where she affectionately described him as “more than a captain”, expressing the deep love she held for him.</p> <p>A poignant slideshow of Charlotte’s life played during the service, accompanied by the song "You Are Not Alone". The photos showed Charlotte smiling and laughing with friends, celebrating birthdays and cuddling her newborn brother, offering glimpses of her joy-filled yet short-lived childhood.</p> <p>The service concluded with Kelly clutching a stuffed penguin, a symbolic farewell to her beloved daughter. Outside the church, mourners gathered around, throwing petals onto the hearse before it departed for the cemetery.</p> <p>While Charlotte’s parents did not directly address the bullying their daughter endured, the presiding priest highlighted the alarming statistic that one in three children worldwide are bullied, urging the community to reflect on their role in combating this issue. “There is a responsibility in the world, starting at home and in our communities. We must grow our hearts and minds in God’s work and continue to move forward,” he said.</p> <p>Charlotte’s death has left a lasting impact on her family, friends, and school community, sparking renewed conversations about the urgent need to address bullying in schools and beyond.</p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Need to talk to someone? Don't go it alone. </em></span></p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au</em></span></p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bolder;"><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636</em></span></p> <p><em style="font-weight: bolder; background-color: #ffffff; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box;">SANE: 1800 187 263; saneforums.org</em></p> <p><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

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