Placeholder Content Image

Schumacher’s family suing German magazine over fake interview

<p dir="ltr">Michael Schumacher’s family is preparing to take legal action against German tabloid magazine <em>Die Aktuelle</em>, for publishing an AI-generated “interview” with the star.</p> <p dir="ltr">The publication has been slammed for using Michael’s face on their April 15 front cover, promoting the piece as “the first interview” since the star’s skiing accident in December 2013.</p> <p dir="ltr">“No meagre, nebulous half-sentences from friends. But answers from him! By Michael Schumacher, 54!” read the text in the magazine.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It sounded deceptively real,” they added in the strapline, which was the only indicator that the piece was fake.</p> <p dir="ltr">The “interview” included quotes that insensitively described Schumacher’s recovery, following the accident where he suffered a serious brain injury.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was so badly injured that I lay for months in a kind of artificial coma, because otherwise my body couldn’t have dealt with it all,” the quote read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve had a tough time but the hospital team has managed to bring me back to my family,” they added.</p> <p dir="ltr">It was only at the end of the article that the publication revealed that they used Character.ai, an AI chatbot, to create the interview.</p> <p dir="ltr">A spokesperson for Schumachers confirmed their intention to take legal action against <em>Die Aktuelle</em> to <em>Reuters</em> and <em>ESPN</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">This isn’t the first time Schumacher’s family have taken action against <em>Die Aktuelle</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">In 2015, Michael’s wife, Corinna Schumacher filed a lawsuit against the magazine after they used Corinna’s picture with the headline: “Corinna Schumacher – a new love makes her happy.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The story was actually about their daughter, Gina, but the lawsuit was dismissed.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Obese yet malnourished toddler mummy sheds light on life in 17th century aristocratic Austria

<p>In a creepy discovery published, a collaboration of German scientists have performed a ‘virtual autopsy’ on a mummified toddler’s body, found in a 17th century Austrian crypt.</p> <p>Buried in a wooden coffin that was slightly too small and deformed the skull, the young child’s body appeared to be both obese and malnourished. Researchers say the findings might provide a rare insight into historical Austrian aristocratic society.</p> <p>By using CT scanning, scientists were able to perform a ‘virtual autopsy’ on the mummy which was naturally mummified in the conditions of the crypt. Well-preserved soft tissue showed the child was a boy, overweight for his age, and radiocarbon dating suggests a date of death between 1550 and 1635 CE.</p> <p>By examining the formation and length of the body’s bones, plus evidence of tooth eruption, the researchers were able to estimate that the child was about one year old when he died. The bones also showed that despite being well-fed, the boy was malnourished, with his malformed ribs displaying signs of rachitic rosary. This condition presents in a pattern of prominent bony knobs at points where the rib joins cartilage and results from diseases associated with specific vitamin deficiencies such as rickets (vitamin D) and scurvy (vitamin C).</p> <p>Vitamin D is found in foods like salmon, tuna, mackerel and beef liver and egg yolks, but we typically only get around 10% of our required Vitamin D from our diets – the rest is made by our bodies when exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) from the sun.</p> <p>“The combination of obesity along with a severe vitamin-deficiency can only be explained by a generally ‘good’ nutritional status along with an almost complete lack of sunlight exposure,” said Dr Andreas Nerlich of the Academic Clinic Munich-Bogenhausen and lead researcher.</p> <p>The child appears to have died from pneumonia, judging by the evidence of inflammation in the lungs. Rickets is known to make children more vulnerable to pneumonia, suggesting that, sadly, not only was the child malnourished, but that this condition may have also led to his untimely demise.</p> <p>“We have to reconsider the living conditions of high aristocratic infants of previous populations,” said Nerlich.</p> <p>Relatively little is known about aristocratic childhood in the late Renaissance period, so these mummified remains give key insights into life in Europe of a period generally known for its fervent creativity and intellectual development.</p> <p>“This is only one case,” said Nerlich, “but as we know that the early infant death rates generally were very high at that time, our observations may have considerable impact in the over-all life reconstruction of infants even in higher social classes.”</p> <p>To understand more about this period, researchers scoured historical records of the crypt and the family to whom the crypt belonged. Curiously, the child was buried in a simple, unmarked, wooden coffin, although he was dressed in an expensive silk hooded coat. The unmarked coffin appeared to have been slightly too small for the body such that the skull became deformed and was the only infant buried amongst the identifiable adult metal coffins in the crypt.</p> <p>Historical records of renovations on the crypt confirmed the radiocarbon dating, indicating the child was likely buried sometime after 1600 CE.</p> <p>The crypt belonged to the Counts of Starhemberg and traditionally was kept exclusively for the burial of heirs to their titles, and their wives, making the body likely to be that of the first-born (and only) son, Reichard Wilhelm, of Count Starhemberg.</p> <p>“We have no data on the fate of other infants of the family,” Nerlich said, regarding the unique burial. “According to our data, the infant was most probably [the count’s] first-born son after erection of the family crypt, so special care may have been applied.”</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/history/toddler-mummy-17thcentury-austria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Clare Kenyon. </strong></p> <p><em>Image: </em><em>Andreas et al. (2022)</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

Shepherd’s pie with sweet potato topping

<p>Not only is this dish the perfect comfort food for a chilly evening, but it’s also a meal with an interesting history.</p> <p>Made to use up any leftover meat, Shepard’s pie dates back to the 1790s. When it is made with beef it's called cottage pie and if it is made with lamb, then it's shepherd's pie.</p> <p>The sweet potato really spices this recipe up a bit to give it some kiwi flavour.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>2 tbsp. butter, olive or coconut oil</li> <li>1 brown onion, finely chopped</li> <li>2 medium carrots, medium diced</li> <li>2 celery sticks, medium diced</li> <li>450g lamb mince</li> <li>1 ½ (375ml) cups beef stock</li> <li>1 tbsps. Worcestershire sauce</li> <li>40g tomato paste</li> <li>2 large sweet potatoes, peel and cut to quarters</li> <li>2 more tbsps. of butter</li> <li>Dash of cream or full fat milk</li> <li>½ cup mozzarella cheese grated</li> <li>¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated</li> <li>Freshly ground salt and pepper</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat oven to 180°C for a fan forced oven.</li> <li>Heat butter in a large pan and on a medium heat add onions, carrot and celery.</li> <li>Cook stirring for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened.</li> <li>Add lamb and cook until browned, for about 5-8 minutes, squashing any lumps with a fork.</li> <li>Add beef stock, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste.</li> <li>Season with salt and pepper.</li> <li>Reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally and cook for 30 - 40 minutes or until sauce thickens.</li> <li>When meat sauce has thickened, spoon into an oven proof dish and spread with mashed sweet potatoes.</li> <li>Sprinkle with the two cheeses.</li> <li>Bake 20 minutes or until the top is golden and juices are bubbling through.</li> <li>Serve with some simple steamed broccoli.</li> </ol> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

Shepherd’s pie

<p>For a hearty meal that is sure to satisfy, this family favourite Shepherd’s pie will be a hit with young and old alike.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves</span>:</strong> 4</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients</span>:</strong></p> <ul> <li>1 tablespoon olive oil</li> <li>1 brown onion, diced</li> <li>2 carrot, finely diced</li> <li>500g beef mince</li> <li>2 tablespoon tomato paste</li> <li>400g can peeled tomatoes</li> <li>1 cup beef stock</li> <li>1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce</li> <li>1 teaspoon mixed herbs</li> <li>750g potatoes, washed, peeled and chopped</li> <li>¼ cup milk</li> <li>50g butter</li> <li>Salt and pepper, to season</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method</span>:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat the oven to 180°C. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and cook onion and carrots for 5 minute or until softened. Add mince and cook for three minutes or until browned.</li> <li>Season with salt and pepper. Stir through tomato paste, tomatoes, stock, <br />Worcestershire sauce, and herbs. Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Remove lid and cook for a further 10 minutes.</li> <li>Meanwhile, add potatoes in saucepan of salted water. Boil and reduce to simmer. Cook until tender. Drain well and mash with butter and milk until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.</li> <li>Spread beef mixture evenly in an ovenproof baking dish. Spoon potatoes into large pastry bag fitted with star tip. Pipe rosettes over beef mixture. Place in oven and cook for 30 minutes or until topping is browned. </li> </ol> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

State-run German museums disclose works acquired during Nazi era

<p dir="ltr">A Munich-based foundation that oversees the art collections of museums located throughout the titular German state is set to publicly disclose the origins of over 1,000 works acquired during the Nazi rule.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Bavarian State Painting Collections is launching an extensive database that includes information regarding over 1,200 paintings that researchers have found were acquired during the National Socialist period, or had ownership links to Nazi officials.</p> <p dir="ltr">There are a series of artworks that were given to museums and galleries during this time that are often subject to legal claims from descendants of persecuted Jewish families.</p> <p dir="ltr">Operating since 1999, a specialised unit dedicated to origin research has been reviewing all the ownership records of each and every artwork in the Bavarian State Paintings Collections that were created before 1945, and have been acquired since 1933. </p> <p dir="ltr">Throughout the database notes, a statement will accompany each artwork to alert people of its proper origins. </p> <p dir="ltr">This protocol is in keeping with the 1998 Washington Principles and the 1999 Joint Declaration of the Federal Government, both of which mounted calls for greater transparency surrounding the provenances of artworks believed to be subject to restitution claims.</p> <p dir="ltr">Other initiatives have been put into practice around the world, with <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/art/new-york-museums-now-required-to-acknowledge-art-stolen-under-nazi-rule">museums and galleries in New York</a> now now legally required to acknowledge art stolen under the Nazi regime. </p> <p dir="ltr">The new state law requires New York museums to display signage alongside works of art from before 1945 that are known to have been stolen or forcibly sold during the Nazi rule.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to legislation and expert testimony, the Germans looted 600,000 works of art during World War II. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Art

Placeholder Content Image

ALDI announces new change to all stores

<p dir="ltr">ALDI supermarket has announced an exciting new change coming to all stores across Australia.</p> <p dir="ltr">The German retailer provides large 212-litre carts - which are 1.1m high - for shoppers to use, which have since gained a lot of criticism from elderly, pregnant and short people.</p> <p dir="ltr">Now ALDI has announced it will soon be rolling out half trolleys for customers to do smaller grocery shops.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We recognise that customers are looking for greater convenience when they visit our stores, as it’s almost impossible not to pick up the excellent value products on offer,” the retailer said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That’s why we’re introducing smaller trolleys across all our locations, so our customers can more efficiently pick up products while doing smaller grocery shops.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Shoppers celebrated the news with many welcoming the change which will see their shopping habits change.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Finally! I almost fall into the big ones to reach the bottom,” one person wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Great news for people who have had hip and shoulder replacement surgery,” another commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is great, I also love the big trolleys at Aldi. They are always in good condition and the height is more comfortable,” someone else welcomed.</p> <p dir="ltr">The exciting news comes just months after ALDI introduced shopping baskets in their stores.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

ALDI looking for fresh meat (graduates)

<p dir="ltr">ALDI Australia is looking to hire a fresh batch of graduates for their insanely popular program. </p> <p dir="ltr">The German retailer’s graduate program is inundated with applications each year thanks to the attractive $92,000 starting salary, a company car and iPhone, as well as five weeks annual leave. </p> <p dir="ltr">Successful applicants will undertake a comprehensive program over a two-year period while rotating through the exciting challenge of the business. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Our graduate jobs aren’t easy but the greater the challenge, the greater the reward,” their <a href="https://www.aldicareers.com.au/Graduate-Program-Application-Process" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> reads.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You’ll have exposure to serving customers on registers, managing sections in our distribution centre, undertaking site meetings with our property team, and developing your skills as a leader - a career achievement you can be proud of.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Applicants who succeed in their training will take on the role of an Executive Manager, giving them the opportunity to run up three-to-five stores.</p> <p dir="ltr">Peter Slaven recently completed the program and is now an Executive Manager of Store Operation in NSW. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I was prepared for a lot of observation and structured training, however I was pleasantly surprised with how hands-on ALDI’s graduate program is,” he told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/careers/aldis-insane-92000-job-for-uni-graduates/news-story/fbba33620c65bfad5a5f80df3e730155?utm_campaign=EditorialSB&amp;utm_source=news.com.au&amp;utm_medium=Facebook&amp;utm_content=SocialBakers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“During the program I worked in three cities and over 30 stores, building relationships with close to 500 people. No two days are the same and I learnt to adapt quickly to constant change and I am still learning new things every day.”</p> <p dir="ltr">ALDI group director of human resources and projects Hayden Rydberg said the program attracted people from all walks of life. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s an opportunity for ambitious future leaders to hit the ground running in a supportive environment where you will learn directly from industry leaders, all while accelerating your career with a rewarding and dynamic retail business,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Applicants must be in their final year of study or recently completed a master’s degree in any subject. </p> <p dir="ltr">Applications for ALDI's 2023 graduate program close on Monday March 28, 2022.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Money & Banking

Placeholder Content Image

Paws up! Six puppies join the NSW Police Dog Unit

<p>Six German Shepherd puppies have joined the elite, and adorable, NSW Police Dog Force Unit to report for duty. </p> <p>Four furry females and two males were born in May to mum Bonnie and dad Vegas, and have each been named by the patients at Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick. </p> <p>The female pups are Carrie, Cali, Carol and Cody, and their brothers are Coops and Charger. </p> <p><span>Superintendent Michael Rochester, Dog and Mounted Commander, said the kids of Sydney Children's </span>Hospital left an important legacy on the Dog Unit by naming their newest recruits.</p> <p><span>"Unfortunately, this year the kids weren't able to meet the pups in person because of the pandemic, but we were very glad we could get them involved virtually," Supt Rochester said in a statement.</span><span></span></p> <p>"If these pups are successful through their training, they'll go on to help the community in many ways."</p> <p>"Our dogs are used to find missing people, assist in pursuits, detect drugs, explosives and other paraphernalia, and have a variety of other specialist functions which make them an invaluable law enforcement capability."</p> <p>The adorable puppies have begun their foundational training, as they are being exposed to new a range of new experiences and environments. </p> <p>The NSW Police force shared the news of the puppies on their Twitter account, along with the backstory to each dog's name. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">The NSW Police Force's newest police pups have been named by patients from Sydney Children's Hospital. <br /><br />“I wanted to name the puppy Cody because my best friend’s name is Cody, and dogs are her favourite animal,” said eight-year-old Alice.<a href="https://t.co/9skvOMkOOj">https://t.co/9skvOMkOOj</a> <a href="https://t.co/n7SdeQRTsn">pic.twitter.com/n7SdeQRTsn</a></p> — NSW Police Force (@nswpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/nswpolice/status/1442652246060060676?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2021</a></blockquote> <p>They said on <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/news?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGZWJpenByZC5wb2xpY2UubnN3Lmdvdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGOTc2MzguaHRtbCZhbGw9MQ%3D%3D" target="_blank">their website</a> that naming the dogs became a wonderful distraction for the kids, who had to spend time in the hospital for various reasons.</p> <p>Eight-year-old Alice chose the name Cody after being inspired by this closest to her. </p> <p>She said, <span>“I wanted to name the puppy Cody because my best friend’s name is Cody, and dogs are her favourite animal.”</span></p> <p><span>Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott welcomed the new furry recruits, thanking those who named them. </span></p> <p>“These pups represent the next generation of the Force’s Police Dog team, one of the most highly-trained and respected in the world,” Mr Elliott said.</p> <p>“I join the children, who named the pups, in following the progress of the C-litter; I know they will achieve great things in the future,” he said.</p> <p><em>Image credit: NSW Police</em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

Wild Republic: The new drama thriller set in the Alps

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dubbed the “<em>Lord of the Flies</em> for a new generation”, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wild Republic</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is the latest series to take inspiration from the classic novel.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The German television series starts with a bunch of juvenile delinquents who are undergoing an experiential rehabilitation program in the rugged German Alps.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 250px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843508/luis_zeno_kuhn-fotografie-munchen-03363.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2e998bf45e6343b482cc559525562674" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: SBS</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the sudden death of one member, the troubled youths face a tough choice: wait for the authorities to investigate the crime or take fate into their own hands and make an escape?</span></p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tO0LVkF-Vuk" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Directed by Markus Goller and Lennart Ruff, the eight-part series tackles issues about how to survive, what choices are made, and at what cost.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 238.57142857142858px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843509/wild_republic.jpeg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/584d5f7e05394894bbb871d15f9e9387" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: SBS</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The series is now exclusively streaming in German with English subtitles at </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.sbs.com.au/ondemand/program/wild-republic" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">SBS On Demand</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: SBS</span></em></p>

TV

Placeholder Content Image

Germans turn to the woods for mindfulness

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Of all the German words without a direct English equivalent, one has seen a resurgence during the coronavirus epidemic. </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Waldeinsamkeit</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> - which translates to “solitude of the forest” according to Google Translate - can be best described as the sublime feeling that can come from being completely alone and at peace in the forest.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With more free time, flexibility, and pressure at home - without many other options to occupy free time - Germans are visiting forests to find that kind of solitude in greater numbers than before.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Recent research by the European Forest Institute has confirmed it, finding that visits to a monitored tract of woods in North-Rhine-Westphalia experienced an unprecedented jump in visitors during the first and second lockdowns. The authors concluded that forests were a critical infrastructure for national public health and society at large, with the German people once again seeking forest solitude during the pandemic.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“In our recent study, visitors said finding tranquility was by far the number one motivation to go to the forest,” European Forest Institute researcher Jeanne-Lazya Roux said. “Another new study we are working on shows there is a renaissance in valuing forests for their spiritual attributes, or re-spiritualisation of the forest, as we call it.”</span></p> <p><strong>A resurgence</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Professor Nikolaus Wegmann, a Germanist and literary historian at Princeton University, told the </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">BBC</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> waldeinsamkeit is seeing revalidation as people absorb the philosophy of the word in their post-pandemic lives.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“On one level, waldeinsamkeit is a simple compound of the word ‘forest’ (</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">wald</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">) and ‘loneliness’ (</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">einsamkeit</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">), but on another it represents the soul and deeper psyche of Germany,” said Wegmann. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Nowadays, the term is taking on a new meaning because of coronavirus: the isolation and loneliness of the forest, in contrast to the world of the city, is increasingly attractive.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With 90 billion trees, 76 tree species and about 1,215 species of plants within Germany’s forest, which cover 33 percent of the country’s land area, it’s not hard to see where the attraction comes from.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The concept of going into the woods is part of everyday life for us Germans,” Wegmann said. “Even though we’re one of the most industrialised nations in the world, you don’t need to go looking for a forest here. We are forest people, even as far back as the Roman empire when the Romans described us as such.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Over time, the term has come to represent Germany’s culture too, with many throughout history citing the practice as a cure for stress.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Waldeinsamkeit is a visible strain throughout German culture and history and the term might have fallen out of favour, but it continues to convey a very romantic notion of the country,” said Austen Hinkley, a doctoral candidate at Princeton’s Department of Comparative Literature.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The claim the term is untranslatable and indescribable to non-Germans is also important. It can only really be explained by first-hand experience - total immersion in the German landscape.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: dinner / Instagram</span></em></p>

International Travel

Placeholder Content Image

Don’t leave me: Dog tries to stop trainer from retiring

<p>Viral footage from China has captured the touching moment a detection dog tried to stop its retiring handler from leaving.</p> <p>The German Shepherd, named Bei Bei, can be seen holding onto the officer’s duffel bag with its mouth, unwilling to let go.</p> <p>It even tries to stop the car door from closing, and chases the moving vehicle after the trainer bids a tearful goodbye to his loyal friend.</p> <p>Millions of social media users were moved by the animal helper and the “true comradeship and love” between the sergeant and his four-legged partner.</p> <p>The retiring sergeant, Zhang Wei, was leaving the barracks in China’s north-western region Xinjiang when the <a rel="noopener" href="https://weibo.com/tv/show/1034:4542480302145580?from=old_pc_videoshow" target="_blank">footage</a> was filmed, according to Chinese media reports.</p> <p>During his retirement ceremony, the officer is seen handing over the sniffer dog to his colleague as he prepares to leave.</p> <p>As Zhang hugs another officer to say goodbye, Bei Bei suddenly bites the corner of his duffel bag, seemingly trying to stop its handler from leaving.</p> <p>The sergeant immediately bends down and gives the detection dog a kiss, trying to hold back tears.</p> <p>After Zhang climbs into the military van, Bei Bei barks profusely before eagerly running towards the officer again.</p> <p>The hound is seen resting its paws on the vehicle door, unwilling to move, as the officer rubs its head and waves goodbye.</p> <p>Bei Bei even tries to chase the moving car carrying its beloved best friend, before being pulled back by another officer.</p> <p>The heart-warming video has touched millions of Chinese citizens, with one commenter writing: “This has brought me to tears. This is the kind of real and inseparable friendship!”</p> <p><strong>IMAGES:</strong> Weibo/js7tv</p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

Madeleine McCann case leads to German police digging in back garden

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>German police are currently investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in Portugal in 2007 and have searched a garden plot in the city of Hannover in connection with their probe. </p> <p>Julia Meyer, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office in Braunschweig, confirmed to local media that police investigators had been at the garden plot since Monday.</p> <p>Meyer said she could not give any further details on the procedure, adding only that police would “still need some more time to finish.”</p> <p>At the time of writing, it is not clear what police believe might be at the site they are searching. </p> <p>Sniffer dogs, a tent with observation technology, an excavator as well as a large team of police have been spotted at the scene.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837107/maddy-body.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3705bfcb53964e92964ac0e7e10e0e23" /></p> <p>It is understood that the investigation of the site will continue until Wednesday.</p> <p>Madeleine was three years old at the time of her 2007 disappearance from an apartment while her family vacationed in the town of Praia da Luz in Portugal.</p> <p>German authorities have since identified a 43-year-old German citizen as a suspect in the McCann case and are investigating him on suspicion of murder. </p> </div> </div> </div>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Sweet potato crusted shepherd’s pie

<p>Take out your casserole and try this recipe for the weekend.</p> <p><em>Serves 4 </em></p> <p><strong>Ingredients: </strong></p> <ul> <li>1kg sweet potato, peeled, diced</li> <li>150g butter</li> <li>Salt and black pepper</li> <li>3 tbsp olive oil</li> <li>1 onion, finely sliced</li> <li>1 carrot, finely diced</li> <li>1 stick celery, finely diced</li> <li>2 clove garlic, finely chopped</li> <li>500g lamb mince</li> <li>2 tbsp tomato paste</li> <li>2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce</li> <li>½ cup red wine, optional</li> <li>1 cup chicken stock</li> <li>1 x 400g tin tomato</li> <li>1 cup frozen peas</li> <li>½ cup grated cheddar cheese</li> <li>Green leaf salad, to serve</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Steam or boil the sweet potato until cooked and soft then drain, mash and mix with the butter, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.</li> <li>Heat a medium saucepan over a high heat, add the olive oil, onion, carrot, celery, garlic and lamb.</li> <li>Season with a little salt and cook over a medium to high heat to colour the lamb and cook the vegetables, stirring to break up with a spoon as it is cooking. Add the tomato paste and continue to cook for another minute then add the Worcestershire sauce, red wine, chicken stock and tinned tomato and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for approx. 30 minutes.</li> <li>Preheat the oven to 190C. Adjust the seasoning of the lamb ragu then spoon the lamb mix into a baking dish, stir through the peas and top evenly with the mash sweet potato. Cover with the cheddar then bake for 15 -20 minutes before serving with a green salad if preferred.</li> </ol>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

Madeleine McCann’s parents respond to German prosecutor’s claim

<p>Madeleine McCann’s parents have denied they received a letter from German authorities stating that their daughter is dead.</p> <p>In a statement released Tuesday on the Find Madeleine website, Kate and Gerry McCann said they have not received a letter regarding proof of their daughter’s death.</p> <p>“The widely reported news that we have a received a letter from the German authorities that states there is evidence or proof that Madeleine is dead is FALSE,” the parents said in the statement.</p> <p>“As we have stated many times before, we will not give a running commentary on the investigation – that is the job of the law enforcement agencies and we will support them in any way requested.”</p> <p>The statement came after German prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters told UK newspapers he had sent the family a letter explaining German authorities believed Madeleine was dead but could not reveal the evidence.</p> <p>Wolters said German police has “concrete evidence” that the missing British girl was murdered by Christian Brückner, a 43-year-old convicted sex offender.</p> <p>“We have concrete evidence that our suspect has killed Madeleine and this means she is dead,” Wolters was quoted as saying by the <em>Daily Mail</em>.</p> <p>“I sympathise with the parents but if we reveal more details to them it might jeopardise the situation.”</p> <p>He insisted his team had sent a letter to the McCanns.</p> <p>“I’m not able to say whether the letter has reached the family or is still on the move,” Wolters told <em>The Sun</em>.</p> <p>Madeleine McCann disappeared from the Portuguese resort of Praia da Luz in 2007. She was three years old at the time of her disappearance.</p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

New Madeleine McCann suspect allegedly tipped off by hotel worker

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>The latest man suspected of abducting three-year-old Madeleine McCann in 2007 was allegedly alerted to the empty hotel room by a worker at the hotel the family were staying at.</p> <p>Christian Brueckner, a 43-year-old convicted German sex offender, was allegedly told by an employee of the Ocean Club in Praia da Luz that the McCann parents would be out for dinner and their apartment would be easy to break into.</p> <p>A receptionist for the holiday complex left a note at the staff register about the family’s dinner reservation, which is something that Madeleine’s mother Kate remembered in horror a year after the horrific abduction.</p> <p>“It wasn’t until a year later, when I was combing through the Portuguese files, that I discovered that the note requesting our block booking was written in a staff message book, which sat on a desk at the pool reception for most of the day,” she wrote in her book titled<span> </span>Madeleine.</p> <p>“To my horror I saw that, no doubt in all innocence and to explain why she was bending the rules a bit, the receptionist had written the reason for our request.</p> <p>“We wanted to eat close to our apartments as we were leaving our young children alone there and checking on them intermittently.”</p> <p>A friend of Brueckner is suspected of seeing the note and letting him know about the unsupervised apartment.</p> <p>Police have since identified the employee who is believed to pass on the information, who also had Brueckner’s number in his mobile contacts.</p> <p>Brueckner received a half hour phone call in Praia da Luz around an hour before Madeleine went missing.</p> <p>It’s alleged that Brueckner went to raid the holiday accommodation and found Madeleine sleeping next to her younger brother, twins Sean and sister Amelie.</p> <p>Brueckner is currently serving a seven-year prison sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old American woman in 2005 and also has criminal records for the distribution of child pornography, sexual abuse of children and violations of the Narcotics Act, according to German media.</p> <p>Hans Christian Wolters, a spokesman for the Braunschweig Public Prosecutor’s Office, told journalists “we are assuming that the girl is dead”.</p> <p>“In connection with the disappearance of the three-year-old British girl Madeleine McCann on May 3, 2007 from an apartment complex in Praia da Luz, in Portugal, the Braunschweig prosecution is investigating against a 43-year-old German on suspicion of murder.</p> <p>“With the suspect, we are talking about a sexual predator who has already been convicted of crimes against little girls and he’s already serving a long sentence.”</p> <p>German authorities are now appealing for more information.</p> <p>“The hard evidence we don’t have, we don’t have the crucial evidence of Madeleine McCann’s body,” he told<span> </span>Sky News.</p> <p>“We expect that she is dead, but we don’t have enough evidence that we can get a warrant for our suspect in Germany for the murder of Madeleine McCann.</p> <p>“At the moment, we also don’t have enough proof for a trial at court, but we have some evidence that the suspect has done the deed.</p> <p>“That’s why we need more information from people, especially places he has lived, so we can target these places especially and search there for Madeleine.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

News

Placeholder Content Image

New prime suspect identified in Madeleine McCann case

<p><span>In a rare update, British police have revealed they are investigating a German prisoner as a suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann.</span><br /><br /><span>At the time of the three-year-old’s disappearance, the 43-year-old German national is known to have been in and around Praia da Luz on Portugal's Algarve coast around May 3, 2007.</span><br /><br /><span>The child had been on holiday with her parents Kate and Gerry McCann, along with her twin siblings, Sean and Amelie.</span><br /><br /><span>A half-hour long phone call was made to the German man's Portuguese mobile phone around an hour before Madeleine is assumed to have gone missing.</span><br /><br /><span>The suspect who remains behind bars in a German prison for an unrelated matter, has been linked to a camper van that was photographed in the Algarve in 2007.</span><br /><br /><span>Scotland Yard said he was driving the vehicle in the Praia da Luz area just days before Madeleine's disappearance.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836368/madeleine-mccann-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9ac7da3229cf482181bbd874f2a424ff" /><br /><br /><span>The suspect has additionally been linked to a 1993 Jaguar XJR6 that had a German number plate seen in Praia da Luz and surrounding areas in 2006 and 2007.</span><br /><br /><span>The day after young Madeleine went missing, the man got the car re-registered in Germany under someone else's name. However, it is believed the vehicle was still in Portugal.</span><br /><br /><span>Both vehicles have been seized by German police.</span><br /><br /><span>Scotland Yard is in the process of launching an appeal with the Federal Criminal Police Office of Germany (BKA) and the Portuguese Policia Judiciaria (PJ), which will include a STG20,000 ($A36,000) reward for information leading to the conviction of the person responsible for Madeleine's disappearance.</span><br /><br /><span>The Met's investigation has revealed that there are more than 600 people who may be significant to the case and were tipped off about the German national, already known to detectives, following a 2017 appeal 10 years after she went missing.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ZOc2z_llQX/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ZOc2z_llQX/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Nomi Cooper-Rosenberg (@nomicr)</a> on May 12, 2013 at 1:53pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>Madeleine vanished just a short while before her fourth birthday and would have turned 17 in May.</span><br /><br /><span>Madeleine’s parents issued a statement, read by Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cranwell, welcoming the new police appeal with open arms.</span><br /><br /><span>"All we have ever wanted is to find her, uncover the truth and bring those responsible to justice," the statement said.</span><br /><br /><span>"We will never give up hope of finding Madeleine alive, but whatever the outcome may be, we need to know as we need to find peace."</span><br /><br /><span>Det. Chief Insp. Cranwell took the unusual step of releasing two mobile phone numbers as part of the appeal.</span><br /><br /><span>The first, (+351) 912 730 680, is believed to have been used by the suspect.</span><br /><br /><span>The second is suspected to have received a call from another Portuguese mobile, (+351) 916 510 683, while in the Praia da Luz area on the night of May 3, 2007.</span><br /><br /><span>The caller is not thought to have been in the Praia da Luz area but is not being treated as a suspect.</span><br /><br /><span>Police say the person may be a "key witness" in the case.</span><br /><br /><span>Det. Chief Insp. Cranwell are appealing to anyone who knows the suspect and who may have information in relation to Madeleine's case to come forward.</span><br /><br /><span>"You may know, you may be aware of some of the things he has done. He may have confided in you about the disappearance of Madeleine," the police officer said.</span></p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

German supermarket giant Kaufland pulls out of Australia

<p>German supermarket chain Kaufland has announced its decision to exit the Australian market, just months after it began construction on its first stores.</p> <p>Kaufland’s 200 Australian employees were informed of the decision on Wednesday, with the company saying “an assurance that generous packages including all entitlements will be offered, as part of a thorough support and consultation process for all”.</p> <p>The retailer said the decision was “in no way a reflection of the efforts of our local employees or management, or the support Kaufland has received from the Australian business community or governments”.</p> <p>“This was not an easy decision for us. We always felt welcome in Australia,” Kaufland International acting CEO Frank Schumann said in a statement.</p> <p>“We would like to thank our employees and we apologise for the disruption this decision will cause.”</p> <p>The company said it would focus on the European market for the “foreseeable future”.</p> <p>Last year, Kaufland <a href="https://www.insideretail.com.au/news/all-over-before-it-began-kaufland-cans-plans-for-australia-202001">commenced construction of stores</a> in South Australia’s Prospect and Victoria’s Dandenong as well as a $255 million distribution centre in Mickleham, Victoria. It also revealed plans to open more than 20 stores across Australia.</p> <p>Kaufland, the world’s fourth biggest retailer, has more than 1,200 stores with 130,000 employees across eight European countries.</p>

Food & Wine

Placeholder Content Image

First class mistake: Greta Thunberg caught out on German trains slip-up

<p>Climate change activist Greta Thunberg has been hit with a new wave of criticism online after a recently made speech and social media post were called out online.</p> <p>The new attacks on the 16-year-old teenager came after she shared a picture of her journey home to Sweden after months of travelling the world calling for climate action.</p> <p>Ms Thunberg shared a photograph of herself sitting on the floor of a train, surrounded by a heap of luggage onto her social media accounts.<br /><br /></p> <p>She has kept vocal about her decision not to travel by plane, as they are considered major contributions to climate change.</p> <p>"Traveling on overcrowded trains through Germany. And I'm finally on my way home!" the caption accompanying the image said.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Traveling on overcrowded trains through Germany. And I’m finally on my way home! <a href="https://t.co/ssfLCPsR8o">pic.twitter.com/ssfLCPsR8o</a></p> — Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/GretaThunberg/status/1205969006982815751?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">14 December 2019</a></blockquote> <p>The German railway company she was travelling with,<span> </span><em>Deutsche Bahn,<span> </span></em>quickly responded to Ms Thunberg’s post, wishing the young teen a safe journey home.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Noch schöner wäre es gewesen, wenn Du zusätzlich auch berichtet hättest, wie freundlich und kompetent Du von unserem Team an Deinem Sitzplatz in der Ersten Klasse betreut worden bist. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Greta?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Greta</a> 2/2</p> — Deutsche Bahn AG (@DB_Presse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DB_Presse/status/1206182674949382145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">15 December 2019</a></blockquote> <p><em>Deutsche Bahn</em><span> </span>added the company were working hard on improving connections, trains and seats.</p> <p>However, the German railway company later released a statement saying Ms Thunberg had a first-class seat between Kassel and Hamburg.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">OMG even German Rail companies are now dunking on the fraud that is <a href="https://twitter.com/GretaThunberg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GretaThunberg</a>! 🤣 <a href="https://t.co/aAQjJJNWAt">pic.twitter.com/aAQjJJNWAt</a></p> — Raheem Kassam (@RaheemKassam) <a href="https://twitter.com/RaheemKassam/status/1206290440523255808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">15 December 2019</a></blockquote> <p>The statement revealed further that other members of her team were sitting in first class from Frankfurt onwards.</p> <p>Deutsche Bahn also took to twitter twice more to speak on Ms Thunberg's train travels through Germany.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">It seems Greta is now telling a few untruths to further her agenda. The German National train service were forced to publicly correct her untruths after they were condemned on twitter because Greta suggested she was forced to sit on the foor, when in fact she was in 1st class. <a href="https://t.co/IYl4g8YYjY">pic.twitter.com/IYl4g8YYjY</a></p> — The Niall Boylan Show (@Niall_Boylan) <a href="https://twitter.com/Niall_Boylan/status/1206394630738251776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">16 December 2019</a></blockquote> <p>"Dear #Greta, thank you for supporting us railroad workers in the fight against climate change! We were pleased that you were on the ICE 74 with us on Saturday. And with 100 per cent green electricity," the company posted.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">So, young <a href="https://twitter.com/GretaThunberg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GretaThunberg</a> has apologized for saying something awful. Welcome to life. Forgive her. Hope she thinks twice. Also, I'm doubting these posts are hers alone. Greta has a movement behind her. This all feels sculpted. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Skeptical?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Skeptical</a> Consider this tweet and the reaction. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/THNA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#THNA</a> <a href="https://t.co/Bn6BOAglky">pic.twitter.com/Bn6BOAglky</a></p> — Mike Opelka (@stuntbrain) <a href="https://twitter.com/stuntbrain/status/1206272060433084417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">15 December 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Ms Thunberg later clarified that while she had initially been sitting on the floor, she later got a seat.</p> <p>The teenager also added that while she did sit on the floor, it was not an attack against the railway line.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Our train from Basel was taken out of traffic. So we sat on the floor on 2 different trains. After Göttingen I got a seat.This is no problem of course and I never said it was. Overcrowded trains is a great sign because it means the demand for train travel is high!</p> — Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/GretaThunberg/status/1206203503363985408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">15 December 2019</a></blockquote> <p>"This is no problem of course and I never said it was. Overcrowded trains is a great sign because it means the demand for train travel is high!" she said.</p>

Travel Trouble

Placeholder Content Image

Watch out ALDI! German supermarket Kaufland prepares to hit AU shores

<p>There’s a new competitor setting its sights on the Australian supermarket industry, and its name is Kaufland.</p> <p>With 18 supermarkets in the pipeline, it’s clear that Kaufland is preparing itself to be a fierce competitor.</p> <p>The Victorian Government approved another two stores on Thursday, which brings the total Kaufland stores in the area up to five. There’s also a distribution centre that’s being approved at Mickleham, which is near Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport.</p> <p>Kaufland also has two stores approved in South Australia and is awaiting approvals on one store each in Toowoomba, Queensland and Adelaide.</p> <p>In a statement, Kaufland said that its total planned investment into Victoria was more than $500 million.</p> <p>“With five approved stores, as well as the additional nine sites under review, we are committed to our long-term, sustainable growth across Victoria,” managing director Julia Kern said.</p> <p>“We look forward to creating thousands of jobs and creating opportunities for local businesses.”</p> <p>A company spokesperson told <em><a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/money/finance-news/2019/08/29/german-supermarket-kauflands-first-stores/">The New Daily</a> that</em> the stores would be Kaufland’s standard footprint of about 4000 square metres, with the sites expected to follow the model of its German one-stop-shop operations, selling everything from groceries to electrical appliances.</p> <p>Earlier reports have speculated that the Australian stores would carry about 30,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs).</p> <p>This number is massive compared to a typical stock holding of Coles and Woolworths of about 22,000 SKUs and ALDI carry about 1350 SKUs.</p>

News

Our Partners