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Leaker of gruesome shark attack photo revealed

The New South Wales Ambulance Service is facing criticism and backlash after a staff member <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/leaked-photo-of-sydney-shark-victim-sparks-urgent-probe" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leaked a graphic image</a> of the wounded leg of Sydney shark attack victim Lauren O'Neill. The incident occurred after O'Neill fell victim to a bull shark attack in Sydney Harbour, just metres away from her residence. This breach of privacy has not only added to the distress of O'Neill and her loved ones but has raised serious concerns about the protection of patient confidentiality. The graphic image, taken inside the emergency room as medical professionals worked to stabilise O'Neill, was shared online by a member of the NSW Ambulance staff. This action not only violates the fundamental principle of patient privacy but also calls into question the ethical conduct expected from healthcare professionals in such sensitive situations. NSW Ambulance issued a public apology, acknowledging the breach of privacy and expressing sincere regret for the additional distress caused to O'Neill and her family. The statement also revealed that discussions with O'Neill's family led them to believe that a NSW Ambulance staff member was responsible for the privacy breach. “NSW Ambulance sincerely apologises to Ms O’Neill for the breach of her privacy and the additional distress it has caused her and her loved ones at this most difficult time,” a spokesperson said. “We spoke with Ms O’Neill’s family this afternoon and informed them that we believe a NSW Ambulance staff member was responsible for the breach of her privacy. “NSW Ambulance takes its patient privacy obligations very seriously and is continuing to investigate this breach to determine the full details of the incident.” St Vincent's Hospital, where Ms. O'Neill was taken for urgent medical attention, has launched its own investigation into the matter, along with the involvement of NSW Police. The gravity of the situation is underscored by the fact that O'Neill's right leg was in jeopardy, and the medical teams worked tirelessly to save it. O'Neill, a microbiologist, has expressed her gratitude to the heroic neighbours, to NSW Ambulance paramedics, Kings Cross Police and the surgical teams at St Vincent's Hospital for their swift and caring actions. However, the unfortunate leak of the graphic image has marred what should have been a focus on her recovery and gratitude towards those who aided her in the aftermath of the terrifying attack. As O'Neill transitions from the Intensive Care Unit to a recovery ward, it is crucial for the public to reflect on the importance of patient privacy and the trust placed in healthcare professionals during moments of vulnerability. The breach has sparked outrage among the public, with many demanding accountability and stricter measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Images: Instagram

Legal

Leaked photo of Sydney shark victim sparks urgent probe

The sanctity of patient privacy has come under scrutiny at Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital following the leak of a graphic photograph depicting the treatment of <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/woman-bitten-by-shark-in-sydney-harbour-identified" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shark attack victim Lauren O'Neill</a>. The 29-year-old suffered a serious injury after being attacked by a bull shark near a private wharf in Elizabeth Bay, sparking both a medical and privacy crisis. The photograph in question, which we are not going to publish, shows Ms O'Neill's uncovered leg being attended to by medical staff, and has stirred concerns about the vulnerability of patient privacy in the digital age. St Vincent's Hospital has launched a comprehensive investigation into the breach, expressing deep regret and extending apologies to Ms O'Neill. "St Vincent’s has become aware of photos in the public domain that appear to have been taken in the Emergency Department and are related to those of a patient injury," said hospital spokesperson David Faktor. "We have sincerely apologised for any part St Vincent’s played in the photos being taken." The investigation aims to uncover the identity of the person responsible for taking the photograph and how it ended up in the public domain. Faktor aptly described the incident as a "wake-up call", highlighting the ease with which privacy can be compromised in today's digital landscape. Ms O'Neill, who is on track for a full recovery, expressed her gratitude to the heroic neighbours, emergency services and medical professionals who aided her. However, her appreciation comes amid the distressing breach of her privacy during a vulnerable moment. As the investigation unfolds, it is crucial for St Vincent's Hospital to implement robust protocols and security measures to prevent future breaches and reassure the public of their commitment to patient confidentiality. Images: Instagram

Caring

Woman bitten by shark in Sydney Harbour identified

A 29-year-old woman may lose her leg after being bitten by a bull shark while swimming in Sydney Harbour. On Monday night, Lauren O'Neill went for an evening swim near a private wharf in Elizabeth Bay when she was attacked by the shark, screaming out to neighbours for help. Michael Porter told NCA NewsWire he had just gotten home from work when he heard the woman’s scream. “I saw Lauren climbing out of the Harbour on the ladder and she was sort of pulling herself up quite weakly, she didn’t have much strength and there was a whole pool of red blood in the Harbour,” Mr Porter said. “Her leg was limp.” An ambulance was called and transported Lauren to St Vincent's Hospital, where she remains with "serious injuries". While her condition is stable, the 29-year-old is facing the possibility of losing her leg. Marine biologist Lawrence Chlebeck told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/science/animals/woman-bitten-in-sydney-harbour-shark-attack/news-story/c59017954729f2452efc7f26a8a3f0b1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a> it was “highly likely” to be a bull shark that bit Ms O'Neill, and warned people against swimming in the harbour, particularly in low light. “Bull sharks know they can come into Sydney Harbour and score an opportunistic feed,” he said. “If they can’t see or the water is cloudy, these animals will bite just to determine what something is and whether it’s prey. Unfortunately, Sydney Harbour after dusk is simply not a safe place to swim.” Image credits: Instagram / Nine News

Caring

Matthew Perry's huge net worth revealed

As the world <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/you-were-loved-tributes-flow-over-tragic-passing-of-matthew-perry" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mourns the loss </a>of one of its beloved Friends stars, Matthew Perry, whose iconic portrayal of Chandler Bing left an indelible mark on fans worldwide, it's important to remember the legacy he leaves behind – a legacy encompassing not only his role in Friends but also his achievements in film, television, literature, real estate and more. While his presence will be missed, his work will continue to inspire and entertain fans for generations to come. Let's take a look at the legacy he leaves behind. The Friends Phenomenon Matthew Perry's fame skyrocketed when he became Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom in 1995. Initially earning US$35,000 per episode, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/so-utterly-devastated-friends-cast-break-silence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Perry and his five co-stars</a> (Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt Le Blanc) rewrote history in 2002 when they negotiated a groundbreaking deal to earn US$1 million per episode during the show's final season. Each season consisted of 23 episodes, meaning that Perry made well over US$20 million for just one season. Over the course of the show's ten successful seasons, each cast member earned a staggering $141 million. To add to his wealth, Friends continues to be one of the most popular streaming series globally, guaranteeing the stars royalties of approximately $16 to $31 million annually. Even Warner Bros., the show's producer, reaps substantial profits, with an estimated $1.5 billion yearly from reruns. The 2021 Friends reunion special on HBO Max further contributed to Perry's financial success, with each principal cast member receiving $3.9 million. Film and Television Matthew Perry's talents extended beyond the realm of Friends. He starred in various film and television projects, including The Whole Nine Yards alongside Bruce Willis, Aaron Sorkin's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip alongside West Wing alum Bradley Whitford, 17 Again, and The Odd Couple, where he also served as an executive producer. In his memoir, Perry disclosed that he negotiated his Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip salary from an initial offer of $79,000 per episode to $275,000 per episode. In the romantic comedy Fools Rush In (1997), he earned $1.57 million. Memoir Perry's memoir, titled Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir, was released in November 2022. Despite a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/keanu-reeves-attacked-for-still-being-alive" target="_blank" rel="noopener">minor hiccup involving actor Keanu Reeves</a>, where he questioned why Reeves was still alive while others like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger had tragically passed, Perry's memoir received a warm reception. Perry swiftly apologised for the comment and promised to remove all mention of Reeves from future editions. It's rumoured that Perry secured a "seven-figure" book deal for the candid memoir, which is bound to generate significant earnings through book sales. Real Estate Ventures Perry also dabbled in real estate throughout his life. In 2011, he purchased a $17 million beachfront home in Malibu, later listing it for $23 million in 2020. Ultimately, the property sold in 2021 for $20 million. In 2015, Perry sold another Malibu home for $17 million. In 2017, he acquired a luxurious 40th-floor condo in Century City for $30 million. Two years later, he listed the condo for $46.4 million but eventually sold it in 2021 for $28.3 million, 38% less than the initial asking price. One of his most recent acquisitions was a $7.8 million Hollywood Hills home, purchased in June 2021. In 2020, Perry bought his Pacific Palisades residence, where he resided until his passing. This midcentury modern ranch-style home boasted four bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, a fire pit and a raised pool overlooking the ocean. Car Collection Apart from his real estate ventures, Perry was known for his impressive car collection. It included various luxury vehicles, such as a Lincoln Navigator, a BMW 6 Series Convertible, a BMW 7 Series sedan, a Porsche Panamera, and a Porsche 911 Carrera Convertible. He also owned a BMW Z8, an Aston Martin Vantage Convertible, a Porsche Taycan 4S, and an Audi R8 Spyder, each valued between $300,000 and $500,000. Perry's enduring legacy spans far beyond the confines of the Friends universe. His multifaceted career, literary contributions, and real estate ventures have solidified his status as an entertainment icon. While his presence will be missed, his work will continue to inspire and entertain fans for generations to come. Image: NBC

Money & Banking

"Get out of the water!" Huge shark spotted at crowded beach

Dramatic footage has revealed the moment a shark was spotted swimming in shallow waters at a crowded beach in Florida. In the video filmed at Navarre beach on Monday, a sizeable fin can be spotted zipping past swimmers as panicked onlookers screamed for them to get out. "Get out of the water!" one person screamed, as stunned swimmers ran for their lives. However there was an eerie lack of urgency for a few others who took their time exiting the waters, with no worries whatsoever to the frustration of a bystander who commented: "They're still out there." Cristy Cox, who filmed the footage, told the Pensacola News Journal that the shark was simply chasing a fish, but warned people to be aware of their surroundings. “It all happened so fast! A dolphin was actually side by side with the shark at first and then just disappeared,” she said. “The shark was just trying to feed as they are expected and just passed by swimmers. “Everyone was stunned as it moved down the beach chasing the school of fish. We all just have to remember this is natural and we are in their home, so stay alert!” Beach Safety Director Austin Turnbill confirmed to the publication that a shark had been spotted at the beach, but for people to not be alarmed. “There’s sharks in the Gulf, everywhere. We see sharks almost every day and there’s nothing to be alarmed of for 99.9% of the time,” he said. Image: Cristy Cox Facebook

Travel Trouble

Too big, too heavy and too slow to change: road transport is way off track for net zero

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robin-smit-594126">Robin Smit</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> The need to cut the emissions driving climate change is urgent, but it’s proving hard to decarbonise road transport in Australia. Its share of the nation’s total greenhouse gas emissions <a href="https://ageis.climatechange.gov.au/">doubled</a> from 8% in 1990 to 16% in 2020. New vehicles sold in Australia have <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-thought-australian-cars-were-using-less-fuel-new-research-shows-we-were-wrong-122378">barely improved</a> average emissions performance for the last decade or so. The federal government <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/publications/australias-emissions-projections-2022">publishes</a> emission forecasts to 2035 – 15 years short of 2050, the net-zero target date. Our <a href="https://www.transport-e-research.com/_files/ugd/d0bd25_7a6920bdd9e8448385863a7c23ec9ecf.pdf">newly published study</a> forecasts road transport emissions through to 2050. The estimated reduction by 2050, 35–45% of pre-COVID levels in 2019, falls well short of what’s needed. Our findings highlight three obstacles to achieving net zero. These are: Australia’s delay in switching to electric vehicles; growing sales of large, heavy vehicles such as SUVs and utes; and uncertainties about hydrogen as a fuel, especially for freight transport. These findings point to policy actions that could get road transport much closer to net zero. <h2>How was this worked out?</h2> Emissions and energy use vary from vehicle to vehicle, so reliable forecasting requires a detailed breakdown of the on-road fleet. Our study <a href="https://www.transport-e-research.com/software">used</a> the Australian Fleet Model and the net zero vehicle emission model (n0vem). The study focused on so-called <a href="https://www.cummins.com/news/2022/05/26/well-wheel-emissions-simplified">well-to-wheel emissions</a> from fuel production, distribution and use while driving. These activities account for about 75–85% of vehicle emissions. (<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-climate-friendly-is-an-electric-car-it-all-comes-down-to-where-you-live-179003">Life-cycle assessment</a> estimates “cradle-to-grave” emissions, including vehicle manufacture and disposal.) Working with European Union colleagues, our emissions simulation drew on an updated <a href="https://www.transport-e-research.com/_files/ugd/d0bd25_7a6920bdd9e8448385863a7c23ec9ecf.pdf">EU scenario</a> (EU-27) showing the changes in the EU vehicle fleet needed to meet the latest (proposed) CO₂ targets. Our study assumed Australia will be ten years behind the EU across all vehicle classes. We further modified the scenario to properly reflect Australian conditions. For instance, the EU has a much higher proportion of plug-in hybrid vehicles than Australia, where buyers are now bypassing them for wholly electric vehicles. <h2>Energy use is shifting, but too slowly</h2> Using this modified scenario, the simulation produces a forecast fall in total wheel-to-wheel emissions from Australian transport from 104 billion tonnes (Mt) in 2018 to 55-65Mt in 2050. Within the range of this 35–45% reduction, the outcome depends largely on the balance of renewable and fossil-fuel energy used to produce hydrogen. The modelling nonetheless predicts a large shift in energy use in road transport in 2050, as 2019 was basically 100% fossil fuels. The on-road energy efficiency of battery electric vehicles is roughly twice that of fuel cell electric (hydrogen) vehicles and roughly three times that of fossil-fuelled vehicles of similar type. The modelling results make this clear. In 2050, battery electric vehicles account for about 70% of total travel, but 25% of on-road energy use and only about 10% of total emissions. In contrast, fossil-fuelled vehicles account for about 25% of total travel in 2050, 60% of energy use and 75-85% of emissions. That’s even allowing for expected efficiency improvements. This means the shift to a mostly electric fleet by 2050 plus the use of hydrogen is predicted to fall short of what’s needed to get to net zero. It will require aggressive new policies to increase the uptake of electric vehicles across all classes. <h2>Lighter vehicles make a big difference</h2> But that is not the whole story. One neglected issue is the growing proportion of <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-may-be-underestimating-just-how-bad-carbon-belching-suvs-are-for-the-climate-and-for-our-health-190743">big, heavy passenger vehicles</a> (SUVs, utes). This trend is very noticeable in Australia. The laws of physics mean heavier vehicles need much more energy and fuel per kilometre of driving, and so produce more emissions. Currently, a large diesel SUV typically emits a kilogram of CO₂ for every 3 kilometres of driving, compared to 15km for a light electric vehicle and 200 kilometres for an e-bike. An average electric vehicle currently emits 1kg of CO₂ every 7km. This distance is expected to be around 60km in 2050, when renewables power the electricity grid. A lightweight electric car will more than double the distance to 125km per kilogram of CO₂. Reducing vehicle weights and optimising energy efficiency in transport will be essential to meet emission targets. The study modelled the impacts of <a href="https://www.automotiveworld.com/special-reports/vehicle-lightweighting-2/">lightweighting</a> passenger vehicles while keeping buses and commercial vehicles the same. If Australians had driven only small cars in 2019 for personal use, total road transport emissions would have been about 15% lower. The reduction in emissions from simply shifting to smaller cars is <a href="https://www.dcceew.gov.au/climate-change/publications/national-greenhouse-accounts-2019/national-inventory-report-2019">similar to</a> emissions from domestic aviation and domestic shipping combined. Importantly, lightweighting cuts emissions for all kinds of vehicles. <h2>The uncertainties about hydrogen</h2> Fuel cell electric vehicles using hydrogen account for only a few percent of all travel, but most will likely be large trucks. As a result, in our scenarios, they use a little over 10% of total on-road energy and produce 5-20% of total emissions, depending on the energy source used for hydrogen production and distribution. The modified EU scenario includes a significant uptake of hydrogen vehicles by 2050. That’s by no means guaranteed. The uptake in Australia has been negligible to date. That’s due to costs (vehicle and fuel), the need for new hydrogen fuel infrastructure, less mature technology (compared to battery electric vehicles) and limited vehicle availability. <a href="https://theconversation.com/we-must-rapidly-decarbonise-transport-but-hydrogens-not-the-answer-166830">Unresolved aspects</a> of hydrogen in transport include lower energy efficiency, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/for-australia-to-lead-the-way-on-green-hydrogen-first-we-must-find-enough-water-196144">need for clean water</a>, uncertainty about leakage, fuel-cell durability and value for consumers. <h2>How do we get back on track?</h2> Our study suggests Australia is on track to miss the net-zero target for 2050 mainly because of the large proportions of fossil-fuelled vehicles and large and heavy passenger vehicles. These two aspects could become targets for new policies such as public information campaigns, tax incentives for small, light vehicles, bans on selling fossil fuel vehicles and programs to scrap them. Other options to cut emissions include measures to reduce travel demand, optimise freight logistics and shift travel to public transport, to name a few. The study confirms the scale of the challenge of decarbonising road transport. Australia will need “all hands on deck” – government, industry and consumers – to achieve net zero in 2050.<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/208655/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/robin-smit-594126">Robin Smit</a>, Adjunct Associate Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a> Image credits: Getty Images 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/too-big-too-heavy-and-too-slow-to-change-road-transport-is-way-off-track-for-net-zero-208655">original article</a>.

Travel Trouble

King Charles’ eye-watering net worth revealed

The royal family’s net worth has always been up for speculation, but The Times has analysed the King’s various income streams and unveiled the King’s personal net worth. King Charles reportedly has a personal net worth of £600 million or around $1.1 billion. The King’s fortune surpasses the late Queen’s net wealth of £370 million or $684 million, by more than double the amount. A former aide told The Times that King Charles had managed to accumulate a significant net wealth over the years following his costly divorce from Princess Diana in 1996 - where he paid her a $31 million lump sum and $740,000 annual salary. “He became prudent at tucking away some money from the Duchy [of Cornwall] after that wipe-out [of capital],” said the source. The duchy is where most of King Charles’ income comes from. There are two duchies in the UK, the Duchy of Lancaster and the Duchy of Cornwall. Both of these property empires primarily invest in land. King Charles inherited the Duchy of Lancaster following his mother’s death last September, and Prince William is now in charge of overseeing the Duchy of Cornwall, which is estimated to be worth $1.8 billion. When King Charles was in charge of overseeing the Duchy of Cornwall, he had increased its annual profits by 42.6 per cent to $47 million between 2011-2022. He made $393.6 million from the duchy in that time period, which isn’t liable to tax, though King has been voluntarily paying income tax since 1993. A lot of the revenue comes from “renting commercial properties” from other parts of the UK according to The Times. The Duchy of Lancaster has $1.2 billion of net assets, and although the royal in charge of overseeing the duchies are not allowed to sell the assets, they can keep the annual revenue. Sandringham and Balmoral are a couple of other income streams for King Charles, with an estimated value of $453 million for Sandringham and $388 million for the Balmoral castle and its estate. Image: Getty

Money & Banking

Is Kyle too cruel even for Australian Idol?

Kyle Sandilands, known across Australia for his controversial no-filter commentary, has once again caused a stir with his take on one Australian Idol contestant’s audition. Kyle, the only original cast member to return for the show’s reboot, was joined by Meghan Trainor, Harry Connick Jr, and fellow Australian Amy Shark. Ali Morriss, a 27-year-old aged care worker from Brisbane, kicked off her audition with an unusual technique - handing out copies of her young adult novel Outside to the judges. The book is published under the pen name RA Bissmire. Kyle’s inappropriate remark came after Ali informed the judges which song she’d be performing for her audition, Untouched by The Veronicas. “Is it because you are untouched?” Sandilands asked. Ali replied, “I don’t know if I can answer that.” Kyle’s comment, which had nothing to do with Ali’s singing ability and everything to do with his “shock jock” approach to commentary, drew varied reactions from his fellow judges. “Oh my god,” Meghan Trainor exclaimed, waving a hand in Kyle’s direction from her position next to him on the panel, “oh my god. It’s a family show.” Amy Shark managed an uncomfortable laugh, leaning away. Meanwhile, Harry Connick Jr did not dignify Kyle’s jab with a response, keeping his gaze down and locked on Ali’s gifted book. Ali’s situation wasn’t set to improve, with her rendition of Untouched falling short of what the judges were searching for. “This is a hardcore singing show,” Harry Connick Jr told her in a bid to soften the rejection, “and as lovely as you are, you’re just not ready for that.” Amy Shark agreed with Harry’s take, telling Ali that she’d selected a difficult song in the first place, even adding, “I feel like it’s a song only the Veronicas can crush.” It was then that Kyle chose to follow up on his initial approach to Ali’s audition, holding her book up as he told her, “I think you should go outside.” Kyle’s attitude has left a bad taste in the mouths of many viewers, especially given the show’s approach to “respecting” their talents this season. In a pinned tweet from January 30, producers invited the audience to join them for a “respectful season”. It appears Sandilands missed the invitation. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Here's your golden ticket to a respectful season of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AustralianIdol?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AustralianIdol</a> 💙 <a href="https://t.co/t1R2gZk0XO">pic.twitter.com/t1R2gZk0XO</a> — Australian Idol (@AustralianIdol) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianIdol/status/1619954465641234432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2023</a></blockquote> People were quick to share their take on that, given Kyle’s presence on the panel, and the fact that Australian Idol was choosing to broadcast the less-than-ideal auditions in the first place. “Lol lol lol lol lol,” began former journalist and reporter Mark Kearney, “says the show that’s platforming serial misogynist Kyle Sandilands?” “So why put them up for public ridicule?” asked one fan. “Except the judges are reacting and comment some terrible stuff,” wrote another, “and being straight up rude- it’s not even funny.” One commenter took the opportunity to point out the show’s hypocrisy, posing the question to the Australian Idol account, “aren’t you using people as a platform knowing they are terrible?” It appears that Australian Idol is shaping up to be a bumpy ride, with some noting that it hasn't changed in the 14 years since its previous seasons, surmising that it’s “back to its old ways of humiliating young people.” Images: Getty

Idyllic Sydney beach evacuated after several shark sightings

Swimmers have been called to leave the water after a school of sharks have been spotted cruising close to the shore at the popular Sydney beach on Tuesday morning. It is understood that up to 15 hammerheads got within metres of swimmers at Palm Beach, prompting an alarm to be raised around 1pm. The beach was shut and flags taken down as lifeguards monitored the situation from the water on jet skis and from the sand. Swimmers have since been able to return to the water at Palm Beach. The sighting comes a week after another hammerhead shark was spotted at the same iconic beach. Australia has not recorded a human fatality from an attack by a hammerhead shark, according the Australian Marine Conservation Society website. The event has renewed debate on the use of shark nets in NSW, with some saying sightings should not cause alarm. There are 15 shark nets on the Northern Beaches between Palm Beach and Manly. “With all the new drones that the beach patrols have these days they can monitor the sharks, shark nets only tangle up other sea life,” one person said on social media. “Sharks being sharks in their own environment, who would have thought?” another said. Image: Getty

Travel Trouble

"False sense of safety": More sharks spotted inside nets on popular beach

The effectiveness of shark nets is in question after two hammerheads were filmed inside the nets at Bondi Beach. Footage shared on Instagram by Drone Shark App founder Jason Iggledenm shows two sharks moving through the water, even showing the pair circling each other. “Two hammerhead sharks inside the shark nets at Bondi Beach this morning,” he wrote. “Great to see they diverted the nets safely.” “There were no swimmers in the area as it was just before sunrise,” he added. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cl0UPTkDOSs/?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/Cl0UPTkDOSs/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by MARINE LIFE SHOW🐳🐬🐋🦈 FROM Air (@dronesharkapp)</a> </div> </blockquote> It is understood the sharks were safely chased further out to sea by Bondi Lifeguards. However, if this was a day earlier, the situation would have been more alarming with thousands hitting the water for the iconic Bondi to Bronte swim. Many praised Jason, who named one of the sharks as a well-known local called Homer, for sharing the footage and a vital lesson. “Good job getting this message out!” one person wrote. “So important to debunk the ‘barrier’ myth.” “The fact these two were spotted on the beach-side of the net shows how outdated and ineffective this measure is,” Dr Leonardo Guida, a shark scientist and conservationist at the Australian Marine Conservation Society told Nine News. Earlier this year, the mayor of Waverly called for the shark nets to be removed saying they “create a false sense of safety” but the bid was ultimately rejected by the NSW Government. While the government says shark nets are not designed to create a total barrier between swimmers and sharks, it insists they are helpful in deterring sharks from establishing territories, thereby reducing the odds of a shark encounter. Image: Instagram

Travel Trouble

How much net-worth do you need to retire?

I’m often asked ‘How much net worth do I need to accumulate before I can retire?’ While everyone will have a different number depending on their wants and needs, let’s try to figure out yours. Net Worth, Assets & Liabilities Your net worth (aka net assets, net wealth) is what’s left over if you cashed in all your assets, and paid out all your liabilities. Keeping things simple, an asset is something of value, and a liability is a debt you owe. For example, if you purchased a car using a car loan then the car’s value is the asset, and the balance of the car loan is the liability. You can further split your assets and liabilities into two categories: lifestyle and financial. Lifestyle assets are items of value you own for necessity or enjoyment: home, clothes, car, furniture, etc. Lifestyle debt is money you borrow to purchase lifestyle assets. Financial assets are investments you purchase for return, and financial debt is money you borrow to purchase financial assets. Here’s a diagram that summarises how to calculate your net assets (i.e. net worth): <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/net-worth-graph-1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Are You Rich? If you find yourself in a situation where your liabilities are higher than your assets then you have negative net worth and are said to be ‘underwater’. Someone who can’t repay their liabilities is said to be insolvent, or more colloquially, flat out broke. If you’d like to compare your situation against the so-called Joneses, a Credit Suisse report ranked Australia as the richest country in the world, noting that at the end of 2021 the average Aussie had a net worth $410,000. The same report declared there were an estimated 390,000 Aussie millionaires, so pulling out my trusty calculator and dividing by our estimated population of approx 25.5m people, if you have a seven figure net worth then congratulations – you are in the top 1.5% of wealth builders and are amongst the richest of the rich. Before moving on, have a go at filling in the boxes in the diagram above to tally up your lifestyle and financial assets and liabilities and calculate your net worth. What Do The Results Indicate? Here’s a saying to remember: the more you do of what you’ve done, the more you’ll get of what you’ve got. Your present net worth is the product of your financial mindset and habits applied over time. Therefore, unless you improve your financial IQ and / financial EQ (i.e. the way you think, act and feel about money) then your future is unlikely to be any better than your present, and possibly considerably worse once you retire and cease receiving employment income. If your current net worth is strong, then well done and keep it up. If it’s not, or you want it to be better, then you’ll need help to up-skill and change your thoughts and behaviours before it’s too late. What’s Your Magic Number? My suggested magic number for a net worth number to aim for enough financial and lifestyle assets to afford the lifestyle you want in retirement. The goal is to be debt-free and have no financial or lifestyle liabilities. It’s important to point out that retirement isn’t necessarily the domain of older citizens. More and more, younger people are quietly quitting or seeking to be financially independent sooner so they can retire early. Financial Assets The amount of financial assets you need can be calculated by working backwards. That is, by dividing your desired annual income by your expected average investment return. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/net-worth-graph-2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> For example, if your annual desired income was $80,000, and you had the skill to achieve an 8 per cent annual return, then you would need financial assets totaling $1,000,000. That is, $1,000,000 invested at 8 per cent per annum will generate an income from your investments of $80,000 each year for the rest of your life. If you’re finding this all a bit confusing then you might find my ’10 and 8 Rule’ helpful. Simply multiply your current gross income by 10 to get your debt-free financial asset goal, and then multiply that result by 8 per cent (0.08) to get your estimated annual investment income. For instance, if you earned $70,000 per annum then your debt-free financial asset goal would be $700,000, and you would have an annual investment income of $56,000 to fund your retirement. Lifestyle Assets The amount of your lifestyle assets, such as home, furnishings, car, clothes, etc. all need to be added into the mix. The more extravagant your lifestyle needs, the larger your annual income will need to be to pay for it (and hence you’ll need more financial assets or the ability to achieve higher investment returns), and the bigger the lifestyle asset balance will need to be. Summary Taking into consideration everything we’ve discussed, here’s a blueprint you can follow to calculate your required net worth, and that also reveals how much more wealth you need to attract and keep to achieve your goal. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/net-worth-graph-3.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Have a go at filling in the boxes, working across each row left to right. If you end up with a surplus then you already have enough assets, you just need to redeploy them so your money is working harder for you. Edited extract from Steve McKnight’s Money Magnet: How to Attract and Keep a Fortune that Counts (Wiley $32.95), available now at all leading retailers. Image credits: Supplied / Getty Images

Retirement Income

Surfers not worried about shark attacks

The sight of a dorsal fin knifing through the waves might send many swimming for the shore, but a survey of surfers shows it won’t deter many from catching a wave. A University of South Australia study published in Marine Policy reveals 44% of surfers say a shark sighting would not stop them from being in the water. While more than half of the 391 surfers surveyed had seen a shark while they out on the water, 60% were not afraid of the marine creatures. The survey also revealed more surfers have been bitten by sharks than we think. But the global survey of surfer attitudes towards sharks, undertaken by behavioural scientist Dr Brianna Le Busque, found surfers had generally positive views on these apex predators. Le Busque told Cosmos, to date there has been very little research on surfers’ perceptions of and interactions with sharks. “A lot of the shark policies, shark nets and things like that are implemented, in part to protect surfers. But there hasn’t really been a lot of research to actually ask them what they want,” she says. Le Busque says the study may help to change people’s negative perceptions of sharks. This is important because fear of sharks can act as a barrier to conserving them. “Shark conservation is important. As apex predators at the top of the food chain, if sharks become endangered or extinct this can have flow on effects for the entire ecosystem.” Globally, 100 million sharks are killed each year with a quarter of shark species threatened by extinction. But conserving sharks is complicated because they can harm humans, and many people fear them. “When people are afraid of sharks, they don’t want sharks to be conserved … it’s also a driving motivation for having certain shark policies. So things like shark culls, shark nets, they are implemented because of people’s fears of sharks,” Le Busque says. Le Busque says research indicates the public have a higher perception of risk when it comes to sharks, compared to the low likelihood of encountering one. Surfers’ relaxed views on sharks contrasted with those of the wider public. This was despite the survey finding quite a high share of surfers (17%) had been bitten, or knew someone who had been bitten by a shark. Le Busque says, this is quite a high percentage, higher than shark attack statistics suggest. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/surfer-shark-survey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Petra Stock. Image: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

"Where is the diversity?": Australian Idol judging panel hits first major snag

Australian Idol is yet to hit the screens but it’s already facing a major problem with its lack of diversity. Radio shock jock <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/he-s-a-real-crooner-kyle-reveals-judging-line-up-for-return-of-australian-idol" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyle Sandilands announced</a> that he will be joined by US singers Meghan Trainor and Harry Connick Jr and Australian pop star Amy Shark as judges on the talent show. The show’s social media accounts also shared the news but many people asked about the lack of diversity with the judges. “Where is the diversity?” queried former ABC News reporter Mark Kearney. “The OG Australian Idol had at the heart of its panel Marcia Hines. This one has … a foul shock jock with a history of racism, misogyny and homophobia? Yucky.” Co-founder of Media Diversity AU Antoinette Lattouf sarcastically said there was a bit of diversity because one of the judges has a hyphen in their name. <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/CjBmkvnhDq_/?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/CjBmkvnhDq_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Australian Idol (@australianidol)</a> </div> </blockquote> “This is an epic and exciting opportunity to get judged by six white people. (To be fair there is some diversity, one has a hyphen in their name.)” she tweeted. “Not sure why anyone is surprised about the Australian Idol judging panel - the other talent shows on our screens are just as bad. If they want diversity they always just have Mel B on,” someone else commented. “I LoVe tHiS rEpReSenTatiOn oF oUr MuLtiCuLtuRaL cOunTrY,” another wrote. Australian Idol first hit the screen 10 years ago and will come back on Channel 7 in 2023. “(We) start filming the auditions next week. It’ll be me. The other Australian I’ve chosen, Amy Shark will be the other Australian. She’s excellent. She’s a nice girl but she’s been busy, she writes songs, she works hard, she’ll be fabulous,” Sandilands said. “Meghan Trainor … and from American Idol … Harry Connick Jr. Yes grannies, get your panties wet now. Harry Connick Jr. is on Australian Idol. He’s a real crooner.” It will take back its old format in which contestants from around Australia will audition before a top 12 is chosen for live shows. Past seasons have come out with incredible stars including Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy and Casey Donovan. Images: Instagram

Food blogger eats protected species

A Chinese food blogger has landed herself in hot water after illegally cooking and eating a protected great white shark. The foodie, known as Tizi, shared a video of herself eating the protected species which authorities believe she bought illegally from a seafood shop in the southwestern city of Nanchong in Sichuan province. She then recorded herself laying down next to the 2 metre long great white shark to show its size in comparison to her. The shark was then cut into several pieces before it was barbecued and the head boiled in a broth. “It may look vicious, but its meat is truly super tender,” Tizi says in the video. Viewers were outraged at Tizi for eating the protected species, with some challenging her to prove that the animal was “bred in captivity”. Tizi has since removed the video from her account and is being investigated by authorities for illegally cooking and eating the protected species. If found guilty, Tizi faces five years’ imprisonment or criminal detention and a fine for purchasing rare and endangered wildlife products. Images: Weibo

Travel Trouble

Illegal fishers and wayward sharks are in the sights of new multispectral imaging

The oceans are warming. Reefs are dying. Fish are on the move. As a result, sharks and illegal fishers are scouring Australia’s coast in search of an increasingly elusive catch, and that, says ESpy Ocean founder Ian Dewey, is having an immense impact on everything from regional tourism to ocean ecologies. Illegal fishers, like sharks, are elusive predators. Their survival depends on being fast, silent and unexpected. They’re threatening a $1.6-billion regional Australia industry. Sharks also aren’t behaving the way they used to. They’re turning up in unexpected places, at unexpected times, which can result in tragedy. “Everyone says use drones or dirigibles to spot them,” Dewey says. “But everyone knows that when we’re on the beach in our string bikinis and Speedos, the last thing we want is a drone above us.” With dark fleets of illegal fishing boats turning off their tracking systems to breach international boundaries, time is of the essence in addressing the problem, just as it is with wayward sharks. “Both are increasing problems,” Dewey says. “I only know in terms of the illegal fishing missions that we’ve been involved in, but invariably there are people around protected areas on a daily basis”. Traditional spotter aircraft can’t cope, and using satellites to track vessels isn’t anything new. What is new is multispectral imaging. A regular camera captures an image on just three channels red, green and blue (RGB) – generating a crisp image of the visible spectrum if the weather is clear. A multispectral image has up to 110 different frequencies, ranging from ultraviolet to microwave. This imaging technology is nothing new. What is new is applying machine learning to identifying what it “sees”. “So it was a matter of working out what we can do through clouds in all kinds of weather, preferably right on dawn,” says Dewey. “I just started going through what frequencies can do what and – if we are looking for a boat – what the hell’s it gonna look like?” It’s a similar story for sharks – what multispectral signatures do different species give, at what depth, under what conditions, at what time? Dewey says the potential to extract such detail from hyperspectral imaging is enormous. It can identify what a boat is made from, what sort of paint has been used (and how old it is), and what equipment is on the deck. “All these things mean that your picture is different to every other boat in the ocean,” he says. “If we see you today, we can see you tomorrow, match those frequencies, and say – we got you!” ESpy demonstrated the potential of the technology for New South Wales Fisheries over the last Easter long weekend. Suitable satellites were identified, access to their hyperspectral cameras was secured, and patrol vessels were stationed in strategic locations waiting for a call to action. “Our system is incredibly fast, which gives us the edge,” Dewey says. “Generally, our system allows boats to be caught red-handed. That makes it so much easier where the courts are concerned.” The shark-spotting challenge is a more recent project. ESpy is in initial discussions with NSW Fisheries and the University of South Australia’s Industrial AI Research Centre to develop techniques to spot the predators first thing in the morning and use established behavioural patterns to predict where they could move during the day. While trespassing trawlers present a major issue, the deadliest offender is often someone much closer to home. One dragnet can strip an ecosystem of everything from algae and small crustaceans to dolphins and turtles, leaving damage that can take years to recover. “Our big problem in Australia is the little guy who throws out a net once or twice,” Dewey says. “He’s generally local, or at least from within 100-or-so kilometres. But he’s got a high risk of being caught, so he just wants to get in and take as much as possible as quickly as possible.” <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=195119&title=Illegal+fishers+and+wayward+sharks+are+in+the+sights+of+new+multispectral+imaging" width="1" height="1" />This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/oceans/espy-oceans-tracking-waters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Jamie Seidel. Image: Shutterstock <div id="cosmos-link-back"></div>

Travel Trouble

Wild scenes after No.1 seed slaps opponent at the net

A tennis player has been caught on camera slapping his opponent - so, is this Will Smith’s match? Michael Kouame, 15, lost to Raphael Nii Ankrah, 16, 2-6 7-6 6-7 in the first round of an ITF juniors tournament in Accra, Ghana’s capital. The pair met at the net to shake hands before Michael slapped Raphael in the face before a brawl ensued amongst attendees. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://t.co/4B0NjVI5zv">pic.twitter.com/4B0NjVI5zv</a> — SHARP SHOOTER 🔫 (@Kwesi_Gibson) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kwesi_Gibson/status/1511083902382792716?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2022</a></blockquote> Footage of the incident was shared to Twitter with many pointing out that Michael should not have slapped Raphael and tried to run away. “I think he forgot his location..how can you slap someone in his own country,” someone pointed out. “Kid was running ? You can’t start sh*t and then run away,” another commented. “The coward ran away? Disgraceful behavior!” another wrote. Image: Twitter

Legal

Shark House owner not happy about protected status

A whopping 7.6-metre sculpture of a shark diving through the roof of a house in Oxford, England has been made a protected landmark - but the man who lives there isn’t pleased by the news. Magnus Hanson-Heine loves the sculpture, which his father, Bill Heine, erected with the help of a local sculptor, but says making it protected as a “special contribution” to the community ignores some key messages his father was trying to make. Mr Heine first installed the unusual sculpture in 1986 as an anti-war, anti-nuke protest, after he heard US warplanes fly over his house and discovered they were going to bomb Tripoli in retaliation for Libyan sponsorship of terrorist attacks on US troops. The image of a shark crashing through the roof captured the shock that would have been felt when the bombs dropped on people’s homes, Mr Hanson-Heine said. But, Mr Hanson-Heine’s issue with the protection of the sculpture comes after it was installed without the approval of local council officials, with his father arguing that he didn’t think they should be able to decide what art people see. Mr Hanson-Heine said that the decision was “absurd” after the council had spent years trying to remove it. “Using the planning apparatus to preserve a historical symbol of planning law defiance is absurd on the face of it,” Mr Hanson-Heine told <a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-oddities-oxford-nuclear-weapons-a6b004db12f62eac6fa3efdd2e962757?utm_medium=AP_Europe&utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Associated Press</a>. Mr Heine, who passed away in 2019, built the great white shark out of fibreglass with his friend, sculptor John Buckley in April. They installed it on August 9, the 41st anniversary of the day the US dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki during World War II. Mr Hanson-Heine said the sculpture’s anti-war message is just as relevant today, with Russian bombs falling on Ukraine and President Vladimir Putin delivering thinly veiled threats of nuclear war. “That’s obviously something that the people in Ukraine are experiencing right now in very real time,” the quantum chemist said. “But certainly when there’s nuclear weapons on the stage, which has been through my entire life, that’s always a very real threat.” Despite its serious message, the shark is also the subject of some more light-hearted content, with photos on its very own <a href="https://www.headingtonshark.com/Home/Gallery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> including one of Mr Heine sharing a glass of wine with the shark and another of a passer-by posed to look as if she’s eating it. When asked whether the shark's head can be found inside the home, Mr Hanson-Heine laughed. “I believe it was an urban myth for a while that it was poking above the toilet,” he said. “But no.” Images: The Shark House

Art

"Traumatised" shark attack witnesses condemned online

Witnesses to Sydney's deadly shark attack on Wednesday have come under fire online for how they responded to the tragedy unfolding before them. Footage taken by a beachgoer of the attack has circulated on social media, sparking a furious response to both its grisly content and how witnesses reacted. Bond University Associate Professor of Environmental Science Dr Daryl McPhee, who specialises in the study of human-shark interactions, says this condemnation has to end. “Scapegoating of the witnesses who were at the scene must stop. They themselves are traumatised by what they have seen." Initial reactions from those on the shore seemed show a lack of remorse as the tragedy unfolded, but Dr McPhee said this emotionless response is common when in a state of shock. Dr McPhee also stressed that the victim and their loved ones should be considered in the conversation. “The victim’s family and friends should be foremost in our minds,” he said. “We need to let the authorities get on with their investigations." “I’d also urge news and social media outlets to take down videos of the attack and its immediate aftermath.” Following the deadly attack on Wednesday, NSW Ambulance inspector Lucky Phrachnanh said the swimmer “suffered catastrophic injuries and there was nothing paramedics could do”. Human remains and half of a wetsuit were later found in the water. Popular beaches in the area have closed since the attack, with Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders ensuring that Primary Industries would work with other authorities to determine if the killer shark - or any others - remained in the vicinity. Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

Sad news after fatal Sydney shark victim identified

A devastated friend of Sydney shark attack victim Simon Nellist has revealed the 35-year-old British man’s wedding to the “girl of his dreams” had been delayed due to Covid before he was killed. The swimmer was mauled to death by a great white shark as he trained for a charity ocean swim, ahead of his planned wedding to Sydney’s Jessie Ho. He was only 150m away from the beach at Buchan Point, near Little Bay in Sydney, when the shark struck. This has been the first fatal attack in the area in nearly 60 years. The British expat’s remains were found in the water on Wednesday afternoon following the ordeal. The tragedy happened as the former Royal Air Force (RAF) serviceman was due to marry the “girl of his dreams”. A close friend of Mr Nellist told The Sun: “Him and Jessie were due to get married last year but that got put off because of Covid. “It’s just horrendous. We spent most of yesterday just hoping and praying it wasn’t him. It’s still incredibly raw.” “Simon was amazing. That’s all there is to say really. He was just the best. “He was the nicest, kindest human. It is a huge loss.” The close friend of Mr Nellis revealed that Simon “fell in love” with Australia after going travelling around six years ago. He also claimed Simon was an “experienced swimmer who really knew the water”. “He was massively into wildlife and knew exactly what he was doing. He wasn’t daft. It’s just a freak accident. “Simon was doing his diving and he would send us the most amazing videos of the wildlife out there. He was so respectful of the wildlife. “He finished in the RAF about six years ago and he went travelling and then just fell in love with it out there. Then he fell in love with Jessie. Witnesses said they heard the victim yell out for help in desperation as the shark pounced just after 4:30 pm on Wednesday. The great white allegedly “attacked vertically” before dragging the man’s body out of the ocean. Expert Lawrence Chlebeck said that the ferocious shark probably mistook the swimmer, reportedly wearing a wetsuit, for a seal when it launched and attacked. The 35-year-old was a regular swimmer in the bay where the frenzy occurred, according to local MP Michael Daley. One of the swimmer’s heartbroken friends, Della Ross, told Seven News: “Everything that is connected to Simon is connected to the ocean. “He loved the water, he loved diving.” Images: Facebook

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Horror details emerge after Sydney's first fatal shark attack in 60 years

Sydney’s first fatal shark attack in almost 60 years has left onlookers reeling.A man was killed at Little Bay Beach in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs after he was attacked on Wednesday afternoon.In a <a href="https://www.police.nsw.gov.au/news/news_article?sq_content_src=%2BdXJsPWh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGZWJpenByZC5wb2xpY2UubnN3Lmdvdi5hdSUyRm1lZGlhJTJGMTAwMTMzLmh0bWwmYWxsPTE%3D" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>, NSW Police said emergency services were called to the scene after receiving a report of the attack.The victim has not been formally identified and human remains were found in the water, with NSW Police confirming that DNA from the victim's remains was being used to help identify them.After witnessing the attack from just metres away, onlookers said the “big shark” came “out of nowhere” and attacked the man.“Out of nowhere we just heard like ‘Agh’ and something came up and, yeah, it was just a big shark in the air, totally airborne, hit the guy very, very quick,” one witness told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-shark-attack-witnesses-shocked-as-man-killed-metres-away/03322a55-187e-42af-9125-705ecad46b8f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a>.“Came back down and we realised it was a shark attack on a swimmer. Just ten metres off the rocks. We couldn’t do anything about it.”Kris Linto, another witness, claimed the shark was about 4.5 metres long.“(The person) was swimming and a shark came and attacked (them) vertically,” Mr Linto said.“We heard a yell and turned around, it looked like a car had landed in the water, a big splash then the shark.“It was really bad.”<img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/shark-attack-boat.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" />The search for the shark which killed a man at a Sydney beach is resuming. Image: 9NewsThe search for the shark continues, as Surf Life Saving NSW (SLSNSW) volunteers assist police and officials from the Department of Primary Industries.“This is a terrible tragedy, the first fatal shark incident in Sydney for decades. Our thoughts are with the man’s family and friends,” SLSNSW President George Shales said.Steven Pearce, the organisation’s CEO, said the attack’s proximity to the rock shelf made it “particularly horrific” for witnesses.“We had our Life Savers helicopter on the scene within minutes,” he told Ben Fordham on 2GB.“When they arrived, there was nothing they could do.”The Department of Primary Industries has recently tagged several bull sharks near the area of the attack, but Mr Pearce said the species of the shark involved was still unknown.But, judging by witness reports, he said “it’s a huge shark”.“When we decide to go into the water, we have to remember it is their domain,” he said.“(But) what happened yesterday, it makes everyone sick just thinking about it.”Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker said the incident at a normally “calm”, family-friendly location has left the community in shock.“The coast is our community’s backyard,” he said.“Little Bay is normally such a calm, beautiful place enjoyed by families.“To lose someone to a shark attack like this is chilling. We are all in shock.“Our entire community’s hearts go out to the family of the victim.”Image: 9News

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Leaker of gruesome shark attack photo revealed

Leaked photo of Sydney shark victim sparks urgent probe