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King Charles unveils first post-coronation portrait

<p>King Charles has unveiled his first post-coronation portrait in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace. </p> <p>The painting by Jonathan Yeo - known for portraits of celebrities including Nicole Kidman, Paris Hilton and Grayson Perry - was commissioned in 2020 to celebrate the then Prince of Wales’ 50 years as a member of charitable institution The Drapers’ Company. </p> <p>Yeo had four sittings with the King, with the first sitting when Charles was still Prince of Wales in June 2021 at his country home in Highgrove, and the last sitting in November 2023 at Clarence house. </p> <p>The portrait  – approximately 2.6 metres by 2 metres framed – depicts King Charles wearing the uniform of the Welsh Guard. </p> <p>“It was a privilege and pleasure to have been commissioned by The Drapers’ Company to paint this portrait of His Majesty The King, the first to be unveiled since his Coronation,” the artist said.</p> <p>“When I started this project, His Majesty The King was still His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, and much like the butterfly I’ve painted hovering over his shoulder, this portrait has evolved as the subject’s role in our public life has transformed.</p> <p>“I do my best to capture the life experiences etched into any individual sitter’s face.</p> <p>“In this case, my aim was also to make reference to the traditions of Royal portraiture but in a way that reflects a 21st century monarchy and, above all else, to communicate the subject’s deep humanity,” said Mr Yeo.</p> <p>“I’m unimaginably grateful for the opportunity to capture such an extraordinary and unique person, especially at the historic moment of becoming King.”</p> <p>The King and Queen met The Master of The Drapers’ Company, Tom Harris and Past Master, William Charnley on Tuesday at Buckingham Palace. </p> <p>The portrait will go on public display for a month at the Philip Mould Gallery in London, from May 16 until June 14 and will be displayed at Drapers’ Hall from the end of August.</p> <p><em>Images: news.com.au</em></p> <p> </p>

Art

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Survey unveils Aussies thoughts on tourism tax

<p>Earlier this year, Bali launched a controversial tourism tax, which meant that every traveller entering the island would have to pay a $15 fee, which the Indonesian province have said will be used for environmental and cultural projects. </p> <p>Now, Aussies have shared their thoughts on introducing a similar system here, and survey results have revealed that many are keen for the tourism tax to be introduced here. </p> <p>Travel provider InsureandGo conducted the survey and found that 60 per cent of Australians would support the government introducing a tax to combat the rising environmental toll of tourism.</p> <p>"Tourist taxes are a relatively new concept, but as travel demand swells, we are seeing more countries adopt the levy," InsureandGo Chief Commercial Officer Jonathan Etkind said. </p> <p>"What's heartening is that only a minority of 37 per cent of respondents don't support tourism taxes, demonstrating just how many Australians support the concept of sustainable travel."</p> <p>The response comes amid increased sustainability concerns on our flora and fauna, which are being threatened by over-tourism. </p> <p>The tax is particularly supported by younger Aussies aged between 18 to 30, with 73 per cent of them saying yes to tourism taxes. </p> <p>Etkind said that this may be because younger Aussies are typically more aware of the environmental impacts of travel compared to the older generation, who may be less accustomed to the tax. </p> <p>Along with Bali, other cities and countries have started introducing similar fees to combat overtourism,  with Venice set to charge day-trippers a fee of 5 Euros ($8.20) per visit. </p> <p>Amsterdam, Netherlands has the highest tourism tax in Europe, with the former 7 per cent hotel tourist levy rising to 12.5 per cent this year. </p> <p>New Zealand also charges international visitors excluding Aussie citizens and permanent residents $25 levy ($32.64 AUD) to address the challenges created by tourism in its conservation areas. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

International Travel

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Qantas unveils tribute to Luke Davies

<p>Qantas has unveiled how they will be honouring their slain colleague Luke Davies at the annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. </p> <p>The bodies of Luke Davies and his boyfriend Jesse Baird were found buried in the NSW Southern Tablelands earlier this week, as police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon has been charged with two counts of murder over their deaths. </p> <p>Now, on the eve of the Mardi Gras parade that takes over Sydney's Oxford Street every year, Qantas has shared how they will honour Davies' life on the Flying Kangaroo float. </p> <p>Davies' name will be front and centre of the float, while Mardi Gras organiser Brandon Bear said this year’s festival would be a time for both celebration and mourning.</p> <p>“Mardi Gras is a multiplicity of things and we come together not just to celebrate, but also to spark conversation to make change and this year, there’ll be an element of us coming together to mourn,” he told <em>ABC News</em>. </p> <p>“We’re certainly working with the community (to recognise the couple) and we know our partners are working to use their parade float to talk to the lives and the memory of those young men.”</p> <p>The conversation around the death of Baird and Davies just before Mardi Gras has sparked a lot of debate, with Mardi Gras reaching an agreement with NSW Police saying they would be allowed to march in the parade, as long as they are not in uniform. </p> <p>A silent vigil is set to be held on Friday evening in the Sydney suburb of Darlinghurst to honour the lives of Luke and Jesse, with the public invited by their families to join them in mourning.</p> <p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 25px; padding: 0px; line-height: 24px;"><em>Image credits: Facebook / Qantas </em></p>

Caring

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Russell Crowe unveils new look not seen in over 20 years

<p>Russell Crowe, the man of many faces – literally, his beard has its own postcode – is making headlines again. Not for his stellar performances or his knack for embodying iconic characters, but for something far more groundbreaking: he shaved.</p> <p>Yes, you read that right. Russell Crowe has gone from grizzly lumberjack chic to smooth operator in what can only be described as a follicular metamorphosis of epic proportions.</p> <p>In a tweet that shook the internet harder than a magnitude 9 earthquake, Crowe proudly announced, "The actor prepares #20. First shave since 2019".</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The actor prepares #20.<br />First shave since 2019. <a href="https://t.co/e48ctxh9GY">pic.twitter.com/e48ctxh9GY</a></p> <p>— Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) <a href="https://twitter.com/russellcrowe/status/1759500781642780929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 19, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>Now, to put this into perspective, in 2019 we were all living in a blissful ignorance of the chaos that awaited us in the years to come. So, the fact that Russell Crowe has finally decided to bid farewell to his facial foliage is nothing short of a miracle.</p> <p>In the accompanying photo, Crowe stares into the camera with the seriousness of a man who has just discovered a rare species of moth living in his beard. His face, now liberated from the tangled web of hair, appears decades younger, causing fans to collectively question if time travel is, in fact, possible.</p> <p>But let's not forget, this isn't Crowe's first rodeo with a clean-shaven face. Even though he cites "2019" in his caption, the last time he showcased such ephemeral smoothness was back in 2012 while promoting <em>Les Miserables –</em> a time when the world was still recovering from the shock of "Gangnam Style" and debating the colour of a certain pinstriped dress. So, it's safe to say, Crowe's clean-shaven look is rarer than a blue moon on a leap year.</p> <p>Of course, fans couldn't contain their excitement. One Twitter user exclaimed, "20 years younger instantly!" Another fan, probably needing a moment to catch their breath after witnessing the transformation, simply stated, "oh THERE you are". And let's not overlook the fan who eloquently remarked, "Looks good! It’s nice to change it up and shave. You have a nice face it was hiding behind all that hair." Ah, poetry in the age of social media.</p> <p>But what prompted this seismic shift in Crowe's appearance? Well, he didn't spill the beans on which movie role necessitated the razor, but we can only imagine the possibilities. Perhaps he's playing a time-travelling barber who inadvertently alters the course of history with each stroke of his razor. Or maybe he's set to star in a reboot of <em>The Santa Clause</em> as the titular character who decides to trade in his bushy beard for a more aerodynamic look. The possibilities are as endless as the hairs on Crowe's chin once were.</p> <p>Whatever the reason, one thing's for sure: Crowe's fresh shave has left an indelible mark on the internet. And as he gears up for roles in everything from historical dramas (he’s pegged to play Hermann Göring in the film <em>Nuremberg) </em>to MMA action flicks (such as <em>The Beast In Me</em>, which traces the life of a commercial fisherman who avenges his brother's death by fighting in a cage match)<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">, we can only hope that his newfound smoothness becomes a permanent fixture. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">After all, in a world of chaos and uncertainty, sometimes all it takes is a clean shave to restore our faith in humanity.</span></p> <p><em>Images: Poker Face / Twitter (X) </em></p>

Movies

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Why can’t WE do this?! UK company unveils "Grans Go Free" flights

<p>EasyJet Holidays has unveiled their "first of its kind" offer allowing older relatives to travel for free on family bookings to popular European destinations, including Spain, Greece and Italy. </p> <p>The offer was announced during the final week of the easyJet Holidays Big Orange Sale last week, where customers could get up to £400 off. </p> <p>The move was made after a survey they conducted found that half of families have never holidayed abroad with grandparents.</p> <p>From the survey of 2,000 British adults, half of them said they regret not spending more time with grandparents and hoped to travel with them in their upcoming holidays. </p> <p>"We're proud to offer thousands of free kids' places, but we feel it's time to recognise the grandparents," easyJet Holidays Chief Operating Officer, Matt Callaghan said. </p> <p>"This research shows how important grandparent and grandchild relationships are and how much can be learned from making time for them."</p> <p>The tour operator hopes to encourage people in the UK to take a "3G" holiday - the term used for getaways with three or more generations. </p> <p>They found that seventy-seven per cent of the people surveyed agreed that the bond between grandparents and grandchildren is one of the most special relationships within a family. </p> <p>73 percent of these people also said that they would use the holiday opportunity to learn more about their grandparents' lives, and almost half of them want to benefit from their grandparents' wisdom. </p> <p>The most popular destinations for multi-generational holidays abroad are Spain (18 per cent), Italy and France, which both sit at 13 per cent. </p> <p>Limited spaces for the offer were made available and to qualify, the grandparent had to travel as part of a family booking with at least one child, and provide proof of age and relation had to be provided upon arrival at the hotel. </p> <p>The offer ended on the 5th of February, but it does make us wonder, when will Australia follow in their footsteps?</p> <p><em>Image: EasyJet/ Getty</em></p>

International Travel

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Better Homes and Gardens unveils new celebrity chef

<p>Last November, <em>Better Homes and Gardens </em><a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/better-homes-and-gardens-star-announces-exit-after-20-years" target="_blank" rel="noopener">farewelled</a> chef "Fast" Ed Halmagyi, after 20 years on the show. </p> <p>Fans have since been left wondering who will replace him, but the wait is now over. </p> <p>Celebrated chef and <em>My Kitchen Rules</em> judge Colin Fassnidge is set to join the cast  from Friday, 2 February 2024. </p> <p>The Irish TV personality will share his much-loved family recipes as the show celebrates it's 30th anniversary.</p> <p>“Working on Better Homes and Gardens really feels like coming home,” he told<em> 7Life</em>. </p> <p>“I’ve been friends with Johanna Griggs ever since I started at Channel 7, and the rest of the cast and I get on like a house on fire.</p> <p>“I can’t wait to get out on the road and travel around this beautiful country, cooking with some of the best and freshest produce in the world.”</p> <p>He also added that he is a bit intimidated as he has big shoes to fill in after Fast Ed's departure. </p> <p>“It’s a little bit scary, but it’s a good challenge and a lot of fun as well,” he said.</p> <p>Fassnidge also shared what he is planning to bring to the table in the coming year. </p> <p>“This show means a lot of things to a lot of people. I’m going to bring a bit of Irish spice to the table!</p> <p>“I want to do fun, affordable cooking — I’m a chef, but I’ve also got kids as well, so I know how hard it is to put food on the table in this day and age with the cost of living and interest rate rises.</p> <p>“I want to show people how they can use cheaper cuts of meat, how to save time, how to feed the family on a budget, but still make delicious meals.”</p> <p><em>Better Homes and Gardens </em>executive producer Russell Palmer said he was excited to welcome the <em>MKR</em> star to the team, saying it marked the beginning of a new chapter for the show. </p> <p>“He’s a talented and well-respected chef and brings his own charm and innovation, which is sure to inspire our audience,”  he said. </p> <p><em>Images: 7News</em></p>

Food & Wine

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"It's so ugly-cute!": Taronga Zoo unveils new baby puggle

<p>The animal kingdom has been left on the edge of its collective seat after the unveiling of a short-beaked Echidna puggle at Sydney's Taronga Zoo. And if you thought that was the most thrilling part of the story, you clearly don't know what goes on in the secret lives of these "widespread yet elusive" mammals.</p> <p>You see, it turns out that Echidnas are so elusive that they're even stealthy during their birthing process. Female short-beaked Echidna mother, Ganyi, incubated the egg for a whole 10 days. That's right, a solid 10 days of parenting dedication before the puggle even saw the light of day! And to top it off, the puggle was then carefully carried within a false echidna pouch. I bet you didn't even know echidnas had those, did you? (No judgement – we didn't either.)</p> <p>But wait, there's more: The 83-day-old puggle (which, by the way, sounds like an appropriate combination of "pudgy" and "cuddle") weighs in at a whopping 803 grams. It's safe to say that this little one didn't skip any meals in the womb, and those extra grams will come in handy when it's time to tackle the tough world of being an echidna.</p> <p>Now, here's where things get really interesting: The Taronga zookeepers are monitoring this puggle like it's a presidential election. They're collating daily weights, tracking feeding routines and recording critical data from 24-hour CCTV monitoring of the mother's movements. It's like <em>Echidna Big Brother</em>, and Ganyi is the star of the show.</p> <p>Rebecca Russell-Cook, who holds the prestigious title of "Backyard to Bush senior keeper," at Taronga is leading the charge. In a candid interview, she revealed the shocking truth: "The puggle is developing and quickly putting on weight, and Ganyi is feeding the puggle every 2-6 days."</p> <p>But let's not forget the grand finale of this epic saga. According to Russell-Cook, "Every echidna breeding season and resulting birth is invaluable for how much we are able to increase our knowledge around these incredibly mysterious mammals."</p> <p>The reaction to the unveiling of the little puggle has been predictably awestruck, with one commenter collapsing into fits of giggles before crying out "OMG it's so ugly-cute!".... which is amazingly spot-on. </p> <p>It seems the secret world of short-beaked Echidnas is filled with drama, intrigue and a good deal of weight monitoring. Who knew that these mysterious creatures had so much going on behind those cute, spiky exteriors?</p> <p><em>Images: Taronga Zoo</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Matt Preston unveils all in new memoir

<p>MasterChef icon Matt Preston has spilled it all in his new memoir <em>Big Mouth</em>. </p> <p>Speaking to <em>news.com.au </em>to promote his new memoir, the former <em>MasterChef</em> judge revealed the story behind the “secret hand gesture” he made on-screen. </p> <p>“The first four years of MasterChef were shot in Sydney and my family lived in Melbourne,” he explained. </p> <p>“So I had to find ways when she was watching the show, of letting her know that she was there.</p> <p>“At that point, I used to wear two wedding rings on my left hand, so during tastings I would twist the ring on my finger … so that she could watch and know that I wasn’t just lost in some strange MasterChef celebrity bubble but I was actually remembering her.”</p> <p>He also revealed a few behind the scenes secrets about <em>MasterChef</em>, including the tension between him and fellow judge Gary Mehigan in the first season. </p> <p>“You have to understand that there is a fundamental cobra versus mongoose relationship between food critics and restaurateurs,” he explained,</p> <p>He added that things might have been “a little frosty” between them because of  a review he had written about one of Mehigan's restaurants in the past.</p> <p>“I’m the guy who came to Gary’s restaurant, The Boathouse, and had a wobbly table and wrote about how wobbly my table was. He wasn’t happy.</p> <p>“So there was a certain amount of professional suspicion, shall we say,” he laughed. </p> <p>However, the pair have figured things out and Preston now considers Mehigan as  “one of my most trusted friends”. </p> <p>Preston also answered the one question viewers always ask in every season: “Don’t the dishes go cold before the judges have a chance to taste them?”</p> <p>“We had a number of strategies to ensure that we could see the food in its best form,” Preston told the outlet. </p> <p>One of those strategies was getting the contestants to make a second dish after the challenge ended, and tasting that first. </p> <p>“We’d taste that in a speed tasting before we did the main tasting,” Preston said. “We would go around and look at things like how high the souffle had risen and were the chips crispy.”</p> <p>“We were wandering around the whole time, you could see us in the back of each shot, poking into pots and tasting,” he said.</p> <p>“All you’re trying to do is make the playing field for the contestants as even as possible.”</p> <p>The memoir will be released on November 7 and also explores Preston's adoption, his fractured childhood and a few family tragedies. </p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

TV

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"We did it!" Mystery behind Fifi Box's wedding dress unveiled

<p dir="ltr">Fifi Box has been spotted in a wedding dress and veil while holding a bouquet in Las Vegas, leaving many to believe she has tied the knot. </p> <p dir="ltr">While on a work trip, the radio host and her co-host Brendan Fevola and Nick Cody went to see Adele perform at her resident show in Vegas. </p> <p dir="ltr">In order to get Adele’s attention, Fifi dressed in wedding attire and made a sign, despite having no intention of getting married. </p> <p dir="ltr">Explaining the stunt on their radio show on Monday morning, Fifi explained, “We went to Adele last night, Fev and I did have to try and get her attention. So that was the mission, can Adele speak to us.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“We know that halfway through the show she walks through the crowd and chats to people, and what we had noticed in a lot of news stories was that it’s people who had signs or had just gotten married.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Last week, the radio team had put a call out to their listeners to ask for suggestions on how they should get Adele’s attention at the show, with one person suggesting they dress up and act as newlyweds. </p> <p dir="ltr">“So I wore the wedding dress and the veil, I had a bouquet and we had a sign that said ‘I walked down the aisle to your song today’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Fifi then played a clip of the show in which you can hear Adele target the faux newlyweds and say “Congratulations!” while performing one of her hit songs. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We went to great lengths, but I'm going to point this out,” Fifi said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Our mission was to get Adele to speak to us, and she looked me in the eye and said ‘congratulations’. We did it! Pretty cool to get a call out from Adele.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

Music

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Serena Williams unveils exciting family news

<p>Tennis champion Serena Williams has surprised and delighted fans in equal measure by revealing she and husband Alexis Ohanian are expecting their second child together. </p> <p>The GOAT shared the news on Instagram before walking the Met Gala’s 2023 red carpet, posting a picture of herself and Alexis in their finest evening wear. Serena was glowing in her Gucci gown and pearls alongside her husband in the first picture, before she posed alone, showcasing her baby bump for the rest of the series. </p> <p>In her caption, Serena shared her excitement over the invite offered to “the 3 of us” by Anna Wintour, organiser of the Met Gala. </p> <p>The 2023 star-studded event was paying tribute to late designer Karl Legerfeld with its theme, and <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/stars-lead-the-met-gala-carpet-in-stunning-black-and-white" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attendees spared no cost in honouring it with their glitz and glamour</a>, and it was style to that same measure that Serena and Alexis took with them as they posed for the cameras lining the carpet.</p> <p>Friends and fans were thrilled, whether they saw the announcement through coverage of the event or on Serena’s social media, with hundreds taking to her initial post to share their excitement, and to congratulate them - and their daughter Olympia - on the happy new addition. </p> <p>While many opted for the simple ‘congratulations’ approach - from the likes of singer Ciara to the official Barbie and Olympics accounts - actor Michael B Jordan could not contain his enthusiasm, writing “AAAAYYYEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!” instead. </p> <p>“What a reveal,” declared the Australian Open. “Congratulations from your AO family!”</p> <p>“Happy for u momma,” shared actor Colton Haynes. </p> <p>Meanwhile, one fan had to admit that they “had to look three times!!! 3x a charm!! Congratulations!!!”</p> <p>Another’s thoughts turned to their excitement for 5-year-old Olympia, writing, “congratulation!!!!! Olympia [is] gonna be a big sister!!!!”</p> <p>“Love this for you and your family!” said another. “Wishin’ you a very healthy pregnancy!!!”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CruD3jjLOPB/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CruD3jjLOPB/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Serena and Alexis’ happy news came eight months after she made the announcement she would be retiring from professional tennis, wanting to focus on her family.</p> <p>"I have never liked the word retirement,” she said at the time, before going on to note that the term itself didn’t feel particularly ‘modern’ to her. She decided that the best word for her situation may instead be “evolution”.</p> <p>"I'm here to tell you that I'm evolving away from tennis,” she continued, “toward other things that are important to me … soon after that, I started a family. I want to grow that family."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Astonishing new wax figure of Queen Camilla Consort unveiled

<p>A new tribute to King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla has been unveiled in London ahead of the highly-anticipated coronation.</p> <p>As the Queen Consort prepares for a crowning of her own, Madame Tussauds London has created a wax figure of the 75-year-old wearing a tiara, gown and sash.</p> <p>The statue was first shown on April 27, ahead of being displayed beside one of King Charles’ waxworks.</p> <p>Queen Camilla’s wax figure shows her in a midnight blue dress, made by one of her favourite designers, Anna Valentine, and decked with a royal blue sash and star of the Order of the Garter.</p> <p>The royal is also seen in a replica of the late Queen’s Belgian sapphire tiara and matching George VI sapphire necklace.</p> <p>The necklace was a wedding gift from her father, King George VI when she married Prince Philip in 1947.</p> <p>The Queen Consort was seen in the Belgian tiara at the first state banquet of King Charles’ reign, where they hosted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at Buckingham Palace in November 2022.</p> <p>Both the royal’s Art Deco engagement ring and Welsh gold wedding band are seen on the figure.</p> <p>"Whilst for many people this will be their first experience of a coronation, the Coronation of King Charles III will be the eighth that Madame Tussauds London has celebrated," General Manager Tim Waters said.</p> <p>"We're incredibly proud of our centuries long link with The Palace and what better way to mark the official start of this new chapter in the history of the British Monarchy than with the creation of our brand new soon-to-be Queen Camilla to stand alongside her husband, The King."</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

Art

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Archibald prize finalists unveiled

<p dir="ltr"> The 2023 Archibald prize’s 57 finalists have been revealed by the Art Gallery of NSW. </p> <p dir="ltr">With portraits by an entire host of exceptionally talented artists, the award - as well as its $100,000 prize - will be presented to the best portrait of a person who is “distinguished in art, letters, science or politics” that has been painted by a resident of Australia.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 2023 competition also made history with its batch of finalists, as for the first time ever, more works by women were selected than works by men - 30 to 27. In total, the competition drew in an impressive 949 submissions. </p> <p dir="ltr">All three competitions - Archibald, Wynne, and Sulman - also saw a record number of entries and finalists by Aboriginal artists, at 101 entries and 38 finalist pieces. </p> <p dir="ltr">And while the overall winners won’t be announced until May 5, the Archibald Packing Room Prize 2023 winner has been revealed: a portrait of comedian Cal Wilson by Andrea Huelin.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I can’t tell you how happy I am to receive this,” the artist confessed after learning of her win. “It means such a lot to me as an artist from a regional centre to win.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The Packing Room Prize was selected by a team of three expert packers with 19 years of experience between them, and for the first time included two women - Monica Rudhar and Alexis Wildman - alongside Timothy Dale. </p> <p dir="ltr">The prize, which began in 1991 and is worth $3000, is referred to as ‘the kiss of death’ by artists when it comes to selecting the overall Archibald winner. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Andrea’s work jumped out at us as soon as it arrived,” they said of their selection. “Cal’s been such a mainstay on Australian television for two decades.”</p> <p dir="ltr">As Michael Brand - director of the Art Gallery of NSW - explained, the decision had been reached “equally” by the trio. </p> <p dir="ltr">Many other well-known faces were captured across the 57 finalists, with portraits of everyone from Cold Chisel’s Don Walker to Aboriginal activist Archie Roach, Silverchair’s Daniel Jones, NRL’s Latrell Mitchell, politicians Yvonne Weldon and Alex Greenwich, and actor Sam Neill. </p> <p dir="ltr">And for anyone who would like to admire the paintings in person, the finalists of all three competitions will be on display at the gallery from May 6 to September 3.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, all 57 portraits are available to <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/2023/">view on the Art Gallery of NSW’s website</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Art Gallery of NSW </em></p>

Art

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“I had called him out”: Sonia Kruger unveils worst celebrity interview

<p dir="ltr">There’s a saying that you should never meet the people you admire (or look up to), as you'll end up disappointed. That saying rings true for Sonia Kruger, who had a “bad date” with her favourite actor.</p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking to <em>Stellar Magazine</em>, Kruger revealed that one of her worst celebrity interviews was with actor Hugh Grant.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was excited to meet one of my favourite actors, so I arrived bright-eyed and bushy-tailed – unlike Hugh, who wasn’t chirpy at all,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Kruger was interviewing the English actor for his role in <em>Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason</em> back in 2004.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve been a fan of the English actor since I first clapped eyes on him in the 1994 movie <em>Four Weddings and A Funeral</em>,” she prefaced before explaining that seeing his awkward interactions with Ashley Graham at this year's Oscars took her back to her “own bad date with Hugh”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>Channel Seven </em>presenter added that she didn’t let his bad mood “deter” her, but soon found that every question she asked was met with “a solid helping of serious side eye”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Even questions like what his recent birthday was like “garnered nothing but scorn and suspicion”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I couldn’t create any kind of rapport with him,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">Kruger recalled that the interview was so bad that she had to stop it and ask if Grant was okay.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cqg4mqqv_ez/?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/Cqg4mqqv_ez/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by soniakruger (@soniakruger)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“In reply, he said he wanted to know why I wanted to know. So I replied, ‘Because you don’t appear to be very happy,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He seemed to be shocked that I had called him out on his demeanour and, from that moment on, Hugh became a totally different guy”.</p> <p dir="ltr">In response to Kruger posting her <em>Stellar Magazine</em> interview on Instagram, fans have commented their support.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Glad you called him out on his rude behaviour. To be honest no amount of money or fame will buy you manners,” commented one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Sounds like he was a bit stunned being around a highly intelligent gorgeous woman,” wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Good on you Sonia. He sounds like a self-entitled spoilt brat if you ask me,” commented a third.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p> </p>

TV

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World’s 99 best - and worst - tourist attractions unveiled

<p dir="ltr">The world’s top 99 tourist attractions have been ranked, providing people all across the globe with an answer to questions over where they should go next to avoid disappointment. </p> <p dir="ltr">The rankings, compiled by Stasher’s data analysts, took into consideration the likes of online reviews, the quality of local accommodation, distance from international airports, safety for tourists drawn from each country’s Global Peace index rating, and popularity on social media apps like Tiktok. Using this information, each destination was then given a score out of 10, and ranked accordingly. </p> <p dir="ltr">In last place, with a dreadful score of 3.42/10, was Los Angeles’ Hollywood Walk of Fame. Unfortunately for the attraction, this is not the first time it’s taken home the wooden spoon - in 2019, Stasher’s first study placed it at the bottom of the list too. </p> <p dir="ltr">Turkey’s Grand Bazaar came in at #98 with a score of 3.48 - being one of the world’s oldest shopping centres has not proven enough to wow the tourists who stop by. The Taj Mahal, with its distance of 219km from an international airport, took out the 97th spot with 3.83. </p> <p dir="ltr">The USA’s Busch Gardens and South Korea’s Lotte World rounded out the bottom five as #96 and #95 respectively. The former was declared to have the worst quality of local accommodations, and received a score of 4.52. Lotte World fared only slightly better with 4.8 to its name. </p> <p dir="ltr">Things went better for the world’s top 10, and although Australia fell a little short, New Zealand made it to #9 with the Museum of New Zealand claiming 6.9 points. Meanwhile, the Sydney Opera House came in at #17 with 6.67.</p> <p dir="ltr">The third best place in the world to go on holiday? Iceland’s geo-thermal Blue Lagoon. With an overall score of 7.5, this stunning location sees thousands of tourists stop by each year to swim in the blue water in search of its alleged healing and rejuvenating capabilities. </p> <p dir="ltr">In second place was, surprisingly, Disneyland Paris. The resort destination boasts popularity on TikTok, and is considered to have some top quality local accommodation. Additionally, reviews for Disneyland Paris are overwhelmingly positive, leading to an overall score of 7.17. </p> <p dir="ltr">And in first place, taking home the title of the World’s Best Tourist Attraction, was the Hungarian Parliament Building. The building - a majestic sight on its own - received a score of 7.34. Neo-gothic and overlooking the River Danube, it houses Hungary’s National Assembly, and is considered to be one of the city’s must-see tourist spots. </p> <p dir="ltr">To help drive home its ranking, the site’s online reviews are overwhelmingly positive, with 93.4% of them falling into the categories of “Very Good” and “Excellent”. Furthermore, local accommodation is good, and Hungary boasts a reassuring safety rating of 1.4 out of 5.</p> <p dir="ltr">Check out the <a href="https://blog.stasher.com/stasher-reveals-the-worlds-best-worst-tourist-attractions/">full list here</a> to start dreaming up your next getaway. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty, Shutterstock</em></p>

International Travel

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"This is about looking after the vulnerable": Major gambling reform unveiled

<p>NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet plans to spend $340 million to overhaul the NSW gambling industry in what he describes as the largest social, community and law enforcement reforms in the state’s history.</p> <p>In order to stop problem gambling and eliminate money laundering in pubs and clubs, NSW is set to roll out cashless poker machines.</p> <p>There will be an introduction of mandatory cashless gambling across all venues in NSW. Any new machines purchased are required to be cashless and the roll out of the digital machines will begin early next year.</p> <p>The plan is for poker machines in NSW to be entirely cashless by 2028. It is an enormous transition. “I’ll work to ensure no-one is left behind, that no jobs are lost,” Perrottet said.</p> <p>The plan will provide no-interest loans for small and medium venues to assist them with the roll out of the cashless technology. It also provides a one-off $50,000 “diversification” grant for venues to invest in new income.</p> <p>Gamblers will also be able to set a daily limit for themselves, which will be locked for seven days in order to stop spending more than planned, and they will only be able to use money from their personal bank account; credit cards will no longer be accepted.</p> <p>“Today, we fix money laundering, we fix problem gambling and we support pubs and clubs across New South Wales,” Perrottet said.</p> <p>The reform is the result of a report released by the NSW Police Commission which had recommended many of the changes in attempt to stop money laundering.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty </em></p>

Legal

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Banksy unveils new works on destroyed buildings in Ukraine

<p dir="ltr">Banksy has unveiled a series of new artworks on the side of partially destroyed buildings in war-torn Ukraine. </p> <p dir="ltr">The elusive street artist created seven artworks in towns surrounding Ukraine’s capital of Kyiv, with Banksy confirming to <a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/11/14/banksy-in-ukraine-seven-new-works-appear-in-war-torn-sites?utm_source=CNN&amp;utm_medium=article">The Art Newspaper</a> that the works did come from him.</p> <p dir="ltr">The first artwork to be identified, which quickly went viral online, shows a female gymnast balancing on a pile of rubble on the side of a building damaged by Russian strikes.</p> <p dir="ltr">The graffiti artist posted three images of the piece Friday on social media, with a simple caption reading "Borodyanka, Ukraine" — an alternative spelling for the town's name.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck1bqL6MsMu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck1bqL6MsMu/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Banksy (@banksy)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Another artwork depicts a little boy, wearing a martial arts uniform tied with a black belt, flipping a grown man onto his back. </p> <p dir="ltr">Some have connected the image to Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose honorary black belt was revoked earlier this year by World Taekwondo, though Banksy has not publicly commented on the image or its meaning.</p> <p dir="ltr">Other murals showed two children using a metal tank trap as a seesaw, and a woman in hair curlers and a gas mask holding a fire extinguisher.</p> <p dir="ltr">The series is the first set of Banksy artworks to pop up since last summer's <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/art/banksy-goes-on-a-mural-making-spree-in-england">Great British Spraycation</a>, which saw the enigmatic artist leave behind his signature pop art commentary at sites across a number of British coastal towns.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-4011fe22-7fff-3d44-d552-cc3f8ddaaa08"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Art

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Camilla’s new royal cypher unveiled

<p dir="ltr">Buckingham Palace has unveiled the new cypher for Camilla, which she will use as Queen Consort on personal letterheads, cards and gifts.</p> <p dir="ltr">The cypher combines “C” for Camilla’s initial, and “R” for regina, the Latin word for queen beneath a crown, and was designed by calligrapher and Professor in Design Ewan Clayton in collaboration with Timothy Noad, Herald Painter and Scrivener at The College of Arms.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to <em><a href="https://people.com/royals/queen-camilla-receives-cypher-new-royal-rank/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">People </a></em>magazine, the 75-year-old’s insignia is her personal property and was selected from a series of designs</p> <p dir="ltr">The Palace also confirmed that the new symbol would be used on the Queen Consort’s cross, which she is due to lay at the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey on Thursday.</p> <p dir="ltr">It comes after the new cypher for King Charles III was revealed in September, with the monarch personally selecting the emblem from a range of designs produced by the College of Arms also created by Mr Noad.</p> <p dir="ltr">Like Camilla’s, King Charles’ emblem features the initial of his first name, “R” for rex, the Latin word for king, and the Roman numeral for three.</p> <p dir="ltr">While adoption of his insignia has been immediate for most things, the king’s insignia will only gradually replace Queen Elizabeth’s “ER II” symbol in other places, such as on postboxes.</p> <p dir="ltr">With 60 percent of the nearly 70,000 current post boxes featuring the late queen’s symbol, per the <em><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63547165" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a></em>, they will be updated when the post boxes need replacing.</p> <p dir="ltr">There are even some featuring the emblems of Queen Victoria, Edward VII, George V and George VI, as the post boxes were installed during their reigns and are still functional.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-ba89a8c1-7fff-40f2-6581-ac2453575bb9"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images / Buckingham Palace</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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King Charles III's new coin effigy finally unveiled

<p>The first coins to feature the effigy of King Charles III have been unveiled.</p> <p>The Royal Mint in the UK released the first look at the official effigy of the new monarch on Friday, announcing the coins will start to circulate in the coming months.</p> <p>The design was personally approved by the King himself and was sculpted by Martin Jennings. It will appear on commemorative 50 pence pieces and on the five pound note.</p> <p>Chief executive officer of The Royal Mint, Anne Jessopp said they were honoured to keep the effigy tradition going for more than 1000 years.</p> <p>“The Royal Mint has been trusted to make coins bearing the monarch’s effigy for over 1,100 years and we are proud to continue this tradition into the reign of King Charles III. Although technology has progressed, we continue to honour British craftsmanship passed down through the centuries,” Ms Jessopp said.</p> <p>“Her Late Majesty ruled with heart and devotion for 70 years, and this memorial collection commemorates her remarkable legacy as Britain’s longest-serving monarch.</p> <p>"To ensure everyone can hold a piece of history in their hand, the 50p will also enter circulation in the UK.”</p> <p><em>Read more: The Royal Mint</em></p> <p style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 5px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"> </p>

Money & Banking

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The Sydney Opera House unveils historic upgrades

<p id="docs-internal-guid-7079734f-7fff-28f3-48ba-27fd4d3951ee" dir="ltr">After being closed for two-and-a-half years of extensive renovations, the Sydney Opera House’s Concert Hall is finally ready to reopen to the public.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since closing in 2020, the venue has seen hundreds of construction workers, acousticians, and experts in architecture and heritage help deliver one of the biggest upgrades in nearly 50 years.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We’re thrilled to be welcoming the community back to the renewed Concert Hall,” Louise Herron AM, the CEO of Sydney Opera House, said in a <a href="https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/content/Non-Indexed/media/newsroom/media-release-soh-unveils-historic-concert-hall-upgrade.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Artists and audiences are set to experience world-class acoustics in a venue that is more accessible, safer and better equipped to present the full breadth of 21st century performance.”</p> <p dir="ltr">With more $190 million invested into the renewal project, improving acoustics and accessibility have been two major priorities.</p> <p dir="ltr">The old acrylic ‘donuts’ hanging above the stage have been replaced with magenta ‘acoustic petals’ - matching the Concert Hall seats - while a new lift and passageway now allows for wheelchair users and people with limited mobility to access all levels, including the Northern Foyer and its stunning harbour views.</p> <p dir="ltr">A state-of-the-art sound system and acoustic diffusion panels have also been installed throughout the venue, along with automated stage risers and other technology to make putting on a performance - whether it be an orchestra or musical - that much easier.</p> <p dir="ltr">Its reopening marks the final project in the Opera House’s Decade of Renewal, which has seen the World Heritage-listed building fitted with a range of improvements and new venues, all without interfering with the original concrete and structures.</p> <p dir="ltr">The venue will reopen to the public from July 20, marked by the return of the <a href="https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/events/whats-on/sydney-symphony-orchestra/2022/simone-young-conducts-mahler-2.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sydney Symphony Orchestra</a> performing Mahler’s <em>Second Symphony</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Lisa Maree Williams (Getty Images), Daniel Boud, Anna Kucera</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Qantas unveils new menu

<p dir="ltr">Qantas have unveiled a little bit of Italian cuisine in the air, only three weeks out from the airline’s major launch of direct flights from Australia to Rome.</p> <p dir="ltr">The launch of the new route out of Sydney via Perth will take off on Saturday June 25 however, passengers seated in business class from June 6 will be treated to a taste of Italy in the sky, with regional recipes and Italian classics on the menu.</p> <p dir="ltr">The new business lounge and in-flight menu coincides with Festa della Repubblica and each dish was curated by Australian chef Neil Perry.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Perry, the airline’s Creative Director of Food, Beverage and Service, said the new menu will see passengers enjoying Italian classics such as buffalo mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes and basil; and salumi with bocconcini, semi dried tomatoes, olives and pecorino-crushed peas within selected Qantas First and Business lounges throughout the month.</p> <p dir="ltr"> The Business Class in-flight menu will feature regional recipes such as spaghettini with prawns, garlic, chilli, slow roasted cherry tomatoes and pangrattato along with traditional tiramisu.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I first travelled to Italy in 1984 and immediately understood why people fall in love with simple Italian food,” Mr Perry said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Italians live and breathe seasonality and freshness, so it was important when designing these menu items that we respected and celebrated the traditions of the cuisine and Rome’s deep history.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Italian food is so much more than pizza and pasta, although they do both brilliantly, but they celebrate the hero ingredients of their country including citrus, olives, fresh seafood and tomatoes.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Qantas announced the launch of direct flights to Rome in December, with three return Sydney-Perth — Rome flights per week scheduled to meet the demand of European summer. </p> <p dir="ltr">The new flight will cut more than three hours off the current fastest travel time to Rome using the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, with cabins designed specifically for long haul travel.</p> <p dir="ltr">Qantas Italian Lounge menu highlights include:</p> <p dir="ltr">• Neil Perry’s fettuccine Bolognese with Parmigiano Reggiano</p> <p dir="ltr">• Mascarpone tartlet with prosecco jelly and Valencia orange</p> <p dir="ltr">Qantas Perth – Rome in-flight Business Class menu highlights include:</p> <p dir="ltr">• Zucchini and basil soup with parmesan crouton</p> <p dir="ltr">• Plant Based Dining – caramelised potato gratin with peas, mushrooms and roasted fennel</p> <p dir="ltr">• Spaghettini with prawns, garlic, chilli, slow roast cherry tomatoes and pangrattato</p> <p dir="ltr">• Tiramisu</p> <p dir="ltr">Qantas Rome – Perth in-flight Business Class menu highlights include:</p> <p dir="ltr">• Bucatini all’ Amatriciana</p> <p dir="ltr">• Grilled fish with peperonata, pine nuts and basil</p> <p dir="ltr">• Mozzarella bufala, finiocchiona salumi, anchovy, artichokes, olives, marinated red capsicum with warm focaccia</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.56; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 18pt 0pt;"><em> Images: Getty / Qantas</em></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-7a7ebc0c-7fff-f2e5-0a8b-8b08ee74e7a6"></span></p>

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