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Jon Bon Jovi praised for talking woman off bridge

<p><strong><em>Content warning: This article contains mentions of suicide.</em></strong></p> <p>Jon Bon Jovi has helped to persuade a woman standing on the ledge of a bridge in Nashville to come back over the railing, likely saving her life. </p> <p>The Metro Nashville Police Department revealed that the encounter happened on Tuesday night on the Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. </p> <p>The rock star was filming a music video for his song <em>The People's House </em>on the bridge, when he spotted the woman on the ledge, according to the <em>New York Post</em>. </p> <p>Surveillance footage shared by the city's police department on X showed the singer approaching the woman, alongside another bystander and not long after they helped pull her over the railing and away from danger. </p> <p>After the woman was safe, she and Bon Jovi hugged. </p> <p>"A shout out to @jonbonjovi &amp; his team for helping a woman on the Seigenthaler Ped Bridge Tue night," the Metro Nashville Police Department shared on X.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">A shout out to <a href="https://twitter.com/jonbonjovi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jonbonjovi</a> &amp; his team for helping a woman on the Seigenthaler Ped Bridge Tue night. Bon Jovi helped persuade her to come off the ledge over the Cumberland River to safety. "It takes all of us to help keep each other safe,"--Chief John Drake <a href="https://t.co/1YejKJ2WgM">https://t.co/1YejKJ2WgM</a></p> <p>— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) <a href="https://twitter.com/MNPDNashville/status/1833970989354348832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>"Bon Jovi helped persuade her to come off the ledge over the Cumberland River to safety. 'It takes all of us to help keep each other safe,'--Chief John Drake."</p> <p>The bridge was completely open to the public at the time Bon Jovi was filming his music video. </p> <p>While the singer told The Post that he won't be making any public comments out of respect for the person and their privacy, another source told them that Bon Jovi did what any person who found themselves in that situation would've done. </p> <p><em>Images: Metropolitan Nashville Police Department</em></p> <p> </p>

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Unimaginable scenes as Baltimore bridge collapses

<p>The tranquil waters of Baltimore's Patapsco River turned tumultuous in the early hours of Tuesday following a catastrophic event that shook the city to its core. The aftermath of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse has left a community reeling, with one confirmed fatality and six individuals still missing as rescue efforts persist amid harrowing conditions.</p> <p>The calamity unfolded when a mammoth container ship lost power, careening into the Francis Scott Key Bridge on the US East Coast. The impact tore through the bridge's supports, sending vehicles and people plummeting into the frigid river below. In the chaos that ensued, heroes emerged as authorities swiftly responded, managing to halt traffic on the bridge, averting further catastrophe. However, the toll was already significant, with one individual confirmed dead and six others, believed to be part of a construction crew, still unaccounted for.</p> <p>As the day wore on, Baltimore City Fire Department Chief James Wallace provided updates on the situation, indicating that one survivor had been rescued and rushed to a local trauma centre in critical condition. Meanwhile, the US Coast Guard initiated a relentless search for the missing individuals, leveraging sonar technology to scour the depths of the river.</p> <p>The vessel responsible for the devastation, known as the <em>Dali</em>, was under the management of Synergy Marine Group, navigating under the Singapore flag. Although the crew and pilots were reported safe, the repercussions of the collision have reverberated far beyond the immediate vicinity. US President Joe Biden has pledged federal support for the reconstruction efforts: "This is going to take some time," he said. "The people of Baltimore can count on us, though, to stick with them at every step of the way until the port is reopened and the bridge is rebuilt."</p> <p>The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge not only claimed lives but also severed a vital link in the region's infrastructure. The Port of Baltimore, a bustling gateway for maritime commerce, now faces significant disruption, with vessel traffic suspended indefinitely. The reverberations of this tragedy extend beyond Baltimore, with logistical challenges expected to ripple along the entire East Coast.</p> <p>As the day progressed, stories of resilience and compassion emerged. Retired Chief Donald Heinbuch, startled from his sleep by the rumbling impact, bore witness to the unimaginable destruction. "Never would you think that you would see physically see the Key Bridge tumble down like that - it looked like something out of an action movie," he said. "And you just think about, most importantly, which is what we all should be thinking about right now, nothing but those families and people that are impacted and those people who are risking their lives right now, for not just Baltimore City and Baltimore County but all over the state, to try to save lives. That should be our focus - the preservation of life. Because no one wants to see that happen, let alone someone in their family someone that they know, be injured in an incident like this."</p> <p>Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott echoed the sentiments of a community in shock, emphasising the paramount importance of preserving life above all else.</p> <p><em>Images: Streamlive | 9News</em></p>

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How Ryan Gosling shut down Sydney Harbour Bridge

<p>Footage has emerged from the set of Ryan Gosling’s new film <em>The Fall Guy</em>, which was filmed on the Sydney Harbour Bridge this Sunday.</p> <p>The iconic bridge was shut off in both directions today from 3 am to 10 am, with commuters redirected as the structure was closed off.</p> <p>The cycleway and footpath was also closed from 5.30 am to 10am.</p> <p>In a clip shared on <em>Sunrise </em>on Monday, Gosling's stunt double can be seen filming the high-speed stunt.</p> <p>The stunt double was filmed during an action-packed chase, where he was holding on to a shovel that was hanging on the back of a truck that sped across the Harbour Bridge.</p> <p>The actor and his stunt double were seen talking on set, wearing the same outfit, the red bomber jacket and the actor's stunning looks standing out in the picture.</p> <p><em>The Fall Guy</em> is a movie adaptation of a 1980s TV series about a crime-fighting stuntman.</p> <p>Gosling, his wife Eva Mendes and their two children touched down in Sydney last September.</p> <p>The power couple have been spotted multiple times in Sydney, running errands, hanging out at a park in Rose bay, and trick-or-treating as a family in Bondi last Halloween.</p> <p><em>Image: Sunrise/ Bill Hearne</em></p>

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Why turning old city bridges into new urban parks is such a great idea

<p>The recent opening of the <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/castlefield-viaduct/features/a-garden-in-the-sky" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Castlefield Viaduct Sky Park</a> in Manchester, UK, has brought fresh attention to the growing number of projects that reuse urban infrastructures to create linear parks.</p> <p>When the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2017/jun/07/paris-promenade-plantee-free-elevated-park-walkway-bastille-bois-de-vincennes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Promenade Plantée</a> opened in 1993 on top of an abandoned railway viaduct in Paris, it was reportedly the first of its kind. It provided local residents a green escape, ten metres above the tarmac of the street below, and a beautiful, three-mile meander from the Bois de Vincennes to Bastille. The opening of New York’s fabled <a href="https://www.thehighline.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">High Line</a>, in 2009, further cemented this type of urban regeneration as something for cities to aim for.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ztZl6fYuXhQ?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="100%" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Post-pandemic, finding innovative ways to eke out accessible green spaces in the urban environment is <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-cities-can-add-accessible-green-space-in-a-post-coronavirus-world-139194" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more urgent than ever</a>. Doing so provides <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10708-021-10474-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">health</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/for-green-cities-to-become-mainstream-we-need-to-learn-from-local-success-stories-and-scale-up-119933" target="_blank" rel="noopener">environmental</a> benefits alongside <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-investing-in-green-infrastructure-can-jump-start-the-post-coronavirus-economy-139376" target="_blank" rel="noopener">economic</a> ones, by <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.12876" target="_blank" rel="noopener">promoting</a> biodiversity, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969721036779" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mitigating</a> air pollution, and in some (though <a href="https://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2019/09/the-solution-to-urban-heat-is-not-one-size-fits-all/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not all</a>) cases, reducing <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6458494/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the heat island effect</a>.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477844/original/file-20220805-7920-f8qtwx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477844/original/file-20220805-7920-f8qtwx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477844/original/file-20220805-7920-f8qtwx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477844/original/file-20220805-7920-f8qtwx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=400&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477844/original/file-20220805-7920-f8qtwx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477844/original/file-20220805-7920-f8qtwx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477844/original/file-20220805-7920-f8qtwx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=503&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="Plantlife spills over the edges of an elevated railway above a busy intersection" /><figcaption><em><span class="caption">The High Line in Manhattan.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/new-york-usa-july-2017-entry-1371108503" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Krzysztof Stefaniak | Shutterstock</a></span></em></figcaption></figure> <p><strong>How a local approach to high lines is needed</strong></p> <p>Since the 2000s, city planners across the world have tried to replicate what has been called <a href="https://publicjournal.online/the-high-line-effect/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“the High Line effect”</a>. Built on top of a disused stretch of elevated freight rail line in western Manhattan, the High Line garnered considerable <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/arts/design/09highline-RO.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x4e1dALkhc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">media</a> coverage from the outset. It has been rightly championed as a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/15/arts/design/15highline.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">success story</a>, attracting eight million visitors a year and <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/nycs-high-line-park-marks-10-years-of-transformation/1646268/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fostering new economic activity</a>.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/M8H8dqMjUCo?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="100%" height="400" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>But not everywhere else is wealthy Manhattan. By reinvigorating the industrial heritage and cultural identity of a place, this approach can <a href="https://idus.us.es/bitstream/handle/11441/116705/TS2_Libro-de-Actos_-Proceedings-Book-1-655-669.pdf?sequence=1&amp;isAllowed=y" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increase tourism</a> which can have mixed results.</p> <p><a href="https://cityparksalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Equity_and_Parks_Funding_7.16.19.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Recent research</a> has shown that without policies in place to ensure that lower-income local communities can enjoy the benefits of newly greened spaces, including health benefits, these projects can actually exacerbate inequality by raising property values and causing the displacement of long-term residents who can’t afford to stay. Urban planning experts talk about green gentrification, as has been noted in the case of the <a href="https://www.chicagoreporter.com/green-gentrification-and-lessons-of-the-606/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">606 linear park in Chicago</a>, among others.</p> <p>Instead of simply trying to copy what has been done elsewhere, this type of regeneration is best done when attuned to the local heritage. As Historic England <a href="https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/wellbeing-and-the-historic-environment/wellbeing-and-historic-environment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has emphasised</a>, the best way to steward heritage sites and the historic environment is by keeping people’s wellbeing in mind. In particular, it’s about giving local people a voice, a place to be active and a sense of belonging.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477850/original/file-20220805-26-ub4qtg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477850/original/file-20220805-26-ub4qtg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=322&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477850/original/file-20220805-26-ub4qtg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=322&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477850/original/file-20220805-26-ub4qtg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=322&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477850/original/file-20220805-26-ub4qtg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=405&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477850/original/file-20220805-26-ub4qtg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=405&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477850/original/file-20220805-26-ub4qtg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=405&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="Signposts at a junction in a pedestrianised green space." /><figcaption><em><span class="caption">The 606 elevated trail in Chicago.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/chicago-usa-september-20-2018-chicagos-1184490604" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Carlos Yudica | Shutterstock</a></span></em></figcaption></figure> <p><strong>Why reusing existing structures is best</strong></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/we-have-reusable-cups-bags-and-bottles-so-why-are-our-buildings-still-single-use-171345" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Adapting</a> existing infrastructure is an integral part of <a href="https://theconversation.com/future-cities-new-challenges-mean-we-need-to-reimagine-the-look-of-urban-landscapes-151709" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rethinking the city</a> in an era of <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/images/150152/a-july-of-extremes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climate emergency</a>. The era of <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/1587078" target="_blank" rel="noopener">grand visions for public parks</a> is largely over, as most cities are already full. Both spatially and economically, forming large green spaces from scratch is not possible.</p> <p>Reworking old railway lines and bridges into parks, conversely, contributes to a wider strategy of adaptive reuse and what designers term <a href="https://www.archdaily.com/948304/urban-acupuncture-regenerating-public-space-through-hyper-local-interventions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urban acupuncture</a>. Since the 1960s, <a href="https://theconversation.com/parks-help-cities-but-only-if-people-use-them-103474" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pocket parks</a> have been created out of small, hidden or overlooked bits of land between existing buildings.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477847/original/file-20220805-22-e4y1ly.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477847/original/file-20220805-22-e4y1ly.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=404&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477847/original/file-20220805-22-e4y1ly.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=404&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477847/original/file-20220805-22-e4y1ly.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=404&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477847/original/file-20220805-22-e4y1ly.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=508&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477847/original/file-20220805-22-e4y1ly.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=508&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477847/original/file-20220805-22-e4y1ly.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=508&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="A pond set between planted beds in an elevated walkway." /><figcaption><em><span class="caption">The Promenade Plantée in Paris.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/seoul-korea-21-september-2019-top-1539297443" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Joao Paulo V Tinoco | Shutterstock</a></span></em></figcaption></figure> <p>The hyper-local nature of this type of urban greening makes it easier for residents to access and benefit from these spaces. As pressure increases on how we use resources and keep carbon in the ground wherever possible, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10708-021-10474-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">enabling everyone</a> to have access to green space for <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-parks-and-waterways-in-cities-could-prevent-premature-deaths-study-finds-170973" target="_blank" rel="noopener">health reasons</a> is critical.</p> <p>This can be challenging in those cities where a large proportion of residents do not have access to private gardens. Capitalising on a city’s vertical space – as elevated walkways do – is a huge advantage in high-density cities where significant pressure on ground-level space exists. What’s more, the structures being turned into parks are usually found in those parts of a city that are post-industrial and in need of regeneration.</p> <p>In terms of environmental impact, these parks have great potential. Each year the High Line, for example, <a href="https://www.landscapeperformance.org/case-study-briefs/high-line" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sequesters</a> over 1.3 tons of atmospheric carbon and its tree canopies collect over 24,340 gallons of stormwater.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477848/original/file-20220805-12-mu1w4h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/477848/original/file-20220805-12-mu1w4h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477848/original/file-20220805-12-mu1w4h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477848/original/file-20220805-12-mu1w4h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=338&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477848/original/file-20220805-12-mu1w4h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477848/original/file-20220805-12-mu1w4h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/477848/original/file-20220805-12-mu1w4h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=424&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="An overhead shot of an elevated park in a city centre." /><figcaption><em><span class="caption">The Seoullo 7017 Skygarden.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/seoul-korea-21-september-2019-top-1539297443" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Keitma | Shutterstock</a></span></em></figcaption></figure> <p>Further, by reusing existing industrial structures rather than demolishing and replacing them, embodied carbon can be <a href="https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/15481-continuing-education-embodied-carbon-adaptive-reuse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">kept where it is</a>. Research on the <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/143/1/012061" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seoullo 7017 Skygarden</a> in Seoul, a linear park built atop a disused highway overpass which cuts across the city’s main rail station, has shown that rewilding and landscaping urban infrastructures is more cost effective and less environmentally impactful than completely replacing them.</p> <p>There is growing evidence of how important <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/67/9/799/4056044" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biodiversity in cities</a> is, not just during daylight hours but <a href="https://theconversation.com/cities-need-to-embrace-the-darkness-of-the-night-sky-heres-why-149129" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at night</a> too. Reused infrastructure projects can play an important role in providing ecological corridors across <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1439179121000074" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cities for nocturnal creatures</a>. Supporting both human and non-human life in this way is a valuable step towards <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/06/cities-ecosystems-biodiversity-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">improving</a> the sustainability and resilience of places.</p> <p>Linear parks thus <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329947799_The_Sustainable_Vertical_City_Research_Project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">weave nature</a> into the flow of a city. They support wildlife. They encourage sustainable transport and physical activity (walking, biking, jogging). They are, as landscape architect Diana Balmori puts it in her 2010 book, <em><a href="https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300156584/a-landscape-manifesto/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Landscape Manifesto</a></em>, dynamic spaces: “not peaceful retreats but ways”.<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/188182/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-dunn-131665" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nick Dunn</a>, Professor of Urban Design, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/lancaster-university-1176" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lancaster University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-turning-old-city-bridges-into-new-urban-parks-is-such-a-great-idea-188182" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Real Estate

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New details revealed in Operation London Bridge

<p dir="ltr">New details have emerged about Operation London Bridge, the codename for the plans for when Queen Elizabeth dies.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Royal Household has made a request to the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers to sound bells in religious buildings using muffles - a pad of material attached to the ball of the bell clapper - to create a more solemn sound.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We have spent a lot of time talking to the Royal Household and Lambeth Palace about the day the monarch passes, which we hope will not be any time soon,” Vicki Chapman, the spokeswoman for the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers, told the <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10703457/Leatherworkers-flooded-orders-church-bells-muted-Queen-dies.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Adding muffles makes bells sound mournful, more like a hum - so they will sound like thud, thud, thud rather than dong, dong, dong.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is about paying due reverence to the service of the monarch and commemorating her life.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Church bells are sometimes rung half-muffled for Remembrance Day and funerals, but the full muffle is reserved for the monarch’s death.</p> <p dir="ltr">As a result, many churches have realised their supply of muffles has rotted over the years, having been left unused since the death of the Queen’s father, King George VI, 70 years ago.</p> <p dir="ltr">This has prompted a surge in demand for leather workers to make more muffles, which Philip Pratt of Big Wilf’s Bell Muffles near Bristol knows all about.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Muffles are a specialist product and only a very few leather manufacturers in the UK make them,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Pratt added that the company has received “a lot of enquiries” and has been “taking on more and more orders”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The details come as the Queen is expected to celebrate her 96th birthday on April 21.</p> <p dir="ltr">The monarch, who has suffered mobility issues of late and has had to withdraw from several in-person events, has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/apr/10/covid-left-me-exhausted-queen-tells-bereaved-couple" target="_blank" rel="noopener">recently revealed</a> how catching COVID-19 left her “very tired and exhausted” after testing positive for the virus in February.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b00381f1-7fff-610a-034b-debd9982475f"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Daylight robbery: Men arrested for nicking a bridge

<p dir="ltr">Eight men have been arrested in the Indian state of Bihar for stealing an iron bridge in broad daylight.</p> <p dir="ltr">When several men arrived in the village of Amiyavar with an excavator and gas torches, locals believed the government was finally removing an old metal bridge that had become more of a nuisance than useful.</p> <p dir="ltr">The men, including some from the state government’s irrigation department, arrived at 7am and worked until dusk for three days. They cut the iron with gas torches and loosened the ground with excavators before taking the metal away in a rented van.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, a local journalist told the <em><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-61066473" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a></em> that no one knew the men were actually stealing the metal, before depositing it at the warehouse of a local scrap dealer for a profit.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-32b2bcb9-7fff-ed56-770b-ab3f202e8b92"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“No-one suspected it was a heist,” Jitendra Singh, a journalist who lives “200 metres from the bridge”, told the outlet.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Unique theft in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bihar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bihar</a>, thieves became officers of the irrigation department and stole a 60 feet long iron bridge</p> <p>In Nasriganj, Rohtas, thieves posing as officers, with the help of local personnel, 1/2<a href="https://twitter.com/UtkarshSingh_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UtkarshSingh_</a> 📽️ <a href="https://t.co/jhnTbUSYDw">pic.twitter.com/jhnTbUSYDw</a></p> <p>— Siraj Noorani (@sirajnoorani) <a href="https://twitter.com/sirajnoorani/status/1512521001719894017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The operation was reportedly supervised by Arvind Kumar, who worked part-time at the irrigation department. He allegedly told anyone who asked that “the work had an official sanction”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ashish Bharti, the senior police official leading the investigation, said Mr Kumar was one of the men arrested.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Irrigation department official Radhe Shyam Singh, the van owner and the owner of the scrapyard are also among those arrested. We are looking for at least four more people,” Mr Bharti said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Even three days ago, the structure of the bridge was there but suddenly it disappeared and we informed local officials,” Amiyaway local Suresh Kumar told <em><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/thieves-make-away-with-500-tonne-iron-bridge-in-bihar/article65305774.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hindu</a>.</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Pawan Kumar, who lives in a neighbouring village, made the discovery that the operation wasn’t legitimate after he tried contacting Mr Singh and couldn’t reach him.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c265fe8a-7fff-0d81-4d02-497620f9bfa8"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“I tried calling irrigation department official Radhe Shyam Singh, but when he didn’t answer, I called a senior official to ask why they had not followed procedure - the authorities are expected to issue a tender and the work is given to the lowest bidder,” Mr Kumar told the <em>BBC</em>.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The remnants of the 500 tonne bridge that was stolen in Rohtas, Bihar. Pic via <a href="https://twitter.com/AmarnathTewary?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AmarnathTewary</a> <a href="https://t.co/AaB3Ohc41x">pic.twitter.com/AaB3Ohc41x</a></p> <p>— Nistula Hebbar (@nistula) <a href="https://twitter.com/nistula/status/1512713303797035011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 9, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The official told him he was unaware that the bridge had been taken down, prompting a complaint to be lodged with police.</p> <p dir="ltr">After conducting several raids, police have recovered 24.5 tonnes of iron scrap from the bridge, as well as the pick-up van and tools used to strip the bridge, per <em><a href="https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/bihar-bridge-theft-case-water-resources-dept-official-seven-others-arrested/article65310750.ece" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hindu</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The bridge in question was in a serious state of disrepair and had been out of use since the early 2000s, when a concrete bridge was built nearby.</p> <p dir="ltr">Journalist Jitendra Singh said the head of the village had sent a petition to authorities to remove the bridge since it had become a health hazard. </p> <p dir="ltr">He said bodies of cattle and even people would get stuck under the bridge after floating from upstream.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Over the years, all the wood used in the bridge had disintegrated and the iron had rusted. Thieves had stolen bits and pieces of the metal to put it to other use or sell it as scrap for a few rupees,” Shailendra Singh, who lives in the village, told the <em>BBC</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But what happened last week was daylight robbery.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Metal is stolen in many parts of India, as well as the US, UK and parts of Europe. </p> <p dir="ltr">In India, manhole covers and water pipes are common targets, while signalling and power cables, overhead line equipment, and clips to hold train tracks in place in England have caused thousands of hours of delays each year.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

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Police charge teen over horrific Harbour Bridge smash

<p dir="ltr">A 19-year-old Queensland man has been <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-09/police-identify-alleged-sydney-harbour-bridge-crash-driver/100895066" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged</a> by detectives for allegedly stealing a car before causing a fiery three-car crash that closed the Sydney Harbour Bridge.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police were able to identify the man as Christopher Walker one day after releasing a photo of his arm and calling on the public to help. </p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-42ab4a56-7fff-a17b-f4f7-0a37536b382d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The image showed a distinctive tattoo of a large eye on Mr Walker's hand with wavy lines that extended across his fingers and wrist.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/tattoo.jpg" alt="" width="322" height="215" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Police released an image to help them identify the driver. Image: NSW Police</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-422bd487-7fff-c897-3d6e-a741b2a5d96a"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">They allege he drove a Toyota Kluger SUV which swerved into oncoming traffic and careened into a van on Monday morning.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Sydney?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Sydney</a> Harbour Bridge closed due to a terrible multi-vehicle crash that brought all lanes to a standstill.<br />Motorists have been advised to avoid the area and use Sydney Harbour Tunnel instead.<br />Stay safe <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SydneyHarbour?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SydneyHarbour</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/dryadusingh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dryadusingh</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DrAmitSarwal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrAmitSarwal</a> <a href="https://t.co/umbbU6oiIg">pic.twitter.com/umbbU6oiIg</a></p> <p>— The Australia Today (@TheAustoday) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAustoday/status/1500600916746989572?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Mr Walker remains in hospital under police guard, where he is being treated for suspected head injuries.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police have laid several charges against him, including dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm and assault with intent to take/drive motor vehicle.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police also allege Mr Walker stole the keys to the SUV from a man he assaulted in the CBD just before 7am on Monday.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-70f75b7e-7fff-0c28-ab75-171c2294c000"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Emergency services were then called to the three-car crash a short time later, after the SUV flipped on its roof and burst into flames during morning peak hour.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Sydney Harbour Bridge is closed and three people have been injured – including one who was trapped – after a horror head-on crash during peak hour.<br />Inquiries are continuing into the incident.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/australia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#australia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sydney?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sydney</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/habourbridge?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#habourbridge</a> <a href="https://t.co/1U05QgKMpV">pic.twitter.com/1U05QgKMpV</a></p> <p>— 5 News Australia (@5NewsAustralia) <a href="https://twitter.com/5NewsAustralia/status/1500671979023892480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The two other drivers were taken to hospital to be treated for their injuries, with the van driver sustaining serious leg and pelvic injuries and a woman driving a Honda Civic sustaining minor injuries.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police have spoken to several witnesses over the past few days who were on the bridge at the time of the collision of saw the lead-up.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Walker <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/man-charged-over-fiery-harbour-bridge-crash-and-alleged-carjacking-20220309-p5a37w.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">appeared</a> before Central Local Court via a bedside hearing on Wednesday afternoon, where he was formally refused bail.</p> <p dir="ltr">He is due to appear in court again on March 23.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><em>Image: @5NewsAustralia (Twitter)</em></p>

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Car explodes on Sydney Harbour Bridge

<p dir="ltr">The Sydney Harbour Bridge was closed on Monday morning following a multi-car crash where one vehicle burst into flames.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-553c63f2-7fff-2a3a-0726-0719df2b42a6"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Emergency services were called to the iconic bridge just after 7am after three cars collided, with one flipping and catching fire.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Woken by all the sirens streaming onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Hearing exploding fuel/gas tanks, acrid smoke plumes into the sky. Prayers 🤲🏼 <a href="https://t.co/0AfkDhfCbO">pic.twitter.com/0AfkDhfCbO</a></p> <p>— Laura Banks (@laurakatebanks) <a href="https://twitter.com/laurakatebanks/status/1500570546832310275?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Images and footage from the crash show the fireball rising up from the flipped car in the citybound lane, with witnesses saying it rose up to three metres into the air.</p> <p dir="ltr">Those on the scene who helped the drivers out of the cars have been praised as “heroes”, including a nearby Traffic Management Centre worker who helped drag a van with a trapped man inside away from the fire after he heard the crash and raced to the scene.</p> <p dir="ltr">Two of the drivers - a man and a woman - were treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.</p> <p dir="ltr">The van driver was trapped in his vehicle for some time before he was freed by emergency services.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-066c225e-7fff-453c-ac16-d44b9de4cbcf"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">He was later taken to St Vincent’s Hospital in a serious but stable condition.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Dashcam footage of the crash on the Sydney Harbour Bridge this morning. Just horrific. No one is critically injured - what a miracle. <a href="https://twitter.com/10NewsFirstSyd?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@10NewsFirstSyd</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/breaking?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#breaking</a> <a href="https://t.co/zRgMXofUjQ">pic.twitter.com/zRgMXofUjQ</a></p> <p>— Charlotte Goodlet (@cgoodlet) <a href="https://twitter.com/cgoodlet/status/1500616289882353664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Fire and Rescue NSW extinguished the flames, with the organisation’s superintendent, Matt Sigmund, <a href="https://7news.com.au/travel/nsw-traffic/major-traffic-delays-after-fireball-breaks-out-on-sydney-harbour-bridge--c-5957213" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirming</a> the driver had made it out of the vehicle before the fire started.</p> <p dir="ltr">He also said the man was incredibly lucky to escape.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Crews on arrival reported thick black smoke coming from one of the vehicles and we had heard reports of persons still in the vehicle,” Mr Sigmund told <em>Sunrise</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The driver that was trapped in the van is really lucky to have escaped at this stage.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4274b35f-7fff-5dac-1112-3e4ac1d45e82"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“The traffic commander from that depot actually drove up at the time of call, the van was located next to the car that was involved on fire, he hooked that van up and dragged it away from the car that was on fire.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/fire1.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="281" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 9News</em></p> <p dir="ltr">NSW Ambulance Inspector Giles Buchanan praised the bystanders and emergency service workers who rescued the drivers.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A number of bystanders and other emergency service workers who risked their lives to assist these patients are absolute heroes, we can’t thank them enough,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“One of the vehicles was well alight when we arrived on the scene, it was an extraordinary effort to get the patient out of the vehicle safely.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Crash investigators have remained at the scene, while motorists have been <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-harbour-bridge-car-crash-car-in-flames/ff266b3b-55e1-44ba-80de-87071c78315b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urged</a> to avoid travelling towards the city and delay trips.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Those travelling towards the city should allow plenty of extra travel time and consider using the Sydney Harbour Tunnel or Anzac Bridge as an alternative,” Live Traffic Sydney said.</p> <p dir="ltr">EDITOR'S UPDATE</p> <p dir="ltr">Police allege that the Toyota Kluger’s owner was changing a tyre on the corner of Sussex and Goulburn streets in Sydney’s CBD when a man approached and started a conversation about the car.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There was a short scuffle which ensued and then the man got into the Kluger and drove it away headed towards the Harbour Bridge,” Sydney City Police Area commander Detective Superintendent Rohan Cramsie told 2GB radio.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We’d certainly ask anybody who has witnessed the (alleged) stealing of that Kluger to come forward.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-07eee4e3-7fff-7adc-4976-b3b268362b30"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 9News</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"COVID kicked my ass pretty good": Jeff Bridges' major health update

<p>Legendary actor Jeff Bridges has discussed his long battle with cancer, and with contracting COVID-19.</p> <p>The 71-year-old shared the first sneak peek from <em>The Old Man</em>, for which he is the star and executive producer, while also sharing a health update on his website.</p> <p><span>"My cancer is in remission — the 9" to 12" mass has shrunk down to the size of a marble. My COVID is in the rear view mirror," he said.</span></p> <p><span>"COVID kicked my ass pretty good, but I'm double vaccinated and feeling much better now," he continued, following up on a post from March where he </span>discussed how he contracted coronavirus at the same place he was undergoing chemotherapy for his lymphoma. </p> <p><span>"I heard that the vaccine can help folks with long haulers. Maybe that's the cause of my quick improvement."</span></p> <p><span>Jeff said he needed oxygen assistance after contracting the virus, but he overcome obstacles in his way to achieve a major milestone. </span></p> <p><span>"I had a goal — walking my daughter Hayley down the aisle," he wrote. </span></p> <p><span>"She was getting married to a wonderful guy, Justin Shane. Thanks to Zach [Wermers, physical therapist] and my terrific medical team, I was able to, not only walk Hay down the aisle, but do the father/bride dance with her without oxygen."</span></p> <p><span>Jeff shared the emotional moment of him dancing with Hayley at her wedding to the Ray Charles song Ain't That Love on his personal website.</span></p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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11 of the longest bridges in the world - not including the Harbour Bridge

<p><strong>Human feats of wonder</strong></p> <p>While most of the longest bridges in the world exist in Asia and the United States, engineering marvels that allow travellers to pass over large bodies of water and/or kilometres of tricky terrain, on a train or in a car, exist across the globe.</p> <p><strong>The Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge</strong></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0k3Ik2gU9k/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B0k3Ik2gU9k/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by PlayDay Live! (@playdaylive)</a> on Jul 31, 2019 at 2:23am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>At 164.8km in length, China’s Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is the world’s longest bridge. Built at a cost of approximately $8.5 billion dollars, per Britannica, this link between Shanghai and Nanjing opened as a viaduct on the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway in June 2011. As of publication, this bridge remains in the <em>Guinness Book of World Records</em> as the longest bridge in the world.</p> <p><strong>Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge</strong></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzc35aXoB0u/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzc35aXoB0u/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by MyExpatCommunity (@myexpatcommunity)</a> on Jul 3, 2019 at 3:24am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Also in China is the longest bridge in the world made of glass where pedestrians pay high prices for what <em>Business Insider</em> calls a “colossal waste of time.” That’s thanks to a sea of people and their shoes which scuff the glass beneath feet, despite the fact that booties are mandatory to, in theory, protect the 99 panels of 60cm thick glass. Tourists flock to walk the 427m long glass bridge that sits 299m above China’s Grand Canyon.</p> <p><strong>Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge</strong></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp2EgdvhGgd/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp2EgdvhGgd/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by L U (@voyconlu)</a> on Nov 6, 2018 at 8:06am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>=What does $20 billion get you in the 21st-century bridge market? A huge 54.7km bridge connecting Hong Kong and Zhuhai/Macau. Commuting between those cities would previously have required an hour-long ferry ride, according to CNN. The newest world’s largest sea-crossing bridge, with immigration offices and border control at either end (because Hong Kong and Macau are governed under different laws), took nine years to build and opened in the autumn of 2018.</p> <p><strong>Lake Pontchartrain Causeway</strong></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BBD35ejPsLZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BBD35ejPsLZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Fisk - Centro de Ensino (@fiskoficial)</a> on Jan 27, 2016 at 3:13pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Per the Telegraph, “Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in southern Louisiana is an epic structure that crosses one of the most famous bodies of water in the United States; a lake that has inspired literature, music and film.” This nearly 39km-long bridge is the longest bridge in the world that’s not in Asia. It’ll cost you $5 to go southbound on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway.</p> <p><strong>The Vasco da Gama Bridge</strong></p> <p>The longest bridge in Europe, found east of Lisbon, Portugal, took more than 3,000 workers 18 months to build. Heavy cloud cover on its inauguration day during the 1998 Lisbon World Exposition meant that travellers couldn’t see the other side. Spanning an impressive 17km over the Tagus River, “the Vasco da Game was named after the famous Portuguese explorer to commemorate the fifth centenary of his arrival from India in 1498. Gama was the first European to reach India by sea, from the Atlantic Ocean,” reports Civitatis’ Lisbon travel guide.</p> <p><strong>Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge, Switzerland</strong></p> <p>In Switzerland, you’ll find a 494m suspension bridge that is the longest bridge in the world exclusively for pedestrian use. According to the Telegraph, the Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge crosses “a valley between Grächen and Zermatt, and offers scenic views of some of Switzerland’s highest peaks, including the famed Matterhorn.”</p> <p><strong>Millau Viaduct, France</strong></p> <p>At 2460m, the Millau Viaduct is not even close to being one of the longest bridges in the world. Instead, this engineering marvel often seen cutting through the clouds on the A75 highway between Paris and Barcelona is the tallest bridge and, remarkably, is even higher than the Eiffel Tower.</p> <p><strong>Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel</strong></p> <p>Part bridge, part tunnel, this 28.3-mile marvel of engineering opened for automotive traffic way back in 1964. By the following year, it had been designated as “One of Seven Engineering Wonders of the Modern World,” according to Travel Trivia. The site goes on to explain that the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel “connects the Delmarva Peninsula with southeastern Virginia, spanning across open waters around the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.”</p> <p><strong>Atchafalaya Basin Bridge</strong></p> <p>The twin bridge that spans the largest river swamp in the country opened in 1973 and at the time “was the longest bridge in the United States,” reports the Advertiser. Drivers and passengers alike are afforded stellar views of Louisiana’s wetlands from Interstate 10 during the 30km stretch.</p> <p><strong>Bang Na to Bangpakong Expressway</strong></p> <p>Is a bridge still a bridge if it doesn’t cross over water? The six lanes of The Bang Na in Thailand span a whopping 53.9km, including a run through Bangkok, with only a relative drop of the Bang Pakong River flowing beneath. Structurally this bridge, which ranks as the longest road bridge in the world, was made with over a million cubic metres of concrete, according to Road Traffic Technology, and instead of a sea or lake, rises nearly 30.4 metres above another stretch of road, National Highway Route 34.</p> <p><strong>Akashi Kaikyo Bridge</strong></p> <p>Rising high above the Akashi Strait, and connecting the city of Kobe with Awaji Island in Japan’s Hyogo Prefecture, is the longest spanning suspension bridge in the world. At 3,911m in length, its length is only part of the story. According to PBS, the two towers of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, rising 283m, “are higher than any other bridge towers in the world.”</p> <p><em>Written by Jeff Bogle. This article first appeared in </em><em><a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/destinations/11-of-the-longest-bridges-in-the-world?slide=all">Reader’s Digest.</a> For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, </em><span><em> </em></span><a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRN93V"><em>here’s our best subscription offer.</em></a></p>

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Second victim in London Bridge attack named

<p>Saskia Jones, who was described as a “funny, kind and positive influence” has been named as the second victim of Friday’s London Bridge terror attack.</p> <p>The 23-year-old former Cambridge University graduate had only just applied to the police’s graduate scheme, with the intention to specialise in victim support, when her life was brutally stolen from her.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5iw2h9lqCY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5iw2h9lqCY/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Kushal Roy (@unapologetickushal)</a> on Dec 1, 2019 at 12:26pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>In a heartbroken statement, her family said her loss would leave a huge void in the lives of everyone she had met.</p> <p>“Saskia was a funny, kind, positive influence at the centre of many people’s lives,” they said.</p> <p>“She had a wonderful sense of mischievous fun and was generous to the point of always wanting to see the best in all people.</p> <p>“She was intent on living life to the full, and had a wonderful thirst for knowledge, enabling her to be the best she could be.</p> <p>“Saskia had a great passion for providing invaluable support to victims of criminal injustice, which led her to the point of recently applying for the police graduate recruitment programme, wishing to specialise in victim support."</p> <p>Miss Jones had been attending a prisoner rehabilitation initiative, when convicted terrorist Usman Khan attacked volunteers and delegates with two larges knives.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5gP5uKIzMD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5gP5uKIzMD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Ideologiekritische Aktion (@ideologiekritische_aktion)</a> on Nov 30, 2019 at 1:00pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>She died alongside another Cambridge graduate, Jack Merritt, who was as equally committed to helping others ­ specifically prisoners’ who wanted to turn their lives around.</p> <p>Khan was released from prison last year after serving eight years of a 16-year sentence for plotting to blow up the London Stock Exchange and other targets.</p> <p>He had been invited to attend the event to discuss his experiences, however, began stabbing at least five people and fatally wounding Miss Jones and Mr Merritt.</p> <p>Director of the Institute of Criminology, at Cambridge Professor Loraine Gelsthorpe, shared a heartfelt statement about her former student.</p> <p>"Saskia's warm disposition and extraordinary intellectual creativity was combined with a strong belief that people who have committed criminal offences should have opportunities for rehabilitation,” she said.</p> <p>"Though she completed her MPhil in Criminology in 2018, her determination to make an enduring and positive impact on society in everything she did led her to stay in contact with the Learning Together community. </p> <p>"They valued her contributions enormously and were inspired by her determination to push towards the good."</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5ilhR7Jft1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5ilhR7Jft1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by JD dan (@janined62)</a> on Dec 1, 2019 at 10:47am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>She also made a heartfelt tribute to Mr Merritt: "All of us at the Institute will miss Jack's quiet humour and rigorous intellect. Jack's passion for social and criminal justice was infectious. He was deeply creatively and courageously engaged with the world, advocating for a politics of love. He worked tirelessly in dark places to pull towards the light."</p> <p>Just last month, Miss Jones shared a post onto her Facebook page which relayed a heartfelt sentiment about appreciating the little things in life.</p> <p>“I hope I never get tired of the night sky, of thunderstorms, of watching cream make galaxies in my coffee,” the post read.</p> <p>“This world is ugly. I hope I never grow to be someone who can no longer see the small beautiful things.”</p>

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Oprah buys actor Jeff Bridges' Santa Barbara estate for $10 million

<p>Another day, another home for Oprah. The TV star now owns at least six homes after selling the houses based in Chicago and Atlanta.</p> <p>The star has seemed to turn her focus to the Montecito neighbourhood of Santa Barbara, and her latest house purchase from actor-friend Jeff Bridges is no exception.</p> <p>She purchased the home after sneakily waiting for the price to be reduced from the initial price of $USD 7.495 million ($NZD 11,676,000) and snapped it up for $6.85 million ($NZD 10,669,000).</p> <p>That’s a price reduction of $NZD 1,007,000.</p> <p>The 3,517 square foot Spanish Revival-style home was originally built in 1919 by famous architect James Osborn Craig.</p> <p>The house has been carefully taken care of as it still has its original windows, doors, hardwood floors as well as five fireplaces.</p> <p>The home features two bedrooms and three bathrooms. High ceilings, expansive windows and French doors are around the home, with every room opening to beautiful gardens.</p> <p>The house sits on an impressive four acres of gardens and also has a pool.</p> <p>The master bedroom features an open-beamed ceiling, French doors and a fireplace.</p> <p>The kitchen boasts wood cabinetry and quartz countertops and large, expansive windows are a staple throughout most of the rooms in the house.</p> <p><em>Photo credit: Elevated Horizon courtesy of Coldwell Banker<span> </span></em></p>

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The secrets of the Spit Bridge to Manly walk

<p><em><strong>Robyn Kennedy loves to explore and photograph Sydney and surrounds. Her blog <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/" target="_blank">Life Out &amp; About</a></span> has become a passion, sharing ideas for outings in and around Sydney - charming gardens, bush walks, art galleries and inspiring places to eat!</strong></em></p> <p>This outing covers a visit to the historic huts at Crater Cove, as well as a coastal walk along a section of the much loved <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/things-to-do/Walking-tracks/Manly-scenic-walkway" target="_blank">Spit Bridge to Manly walk</a></strong></span>. What many hikers don’t realise is there’s much more to this area than the stunning views and secluded beaches. Clinging precariously to the rock ledges of Crater Cove lies a small scattering of historic fisherman’s huts, constructed from locally found materials; beach rocks, driftwood, old timber, corrugated iron and vintage bottles. Their rustic appeal attracts a few adventurous hikers, those who persist in finding the hidden path!</p> <p><strong>Crater Cove – Hidden Path to the Huts</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="221" src="https://i2.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Crater-Cove-Lookout.jpg?resize=800%2C296&amp;ssl=1" alt="Crater Cove Lookout - Dobroyd Scenic Drive Balgowlah Heights" class="size-full wp-image-1464"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Crater Cove Lookout 2016 – Dobroyd Scenic Drive, Balgowlah Heights</em></p> <p>The Crater Cove Lookout at Dobroyd Scenic Drive, Balgowlah Heights offers expansive 180 degree views over the harbour. It’s the perfect place to start your walk to Crater Cove and Manly… and it’s all downhill.</p> <p>It had been 9 years since our last visit to the ‘cove settlement’. We were curious to see the state of the old fisherman’s huts, but could we still find the hidden path!</p> <p>It’s obvious the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) don’t want to encourage visitors to the cove. There are no signposts, nor any mention of the huts on their website. Fortunately there are many other sites including Google that provide information on finding the huts (Google Crater Cove and you will see the path marked on the map).</p> <p><strong>Finding the Hidden Path</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="221" src="https://i2.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Crater-Cove-Welcome.jpg?resize=800%2C296&amp;ssl=1" alt="Crater Cove - Hidden path &amp; cove - Welcome from 2007" class="size-full wp-image-1460"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Crater Cove – Hidden path &amp; cove – Welcome from 2007</em></p> <p>Very close to the Crater Cove Lookout there’s access to a well established bush track. This is the main track that will lead you down to the harbour foreshore, and on to Manly. Follow this track as it heads north east through the scrub and down a large set of stairs. Not far from the base of the stairs, and just past the track to Beatty Street, you will find the hidden path, branching off the main track to the right.</p> <p>The hidden path is narrow, rough and at times quite muddy. It appears as a tunnel through the trees. Having good hiking boots and a willingness to scramble over rocks is needed for this walk… and it’s worth it!</p> <p><em>Crater Cove Huts &amp; Settlement – 2016</em></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="221" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Crater-Cove-Huts-1.jpg?resize=800%2C296&amp;ssl=1" alt="Crater Cove Huts &amp; Settlement" class="size-full wp-image-1463"/></p> <p><strong>Historic Huts</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="221" src="https://i2.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Crater-Cove-Huts-2.jpg?resize=800%2C296&amp;ssl=1" alt="Crater Cove 2016 - old fisherman's huts" class="size-full wp-image-1468"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Crater Cove 2016 – old fisherman’s huts constructed from locally found materials, beach rocks, driftwood, old timber, corrugated iron and bottles</em></p> <p>After 10 minutes on the track you will arrive at the clifftop huts, located at the eastern end of the cove. What an idyllic setting, perched on the cliffs and surrounded by the fabulous Sydney Harbour! You will find a number of stone pathways and bush tracks that lead you to other huts in the settlement.</p> <p>Although the huts appear quite fragile, they are still standing after decades of exposure to the elements… and some abuse by vandals!  Scattered around the huts are old buoys, kettles and other rustic remains, harking back to a time when life was much more simple.</p> <p><strong>NPWS Volunteers</strong></p> <p>Except for a handful of visitors and an NPWS volunteer, we were the only ones there… and a few eastern water dragons as well! Usually a NPWS volunteer maintains the huts and gardens, I believe they have some connection to the history of the settlement.</p> <p>Being such a fragile area it is understandable that the NPWS volunteers are concerned about inconsiderate visitors scrambling over the site. Please don’t enter or climb on the huts, and whatever you do, don’t ask the volunteers if they live there! They really don’t like being asked too many questions, especially this one.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="221" src="https://i1.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Crater-Cove-Huts-5.jpg?resize=800%2C296&amp;ssl=1" alt="Crater Cove Huts &amp; the eastern water dragon - 2016" class="size-full wp-image-1474"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Crater Cove Huts &amp; the eastern water dragon – 2016</em></p> <p><strong>A Little History</strong></p> <p>The huts that are still standing today were apparently built between 1923 and 1963 for recreational purposes. Although not originally intended to be permanently occupied, there was a small group of people who called this place home during the 70s and 80s. They were searching for a simpler way of living, and they had found it! Sadly for the residents of the cove, the NPWS felt that national parks were not places for human habitation, they were evicted in 1987. The longest term resident was Simon, and this had been his home for 18 years!</p> <p><strong>Crater Cove to Manly</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="221" src="https://i2.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Crater-Cove-to-Manly-Walk.jpg?resize=800%2C296&amp;ssl=1" alt="Crater Cove to Manly walk - shady paths &amp; secluded beaches" class="size-full wp-image-1480"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Crater Cove to Manly walk – shady paths &amp; secluded beaches</em></p> <p>After spending a good 45 minutes at the cove, we headed off to Manly. The main track takes you through coastal scrub and tall gumtree forests. As you wind your way along the shoreline, past tiny sheltered beaches and stunning harbour vistas, it’s easy to appreciate why this is a much loved walk.</p> <p><strong>Reef Beach</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="221" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Crater-Cove-to-Manly-Reef-Beach.jpg?resize=800%2C296&amp;ssl=1" alt="Crater Cove to Manly walk - Reef Beach" class="size-full wp-image-1482"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Crater Cove to Manly walk – Reef Beach</em></p> <p>The first secluded beach you encounter is Reef Beach, which is easily accessed by stairs from the main track. This is a great little spot if you fancy a quick dip… or just want to cool off under one of the large shady trees that overhangs the beach and rocks.</p> <p><strong>Forty Baskets Beach</strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="600" height="221" src="https://i1.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Crater-Cove-to-Manly-Forty-Baskets-Beach.jpg?resize=800%2C296&amp;ssl=1" alt="Crater Cover to Manly walk - Forty Baskets beach" class="size-full wp-image-1483"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Crater Cover to Manly walk – Forty Baskets beach.</em></p> <p>Tucked neatly into Manly Cove, this gorgeous little beach offers beautiful views, calm waters and shaded grass areas.</p> <p><strong>North Harbour Reserve to Manly</strong><img width="600" height="221" src="https://i2.wp.com/www.lifeoutandabout.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Crater-Cove-to-Manly-near-Manly.jpg?resize=800%2C296&amp;ssl=1" alt="Crater Cove to Manly - getting close to Manly" class="size-full wp-image-1484"/></p> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Crater Cove to Manly – getting close to Manly</em></p> <p>Continuing on from Forty Baskets, past Davis Marina you will eventually arrive at North Harbour Reserve. If you’re hanging for a coffee or bite to eat there’s a small café ’40 Beans’… we preferred to wait until we got to Manly.</p> <p>When you get a little closer to Manly, the track turns into a well paved footpath, with lawns and gardens down to the waterfront. You’re on the home stretch now!</p> <p><em>Image credits: Robyn Kennedy</em></p> <p><em><strong>Have you arranged your travel insurance yet? Save money with Over60 Travel Insurance. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://elevate.agatravelinsurance.com.au/oversixty?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=link1&amp;utm_campaign=travel-insurance" target="_blank">To arrange a quote, click here.</a></span> Or for more information, call 1800 622 966.</strong></em></p>

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Chicken ginger udon soup

<p>Noodles, chicken, ginger, greens: you just can't ask for better than this soup. It's quick to prepare and extremely good for you. I love it – and it's an especially good thing to make after a weekend of excess.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 2</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>4 green (spring) onions</li> <li>4 cups chicken stock</li> <li>45g ginger, peeled and sliced</li> <li>2 star anise</li> <li>200g chicken breast, skin off</li> <li>1 bunch baby bok choy, washed and leaves separated</li> <li>200g udon noodles</li> <li>1 Tbsp low-salt soy sauce</li> <li>1 cup coriander leaves</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol start="1"> <li>Finely slice one of the spring onions on the diagonal and reserve. Coarsely chop remainder.</li> <li>Combine stock, ginger, star anise and coarsely chopped green (spring) onion with two cups of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.</li> <li>Add chicken and simmer for eight minutes or until just cooked through.</li> <li>Remove with a slotted spoon and stand to cool. Slice or shred chicken once it's cool enough to handle.</li> <li>Strain broth into a large bowl and discard ginger, star anise and green (spring) onion.</li> <li>Return liquid to the pan, bring to a simmer and add bok choy, noodles and soy sauce.</li> <li>Stir until leaves have wilted and noodles have softened. Add chicken, coriander and reserved spring onion to serve.</li> </ol> <p><em>Written by Michelle Bridges. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Why Sydney Harbour Bridge flags were at half-mast yesterday

<p>Yesterday, Australian flags on the Sydney Harbour Bridge were flying at half-mast at the request of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in respect of the passing of the president of Vanuatu.</p> <p>On Sunday, His Excellency Womtelo Reverend Baldwin Lonsdale died at the age of 67 due to a heart attack.</p> <p>Mr Turnbull requested all flags on buildings occupied by Australian Government departments and affiliated agencies be flown at half-mast to pay tribute to the deceased president.</p> <p>President Baldwin Lonsdale was elected in September 2014 and was the first president from the Torba Province.</p> <p>The funeral was held yesterday in Port Vila, Vanuatu.</p> <p>Mr Turnbull has offered his condolences and said that the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, Peter Cosgrove, would represent Australia at the funeral.</p> <p>In accordance with flag protocol, the flags and ensigns at each flag station were flown at half-mast during daylight hours.</p> <p>Recently, flags have been flown at half-mast to commemorate victims of the Martin Place siege, to honour the late Saudi king, for the death of cricketer Phillip Hughes and Remembrance Day. </p> <p><em>Image credit: Daniel Aarons</em></p>

International Travel

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Michelle Bridges’ lemon pepper squid with sprouts and peas

<p>This has got to be one of the easiest meals around. Plus it has peas, fresh seafood and three kinds of sprouts – your body will thank you.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Serves:</span></strong> 4</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>Finely grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon</li> <li>1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper</li> <li>500g cleaned baby squid, scored</li> <li>200g mixed crunchy sprouts</li> <li>1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts</li> <li>200 g Brussels sprouts, finely sliced into rounds</li> <li>1/2 cup frozen baby peas, at room temperature</li> <li>1 tablespoon avocado oil</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Place the lemon zest, pepper and squid in a bowl, season to taste with salt and toss until well combined.</li> <li>Combine the sprouts, Brussels sprouts, peas, oil and lemon juice in a bowl and season to taste. Set aside.</li> <li>Heat a large chargrill pan over high heat.</li> <li>Add the squid and cook for two minutes, turning occasionally, until just tender and light golden.</li> <li>Divide the sprout salad among four plates, top with the squid and serve warm.</li> </ol> <p><img width="175" height="237" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/35086/image__175x237.jpg" alt="Image_ (167)" style="float: right;"/><em>Recipe courtesy of</em> Food for Life<em> by Michelle Bridges is published by Macmillan Australia, RRP $39.99. Available from <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.dymocks.com.au/book/food-for-life-by-michelle-bridges-9781925480023/%23.WHQWyVN97IU" target="_blank">Dymocks</a></strong></span>.</em></p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, </strong></em><strong>The Way Mum Made It</strong><em><strong>, yet? Featuring 175 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>.</strong></em></p>

Food & Wine

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Michelle Bridges’ passionfruit cheesecake pots

<p>A lovely light dessert – looks so indulgent yet is not bad on the calorie front.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Serves:</strong></span> Four</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>3 tablespoons light spreadable</li> <li>cream cheese</li> <li>100 g fresh full-cream ricotta</li> <li>3 tablespoons Labne</li> <li>4 passionfruit, halved,</li> <li>Seeds and juice scraped</li> <li>1 tablespoon pure maple syrup</li> <li>1 tablespoon pistachio kernels,</li> <li>Finely chopped</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <ol> <li>Place the cream cheese and ricotta in a bowl.</li> <li>Using a hand-held mixer, mix on high speed for 2 minutes or until smooth.</li> <li>Add the labne and passionfruit and mix until well combined. Divide the mixture among four 3/4 cup capacity serving glasses or jars and chill for 30 minutes.</li> <li>Top the cheesecake pots with maple syrup and chopped pistachio and serve chilled.</li> </ol> <p>Mmm, doesn’t that sound delicious?</p> <p><em><strong>Have you ordered your copy of the Over60 cookbook, The Way Mum Made It, yet? Featuring 178 delicious tried-and-true recipes from you, the Over60 community, and your favourites that have appeared on the Over60 website, <a href="https://shop.abc.net.au/products/way-mum-made-it-pbk" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">head to the abcshop.com.au to order your copy now</span></a>. </strong></em></p>

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Fatal bridge collapse in Bali tourist hotpot

<p>A bridge connecting two small islands in a Bali tourist hotspot has collapsed, killing nine people and leaving at least 30 others injured according to reports.</p> <p>The suspension bridge linking Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Ceningan collapsed around 6:30pm local time according to the disaster agency. Overcrowding due to many people crossing for a religious ceremony is believed to be the cause.</p> <p><img width="500" height="284" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/28870/bridge-bali-in-text_500x284.jpg" alt="Bridge -Bali -in -text" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>The sea underneath the bridge was no more than two metres deep and many of the victims were believed to have been crushed by debris from the accident.</p> <p>Police spokesman Brenda Wahyudi told media that all of the victims were locals and tragically included three children aged between three and nine. </p> <p><em>Image credit: Facebook / Nine News </em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-tips/2016/08/tourists-could-soon-be-boycotting-bali/"><strong>The surprising reason tourists could soon be boycotting Bali</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-tips/2016/06/10-popular-tourist-locations-with-health-risks/">10 popular tourist locations with health risks</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/cruising/2016/03/cruise-lines-cancel-scheduled-bali-stops/"><strong>Cruise lines cancel scheduled Bali stops</strong></a></em></span></p>

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