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Hello hay fever – why pressing under your nose could stop a sneeze but why you shouldn’t

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-nealon-1481995">Jessica Nealon</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> If you have <a href="https://theconversation.com/sniffles-sneezing-and-cough-how-to-tell-if-its-a-simple-allergy-rather-than-the-virus-139657">hay fever</a>, you’ve probably been sneezing a lot lately. Sneezing is universal but also quite unique to each of us. It is a protective reflex action outside our conscious control, to remove irritants from inside our nose. The <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/holding-in-a-sneeze">pressure in the airways</a> during a sneeze is more than 30 times greater than heavy breathing during exercise. Estimates of how fast a sneeze travels range from <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0059970">5 metres a second</a> to <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19617285/">more than 150 kilometres per hour</a>. You can sometimes stop a sneeze by holding your nose or pressing underneath it. This is related to the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/gate-control-theory">gate control theory of pain</a> and the idea you can change neural responses with external stimulation. But given the velocity of a sneeze, it might not be a good idea to stop it after it has started. <h2>An involuntary reflex</h2> A sneeze is initiated when sensory nerves in our nose are <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1753465809340571?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori:rid:crossref.org&rfr_dat=cr_pub%20%200pubmed">stimulated by an irritant</a> such as allergens, viruses, bacteria or even fluid. The sensory nerves then carry this irritant information to the brain. When a threshold amount of irritant signals reach the brain, the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077498/">sneeze reflex is triggered</a>. A sneeze first involves a deep intake of breath and a <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-do-we-sneeze/">build-up of pressure inside the airways</a>. This is then followed by <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/back-pain/back-pain-when-sneezing#sneezing-as-a-cause">contraction of the diaphragm</a> and rib muscles, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2077498/">reflex closing of the eyes</a> and a strong exhalation. These are the “ah” and the “tchoo” phases of a sneeze. On the exhalation of a sneeze, your tongue is lifted to the roof of your mouth. This <a href="https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/10.1164/rccm.202004-1263PP">closes off the back of the mouth</a> so the air is forced mostly through your nose. The air expelled through the nose flushes out the irritants that caused the sneeze. The “tch” sound of a sneeze is the reflexive touching of the tongue to the roof of your mouth. <h2>The trigeminal nerves</h2> The trigeminal nerves are the <a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21998-cranial-nerves">largest of our 12 pairs of cranial nerves</a> and the largest sensory nerves in the body. The left and right trigeminal nerves carry sensory information from the face to the brain. This includes touch, pain and irritation sensory information from the facial skin and from inside the nose and mouth. Within each trigeminal nerve are thousands of individual nerve branches that each carry a <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1744806920901890">specific type of sensory information</a>. <h2>Sensory nerves communicate in the spinal cord</h2> <figure class="align-right zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=631&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=631&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=631&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=792&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=792&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/555217/original/file-20231023-25-1lg691.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=792&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="drawing of face with nerves labelled" /></a><figcaption>Henry Gray’s anatomical illustration of the trigeminal nerve. <a class="source" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Gray778.png">Gray's Anatomy/Wikimedia Commons</a></figcaption></figure> Sensory nerves travel to the brain via the spinal cord. The sensory nerves that carry pain and irritant signals are narrow, whereas those that carry touch information are wider and faster. In the spinal cord, these nerves communicate with each other via interneurons before sending their message to the brain. The interneurons are the “gates” of the <a href="https://www.physio-pedia.com/Gate_Control_Theory_of_Pain#:%7E:text=and%20trigger%20%E2%80%A2-,Introduction,be%20let%20through%20or%20restricted.">gate control theory of pain</a>. A nerve carrying a pain signal tells the interneuron to “open the gate” for the pain signal to reach the brain. But the larger nerves that carry touch information can “close the gate” and block the pain messages getting to the brain. This is why rubbing an injured area can reduce the sensation of pain. <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2018.01037/full">One study</a> showed stimulating the trigeminal nerves by moving the jaw reduced tooth pain. We can observe this in action when babies instinctively <a href="https://chaimommas.com/2013/11/05/what-to-expect-with-teething-and-tooth-development-chart/">bite on things or pull their ear</a> when they are teething. These actions can stimulate the trigeminal touch nerves and reduce pain signals via the gate control mechanism. <h2>So does putting your finger under your nose stop a sneeze?</h2> There are <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-stop-sneezing">many suggestions</a> of how to stop a sneeze. These include pulling your ear, putting your tongue to the roof of your mouth or the back of your teeth, touching your nose, or even sticking your finger in your nose. All of these stimulate the trigeminal touch nerves with the goal of telling the interneurons to “close the gate”. This can block the irritant signals from reaching the brain and triggering a sneeze. <h2>But should you stop a sneeze?</h2> What if an irritant in your nose has triggered a sneeze response, but you’re somewhere it might be considered inappropriate to sneeze. Should you stop it? Closing your mouth or nose during a sneeze increases the pressure in the airways <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26914240/">five to 20 times more than a normal sneeze</a>. With no escape, this <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1945892418823147#:%7E:text=The%20high%20Valsalva%20pressure%20generated,to%20all%20people%20who%20sneeze.">pressure has to be transmitted elsewhere</a> and that can damage your eyes, ears or blood vessels. Though the risk is low, brain aneurysm, ruptured throat and collapsed lung have been <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/holding-in-a-sneeze#can-holding-a-sneeze-kill-you">reported</a>. So it’s probably best to try and prevent the sneeze reflex by treating allergies or addressing irritants. Failing that, embrace your personal sneeze style and <a href="https://theconversation.com/handkerchief-or-tissue-which-ones-better-for-our-health-and-the-planet-213065">sneeze into a tissue</a>. <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/215265/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/theresa-larkin-952095">Theresa Larkin</a>, Associate professor of Medical Sciences, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jessica-nealon-1481995">Jessica Nealon</a>, Lecturer in Medical Sciences (Neuroscience), <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-wollongong-711">University of Wollongong</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/hello-hay-fever-why-pressing-under-your-nose-could-stop-a-sneeze-but-why-you-shouldnt-215265">original article</a>.

Body

NZ politician’s hilarious X-rated blunder

New Zealand’s Covid-19 response minister Chris Hipkins has given the nation “a reason to laugh” after giving some x-rated health advice on the Delta outbreak. Mr Hipkins was caught in his hilarious blunder while reminding people of the strict COVID-19 restrictions. His humorous moment saw him telling the nation they should social distance when they go outside to “spread their legs”. "It is a challenge for people in high density areas to get outside and spread their legs when they are surrounded by other people," he accidentally told reporters at the live press conference on Sunday. He meant to say "stretch their legs". <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Latest official government advice, please retweet to get the message out <a href="https://twitter.com/cjsbishop?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cjsbishop</a> <a href="https://t.co/FddDNPFkRA">pic.twitter.com/FddDNPFkRA</a> — ᴀɴᴅʀᴇᴡ ʙɪɢɢs (@biggsintweets) <a href="https://twitter.com/biggsintweets/status/1429262495009542144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2021</a></blockquote> The blunder wasn’t forgotten by Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield, who raised an eyebrow and smirked seconds later. Hipkins realised his embarrassing error, and said that the media “would all have fun with him later”. The mistake has given some heavily-needed comedic relief for New Zealanders who are currently in the midst of a nationwide lockdown. “Spread your legs, not the virus!” one person took to Twitter to share. "When Jacinda takes a break and leaves it to the boys.." another added. Mr Hipkins later responded on his official Facebook page, saying “at least I’ve given you all something to laugh about.”

Travel Trouble

Kyrgios to reporter: "Never ask me that ever again"

Nick Kyrgios has addressed the string of injuries caused by Wimbledon’s slippery courts while joking he’s not the best person to ask about “movement” on any surface. Kyrgios is the latest player to suffer a fall, after slipping during his winning match against Ugo Humbert on Thursday morning, following the restart of the match from the night before because of the All England Club’s 11pm curfew. Kyrgios was visibly in pain and cried out after the fall, but fears he wouldn’t be able to continue playing were dispelled when he got up and continued to play. His tumble came after the retirement of Adrian Mannarino and Serena Williams in the opening week of the grand slam after both players suffered injuries from their falls. Multiple players have spoken out about the much more slippery state of the courts this year in comparison to past tournaments. When asked about “movement” and how important it was for him to feel secure in his footing, Kyrgios commented that growing up on grass in Australia has helped but that footwork isn’t his biggest strength. “I’m a very interesting person to ask about movement,” Kyrgios said in his post-match press conference. “I definitely think being Australian growing up on the grass helps. I played a lot of grass courts when I was a junior … I developed my grass court game early,” he explained. “My instincts on grass are quite good … for me it kind of comes naturally.” He added: “To be honest, I have shocking footwork. Probably should never ask me that question again. That’s more like a Diego Schwartzman type thing I think, but I think for me it comes more naturally. “I’m not the most flexible bloke so any time my legs spread a little bit apart I’m like, ‘Ahh’. “Going down, it was pretty brutal. It hurt, my hip hurt. But I got back up and showed some resilience, coming with age.” When asked whether the state of the courts had become a talking point in Wimbledon’s locker room, Kyrgios said it’s unfortunate but comes with playing on that type of surface. “I don’t think the rain helps, especially outside courts when it gets slippery and a bit unpredictable,” he said. “It’s just sometimes what happens on the grass. I think the game’s evolved now where there’s so many rallies and players are so capable of making so many returns or that extra ball where the body’s actually not supposed to be in those positions and then people slip over and injuries happen.” The busy schedule most players follow doesn’t help either, Kyrgios said, with back to back matches across the French Open and Wimbledon. “I don’t know if there’s a solution but it just is what it is on the grass … the grass has got that unpredictable factor that there’s no guarantee any time you go out there that you could be injured.” Wimbledon have come out defending the condition of its courts following the incidents. “Each grass court is checked by the grand slam supervisors, Referee’s Office and Grounds team ahead of play commencing, and on both days of the fortnight they have been happy with the conditions and cleared the courts for play,” officials said. Image: Nick Kyrgios / Instagram

News

First look at Oprah interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

The first two promotional videos for Oprah with Meghan and Harry: A CBS Primetime Special are out, much to the delight of royal fans. The network will air the interview at 8pm, Sunday on March 7th. The trio appear to be socially distanced, with Oprah in an all-pink outfit for the occasion. Only Winfrey and Prince Harry speak in the promos, with Winfrey teasing bombshell revelations. “You’ve said some pretty shocking things here,” she says. “My biggest concern was history repeating itself,” Prince Harry replies. “I’m really relieved and happy to be sitting here, talking to you with my wife by my side because I can’t begin to imagine what it must have been for her going through this process by herself all these years ago." “Because It’s been unbelievably tough for the two of us, but at least we have each other,” he continued. <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y7LJrh5UTr4"></iframe></div> The special, which goes for 90 minutes, will see Winfrey ask Meghan questions about every aspect of her life “from stepping into life as a royal, marriage, motherhood, philanthropic work to how she is handling life under intense public pressure,” according to a statement. Prince Harry joins the pair later and speaks about “their move to the United States and their future hopes and dreams for their expanding family.” <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MhbRw04ZBx8"></iframe></div> In a surprisingly candid interview, Prince Harry revealed to The Late Late Show with James Corden that it was the "toxic" British press that made the pair step back from royal duties. “We all know what the British press can be like, and it was destroying my mental health,” he told Corden. “I was like, this is toxic. So I did what any husband and what any father would do.” “They don’t pretend to be news, it’s fictional,” he said. “But it’s loosely based on the truth. Of course, it’s not strictly accurate, but… it gives you a rough idea about what that lifestyle, what the pressures of putting duty and service above family and everything else, what can come from that.”

Serena Williams tearfully quits press conference after loss

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> Tennis legend Serena Williams made a tearful exit from a press conference after losing to Naomi Osaka in the Australian Open semi-finals. Osaka defeated Williams 6-3 6-4 in a match that only lasted 75 minutes. Rumours were flying as Williams made an emotional exit after the loss by putting her hand on her heart and waving goodbye to the crowd at Rod Laver Arena. “I don’t know. If I ever say farewell, I wouldn’t tell anyone, so...” she said, keeping quiet. The press conference quickly turned as a reporter asked about her performance against Osaka. “The unforced errors through the match, considering how well you played to get to this stage, what do you feel caused that? Was it just one of those bad days at the office?” he asked. Williams barely responded and she began tearing up, leaving the room and ending her press conference early. “I don’t know. I’m done,” she said, getting out of her seat as she finished speaking. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Tennis star Serena Williams broke down in tears and cut short her post-match news conference after her semi-final defeat to Naomi Osaka. Read more here: <a href="https://t.co/QcGhpSkfDC">https://t.co/QcGhpSkfDC</a> <a href="https://t.co/AYJgHfLVGL">pic.twitter.com/AYJgHfLVGL</a> — Sky News (@SkyNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyNews/status/1362357518937321475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 18, 2021</a></blockquote> Before Williams' departure, she admitted unforced errors were the difference in winning the match. “Honestly, it was opportunities where I could have won. I could have been up five-love. I just made so many errors,” Williams said. </div> </div> </div> <div class="post-action-bar-component-wrapper"> <div class="post-actions-component"> <div class="upper-row"></div> </div> </div>

Caring

"Visibly furious" Jacinda Ardern berates Scott Morrison in press conference

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was "visibly furious" at the Australian Morrison government, claiming that Australia did "not act in good faith". This is after an alleged ISIS terrorist travelled to Syria on an Australian passport and was detained in Turkey with her two children. The detained woman held dual citizenship for Australia and New Zealand, but her Australian citizenship was revoked as part of a new policy to strip dual-citizenship from terrorists. As the woman travelled on her Australian passport, she was detained and is now considered legally to be only a New Zealand citizen, despite not living in the country since the age of six. This left Ardern furious. “I never believe that the right response was to simply have a race to revoke people’s citizenship … We will put our hands up when we need to own the situation, we expected the same of Australia. They did not act in good faith,” Ms Ardern said on Tuesday. Ms Ardern said her government “firmly believe” the woman should return to Australia, and has “repeatedly communicated that view to the Australian government at the highest levels”. “It is wrong that New Zealand should shoulder the responsibility for a situation involving a woman who has not lived in New Zealand since she was six, has resided in Australia since that time, has her family in Australia and left for Syria from Australia on her Australian passport. “Any fair-minded person would consider this person an Australian and that is my view too,” Ms Ardern said. Ardern has said that the chief priority is the welfare of the two children. “These children were born in a conflict zone through no fault of their own,” Ms Ardern said. “Coming to New Zealand, where they have no immediate family, would not be in their best interests. We know that young children thrive best when surrounded by people who love them. We will be raising these points with the Australian Government. “We will be engaging with the Turkish authorities, and given there are children involved, their welfare will be top of mind in our response.” When Mr Morrison was asked about New Zealand's response, he said that it was his job to put "Australia's national security interests first". He also pointed out that as a part of the legislation, citizenship can be cancelled "automatically and that has been a known part of Australia's law for some time". “There is still a lot more unknown about this case and where it sits and where it may go next,” Mr Morrison added. </div> </div> </div>

Legal

Trump lawyer's press conference mistake goes viral

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> A weekend press conference by Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani went viral over the weekend as a staffer mistakenly booked Four Season's Landscaping instead of the five-star hotel. Donald Trump tweeted "Lawyers Press Conference at Four Seasons, Philadelphia,' but quickly deleted it and replaced the tweet with Four Season's Landscaping". “Big press conference today in Philadelphia at Four Seasons Total Landscaping – 11.30am!” he tweeted. Four Seasons Total Landscaping is a small business located between a crematorium and an adult book store called Fantasy Island. People on Twitter were quick to make fun of the incident. "I could write jokes for 800 years and I'd never think of something funnier than Trump booking the Four Seasons for his big presser and it turning out to be the Four Seasons Total Landscaping parking lot between a dildo store and a crematorium," one person <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/ZackBornstein/status/1325274318218035201" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">wrote</a>. "I'm sorry, I can't let this go: The people who can't find the right Four Seasons want you to believe they uncovered 40,000 fraudulent ballots in Philadelphia?" another person <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/JeffLieber/status/1325298846705061888" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">pointed out</a>. According to The New York Times, Trump's team did intend to hold the press conference at the landscaping business but the president was a bit confused. “In reality, the mistake was not in the booking, but in a garbled game of telephone,” the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2020/11/07/us/biden-trump?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur#which-four-seasons-oh-not-that-one" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">New York Times</a> wrote. “Mr. Giuliani and the Trump campaign adviser Corey Lewandowski told the president on Saturday morning their intended location for the news conference and he misunderstood, assuming it was an upscale hotel, according to multiple people familiar with the matter.” According to insiders, they told the landscaping business as it was in a more Republican-friendly part of town. PBS Senior Political Reporter Daniel Bush added a bit more info, <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/DanielBush/status/1325143314170048514?s=20" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">tweeting</a>: “An answer to the Four Seasons Total Landscaping mystery: the company told me the Trump campaign contacted them today out of the blue ahead of the Giuliani presser and said their location was close to an exit on I95, and was secure, and that’s why they wanted to use it.” </div> </div> </div>

News

Ellen DeGeneres show staff overjoyed at recent bad press

After BuzzFeed News exposed the racism, fear, retaliation and intimidation on the set of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, staff members are reportedly rejoicing about the information coming to light. Along with a “toxic work environment," there has allegedly been situations of producers “bullying” staff, along with racist comments being hurled at black employees. They also allegedly fired an employee who took medical leave after a suicide attempt. However, the horrific allegations coming to light and gaining public interest has left staff members rejoicing. The source told US weekly, “They’ve been calling and texting each other about the story. They’re loving that the truth—which has been an open secret for years in the industry—is finally receiving more interest.” Ellen has remained eerily silent and has not issued a statement regarding the toxic work culture on her show. However producers Ed Glavin, Mary Connelly and Andy Lassner told E! News they were “heartbroken” by the reports made by employees. "We are truly heartbroken and sorry to learn that even one person in our production family has had a negative experience,” they said. “It's not who we are and not who we strive to be, and not the mission Ellen has set for us. For the record, the day to day responsibility of the Ellen show is completely on us. “We take all of this very seriously and we realize, as many in the world are learning, that we need to do better, are committed to do better, and we will do better."

"Bungling idiots": Jacinda Ardern's bad week with press

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> Despite New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern initially being praised for the way her country handled the coronavirus pandemic, it appears the tide has turned. Her administration has been called "bungling idiots", her coalition government has been accused of "tearing itself apart" and Ardern who was previously seen as untouchable has been accused of telling a "complete lie" about her handling of the pandemic. Two British visitors on June 7th arrived into the country, where they were placed in hotel quarantine for 14 days. Six days later, the health ministry decreed that everyone in quarantine would be allowed out after two negative COVID-19 tests. The two arrivals were allowed to leave quarantine on compassionate grounds and drove 650kms to Wellington to visit a dying relative. Unfortunately, the pair got lost and met up with a couple of friends who gave them directions. The pair both tested positive for coronavirus after arriving in Wellington. It has since emerged that the women weren't tested in the hotel, not even once. Naturally, Ardern said it was an "unacceptable failure" and "cannot be repeated" as it was the nation's first COVID-19 cases for three weeks. There had already been plenty of early releases from quarantine, with 50 other visitors had been allowed out of quarantine on compassionate grounds with just four people being tested for coronavirus. If this wasn't bad enough, more news came to light. Out of the 2,519 people who left quarantine between June 9th and June 16th, most who completed the 14 days in quarantine, only 1,010 were tested for coronavirus. Of the rest, around 800 people vanished and failed to get into contact with the authorities to arrange a test. National leader Todd Muller said that the debacle was a "national disgrace". David Seymour, leader of the minor party ACT was much more direct. “These bungling idiots couldn't run a bath let alone a border,” he said. “We’re supposed to have the world’s smartest borders. We now have the world’s dumbest borders.” As election day nears, Senior National MP Judith Collins called into question Ardern's character on The AM Show. “We have been lied to actually. We have been lied to about the quarantine, about the standard of care," she said. When asked who had lied, she said "the prime minister and the health ministry". Labour MP Willie Jackson was having none of the accusations. “I think we are going a bit over the line if you are going to start accusing the prime minister of lying,” he said on the same show. “She is a person of huge integrity and very honest.” He hoped voters would “cut us a bit of slack given the integrity of the prime minister”. </div> </div> </div>

News

Queen’s first video conference during lockdown

The Queen can add another “first” to her long list as monarch, as on Friday the royal partook in her first public video conference call. Elizabeth II and her daughter Princess Anne had the opportunity to speak to four carers who have had the primary responsibility of looking after family members through the coronavirus pandemic. <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/tv/CBTx9lqnGhM/?utm_source=ig_embed&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/tv/CBTx9lqnGhM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by The British Royal Family (@the_mountbatten_windsors)</a> on Jun 11, 2020 at 2:02pm PDT </div> </blockquote> The royals listened intently and learnt about their experiences, along with the challenges the pandemic has brought for these carers. “Interesting listening to all your tales and stories,” the 94-year-old monarch said. “I’m very impressed by what you have achieved already. I’m very glad to have been able to join you today.” <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CBTw-AuHI10/?utm_source=ig_embed&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> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CBTw-AuHI10/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and His Royal Highness Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh. #royal #queenelizabeth #elizabethalexandramary #princephillip #dukeofedinburgh #royalty #britishmonarchy</a> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/britishroyalphotos/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> The Royal Family💓👑</a> (@britishroyalphotos) on Jun 11, 2020 at 1:50pm PDT </div> </blockquote> The video was released on Thursday to mark Carers Week and pay homage to the sacrifices that have been made by the seven million unpaid carers in the United Kingdom. Many of these carers have been forced to take on extra roles during the lockdown brought about by the coronavirus pandemic. It was the first time Her Majesty has partaken in her first public video conference call, and proved she is not shy of adapting to meet the challenges posed by new technology.

Caring

“Australians will be feeling this too”: Jacinda Ardern’s message to Australia

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern shared a message to Australians in the wake of the terror attacks in Christchurch. She was asked during a press conference if she had a message for Australia. The 38-year-old responded saying that the attack won’t impact the relationship between Australia and New Zealand. “We’re incredibly aware that Australians will be feeling that too,” she said. “We have acknowledged that this person was not a New Zealand citizen. They did not grow up with this ideology here. They did come to us and bring this terrorist act with them. “But we do not see that as a reflection of our relationship with Australia or its people. And so, I do draw that distinction. I think New Zealanders draw that distinction.” Ardern also reflected on the “fantastic” support from Australian agencies and mentioned that she has been in contact with her Australian counterpart Scott Morrison since the attack. One of the most touching moments from the conference was Ardern speaking about how some of the victims in the attack were Syrian refugees. “I cannot tell you how gutting it is to know that a family came here for safety and refuge and they should have been safe here,” she said. A two-minute silence is being held this Friday in memory of those who lost their lives in the attack. A memorial service is also planned.

News

Naomi Osaka breaks down in emotional press conference

The world's number one tennis player Naomi Osaka has broken down in tears after a shock defeat to France’s Kristina Mladenovic in the first round at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Osaka, who recently parted ways with coach Sascha Bajin, lost 6-3 6-3 to Mladenovic in the tour’s opening round on Tuesday. The match ended in just over an hour after the US Open and Australian Open champion made 25 unforced errors. In the post-match press conference, Osaka said increasing media exposure, as well as scrutiny over her split with Bajin. contributed to her emotional state at the match. "This match is the result of that," Osaka said of her coaching intrigue. "I'm pretty sure as time goes on you guys will stop talking about it. For now, it's like the biggest tennis news, I guess. "See, it's a little bit hard because I feel like people are staring at me, and not in a good way." <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> Thank you Naomi 🙏🏽 I wish you nothing but the best as well. What a ride that was. Thank you for letting me be part of this. — sascha Bajin (@BigSascha) <a href="https://twitter.com/BigSascha/status/1095071608908251142?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">11 February 2019</a></blockquote> The 21-year-old said she found the spotlight "a little tough" as she "doesn’t really like attention". She added, "I don't think I necessarily understand what position I'm in, in a way. "Because last year, I wasn't even anywhere close to this ranking and people didn't pay attention to me. That's something that I'm comfortable with." At this point, she was sent to tears. "I don't know why I'm crying," she said. "I don't know why this is happening." <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> A tearful Naomi Osaka reflects on life in the limelight after her shocking opening round loss to Kiki Mladenovic. <a href="https://t.co/LwnlwhuUDD">pic.twitter.com/LwnlwhuUDD</a> — Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) <a href="https://twitter.com/TennisChannel/status/1097950196808499201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">19 February 2019</a></blockquote> Osaka rose to the top rank after winning titles at the 2018 US Open and the Australian Open in January, becoming the world's first Asian player to earn the world’s number one spot. She also won the Laureus World Sports Award for Breakthrough of the Year on Monday. "I played pretty bad, you have days like that," Osaka said. "But even if I don't win any matches for the rest of the year, I wouldn't say I'm concerned. I think I'm pretty young. I still feel like I have a lot to learn."

News

Meet Duchess Meghan’s dashing new press secretary

There’s a new man in the Duchess of Sussex’s life but it’s not what you think. After being spotted grabbing lunch, people soon noticed that Duchess Meghan was not alone. Instead, she was joined by her new press secretary Christian Jones who sent the internet into a frenzy with his dashing good looks. The royal was seen heading out of an Italian restaurant in London’s Notting Hill with dark-haired Mr Jones by her side, and fans of the former actress could not be more delighted by her choice of staff. People took to Twitter to swoon over the press secretary as they just couldn’t get enough. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> We need to talk about Meghan Markle's new press secretary. <a href="https://t.co/MdLRG6l06r">pic.twitter.com/MdLRG6l06r</a> — Elizabeth Cotignola 🍁 (@LaDiavolina) <a href="https://twitter.com/LaDiavolina/status/1086729839770562561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">19 January 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en-gb"> What a hottie! — P zapata (@Pzapata16) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pzapata16/status/1086819201237553153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">20 January 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en-gb"> Press secretary is cute! — Gigi (@Ginalichi2) <a href="https://twitter.com/Ginalichi2/status/1086375461339435010?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">18 January 2019</a></blockquote> Others pointed out that Prince Harry may have some competition on his hands. “Careful Harry, Meghan has a new younger handsome man around now,” wrote one person online. “He looks like that guy from Toronto she used to date, #princeharry better watch out!!” another said. But despite his good looks, Prince Harry has nothing to worry about, as he represents both Harry and Meghan along with Prince William and wife Duchess Kate. <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs3Qp2lFpij/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=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> <a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs3Qp2lFpij/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">Duchess Meghan was seen dining Friday night with her and Prince Harry’s new deputy director of communications, Christian Jones. 🤰🏽🍽🇬🇧 #hrhtheduchessofsussex #duchessofsussex #duchessmeghan #meghanmarkle #royalbaby #royalfamily #theroyals #christianjones #london #england</a> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/sebochnak/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> Susan Bochnak</a> (@sebochnak) on Jan 20, 2019 at 8:41am PST </div> </blockquote> Mr Jones’ official title is Deputy Communications Secretary and he has a lengthy and impressive CV to boot. The young press secretary has worked extensively for the British government, first as the Chief Press Officer at the Treasury from 2014-2016, and then as a speechwriter for the Department for Exiting the European Union. And alongside his wealth of experience, he also knows how to look the part. So, it’s obvious why people around the world have taken to him.

News

3 ways to press flowers

I am an avid collector of many things, but old books are one of my favourites – I rarely walk out of an op shop without one. Quirky typesetting and old-school printing aside, one of the things I love about second-hand books is the chance of discovering a little surprise inside them. I’ve found many treasures tucked inside those yellowing, musty pages, including some flattened Easter-egg wrappers from the 1940s, a birthday note from an aunt to a favourite niece and, best of all, several books containing some beautiful pressed flowers. When I was a child I used to press flowers with my grandma, and I remember never having enough patience to wait the weeks and weeks before the flowers were completely dried and pressed. Luckily for me, while I was researching this project, I discovered that there are several methods of pressing flowers, some of which allow you to cheat, so you don’t have to wait forever and ever before they are ready. This is good news for me, as I still have as much patience as a five-year-old. What you need: <ul> <li>Flowers/foliage: ones with flat petals are best. I like pansies, geraniums, flowering weeds – anything pretty and dainty</li> <li>Book/iron/microwave: what you use will depend on which method you choose</li> <li>Paper or card: try blotting paper, coffee filter paper, printer paper, several layers of tissue paper</li> </ul> Top tips: <ul> <li>Flowers should preferably be freshly picked, to prevent browning.</li> <li>Don’t pick your flowers too early in the morning, as they will still have dew on them. The extra moisture from the dew may cause them to go mouldy during the pressing process.</li> <li>Flowers should have just bloomed or be about to bloom. If they are too mature, they will lose their petals.</li> <li>If the flowers have obvious stamens, remove them before pressing. </li> </ul> <img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/36335/image__500x333.jpg" alt="Image_ (258)"/> Method 1: Pressing in a book (This is the easiest but slowest method; I found it produced the best results.) 1. Arrange your flowers on the piece of paper, making sure the flowers aren’t overlapping (unless you want them to). Cover with another piece of paper (or fold the first piece of paper in half) and close the book. Liquid from the flowers can leach into the surrounding pages, so use an old book or several sheets of paper to prevent this. 2. Weight down the book by placing some heavy books or bricks on top of it. Change the papers after 1 week, then leave for a few more weeks until the flowers are completely dry. Try to resist the temptation to check them (unless changing the paper), as this can disturb the flowers. Top tip: Don’t use a phone book, as the paper is too flimsy. <img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/36328/2_500x333.jpg" alt="2 (175)"/> Method 2: Ironing 1. Flatten the flowers between pieces of paper in a book, following steps above. Leave the flowers to dry for however long you can manage (I recommend at least 1 day). Empty any water out of the iron (you don’t want any steam), and set the heat to the lowest setting. 2. Remove the flowers from the book, leaving them sandwiched between the two pieces of paper, and press them with the iron for 10–15 seconds. You don’t need to move the iron around, just press it on the paper. <img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/36336/3_500x333.jpg" alt="3 (150)"/> Method 3: Microwave 1. Arrange the flowers in the book between two pieces of paper. Make sure that your book has no metal in the spine or type before putting it in the microwave. Place in the microwave and zap for 30 seconds. Take the book out and let it cool by opening the pages to let the steam out (don’t open the pages that have the flowers enclosed). TIP: Have a couple of books on the go at once, so you can have one heating in the microwave while the other one is cooling down. 2. Once the book is cool, zap it in the microwave again. Repeat until the flowers are almost dry (you may need to do this about four or five times: smaller flowers will dry out quicker), taking care you don’t overcook them, as the flowers will turn brown. <img width="167" height="194" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/36332/sunshine-spaces-cvr_167x194.jpg" alt="Sunshine Spaces CVR" style="float: right;"/> This is an edited extract from Sunshine Spaces by Beci Orpin published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $39.99 and is available in stores nationally. Image credit: Chris Middleton

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3 ways to press flowers