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New Zealand Prime Minister's heartbreaking family update

<p>New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has announced his temporary withdrawal from political engagements to care for his 4-year-old daughter who is in hospital. </p> <p>Hipkins, who is mostly private about his personal life, opened up about his daughter's health battle for the first time in a post shared on Facebook. </p> <p>“I don’t normally talk publicly about my kids because I want them to grow up out of the public spotlight, but sometimes it’s unavoidable,” he said. </p> <p>“Both my kids have a blood condition called Von Willebrand Syndrome. It means that sometimes when they get bleeding noses or other health issues they need a bit of extra medical help to get sorted.</p> <p>“Today my four-year-old is in hospital for some needed treatment, so for the rest of the day while that is happening I’ll be working from the hospital while I’m focused on her.”</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fchrishipkinsmp%2Fposts%2Fpfbid021REVmAth3sr9crVCb7Na1PN42D5vskouAv5QrRf5DXWu7KUbTtq5R96gzq1G18d2l&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="381" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>He also thanked his colleagues for covering him over the next few days and extended his gratitude towards blood donors. </p> <p>"All going well I’ll be back at work soon, but thanks to my colleagues for covering a few engagements over the next couple of days that I’m going to have to miss.</p> <p>"Lots of New Zealanders rely on the generosity of those who give blood. Thank you to all those who help out people like my little girl," he concluded.</p> <p>Hipkins, who replaced Jacinda Ardern in January, had previously revealed that he and his wife had separated and lived apart for a year. </p> <p>At the time, he explained that they were living separately for "the best interest of our family," and he acknowledged the pressure of being a family member of a politician and prime minister. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Caring

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Ex-Finnish Prime Minister’s rebrand after divorce and leaving office

<p dir="ltr">The former Finnish Prime Minister is living her best life after filing for divorce and leaving her position in office. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sanna Marin, the youngest ever female world leader, has kicked off her single girl summer by attending a three-day music festival in Helsinki, leaning into her love of partying. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 37-year-old shared photos from her summer adventures on Instagram, flaunting her relaxed politics-free new life. </p> <p dir="ltr">“This summer I’ve had a proper summer vacation for the first time in a while,” Marin wrote on Instagram while sharing snaps of her fun-filled days.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It has included, among other things, being busy with [5-year-old daughter] Emma, sports, friends, good food, and unforgettable trips.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Most of her followers applauded the change in her lifestyle, and were happy she was taking some quality time for herself. </p> <p dir="ltr">“You look AMAZING. Thank you for showing the world that you can fill the chair as a president and dress as you like at the same time,” influencer Dr. Caecilie Johansen commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Pretty sure we would’ve achieved world peace already if most world leaders were as chill as Sanna,” wrote one.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another agreed, “A politician having fun and looking really cool. This gives a really good example to young people and you give Finland great PR.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Marin’s drastic lifestyle change comes after she officially left her post as Finland’s prime minister three weeks earlier, when the National Coalition Party’s Petteri Orpo took office.</p> <p dir="ltr">As well as being out of a job in politics, Marin is also going through divorce proceedings with her ex-husband of three years and partner for 19 years Markus Raikkonen. </p> <p dir="ltr">The pair announced their separation in May, and said they would still remain best friends and happy co-parents to their daughter Emma despite jointly filing for the separation.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram / Getty Images</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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‘Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living’: a (condensed) history of soup, from cave to can

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/garritt-c-van-dyk-1014186">Garritt C Van Dyk</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a></em></p> <p>Hot soup on a cold day brings warmth and comfort so simple that we don’t think too much about its origins. But its long history runs from the Stone Age and antiquity through to modernity, encompassing the birth of the restaurant, advances in chemistry, and a famous pop art icon.</p> <p>The basic nature of soup has a fundamental appeal that feels primordial – because it is.</p> <p><a href="https://www.academia.edu/12384834/2015_Speth_When_Did_Humans_Learn_to_Boil_">Archaeologists</a> speculate the first soup might have been made by Neanderthals, boiling animal bones to extract fat essential for their diet and drinking the broth. Without the fats, their high intake of lean animal meats could have led to protein poisoning, so stone age soup was an important complement to primeval nutrition.</p> <p>The fundamental benefit of these bone broths is confirmed by archaeological discoveries around the world, ranging from a gelatin broth in <a href="https://www.archaeology.org/issues/317-1811/trenches/7056-trenches-egypt-giza-livestock-bones">Egypt’s Giza plateau</a>, to <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-pacific-11981666">Shaanxi Province</a> in China.</p> <p>The widespread distribution of archaeological finds is a reminder soup not only has a long history, but is also a global food.</p> <p>Today, our idea of soup is more refined, but the classic combination of stock and bread is embedded in the Latin root of the verb <em>suppāre</em>, meaning “to soak”.</p> <p>As a noun, <em>suppa</em> became <em>soupe</em> in Old French, meaning bread soaked in broth, and <em><a href="https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/middle-english-dictionary/dictionary/MED41830/track?counter=1&amp;search_id=24326280">sowpes</a></em> in Middle English. This pairing was also an economical way of reclaiming stale bread and thickening a thin broth. Wealthier households might have toasted fresh bread for the dish, but less prosperous diners used up stale bread that was too hard to chew unless softened in the hot liquid.</p> <h2>From rustic to creamy</h2> <p>New ideas about science and digestion in 17th century France promoted <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/340977432_The_Transformative_Influence_of_La_Varenne's_Le_Cuisinier_Francois_1651_on_French_Culinary_Practice">natural flavours</a> and thick, rustic preparations gave way to the creamy and velvety smooth soups we know today.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.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/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=450&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527415/original/file-20230522-21-dcc0ot.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=566&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="People line up for soup" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">The Soup Kitchen, Antonio de Puga, ca. 1630.</span> <span class="attribution">Museo de Arte de Ponce</span></figcaption></figure> <p>New versions of the liquid food were developed by early modern European chefs, such as the <a href="https://archive.org/details/lenouveaucuisini01mass/page/138/mode/2up">seafood bisque</a>, extracting flavour from the shells of crustaceans.</p> <p>The first restaurant as we understand them today opened in Paris in 1765, and was immortalised for a <a href="https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9785063s/f167.item.r=sante">simple broth</a>, a clear soup made from bone broth and fresh herbs.</p> <p><a href="https://www.rebeccalspang.org/invention-of-the-restaurant">Mathurin Roze de Chantoiseau</a>, the original French restaurateur, created a new type of public space where weary diners could regain their lost appetites and soothe their delicate nerves at all hours.</p> <p>It may appear to be a contradiction that the first restaurant specifically catered to clients who had lost their appetites, yet it seems perfectly natural soup was the cure.</p> <h2>Easy and affordable</h2> <p>Soup was not destined to be limited to fancy restaurants or the long simmering stock pots of peasants. Modern science made it convenient and less expensive for home cooks.</p> <p>In 1897, a chemist at the Campbell soup company, John Dorrance, developed a <a href="https://www.campbellsoupcompany.com/about-us/our-story/campbell-history/">condensed canned soup</a> that dramatically reduced the water content. The new method halved the cost of shipping and made canned soup an affordable meal anyone could prepare.</p> <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.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/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=387&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=387&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=387&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=486&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=486&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/527409/original/file-20230522-17-ts8u8f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=486&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="Painting of men at a table" /></a><figcaption><span class="caption">Lunch (The Soup, Version II), Albin Egger-Lienz, 1910.</span> <span class="attribution">Leopold Museum, Vienna</span></figcaption></figure> <p>This revolutionary achievement was recognised at the 1900 Paris Exposition, winning an award for product excellence. Winning the prize was an achievement considering the competition at the world fair. The other technological advances exhibited at the turn of the century included the diesel engine, “talking” films, dry cell batteries and the Paris Metro.</p> <p>The bronze medallion from 1900 still appears on the iconic red and white label, made famous by pop artist Andy Warhol’s <a href="https://www.moma.org/learn/moma_learning/andy-warhol-campbells-soup-cans-1962/">32 Campbell Soup Cans</a> (1962).</p> <p>In his work, Warhol appropriated images from consumer culture and the media ordinary people would instantly recognise, from Coca-Cola bottles to Marilyn Monroe. In his famous soup painting, 32 canvases – one for each flavour of soup – are lined up like cans on a supermarket shelf.</p> <p>Some <a href="https://warhol.netx.net/portals/warhol-exhibitions/#asset/108496">interpretations</a> consider this a commentary on the link between art and consumerism, emphasising the ordinary quality of the everyday object. The artist may also have been influenced by his personal eating habits – he claimed he had <a href="https://whitney.org/collection/works/5632">soup for lunch</a> every day for 20 years.</p> <h2>‘One of the prime ingredients of good living’</h2> <p>A steady diet of soup is not guaranteed to inspire famous art, but its appeal is universal. Soup can be humble or fancy, cutting across cultures and classes.</p> <p>Deceptively simple, the warmth and comfort of soup provide a temporary refuge from the winter chill, comforting the diner from the inside.</p> <p>The French chef Auguste Escoffier, famous for enshrining the five basic “<a href="https://www.escoffieronline.com/our-guide-to-escoffiers-5-mother-sauces/">mother sauces</a>” in French cuisine, raised soups to perfection in the early 20th century, developing refined preparations that remain classics today.</p> <p>Escoffier, <a href="https://books.google.com.au/books/about/Escoffier.html?id=JFIDd639wlQC&amp;redir_esc=y">known as</a> “the king of chefs and the chef of kings”, had very <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/A_Guide_to_Modern_Cookery/KCbkcXHj7qoC?hl=en&amp;gbpv=1&amp;dq=escoffier+guide+culinaire&amp;printsec=frontcover">high standards</a> for soup, claiming “of all the items on the menu, soup is that which exacts the most delicate perfection”.</p> <p>An Austrian apprentice of Escoffier, Louis P. De Gouy, was chef at the Waldorf Astoria for 30 years and wrote 13 cookbooks.</p> <p>He summed up the appeal of soup in a <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/The_Soup_Book/1tNmDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&amp;gbpv=1&amp;printsec=frontcover">volume</a> dedicated to the dish with over 700 recipes:</p> <blockquote> <p>Good soup is one of the prime ingredients of good living. For soup can do more to lift the spirits and stimulate the appetite than any other one dish.</p> </blockquote> <p>From Neanderthal broth to pop art icon, this humble pantry staple has a rich and vibrant history, giving us both nourishment and food for thought.<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/205656/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/garritt-c-van-dyk-1014186">Garritt C Van Dyk</a>, Lecturer, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-newcastle-1060">University of Newcastle</a></em></p> <p><em>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/good-soup-is-one-of-the-prime-ingredients-of-good-living-a-condensed-history-of-soup-from-cave-to-can-205656">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Jacinda Ardern delivers emotional farewell speech

<p dir="ltr">Jacinda Ardern stepped down from her position as New Zealand’s prime minister and delivered her final speech in parliament on Wednesday.</p> <p dir="ltr">In her final address to the country, Ardern reflected on the “privilege and responsibility” that comes with being prime minister, and shared both her political achievements and battles she faced during her career.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was a cross between a sense of duty to steer a moving freight train... and being hit by one,” she described her first entry into politics.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And that's probably because my internal reluctance to lead was matched only by a huge sense of responsibility,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">She then shared the reasons why she got into politics in the first place, before reflecting on the events that have defined her legacy.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The reasons I came here … they’re all there in my maiden speech – climate change, child poverty, inequality. I am, after all, a conviction-based politician,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">In her speech, she also asked the parliament to “please take the politics out of climate change,” and mentioned that it is a “crisis” that is upon us.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ardern proceeded to reflect on her time as prime minister, where she faced many challenges including navigating natural disasters, the pandemic, and the Christchurch massacre, which had left her “bereft”.</p> <p dir="ltr">She added that during these series of events she found herself “in people’s lives during their most grief-stricken or traumatic moments.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ardern’s voice was thick with emotion as she recalled meeting the survivors of the mosque terror attacks.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Having sadly seen our nation in horrific moments of grief, I've concluded that countries don't move on from tragedy, rather they become part of your psyche,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ardern ended her speech with the hope that leaders shouldn’t be afraid to be kind and sensitive, as they can also be hallmarks of good leadership.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I cannot determine what will define my time in this place, but I do hope I've demonstrated something else entirely - that you can be anxious, sensitive, kind and wear your heart on your sleeve,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ardern left to thunderous applause and a standing ovation, as members of the parliament sang traditional Māori songs.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Life

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Streaming service giant pays woman 5 figures to watch content

<p dir="ltr">If you think you spend too much time on Amazon Prime, think again as one lucky lady has snatched up her “dream” job with the streaming service.</p> <p dir="ltr">The woman, Alex Bain, 36, has been dubbed Prime Video’s “Buff”, and her job entails reviewing content for Amazon Prime, which came after the platform searched nationwide to fill the role of watching new content.</p> <p dir="ltr">Here’s the real kicker, the 36-year-old will be paid $40,000 for three months of viewing new content and sharing her opinions. </p> <p dir="ltr">She is not new to the scene of content review as she frequently posts to her Instagram, TikTok and Youtube reviewing various TV shows and movies.</p> <p dir="ltr">Upon seeing the advertisement from Amazon Prime, one of Bain’s friends encouraged her to apply.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Everything on it, it was like seeing a list of what would be my ideal job,” Ms Bain told NCA <em>NewsWire</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m 36, so I want to do something I’m passionate about, so I decided to just go for it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I got a phone call from Amazon saying I’d been short-listed, and I was like, ‘Oh my God!’”</p> <p dir="ltr">She said the time between applying for the role and being told she was successful went “so quickly”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c71ed23d-7fff-9bd9-8a5d-10ebabd22f11"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Not long after, she received the news she was the lucky one chosen to fill the role.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

TV

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Jacinda Ardern’s resignation: gender and the toll of strong, compassionate leadership

<p>“Uneasy is the head that wears the crown”, wrote Shakespeare, way back in the 1500s. It’s not a new idea that top-level leadership jobs are intensely <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1048984316300923">stressful</a> and pose a heavy toll. Extended periods of stress are known to put people at <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev.psych.52.1.397">risk of burnout</a>.</p> <p>Yet probably few of us can ever grasp just how unrelentingly demanding and difficult leading a country actually is. Especially in times of crisis and with our modern media and online environment, every statement and every move a leader makes is subject to extensive scrutiny and commentary. </p> <p>Increasingly, a troubling feature of the commentary about New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been its abusive, violent, sexist and misogynistic tenor.</p> <p>While she has not focused on this as a reason for her decision to <a href="https://theconversation.com/arderns-resignation-as-new-zealand-prime-minister-is-a-game-changer-for-the-2023-election-198149">resign yesterday</a>, being targeted in this way, and knowing <a href="https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/entertainment/2022/03/where-is-clarke-gayford-jacinda-ardern-laughs-off-conspiracy-theories-reveals-the-answer.html">her partner</a> and even <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/482761/the-hatred-and-vitriol-jacinda-ardern-endured-would-affect-anybody">her child</a> were also targeted, must surely have made an already difficult job so much more challenging.</p> <h2>Crises, kindness and courageous decisions</h2> <p>Crises have long been understood as the most intensive tests of a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1048984322000649">leader’s skill and character</a>. They involve making weighty decisions, at times about matters that quite literally have life and death implications. Decisions have to be made at speed, but often with insufficient information to confidently predict the consequences of the choices made.</p> <p>Ardern’s premiership has thrown crisis after crisis her way. And time and time again, she has displayed a strength of character and <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003099109-10/leading-crisis-adaptive-leadership-jacinda-ardern-deidre-le-fevre">considerable leadership skills</a> in responding to them. </p> <p>Her handling of the Christchurch terror attacks won <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/03/18/new-zealands-prime-minister-wins-worldwide-praise-her-response-mosque-shootings/">global admiration</a> for her composure, compassion and decisive resolve to ensure such heinous acts could not be repeated here.</p> <p>Her response to the <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/white-island-eruption-how-good-is-ardern-world-praises-pm-for-disaster-response/4S5BZ6NCOWXN4R63HDIEV4KXVM/">Whakaari White Island eruption</a> garnered similar praise, showing yet again her intuitive grasp that a leader offering support to those caught up in such a distressing event actually makes a difference. That Ardern has sought to combine compassion and kindness with the courage to make tough decisions is a key feature of <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/978-1-80262-157-020221003/full/html">her style</a>.</p> <h2>Unrealistic expectations of a leader</h2> <p>Throughout the pandemic, Arden has repeatedly proved her willingness to make courageous decisions. Combined with her prowess at <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1742715020929151">mobilising the public’s understanding</a> and support for the government’s COVID response, this was critical to the success of the elimination strategy. Many <a href="https://www.sciencemediacentre.co.nz/2022/03/21/two-years-since-nz-first-locked-down-expert-reaction/">lives and livelihoods have been saved</a> due to her leadership.</p> <p>When Delta and then Omicron emerged, Ardern <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-jacinda-arderns-clumsy-leadership-response-to-delta-could-still-be-the-right-approach-169926">sought to continually adapt</a> the government’s policies to a changing context. While tenacity and resilience may number among her many strengths, dogmatism is not one of her weaknesses. </p> <p>Of course not all decisions <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/300763211/ombudsmans-criticism-of-miq-virtual-lobby-doesnt-go-far-enough">proved to be optimal</a> – expecting them to be so would be wildly unrealistic. Some of her decisions have sparked a <a href="https://thespinoff.co.nz/summer-2022/04-01-2023/the-day-the-grounds-of-parliament-burned-2">strong negative response</a>. But it’s <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Differently-About-Leadership-Critical/dp/1784716782">foolish to expect perfection from leaders</a>, and the job unavoidably means making tough calls not everyone will agree with.</p> <h2>Rise in sexist and mysogynistic abuse</h2> <p>No leader is omnipotent, especially in a democracy and in a globally interconnected world. </p> <p>The latest crisis Ardern has been grappling with – the cost of living – is in large measure <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2022/09/21/economy/central-banks-inflation-global/index.html">driven by global forces</a> far beyond the control of any New Zealand prime minister. New Zealand’s situation is <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/129353834/think-inflation-is-biting-spare-a-thought-for-turkey">better than many other countries</a>, but unfortunately for Ardern this holds little sway for some people. </p> <p>The reality, then, is that her growing unpopularity has in part been rooted in people having unrealistic expectations of what leaders can and can’t actually do, and needing someone to blame. But there’s also no getting away from the fact that far too much of the criticism directed at her has been coloured by sexist and misogynistic attitudes. </p> <p>There’s a continuum in how this is expressed. It starts with one C word – <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/opinion/122658284/shes-not-a-doll-so-dont-call-the-prime-minister-cindy">Cindy</a> – which is a sexist attempt to belittle her authority and status as an adult woman who is the elected leader of our country. </p> <p>It ends with the other C word. Research by the <a href="https://thedisinfoproject.org/2022/11/29/dangerous-speech-misogyny-and-democracy/">Disinformation Project</a> shows its usage is enmeshed within a wider discourse that denigrates other aspects of her identity as a woman and extends to <a href="https://twitter.com/justinsight/status/1616144565433663488">fantasising about her rape and death</a>.</p> <p>This kind of behaviour is simply inexcusable. It should be to New Zealand’s eternal shame that Ardern has been subjected to this. It cannot be justified by arguing her policies have been controversial and she “deserves” this abuse: that line of reasoning simply replicates the defence long used by rapists and domestic abusers.</p> <p>Ardern is New Zealand’s third woman prime minister. The <a href="https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=277628">glass ceiling</a> for that role is well and truly broken. We now also have <a href="https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/477290/women-will-have-equal-share-of-seats-in-parliament-with-soraya-peke-mason-s-swearing-in">equal representation of women</a> within parliament. But the sexist and misogynistic nature of so much of the criticism and abuse directed at Ardern also shows we are a very long way from having equal treatment of women in leadership.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/jacinda-arderns-resignation-gender-and-the-toll-of-strong-compassionate-leadership-198152" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

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Chris Hipkins announced as next Prime Minister of New Zealand

<p>Labour MP Chris Hipkins has been elected as New Zealand’s next prime minister after a caucus meeting in Wellington on Sunday. Hipkins was the sole nominee, and the 64-person vote - considered to be largely a formality - was unanimous.</p> <p>“As a team we will continue to provide strong, stable and focused leadership that New Zealanders expect from us,” Hipkins told reporters in a conference after the vote. </p> <p>He went on to announce that his government would turn their attention to a key election concern - helping families that were struggling through difficult economic times, in the wake of rising inflation and housing affordability concerns. On this, he noted, “you shouldn't have to be on a six-figure salary to buy a new house.”</p> <p>Hipkins has helped to steer the country through crises before, having played a crucial role in New Zealand’s COVID-19 response after being appointed as health minister in 2020, work that established him as a household name in New Zealand. </p> <p>He was first elected to parliament in 2008, and as of 2020 was Minister of Education, Minister for the Public Service, and COVID-19 Response Minister. However, to many around him he is known instead as “Chippy”. </p> <p>Hipkins has strong ties within his party, and was seen walking to Sunday’s vote with “very good friend” Jacinda Ardern. He praised her leadership, and like many before him, noted the inspiration she provided for women and girls everywhere. </p> <p>Australia’s own PM Anthony Albanese took to Twitter to congratulate Chris, and to share that he looks forward “to working with him as Prime Minister.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">A warm discussion this morning with incoming NZ Labour Leader Chris Hipkins. I congratulate him and look forward to working with him as Prime Minister. 🇦🇺🇳🇿</p> <p>— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1616585939052265472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 20, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Treasurer of Australia Jim Chalmers echoed Albanese’s sentiments, telling <em>Sky News Australia</em>, “Chris Hipkins is someone of immense experience and depth and intelligence. He’s a very worthy successor to prime minister Ardern.”</p> <p>Labour MP Carmel Sepuloni was voted in as incoming deputy by the caucus. Sepuloni, who has Samoan and Tongan heritage through her mother, was said by Hipkins to become the first Pasifika person to become deputy prime minister. </p> <p>In a six part thread to Twitter, Sepuloni shared her gratitude for and commitment to her new role, as well as her enthusiasm at working alongside Hipkins, writing, “It’s hard to fathom the working class girl from Waitara can become the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand. I’m incredibly humbled that Chris Hipkins and my colleagues have put their faith in me to take up this important role.</p> <p>“I also acknowledge the significance of this for our Pacific community. I am proudly Samoan, Tongan and New Zealand European and represent generations of New Zealanders with mixed heritage.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/THREAD?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#THREAD</a>: 1/6 It’s hard to fathom the working class girl from Waitara can become the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand. I’m incredibly humbled that <a href="https://twitter.com/chrishipkins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@chrishipkins</a> and my colleagues have put their faith in me to take up this important role. ⬇️ <a href="https://t.co/uGPCCZDpM4">pic.twitter.com/uGPCCZDpM4</a></p> <p>— Carmel Sepuloni (@CarmelSepuloni) <a href="https://twitter.com/CarmelSepuloni/status/1617011240731283456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Hipkins’ full Cabinet has not yet been announced, but he has stated that he intends to keep former deputy prime minister, Grant Robertson, on in the role of finance minister. </p> <p>It is expected that Hipkins will be sworn in as the country’s 41st prime minister on Wednesday.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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“It’s time”: Jacinda Ardern announces shock resignation

<p>New Zealand’s prime minister Jacinda Ardern has announced she will be stepping down from her position.</p> <p>Ardern confessed that she “no longer had enough in the tank to do it [her role] justice”, and confirmed a national election for October 14th. While her term will conclude no later than February 7th, she will continue on as an MP until the election. </p> <p>Jacinda has served as the 40th prime minister of New Zealand since 2017, when she made history by becoming the world’s youngest female head of government at 37 years old, and is a member of the Labour Party. </p> <p>Of her decision to resign, she stated, “I’m leaving, because with such a privileged role comes responsibility. The responsibility to know when you are the right person to lead and also when you are not.”</p> <p>“I don’t want to leave the impression that the adversity you face in politics is the reason that people exit. Yes, it does have an impact. We are humans after all, but that was not the basis of my decision,” she went on to explain. </p> <p>She noted that she has her family’s support, and looks forward to spending more time with them. Jacinda and her partner, Clarke Gayford, welcomed their first child, Neve, in 2018. In her address, she told them, “to Neve: mum is looking forward to being there when you start school this year. And to Clarke – let’s finally get married.”</p> <p>Her announcement comes in a tight election year for the Labour party, but she is confident in their victory, and stressed that the polls were not the driving force behind her decision, “I’m not leaving because I believe we can’t win the election, but because I believe we can and will, and we need a fresh set of shoulders for that challenge.” </p> <p>Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, took to Twitter to share his respect for Jacinda after the news broke, writing, “Jacinda Ardern has shown the world how to lead with intellect and strength … Jacinda has been a fierce advocate for New Zealand, an inspiration to so many and a great friend to me.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jacinda Ardern has shown the world how to lead with intellect and strength.</p> <p>She has demonstrated that empathy and insight are powerful leadership qualities. </p> <p>Jacinda has been a fierce advocate for New Zealand, an inspiration to so many and a great friend to me. <a href="https://t.co/QJ64mNCJMI">pic.twitter.com/QJ64mNCJMI</a></p> <p>— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1615871202580639744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Albanese went on to add that he looks forward “to working with the next Prime Minister of New Zealand,” and that he wishes Jacinda and her family well in this next chapter of their lives. </p> <p>He cited her “powerful leadership qualities” in her empathy and her insight, both demonstrated by Jacinda herself when she admitted that she has always worked with and relied on her team, and has not led on her own. She asked only that people remember her “as someone who always tried to be kind.”</p> <p>“I hope I leave New Zealanders with a belief that you can be kind, but strong, empathetic but decisive, optimistic but focused. And that you can be your own kind of leader – one who knows when it’s time to go,” she added. </p> <p>Ardern has faced many challenges over her five and a half years in the role - from natural disasters to an international pandemic. Of the experience, she reflected, “it’s one thing to lead your country through peace time, it’s another to lead them through crisis. I had the privilege of being alongside NZ in a crisis and they placed their faith in me.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p>

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The new UK Prime Minister is richer than King Charles

<p>The new UK Prime Minister and his wife are richer than the royal family, making waves after featuring on the 2022 Rich List.</p> <p>Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty, who come from wealthy families and backgrounds, have an estimated fortune of £730 million ($A1.3 billion), according to the <a title="www.thetimes.co.uk" href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rishi-sunak-akshata-murty-net-worth-sunday-times-rich-list-86ls8n09h">Sunday Times </a><a title="www.thetimes.co.uk" href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rishi-sunak-akshata-murty-net-worth-sunday-times-rich-list-86ls8n09h">2022 Rich List</a>.</p> <p>The list placed them as the 222nd richest people in Britain. </p> <p>In comparison, the same list placed Queen Elizabeth II’s fortune at £370m ($A660m) before her death.</p> <p>King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort’s wealth is estimated to be between £300m ($A536m) and £350m ($A626m), according to The Guardian.</p> <p>Mr Sunak formerly worked as a hedge fund manager, while Ms Murty is the daughter of a tech giant who is known as one of the richest men in India.  </p> <p>She has a A$1.2 billion stake in her father's company, while also working as a fashion designer, and invests in start-ups through her private investment firm.</p> <p>The couple, both 42, met when they were studying at Stanford University and have two daughters together. </p> <p>They have a property portfolio of four homes worth an estimated £15m ($A26.7m), including a penthouse in Los Angeles. </p> <p>Mr Sunak won’t only be one, if not the, richest UK prime ministers in history, he will also be the first prime minister of colour and the youngest person to take office in more than 200 years.</p> <p>He takes over from Liz Truss, who he lost the leadership race to in September. She <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/revolving-door-of-chaos-uk-pm-quits-after-44-days-in-office" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resigned last week</a> after 44 days in office.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Money & Banking

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"Revolving door of chaos": UK PM quits after 44 days in office

<p dir="ltr">Liz Truss has resigned as UK Prime Minister after just 44 days in the top job. </p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Truss was sworn in as prime minister on September 6 by Queen Elizabeth II. She has now become the shortest-serving prime minister in Britain's history. Previously, this record was held by George Canning, who served for 119 days in 1827.</p> <p dir="ltr">She explained that she tried to deliver on the "vision for a low-tax high-growth economy" but was unable to continue her role following pressure from members of her party. </p> <p dir="ltr">A leadership election will be held in the next week to find Truss’ replacement but until then she will remain Prime Minister.  </p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking in front of Number 10 Downing Street, Ms Truss accepted that she was unable to deliver her promises as leader of the Conservatives Party. </p> <p dir="ltr">Opposition Leader Keir Starmer said the Tory "soap opera" was damaging the country's economy and the issue needed to be sorted. </p> <p dir="ltr">"We can't have a revolving door of chaos," he told the BBC. </p> <p dir="ltr">"We can't have another experiment at the top of the Tory party. </p> <p dir="ltr">"There is an alternative and that's a stable Labour government and the public are entitled to have their say, and that's why there should be a general election."</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Liz Truss’ Full Speech</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">“I came into office at a time of great economic and international instability,” she said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Families and businesses were worried about how to pay their bills.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Putin's illegal war in Ukraine threatens the security of our whole continent.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And our country had been held back for too long by low economic growth.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was elected by the Conservative Party with a mandate to change this.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We delivered on energy bills and on cutting national insurance.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And we set out a vision for a low tax, high growth economy – that would take advantage of the freedoms of Brexit.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I recognise though, given the situation, I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected by the Conservative Party.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have therefore spoken to His Majesty The King to notify him that I am resigning as Leader of the Conservative Party.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This morning I met the Chair of the 1922 Committee Sir Graham Brady.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We have agreed there will be a leadership election to be completed in the next week.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This will ensure we remain on a path to deliver our fiscal plans and maintain our country's economic stability and national security.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I will remain as Prime Minister until a successor has been chosen.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Thank you.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Who is Liz Truss, the new UK prime minister?

<p>The United Kingdom now has its third ever female prime minister. Liz Truss was elected as leader by grassroots members of the Conservatives to lead the party – and hence the nation – on a platform that positioned her as the continuity candidate from Boris Johnson.</p> <p>This result will be celebrated on all sides of British politics.</p> <p>Members of the Conservative party – the <a href="https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn05125/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approximately 180,000</a> people who elected the new leader – will be delighted that the continuity candidate got over the line. Similarly, strategists for the opposition parties – Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party – will also be delighted that the continuity candidate got over the line. In electing Truss as leader, Conservative members have increased their party’s chances of losing the next general election.</p> <p>This is because Truss essentially offers more of the same. She steps into 10 Downing Street at a moment when the views of the Conservative party and the experience of the wider electorate are diverging. As Britons find themselves in the throes of a cost-of-living crisis, the leadership debates between Truss and her main opponent, Rishi Sunak, were focused on the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/2901846c-9424-47dc-b986-fc8e570a2098" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extent of tax cuts</a>, weakening the public purse when it is needed most. This was music to the ears of the older and wealthier Conservative members, but a case of “same world, different planet” for the wider electorate.</p> <p>To add insult to injury, Truss disparaged the idea of support for struggling Britons as “<a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/times-liz-truss-attacked-handouts-27838296" target="_blank" rel="noopener">handouts</a>”. Furthermore, her views on British workers as “<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-62571016" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lazy</a>” resurfaced during the leadership contest. This is unlikely to endear her to those one-time Labour voters in the 45 so-called “Red Wall” seats in northern England that switched to the Johnson-led Conservatives at the 2019 election.</p> <p>Newly-minted Conservative MPs in such seats fear that, faced with this disdain, their new supporters <a href="https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1657586/UK-election-polls-red-wall-seats-Labour-Tory-voters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">may switch back to Labour</a>.</p> <p>Additionally, as someone who symbolises continuity with the Johnson government, Truss may struggle in the 20 so-called “Blue Wall” seats in southern England. Former Conservative voters switched to the Liberal Democrats in three recent by-elections in such seats, heaping pressure on Johnson to resign earlier this year.</p> <p>Conservative MPs in this part of England fear that voters who were switched off by Johnson’s political tone and governing style, <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/tories-tipped-lose-26-blue-27377717" target="_blank" rel="noopener">may not warm</a> to Truss’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/aug/21/the-tory-leadership-contest-could-alienate-voters-in-blue-and-red-wall-seats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">embrace of the same tactics</a>: hostility to the EU, goading the French, and waging a “war on woke”.</p> <p>North of the border, Truss’s embrace of all things British, from her <a href="https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1532994/liz-truss-cheese-speech-this-is-a-disgrace-foreign-secretary-chatham-house-spt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">famous support for British cheese</a> to the self-conscious adoption of <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2021/11/30/liz-truss-ukraine-russia-tank-war-invasion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thatcherite imagery</a>, will consolidate support for Scottish independence. There are only six Conservative MPs in Scotland, but having Truss as leader won’t make the job of retaining seats at the next election any easier.</p> <p>Given these strategic perils, why was she elected? A <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/boris-johnson-would-win-tory-leadership-race_uk_62ea575fe4b0da5ec0f02397" target="_blank" rel="noopener">YouGov opinion poll</a> found a plurality of Conservative members did not want to see Johnson ousted from Number 10, despite his record in government. A <a href="https://yougov.co.uk/topics/politics/trackers/should-boris-johnson-remain-as-leader-of-the-conservative-party" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gulf has emerged</a> between grassroots Conservatives and the wider electorate. If Truss emulates Johnson too closely – as the party seems to want – it is the party that will pay the price.</p> <h2>What does this mean for Australia?</h2> <p>Truss will find a series of pressing yet complex issues in her in-tray. The foremost of these will be the cost-of-living crisis. This will intensify as winter approaches and <a href="https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/ofgem-updates-price-cap-level-and-tightens-rules-suppliers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">energy price caps are lifted</a>, leaving many struggling to heat their homes and buy food. The industrial action witnessed during the summer, will intensify.</p> <p>The next issue is the war in Ukraine. Part of the Russian global strategy is to hope that western states, not least the UK, tire in their support for Ukraine. This will not happen under Truss. She is <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/ukraines-greatest-friend-uks-truss-pledges-more-support-kyiv-2022-07-28/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a firm supporter of Ukraine</a> and can be expected to retain the UK’s current posture of support.</p> <p>Truss is also the continuity candidate as far as Anglo-Australian relations are concerned. Like Johnson, Truss is a big fan of Australia (Dan Tehan’s <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-04-21/uk-chair-fight-criticised-canberra-trade-talks/100085830" target="_blank" rel="noopener">uncomfortable chair</a> during free trade negotiations notwithstanding). As the British author of the free trade agreement (FTA) between Australia and the UK, this form of bilateral relationship will only strengthen. Being very favourably disposed to Australia means the commitment to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/sep/16/what-is-the-aukus-alliance-and-what-are-its-implications" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AUKUS</a> – the strategic alliance between Australia, the UK and the US – will remain.</p> <p>Of course, Johnson had an ideological confrère in Scott Morrison as his Australian counterpart. Truss will not enjoy such an ideological affinity with Anthony Albanese or Foreign Minister Penny Wong.</p> <p>Nevertheless, the ALP view of the Australia-UK FTA is broadly favourable, with perhaps some stronger provisions for workers’ rights built in. Less is known about ALP views towards AUKUS, or whether the Australian government will choose British over US submarine designs (or whatever there might be <a href="https://www.aspistrategist.org.au/can-australia-get-nuclear-powered-submarines-this-decade/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">on offer in the interim</a>).</p> <p>Questions remain about whether, like her predecessor, Truss believes in herself more than in Britain. Given her ability to hold more than one political position with great conviction (<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/jul/30/liz-truss-profile-ambition-charm-thick-skin-thatcher" target="_blank" rel="noopener">she started out as a Liberal Democrat and voted to remain in the EU</a>) it might be that we have a new leader more interested in their own CV than the common good.</p> <p>Boris Johnson <a href="https://www.internationalaffairs.org.au/australianoutlook/johnsonism-and-the-strange-death-of-conservative-england/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">damaged trust in politics</a>, but Truss may not be equipped to address that particular issue. Her advisers will be tempted to consider a quick election – giving her a spurious “mandate” that the Westminster system doesn’t require – and there are lessons in what happened to Theresa May when that temptation arose.</p> <p>Yet for all his faults, Johnson bequeaths Truss an imposing 73-seat majority. But Truss must tread carefully: she’s the best hope of ousting the Conservatives that the opposition has had in many years.</p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/who-is-liz-truss-the-new-uk-prime-minister-189774" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Queen breaks 114-year-old royal tradition

<p dir="ltr">Queen Elizabeth II will be greeting outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his successor at the Balmoral estate, as being unable to travel down to London will see her breaking a royal tradition that predates her reign.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since 1908, it has been a royal tradition that the sovereign greets the outgoing and incoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at Buckingham Palace in London.</p> <p dir="ltr">The leaving PM will visit the monarch after resigning or losing an election to advise her on who commands a majority of MPs in the House of Commons, as well as who should lead the country next.</p> <p dir="ltr">Then, the incoming leader will meet the Queen and “kisses hands” with her. While this previously required the new PM to actually kiss the sovereign’s hands, it now just refers to the meeting between the Queen and the PM.</p> <p dir="ltr">The shock development will mean that Boris Johnson - who <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/boris-johnson-resigns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resigned from the top job</a> in early July - will be travelling 1600 kilometres to Balmoral to take part in the royal tradition.</p> <p dir="ltr">He will also be joined by the next Prime Minister, who will be announced on Monday evening.</p> <p dir="ltr">Currently, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is the frontrunner to take on the role, with Rishi Sunak, the former Chief Secretary of the Treasury, following up behind.</p> <p dir="ltr">The decision comes amid growing concerns about the 96-year-old monarch’s health, after it was reported last week that Prince Charles is making “regular, daily” visits to his mother. </p> <p dir="ltr">Charles doesn’t typically make unplanned visits to see his mother, with most meetings planned by palace officials.</p> <p dir="ltr">He has been staying with the Queen at the estate in Aberdeenshire, which is where she spends most of her summers.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8b0227f5-7fff-37dd-ef97-d79623a76a47"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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"Let's dance!": Women let loose in support of partying PM

<p>Women all over the world are sharing their support for Finland's partying Prime Minister by sharing videos of themselves dancing online. </p> <p>The Finnish PM, 36-year-old Sanna Marin, made headlines in recent weeks after leaked footage of her dancing at an event with celebrity friends went viral. </p> <p>The videos, which were taken as she danced with friends in two private apartments and then at a nightclub in Helsinki, have led to her being criticised and forced to denounce the use of drugs on her night out. </p> <p>She also was questioned about her alcohol intake on the night in question, and while she denies waking with a hangover or drinking to excess, she said she has as much right to a night out as anyone else, saying, "Everyone needs a fun and relaxed evening out."</p> <p>As the controversy around her party night continues, professional women around the world have been dancing in solidarity, as they stand with the Finnish PM and her right to a night off the top job. </p> <p>A clip shared by the Danish magazine Alt on Instagram showed several women celebrating, with some clubbing or at home to show their support for the Prime Minister. </p> <p>The magazine said they had "leaked" their own dancing videos online, in reference to the video of the prime minister, which was leaked last week. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChcBl-LqcRH/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChcBl-LqcRH/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by ALT for damerne (@altfordamerne)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"SYMPATHY LEAK! In solidarity with Finland's Prime Minister Sanna Marin (whose party video has been leaked, so that certain types are now questioning what one can allow themselves to do as Prime Minister)," the post's caption read. </p> <p>"We at ALT for the ladies' editorial office have emptied the camera roll of clips that should never have seen the light of day."</p> <p>"And no, you don't become a worse prime minister, director, school teacher...put in a job yourself...by firing it up on the dance floor at the weekend."</p> <p>Others have been posting messages of support with the hashtags #solidaritywithsanna and #istandwithsanna. </p> <p>Comments of support have flooded online spaces, with one woman saying, "I say ALL women across the world need to post videos of themselves dancing and partying with friends!! Let’s blow up the internet women!!"</p> <p>Another said, "Let’s show those with a “crotchety old men mentality” that they can stick it where the sun don’t shine!!!"</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / Getty Images</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Japan's former PM shot during public campaign speech

<p><em><strong>UPDATE: </strong></em>Japan's current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has confirmed Shinzo's condition is critical, as doctors are "doing everything they can" to keep him alive.</p> <p><em><strong>EARLIER...</strong></em></p> <p>Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been shot following an attack at a campaign event in Nara.</p> <p>Abe, 67, was reported to be unconscious and unresponsive just after 11:30 am Tokyo time and has allegedly entered a state of cardiac arrested.</p> <p>According to various reports from the event, Abe had collapsed after gun shots were heard, while people at the scene started to perform CPR. Local media sources have also stated that he was bleeding profusely from the neck at the time he collapsed, prompting him to be rushed to hospital.</p> <p>The alleged gunman who made no attempt to run away was then apprehended by police, who confiscated his weapon. The man is believed to be in his 40s.</p> <p>In the past few weeks, Abe had been campaigning on behalf of the Liberal Democratic Party ahead of the House of Councillors election on July 10th.</p> <p>Not only was Shinzo Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, but he was also the most influential Japanese political figure of his generation. He held office in 2006 for one year and again from 2012 to 2020, when he was forced to step down due to a debilitating health condition.</p> <p>Australian PM Anthony Albanese has taken to Twitter shocked about the news, keeping Abe’s family and the people of Japan in his thoughts.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Shocking news from Japan that former PM Shinzo Abe has been shot - our thoughts are with his family and the people of Japan at this time</p> <p>— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1545263750818988032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 8, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>There have been no official reports stating Shinzo has gone into heart failure, with an update on his condition yet to be confirmed.</p> <p>More to come.</p> <p><em>Image: ABC News / NHK Japan</em></p>

News

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Karl Stefanovic rejected by Jacinda Ardern

<p dir="ltr">Jacinda Ardern has rejected Karl Stefanovic’s proposal to be appointed as an unofficial Australian. </p> <p dir="ltr">The New Zealand Prime Minister appeared on <em>The Today Show</em> after meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. </p> <p dir="ltr">The pair met up to discuss what the countries have in common and on how to improve their migration policies. </p> <p dir="ltr">Karl then suggested that Ms Ardern could one day become an Australian, to which she immediately responded with a rejection. </p> <p dir="ltr">"We love welcoming Kiwis, especially claiming the good ones as our own," Karl said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"No, there is absolutely no prospect of that ever happening, thank you," Ms Ardern swiftly</p> <p dir="ltr">"That's the firmest answer we've had this morning, you don't want to think about it?" Karl asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's a hard no, but thank you though,” she said ending the conversation. </p> <p dir="ltr">It’s no secret Australia likes to claim some New Zealanders as their own be it Russell Crowe or Keith Urban. </p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Ardern was the first world leader to be invited to Australia since Mr Albanese was sworn in as Prime Minister. </p> <p dir="ltr">The pair discussed the trans-Tasman relationship and are looking forward to creating more opportunities for citizens of each country. </p> <p dir="ltr">"The prime minister and I are determined to take trans-Tasman relations to a new level - a new level of cooperation in the mutual interests of both of our nations," Mr Albanese said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"What that means is new jobs, new growth, new opportunities to co-operate."</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Ardern welcomed the ideas and said it was great working so closely with Australia. </p> <p dir="ltr">"There are no two countries that I can think of that have a closer relationship than ours and when I say that we are family, I mean it very sincerely," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: The Today Show</em></p>

TV

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Prime suspect in Madeleine McCann case breaks silence

<p dir="ltr">Less than a week after being declared an official suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, Christian Brueckner has spoken out in a letter sent from his prison cell.</p> <p dir="ltr">After the 45-year-old <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/major-development-in-madeleine-mccann-case" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was named an “arguido” or “official suspect”</a> by Portuguese prosecutors late last week, he sent a letter to an unidentified woman that was shared with the <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10746893/Maddie-suspect-Christian-Brueckner-describes-known-bad-person-world.html?ito=social-facebook&amp;fbclid=IwAR0n1qmfxrYztgKZoYWmMzuR-SDwnTKjYBBOzPHeKQEABDgoA4M3fSHi0ik" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the five-page letter, he stressed he wasn’t at the Praia de Luz resort at the time of Madeleine’s disappearance in May, 2007 and has become “the most known bad person in the world and did nothing - well almost nothing”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I wasn’t kidnapping anybody and of course, I wasn’t killing anybody,” he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ll go further, I’ll tell you I wasn’t attacking anybody after I was 18.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I made some silly mistakes when I was younger but who hasn’t?”</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the Daily Mail, he then referred to the McCann case, writing: “Perhaps I was a suspect after all they found out about me.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Drug dealer, breaking into houses, living in cars and there was something with kids when I was 17.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But they had not even one proof (sic) that I was involved with the McCann case. And they still don’t have it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I know why. Because they have no hairs or anything from Maddie what means (sic) that nobody can put anything like that into my stuff to find it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The idea behind that all perhaps was to make the BKA (German police) and German prosecutor famous as well known all over the world as the smartest organisation ever.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Brueckner is currently serving seven years for raping a 72-year-old woman, and is being probed over the 2004 rape of a second woman and sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl at Praia da Luz a month before Madeleine disappeared.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the letter, Brueckner suggests that authorities were leaking information about him to portray him in a poor light, according to the Daily Mail.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I know of about five open cases against me, all of them including raping and abusing,” he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They have manipulated the truth in such an unprofessional way that I am laughing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I still have not lost my sense of humour. Even in this critical situation. This is what keeps me alive.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Madeleine disappeared just a few days before her fourth birthday while holidaying with her parents, Kate and Garry.</p> <p dir="ltr">The couple marked what would have been her 18th birthday last year and said they still “hang on to hope” that they will see her again.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As we have said repeatedly, we need to know what has happened to our lovely daughter, no matter what. We are very grateful to the police for their continued efforts,” they said, per <em><a href="https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/world/madeleine-mccann-disappearance-christian-brueckner-breaks-his-silence-over-her-disappearance-in-letter-from-prison-cell/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NewsTalk ZB</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We still receive so many positive words and good wishes despite the years that have gone by. It all helps and for that, we are truly grateful.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-485a5637-7fff-dc2d-c05b-937db23bd331"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p>

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World’s youngest Prime Minister goes out clubbing after Covid exposure

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The world’s youngest Prime Minister, Finland’s Sanna Marin, has apologised to the public after a photo surfaced of her in a nightclub following the foreign minister testing positive for COVID-19.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I did wrong. I should have considered the situation more carefully,” Marin, 36, said in a television interview by public broadcaster Yle on Wednesday night.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Marin decided not to cut her night out short on Saturday, despite being told she had been exposed to the coronavirus the day before, she explained on Facebook on Monday, after a Finnish gossip magazine published a photo of her in a crowded nightclub.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But Marin wasn’t the only politician in the line of fire.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Economic Affairs Minister Mika Lintila also attended a floorball match between Finland and Latvia on Sunday, despite being advised to avoid contact with others, Helsingin Sanomat newspaper reported on Wednesday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Defence Minister Antti Kaikkonen went to a dinner party on Saturday while Finance Minister Annika Saarikko and Science and Culture Minister Antti Kurvinen cancelled their attendance of the same event to avoid contacts, evening paper Ilta-Sanomat reported on Tuesday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All three ministers were exposed on Friday at a meeting attended by Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto, who on Saturday tested positive.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Marin said she was at a restaurant when she received a phone call from her state secretary informing her about the exposure.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He said ministers would not be quarantined because they all have been vaccinated twice,” Marin wrote on Facebook, explaining why she continued socialising.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The prime minister’s office later said it had sent the exposed ministers two text messages on Saturday recommending that they avoid contact with other people.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Marin said she had left her official phone at home and instead relied on aides reaching her on her personal phone.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Marin has since taken two tests that were negative, while Lintila and Kaikkonen have also tested negative.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Finland has seen a surge of new COVID-19 cases in the past months, spurring health officials to worry about the healthcare system being overburdened.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Several big hospitals around the country have postponed non-critical surgeries and the government on Wednesday proposed a vaccine mandate for healthcare workers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: EPA</span></p>

Travel Trouble

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Country’s first female PM quits on very first day

<p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p>Hours after being voted in as Sweden’s first female prime minister, Magdalena Andersson has resigned.</p> <p>Andersson’s ascension was a milestone for Sweden, viewed for decades as one of Europe’s most progressive countries when it comes to gender relations, but which had yet to have a woman in the top political spot.</p> <p>Parliament approved Andersson as prime minister after she recently became the new leader of the Social Democratic party, replacing Stefan Lofven as party leader and PM.</p> <p>However, just a few hours later Andersson was announcing her equally shocking and sudden resignation after suffering a budget defeat in parliament and coalition partner the Greens left the two-party minority government.</p> <p>"For me, it is about respect, but I also do not want to lead a government where there may be grounds to question its legitimacy," Andersson told a news conference.</p> <p>Andersson has informed parliamentary Speaker Anderas Norlen that she is still interested in leading a Social Democratic one-party government.</p> <p>She said that "a coalition government should resign if a party chooses to leave the government. Despite the fact that the parliamentary situation is unchanged, it needs to be tried again".</p> <p>Norlen, the speaker of Sweden's 349-seat parliament, said he had received Andersson's resignation and would contact the party leaders "to discuss the situation".</p> <p>He is expected to announce the road ahead today, Thursday 25th November.</p> <p>The government's own budget proposal was rejected in favour of one presented by the opposition that includes the right-wing populist Sweden Democrats. Sweden's third-largest party is rooted in a neo-Nazi movement.</p> <p>"Now the government has voted for a budget that has been negotiated by a right-wing extremist party," Green Party spokesperson Per Bolund said. "That is something we deeply regret."</p> <p>Earlier in the day, when parliament voted to approve Andersson as prime minister, independent politician Amineh Kakabaveh, who supported Andersson, noted that Sweden is currently celebrating the 100th anniversary of a decision to introduce universal and equal suffrage in the Scandinavian country.</p> <p>"If women are only allowed to vote but are never elected to the highest office, democracy is not complete," said Kakabaveh who is of Iranian Kurdish descent.</p> <p>"There is something symbolic in this decision," she added. "Feminism is always about girls and women being complete people who have the same opportunities as men and boys."</p> <p>"I was really moved by what she said. She pinpointed exactly what I thought," Andersson said after her appointment in parliament where she got a standing ovation and a bouquet of red roses.</p> <p>"I have been elected Sweden's first female prime minister and know what it means for girls in our country," Andersson said.</p>

News

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Prime suspect in Madeleine McCann case purportedly leaks taunting cartoon

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A cartoon allegedly drawn by the prime suspect in Madeleine McCann’s disappearance has been discovered in a German newspaper, which appears to mock German prosecutors leading the investigation against him.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">44-year-old Christian Brueckner is currently in prison in northern Germany for raping a 72-year-old American woman in a Portuguese resort in 2005.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The resort, Praia de Luz, is the same location where three-year-old Madeleine disappeared from her family’s apartment in 2007.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After remaining unsolved for more than a decade, German investigators made headway when they identified Brueckner as a suspect in June, also stating that Madeleine was presumed dead.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The cartoon purportedly created by Brueckner was obtained by German newspaper </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bild.de/bild-plus/news/inland/news-inland/zeichnung-aus-dem-knast-maddie-verdaechtiger-verhoehnt-staatsanwalt-77470300,view=conversionToLogin.bild.html#fromWall" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bild</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and appears to show Braunschweig prosecutor Hans Christian Wolters in court, wearing legal attire and holding a €5 bill while asking a clairvoyant for new evidence.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:302.3076923076923px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843674/1e1ab46353f7a6eab7de073792e434d8a6f39a41.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c56d21b0509f401e8a9c6ab424f78b58" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Bild</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Is there anything new?” the judge asks a person sitting behind a curtain with a crystal ball, while the jury sleeps.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The clairvoyant is believed to represent </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/new-unusual-lead-in-madeleine-mccann-case" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Michael Schneider</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> - the clairvoyant who provided police with exact coordinates where he believed Madeleine’s body would be found.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, questions still remain about how Brueckner would have leaked the cartoon to the publication from the high-security prison he is serving his sentence in.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Previously, Brueckner purportedly penned a letter from his cell which was also published by </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bild</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, where he labelled the investigation against him as an “unbelievable scandal”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though he is the prime suspect in the McCann case, Brueckner is yet to be questioned or charged.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Legal

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‘Creepy Mummy’ Jacinda Ardern doll proves a big hit

<p>In the face of a growing COVID outbreak, New Zealand residents were given a reason to laugh on Monday when they were shown a ‘creepy’ doll version of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.</p> <p>Ms Ardern’s partner Clarke Gayford took to Instagram to share a video of the disturbing hand-made doll, sent to them by someone unknown.</p> <p>In the video, Gayford says the doll has become one of their three-year-old daughter, Neve’s favourite toys and she calls it ‘Creepy Mummy.”</p> <p>Aware that everyone in New Zealand is in a strict lockdown, Gayford says on the video: "Well Hi everyone, welcome to Monday. Who doesn't want a 30-second distraction to try and help get them through the start of the week?"</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/CTLNkXZhlZq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/CTLNkXZhlZq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Clarke Gayford (@clarkegayford)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"So, I give you this. We get given all sorts of wonderful hand-made arts and crafts here and when I say we — Neve," he continues, brushing the doll's hair with her facing away from the camera.</p> <p>"And there's some real talent in this country, some incredible talent, and she's a very lucky three-year-old.</p> <p>"Some of the things make their way into our home and into our three-year-old's heart," he said.</p> <p>"Including this wonderful dolly, which Neve has even given a name," he says, before dramatically revealing the doll's face.</p> <p>"She calls this dolly 'Creepy Mummy' and 'Creepy Mummy' would just like to say: 'Hang in there. You got this. Even though it's Monday.'"</p> <p>According to Gayford, the doll was sent to them without any details attached, but it's much loved by the smallest member of their family— despite the nickname.</p> <p>Fans loved the video, many agreeing it was the laugh they needed as New Zealand faces an outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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