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Sapling planted at Sycamore Gap to "restore hope" removed by National Trust

<p>UK resident Kieran Chapman, 27, is "absolutely gutted" after the sapling he planted in memory of the<a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/finance/legal/you-can-t-forgive-that-teen-arrested-after-felling-of-iconic-200-year-old-tree" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> felled Sycamore Gap tree</a> was heartbreakingly removed by National Trust. </p> <p>The 27-year-old spent hours on Friday planting the sapling just metres away from the stump of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree, but his efforts were in vain, as the sapling had been dug up by the National Trust on Sunday morning. </p> <p>The conservation charity said that they had to remove the sapling because it is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site.</p> <p>A National Trust spokesperson told the <em>Newcastle Chronicle </em>that while they understand “the strength of feeling following the events at Sycamore Gap” the site “is a scheduled ancient monument and a globally important archaeological setting, with UNESCO world heritage designation”.</p> <p>“Altering or adding to it can damage the archaeology, and is unlawful without prior consent from government.”</p> <p>But Chapman couldn't hide his disappointment: “It’s just devastating, isn’t it? It genuinely brought people a lot of joy and that’s been taken away," he told the publication. </p> <p>“I honestly thought if it got a good response they might end up keeping it.”</p> <p>Chapman planted the sapling because he wanted to “restore people’s faith in humanity, bring a smile back to people’s faces and just give them a bit of hope”.</p> <p>“I planned to go and take the dog for a walk next weekend there," he added. </p> <p>In a follow up post on Facebook, Chapman added that he was told by the National Trust that his tree will be replanted on another piece of land at the Housesteads Visitor Centre on Hadrian’s Wall. </p> <p>“Too many politics around all this for my liking, the top and bottom of it, it’s a tree, planted in soil. I understand the land is protected, but to protect a tree from being planted in the earth, where they’re designed to be, no matter where it’s location, is crazy,” he wrote.</p> <p>Two people were arrested over the incident, a 16-year-old boy and 69-year-old former lumberjack. </p> <p>Both have been released on bail, with the lumberjack insisting that he had no involvement in the felling. </p> <p>“You’ve got the wrong feller,” he told<em> The Sun</em>.</p> <p>“I’m a former lumberjack and I’ve just been kicked off my property so I can see why people have pointed the finger.</p> <p>“My brother came down to make sure I hadn’t been arrested as he had heard a rumour that I had cut it down. I didn’t do it," he added. </p> <p><em>Images: Getty/ Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

The trick to removing a stain from any surface

<p>When it comes to household tasks there’s one in particular that makes everyone shudder. I’m referring, of course, to cleaning. No one likes to clean and no matter how often you clean your home it’s never fun.</p> <p>But that doesn’t mean it has to be difficult. The following guide will teach you the best way to tackle stains on any household surface.</p> <p><strong>Carpet stains</strong></p> <p>While some people may opt to hire a carpet cleaner, there are actually very few carpet stains you can’t clean yourself. Add a splash of vinegar to the stain and dampen a cleaning cloth. Gently pat at the stain and rinse the cloth at regular intervals. Repeat this process until the stain lifts.</p> <p>Then sprinkle bi-carb on the damp area and work it into the carpet a little. Once the bi-carb dries, use a vacuum to clean it up.</p> <p>If you like, sprinkle some lemon juice to freshen things up. If you’ve done everything right you’ll be left with clean, fresh smelling carpets.</p> <p><strong>Tile and hardwood flooring</strong></p> <p>Add vinegar to a bucket of water and use it to mop up as much of the stain as possible. Apply more vinegar directly to the stain. Combine with bi-carb and wait a few minutes for a chemical reaction. You will notice some bubbling and frothing.</p> <p>Gently scrub at any marks with a brush until clean. Finally, use clean water to either wipe or mop the area again to finish things off.</p> <p><strong>Bathroom surfaces</strong></p> <p>Bathrooms are tough to clean but this mixture makes mould and mildew a thing of the past. Combine 1½ cups bi-carb soda, one cup of liquid soap, ½ cup of water and ¼ cup of vinegar together in a bucket.</p> <p>Use this to clean shower screens, remove mildew and scrub tile grout. For maximum effect use a coarse sponge or hard bristled brush.</p> <p><strong>Kitchen benchtops</strong></p> <p>Most modern kitchen benchtops will not stain due to the materials they are made from. However, anyone with a kitchen knows they still require constant cleaning in order to stay hygienic.</p> <p>Use a cleaning cloth and vinegar to keep benchtops sanitised. You can use bi-carb anytime if something more abrasive is needed. This could be useful for things like dried cereal or food stains. If the vinegar smell becomes too much, deodorise with lemon juice.</p> <p><strong>Concrete and garage floors</strong></p> <p>The same ingredients can be used to make a powerful degreaser. This will clean any oil or scuff stains from concrete and other robust surfaces. Simply add one cup of vinegar to a few teaspoons of bi-carb, along with a drop or two of liquid soap. Add this to a spray bottle and fill to the top with warm water. Shake to combine the ingredients.</p> <p>Use the spray bottle to apply the mixture to any stubborn stain you wish to remove. For the best results, apply liberally and wait several minutes before scrubbing with a hard bristled brush. If you have one available you might also wish to use a pressure washer.</p> <p><em>Written by Michael Brooke. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.domain.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Domain.com.au</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

How to remove stains at home 101

<p>If you every had a tricky stain to get rid of in the home and asked for advice from your nearest and dearest, you will likely know that when it comes to ridding stubborn marks, everyone's got an opinion. </p> <p>From removing red wine stains from carpets to food smudges on the couch, here we show you how you can ensure your linens, fabrics and furniture leave no trace of marks that were once there.</p> <p><strong>Carpet</strong></p> <p>Red wine stains would have to be among the most common to dirty carpets – that along with dirt walked in from outside. To remove red wine from carpet, first place paper towel over the stain and absorb as much moisture out of it as you can by standing on it. </p> <p>Then, sprinkle the stain with a small amount of bicarb soda and tap it with your fingers. You will find that the stain goes pale grey. Sponge the bicarb soda out with a cloth wrung out tightly in white vinegar. With heavy stains you may need to do this several times.</p> <p><strong>Sheets</strong></p> <p>To ensure your crisp white sheets stay exactly that, you first need to know what type of fabric you are dealing with. For polycotton, soak your sheets with a small amount of methylated spirits and warm water first, the place two-dessertspoons of Vanish NapiSan into a 12L bucket of hot water and soak overnight. </p> <p>Washing the next day and hang them to dry in the sun. For cotton sheets, simply place two dessertspoons of Vanish NapiSan into a 12L bucket of hot water and soak overnight. Washing the next day and hang them to dry in the sun.</p> <p><strong>Tablecloths and cushions</strong></p> <p>When it comes to tablecloths and cushions, prevention is better than a cure, so simply spray hairspray over the surface of your tablecloths and cushions. Spills can then be wiped away with a paper towel and the hairspray will come out easily in the wash.</p> <p><strong>Outdoor furniture</strong></p> <p>To clean canvas and outdoor furnishing fabric, saturate them with a heavy salt solution (try 1 kilo of un-iodised salt per 9L bucket of water) leave to dry and then just brush off. </p> <p>As the salt water dries the crystals regrow expanding in the fibres and pulling the mould spore out of the fabric with them. Firmly brush the crystals off for a lovely, clean, mould- free finish.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Prince Harry and Prince Andrew’s Remembrance Day wreaths removed

<p dir="ltr">Remembrance Day wreaths laid by Prince Harry and his disgraced uncle Prince Andrew have been removed. </p> <p dir="ltr">The wreaths displayed by the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of York at the Poppy Factory were “got rid of” while the wreaths laid by senior royals over the years remain. </p> <p dir="ltr">The removal is reportedly another way of “removing” the two from the Royal Family, according to UK media. </p> <p dir="ltr">Prince Harry, who fought in Afghanistan, laid a wreath at the last Remembrance commemoration he took part in, in 2019.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Harry used to have his wreath on display in the centre’s old exhibiting area, but it isn’t any more,” a source said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We’ve got rid of it – and all the duplicates we kept too.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The Mirror reports that The Poppy Factory and Buckingham Palace declined to comment about what had happened to Harry’s £1,000 wreath.</p> <p dir="ltr">Wreaths from King Charles, the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and Princes William and Edward remain on display. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Travel Trouble

How to remove permanent marker from any surface

<p>There’s something heart-stoppingly terrible about seeing a pair of little hands drawing on your walls or floor. It just gets worse when you notice that they’re not using the kid safe textas you gave them – but the permanent marker they found goodness knows where. But never fear, there is a solution to this problem – here are ways to remove permanent marker from just about anything. Not so permanent anymore, is it?</p> <p><strong>Carpet</strong></p> <p>If you have a synthetic carpet, dampen a cloth with a solvent like acetone-free nail polish remover. Lightly dab the stain with this cloth and then leave for about 15 minutes. Then dab the stained area with warm, soapy water and wait for another quarter of an hour. Blot the area dry with a clean cloth or towel, and then blot once more with warm water. Dry again. If there’s still stain remaining, let it dry and repeat the process one more time.</p> <p>If your carpet is made of natural fibres, the process is very similar, but you need to use a consumer-grade dry-cleaning solvent. Make sure you read the instructions carefully before you begin.</p> <p><strong>Walls</strong></p> <p>Use warm, soapy water and your favourite all areas cleaning spray to have an initial pass at the stain. If that method doesn’t work, get out your trusty rubbing alcohol and dab the stain with a cotton ball or paper towel. Use a little water to clean the area once the stain is gone, and then pat dry with paper towel.</p> <p><strong>Ceramic tiles</strong></p> <p>You want to start by wiping the stained area with warm, soapy water and then apply some rubbing alcohol with paper towel or a cotton ball. Wipe the alcohol off with more soapy water, then rinse and dry the tile.</p> <p>If the stain persists, try drawing over it with a whiteboard marker and then rubbing it off.</p> <p><strong>Stainless steel</strong></p> <p>Just like with tiles, you can use a whiteboard marker to draw over the permanent marker before wiping it off with a soft, dry cloth. Failing that, use a little rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball or paper towel.</p> <p><strong>Cotton upholstery</strong></p> <p>If marker has stained your cotton upholstery, gently blot the affected area with rubbing alcohol until it has completely come up. Make sure to test the alcohol in an area that can’t be seen in case the colours of the fabric run.</p> <p><strong>Cotton fabric</strong></p> <p>Place the stain face down onto a couple of layered paper towels. Use a small sponge to apply rubbing alcohol to the back of the stain and you should see it leaching out onto the paper towel. Rinse the fabric with cold water when you’re done to make sure the residue from the marker and the alcohol is gone.</p> <p>Do you have a great cleaning tip for removing pesky stains? We’d love to hear about it in the comments.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Home & Garden

Simple trick to remove tarnish from your silver

<p>A tarnished piece of jewellery or cutlery can cause you to think that you need to call in the professional cleaners. But it’s actually quite simple to make your own homemade remedy to get rid of the black marks.</p> <p><strong>You will need:</strong></p> <ul> <li>A glass dish</li> <li>Aluminium foil</li> <li>Baking soda</li> </ul> <p><strong>How to:</strong></p> <ol> <li>Boil the kettle and pour 1 litre of it into a jug.</li> <li>Mix in 4 tablespoons of baking soda, stirring well to dissolve.</li> <li>Place a sheet of foil on the base of a glass dish and put the tarnished items directly on to the foil.</li> <li>Pour the water over the top of the silverware and leave for a few minutes.</li> <li>Rinse the items under some tap water and then wipe dry with a clean cloth to remove any stubborn marks.</li> </ol> <p>Have you been able to salvage any favourite items using this method?</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Home & Garden

Body positivity ad slammed for removing prosthetic limb

<p dir="ltr">A body positivity campaign has hit a poor note after the models featured claimed they weren't compensated and even photoshopped to remove prosthetic limbs or onto another person's body.</p> <p dir="ltr">The advert from the Spanish Ministry of Equality was published last week as part of a campaign to promote body positivity during summer at Spanish beaches, with the caption 'Summer is ours too' displayed over an image of diverse women with non-standard bodies.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-28029417-7fff-32aa-21eb-382810d0b660"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">"Fatphobia, hatred and the questioning of non-normative bodies - particularly those of women, something that's most prevalent in the summertime," the ministry said.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfHmaPUo8WU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfHmaPUo8WU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by S I Â N G R E E N-L O R D (@sianlord_)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">But, model and activist Sian Green-Lord said she was left "shaken" after friends recognised her in the campaign - despite her not giving permission for her image to be used.</p> <p dir="ltr">Green-Lord suspects her image was taken from her Instagram page. Her prosthetic leg, which she has had since she was hit by a taxi in 2013 and had her leg amputated, had been edited out.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I don't even know how to even explain the amount of anger that I'm feeling right now," the UK model told the <em><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jul/28/all-bodies-are-beach-bodies-spains-equality-ministry-launches-summer-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Guardian</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-94ed9d42-7fff-5359-dbf8-ecaa75df93fa"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">"I'm literally shaking, I'm so angry."</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="es">Con que "el verano tambien es nuestro". Al igual que la imágen y manipulación que le han hecho a Sian Green-Lord sin su permiso <a href="https://t.co/zvb0onut0z">pic.twitter.com/zvb0onut0z</a></p> <p>— Zikade (@zikade_art) <a href="https://twitter.com/zikade_art/status/1553718707049959425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">She isn't the only one whose image was used or altered without permission.</p> <p dir="ltr">Nyome Nichols-Williams, a London model and activist who has worked with Green-Lord previously, said the use of her image by the ministry was "downright disrespectful", after she recognised herself in the advert.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It really is deflating and then on top of that having to fight on my own to get paid," Nichols-Williams said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-d8a08b8b-7fff-6d4a-c7fc-9dfd656d3d5e"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">"Do I not deserve to be paid for the usage of said image?"</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd0S5p9ggX2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd0S5p9ggX2/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Nyome Nicholas - Williams (@curvynyome)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Juliet Fitzpatrick is the third woman to make the surprising discovery that she was feasted- though only her face seemed to have been used.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fitzpatrick, who has undergone a double mastectomy, found that her face had been photoshopped onto the body of another woman who had undergone a single mastectomy.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I have no breasts," she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I am furious if the image has been used without my consent."</p> <p dir="ltr">Australian paralympic swimmer Jessica Smith was among those slamming the advert, saying it was "so wrong and so gross on so many levels".</p> <p dir="ltr">She criticised those involved for editing the models' images and for failing to ask for permission to use them.</p> <p dir="ltr">Arte Mapeche, the artist credited with creating the advert for the ministry, was reportedly paid €4,490 ($AUD 6573 or $NZD 7289) to create the image.</p> <p dir="ltr">She has since reached out to the models whose images she used, as well as a graphic design company whose font she used without licensing, and has issued a public apology.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I would like to publicly apologise to the models for having been inspired by their photographs for the "Summer is ours too" campaign and for having used an unlicensed typeface," she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Given the - justified - controversy over the image rights in the illustration, I have decided that the best way to make amends for the damages that may have resulted from my actions is to share out the money I received for the work and give equal parts to the people in the poster," the artist said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I accept my mistakes and that is why I am now trying to repair the damage caused."</p> <p dir="ltr">Nicholas-Williams said she was happy to have “inspired” the artwork, but said she should have been contacted beforehand and remunerated, while a trip to Spain for a photoshoot would have been a nice extra.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Spanish government has yet to comment on the matter.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-a6db1dbc-7fff-a739-a6c2-8b91e99d7e29"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: The Ministry of Equality</em></p>

Legal

Princess Mary removes son from high school amid bullying and abuse allegations

<p>Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik have pulled their son Prince Christian from his high school following a bullying scandal that has sent shock waves through Europe.</p> <p>They've also confirmed Princess Isabella will no longer be attending the prestigious Herlufsholm Boarding School.</p> <p>The Royal couple have issued a statement announcing the move, weeks after allegations emerged of a violent culture filled with abuse and bullying at the school.</p> <p>Students have also come forward, accusing the school and its staff of covering up their stories of abuse.</p> <p>"The question about our son Christian's and our daughter Isabella's choice of school has been very important for us, and the unfortunate matter has brought many and strong opinions into play in the public," Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary said in a joint statement.</p> <p>"That is completely understandable when it deals with the well-being of children and young people. At the same time, it has been important to stand by our basic idea that major decisions must be made on an informed basis. We now have that basis."</p> <p>Their message comes after the release of a preliminary decision from Denmark's National Agency for Education and Quality that "directs a particularly harsh critique" of the boarding school.</p> <p>"It has been a difficult process for us as a family, but, based on the overall picture and our special position as Crown Prince Couple, we have chosen that Prince Christian will stop at Herlufsholm and that Princess Isabella will not start in ninth class at the school after the summer holiday.</p> <p>"During the summer, we, together with our children, will make a decision about their future choice of schools.</p> <p>"With thoughts about the many students who will continue at Herlufsholm, it is our hope that the school now gets more peace to ensure the necessary changes and succeeds in creating a culture in which all thrive and feel safe."</p> <p>A documentary has aired, which included claims from a student who described being sexually abused by another student.</p> <p>Another student then spoke of corporal punishment and a third described being assaulted during a party at the school.</p> <p>In November 2021, four students were expelled after being accused of taking part in the abuse and filming a number of incidents.</p> <p>Some students have claimed staff turned a blind eye to these stories.</p> <p>When the allegations came to light, Princess Mary and her husband issued a swift response expressing their shock and disappointment.</p> <p>"As parents of a child who goes to Herlufsholm, we are deeply shaken by the testimonies that have emerged in the current documentary about the school," the Crown Prince couple said.</p> <p>"It is heart-breaking to hear about systematic bullying and about the culture of abuse and violence that many have been a part of. That is completely unacceptable. As parents, we expect the school to effectively ensure a culture where everyone is safe and part of the community, and we will in the coming time follow the changes that are obviously necessary."</p> <p>Herlufsholm was founded in 1565 for Danish nobility and is located 80km outside of Copenhagen in Næstved. The allegations about the school follow earlier claims about tough disciplinary practises at the institution.</p> <p>Herlufsholm School responded to the documentary's claims in a statement, with the school’s rector Mikkel Kjellberg saying many of the allegations contained within the television program were "very old cases have been used from another time - where the culture at Herlufsholm was different".</p> <p>He said the bullying and violence were "not part of the culture at Herlufsholm".</p> <p>"Bullying, violence or sexual abuse is not acceptable at Herlufsholm School," Kjellberg added.</p> <p>Princess Mary's charity issued a separate statement via The Mary Foundation. While they don't normally comment on "individual cases", the allegations contained within the documentary are "very violent and shocking".</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

“It’s emotional and scary”: White Island eruption survivor removes her face mask

<p dir="ltr">A survivor of the 2019 White Island volcano eruption who suffered burns to 70 percent of her body has finally been able to remove her face mask.</p> <p dir="ltr">Stephanie Browitt was visiting New Zealand’s northeastern Bay of Plenty region with her sister and father, who were both among the 22 people who died in the eruption.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her road to recovery has been a long and difficult one, which she has shared on social media with more than 1.6 million followers.</p> <p dir="ltr">Appearing on Nine’s <em>60 Minutes</em>, Stephanie removed her compression mask for the first time, telling host Sarah Abo that it was a “big deal” and that it felt like “this day would never come”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s emotional and scary. It is actually quite daunting as much as it is exciting,” she said.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-544c330b-7fff-ab83-7c65-728b0ded1b94"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Looking in the mirror, Stephanie said she saw a woman who was tougher than she ever thought she could be.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/steph8.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="721" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 60 Minutes</em></p> <p dir="ltr">“I see a person who has gone through so much more than I ever expected to go through in life. I see a very tormented person,” she continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">As much as this is exciting, it has been a long, hard journey to get here. I am tougher than I ever thought I would be.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-009138d2-7fff-ca5c-152c-bf17a9b2f5ae"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“I have learnt that the fight for survival is a real thing. I was literally fighting every day to survive, to just get back to being myself. I never knew that I had this in me.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CedLNM1vrna/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CedLNM1vrna/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Stephanie Coral Browitt (@stephaniecoral96)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Sunday’s episode also showed never-before-seen photos of Stephanie’s injuries, revealing the extent of the severe burns that covered almost her whole body.</p> <p dir="ltr">Stephanie told the program that she remembers waking up for the first time since the incident, after she was in a coma for two weeks, in bits and pieces.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was full of tubes and surrounded by medical equipment and in a very small room with lots of noises. Those things will always stay with me, I don’t think they will ever leave. It’s just things you don’t forget,” the 26-year-old said.</p> <p dir="ltr">She said her recovery had been extremely difficult, especially in the early stages.</p> <p dir="ltr">I had to start from scratch like a baby. Sitting upright, getting out of bed, taking my first few steps, even feeding myself – I had to relearn all of those skills from scratch and they didn’t come easy at all,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was incredibly difficult.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There have been plenty of moments where I have wanted to give up, or I have just been in tears not wanting to do anything. But I do feel I have come a long way from day one.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Stephanie is now in the process of suing Royal Caribbean, the company that ran the excursion to the island on the day of the eruption, over the physical and psychological injuries she has suffered.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her lawyer, Peter Gordan, claimed that data from the weeks prior showed that the island was a “ticking time bomb”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It makes me furious. They let down so many people … So many people died needlessly,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I think Steph’s injuries are the worst I have ever seen. I don’t think I have ever met quite an exceptional person in the way she has battled on.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the hardship she has - and continues - to overcome, Stephanie is looking to the future, telling <em>60 Minutes</em> she hopes to “go back to as normal a life as possible” and plans to return to working full-time, travelling and her social life.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I know I have got the support of so many people, and that helps me realise that this isn’t as scary as I feel it is,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-128a9a3c-7fff-1315-2a8e-5a18eb83ed58"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @stephaniecoral96 (Instagram)</em></p>

Caring

“Homophobic” line removed from Spider-Man

<p dir="ltr">A “homophobic” line from the action fantasy 2002 <em>Spider-Man</em> film has been removed following a recent airing on Britain’s ITV2.</p> <p dir="ltr">The first film of the trilogy starring Tobey Maguire aired on TV recently, with one eagle-eyed fan noticing the change. </p> <p dir="ltr">“They removed Peter Parker’s homophobia,” the Twitter user wrote along with a clip of the scene.</p> <p dir="ltr">The scene where the line was cut is at the beginning of the film where Peter Parker is learning about his newfound skills and went to a wrestling match.</p> <p dir="ltr">He is seen hanging on the cage away from pro wrestler Bone Saw and says: "That's a cute outfit. Did your husband give it to you?" </p> <p dir="ltr">However, the scene changed to just say: “That’s a cute outfit”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">THEY REMOVED PETER PARKER'S HOMOPHOBIA <a href="https://t.co/QmbFabVpc7">pic.twitter.com/QmbFabVpc7</a></p> <p>— PaperPlane (@PaperPlaneTF) <a href="https://twitter.com/PaperPlaneTF/status/1517947398936535040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The Twitter user however pointed out that the original line was in fact “not homophobic. It's been a joke for a little while now that Spider-Man is insensitive to this man's husband.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Many people praised the change, while others questioned why they couldn’t use something else that doesn’t attack sexuality. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Why cut the joke out entirely? Why not try to change it somehow?” someone asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So many things happen in this world, countless deaths, robberies, and many other things. And what makes people mad is a JOKE in a SPIDER-MAN MOVIE. Learn to take a joke. seriously. And the intent behind it wasn’t even bad, y’all just want something to be mad about,” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The fact that they removed a joke is baffling guess comedy is hate speech,” someone mentioned.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What was wrong with the joke in the first place?” a user asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Everyone can’t seem to understand that Spider-Man says this because Bonesaw is very clearly a big, burly macho man (no pun intended) alpha-male, kinda guy with his own team of 4 beautiful women/cheerleaders at the ringside and implying that he’s gay is a good way to rile him up,” another explained.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

Movies

Time to remove vaccine mandates? Not so fast – it could have unintended consequences

<p>Several Australian states have used mandates to drive up COVID vaccination rates. Governments justified the mandates on the basis of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=479962466825937&set=pb.100044365632393.-2207520000..&type=3">preventing the spread of disease</a> and <a href="https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/93754">protecting the vulnerable</a>.</p> <p>Now many states are rolling back these mandates, with Queensland <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-05/qld-coronavirus-covid19-vaccination-mandate-eased-april-14/100958850">removing the requirement to show you’re vaccinated</a> before entering cafes, pubs, galleries and other public spaces from tomorrow.</p> <p>It would be nice to think that when mandates have served their purpose, they can be removed. In practice, removing mandates may affect public attitudes about the importance of vaccination and the likelihood of getting boosters.</p> <p><strong>Remind me, what were the mandates?</strong></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/vaccine-passports-are-coming-to-australia-how-will-they-work-and-what-will-you-need-them-for-167531">Public space mandates</a> involve governments mandating that venues (such as restaurants, libraries and sporting venues) check individuals’ vaccination status and <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-it-time-to-rethink-vaccine-mandates-for-dining-fitness-and-events-we-asked-5-experts-176356">exclude the unvaccinated</a>. This is facilitated by <a href="https://theconversation.com/could-a-france-style-vaccine-mandate-for-public-spaces-work-in-australia-legally-yes-but-its-complicated-165814">vaccine passports and certificates</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264410X21015309?via%3Dihub">Government employment mandates</a> involve governments requiring workers in specific industries to be vaccinated. Businesses and organisations may also implement their own policies requiring the vaccination of their staff, their clients, or both.</p> <p>Most states and territories embraced public space mandates and all have required vaccination of aged and health-care workers.</p> <p>But many are on their way out. NSW eased its requirements last year. South Australia has recently revoked mandates for police, teachers and transport workers. Queensland’s new policy is noted above.</p> <p>Victoria, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory are sitting with their existing requirements for now.</p> <p><strong>What could happen next?</strong></p> <p>It’s unclear what impact removing vaccine mandates will have in Australia. However, we can learn from other public health measures and COVID vaccine mandates implemented overseas.</p> <p>Seat-belt laws converted a government requirement into a widespread social norm. Car manufacturers reinforced the norm with vehicles that beep at us when we don’t comply.</p> <p>But just because something has become habitual doesn’t mean we can lose the law. If governments removed the seat-belt law now and expected us to comply because we are informed, educated, and socialised, some people would still conclude that seat belts are no longer important. Removal of a requirement can send a bad message.</p> <p>The Italian government learned this when the region of Veneto suspended childhood vaccine mandates for four childhood vaccines in 2007. Officials thought the region’s wealthy and educated population would continue to vaccinate their children if the regional government provided strong education and messaging.</p> <p>They were <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s11077-021-09427-1">wrong</a>. Their strategy worked until there was a national vaccine scare in 2012. Vaccination rates in Veneto plummeted faster than anywhere else in the country.</p> <p>Eventually, the national government <a href="https://research-repository.uwa.edu.au/en/publications/recent-vaccine-mandates-in-the-united-states-europe-and-australia">mandated more vaccines</a> for the whole country.</p> <p>Other countries have already experimented with introducing, removing, and sometimes re-introducing mandates. Some, such as <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanres/article/PIIS2213-2600(22)00063-7/fulltext">Austria</a> and the <a href="https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/vaccine-mandates">United Kingdom</a>, have flip-flopped, providing little opportunity to study the impact of their mandates’ introduction or removal.</p> <p>Israel, which vaccinated its population promptly with Pfizer to the envy of the world, used a “public space” mandate (with an opt-out of a negative COVID test). The mandate has been <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8582817/">switched on and off</a> depending on the disease situation at the time.</p> <p>Unfortunately, Israelis’ uptake of subsequent doses has <a href="https://datadashboard.health.gov.il/COVID-19/general">dropped over time</a>, but its government still <a href="https://www.news.com.au/world/coronavirus/global/israel-rolls-back-green-pass-as-prime-minister-declares-the-covid-wave-is-breaking/news-story/b6f9ce495359166126b16c477af062b3">ended the mandate</a> in February.</p> <p>Mandates are also not without <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2021/215/11/policy-considerations-mandatory-covid-19-vaccination-collaboration-social">risks and costs</a>. They can provoke reactance, making those who are reluctant to vaccinate more determined not to do so. They may also prompt activism against vaccines and mandates.</p> <p><strong>High vaccination rates help contain COVID</strong></p> <p>One of the biggest challenges is nobody knows what the next phase of COVID will look like. Neither infection nor the current vaccines provide long-lasting immunity. We don’t know whether the next strain will continue the trajectory towards less serious symptoms started by Omicron (and helped by high vaccination rates).</p> <p>Whether we continue to be able to stay on top of COVID and whether the disease continues to remain less severe in most people infected will depend on maintaining high vaccination coverage rates.</p> <p>Governments across the nation and the world have struggled to get third doses into populations at the same level and with the same enthusiasm people showed towards the first two.</p> <p>Uptake in paediatric populations is also lagging in Australia – and there are no mandates.</p> <p>Now adults are being asked to prepare for and accept our fourth doses.</p> <p><strong>Leading the way</strong></p> <p>Western Australia has one of the highest rates of uptake in the country, with 76.7% of people aged over 16 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=533610064794510&set=a.263657845123068">triple dosed</a>. This compares with the <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2022/04/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-update-8-april-2022.pdf">national average</a> of 52.3%.</p> <p>It’s no coincidence the state’s employment mandates, which cover 75% of the workforce, require workers have their third dose within a month of becoming eligible.</p> <p>The WA mandate did not contain three doses to begin with, but it was very easy for the government to build it in.</p> <p>Faced with rolling back the mandate or keeping it operational for the fourth dose, the government will have to grapple with whether the population continues to support these measures – and there are definitely people who reluctantly accepted two doses and are not prepared to keep having more.</p> <p>WA’s public space mandate only covers two doses for now.</p> <p>WA’s COVID vaccination experience has shown that mandates, including for third doses, drive high levels of uptake, and are <a href="https://www.ijhpm.com/article_4210.html">easy for governments to implement</a>.</p> <p>However, much of the rest of Australia is moving in an opposite direction to WA in removing its mandates.</p> <p>As we live through the continued natural experiment of living with COVID – and not allowing it to defeat us – we now move into a new phase of making sense of what to do with the policy instruments governments used.<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/180781/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/katie-attwell-94905" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Katie Attwell</a>, Associate professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The University of Western Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/time-to-remove-vaccine-mandates-not-so-fast-it-could-have-unintended-consequences-180781" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Domestic Travel

"It's for the kids": Cafe owner and daughter arrested and removed by police

<p>Mother and daughter cafe owners have been dragged out of their own restaurant in handcuffs for failing to comply with Western Australia's Covid vaccination rules. </p><p>Topolinis Caffe co-owner Jodie Jardine, 51 and her daughter, 22, were arrested in their family-run Italian restaurant after a dozen police officers descended on the property. </p><p>They were charged under the Emergency Management Act for allegedly working despite not being vaccinated.</p><p>Under Western Australia's Covid jab mandate that was introduced on January 31st, all hospitality workers in the state must be double dosed or face harsh fines and even jail time.</p><p>Ms Jardine claimed that by not being vaccinated while on the job, she’s “standing up for the future of our children”.</p><p>After a tense stand-off between the cafe owners and police, the unvaxxed duo were eventually led outside by officers and taken away. </p><p>Footage from independent media shows that, later in that night, the mother and daughter were dropped at the restaurant to the applause of an awaiting crowd.</p><p></p><p>“It’s a mother and daughter and we were in the cell,” Ms Jardine said.</p><p>“We’re going to have to tell my grandchild … we were arrested for her or him because we’re standing up for our children and my grandchildren, that’s what I am doing. I am standing up for the future of our children and if we don’t, we’re not going to have a future."</p><p>“[My daughter] was braver than me, but you know, it’s for the kids, we’re doing it for the kids, it’s always been about the kids.</p><p>“I’m not sure what’s going to happen with the restaurant and my staff, my 20 staff that I have rely on me for their pay, I don’t know I am going to have to get a lawyer and see what our next step is.”</p><p>Police allege they had they had attended the restaurant earlier in the day to warn about staying open with unvaccinated staff. </p><p>Premier Mark McGowan made no apologies for the tactics of police saying, “Well that’s the law and people need to comply with it.”</p><p>Ms Jardine’s husband Phil told The West Australian unvaccinated West Australians are “being segregated like the Jews in Germany”.</p><p>The maximum penalty for breaching the Emergency Management Act is 12 months behind bars and a fine of $50,000, with the penally being up to $250,000 for corporations. </p><p><em>Image credits: Youtube </em></p>

Legal

Neil Young demands his music is removed from Spotify

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In an open letter to his management team, record label, and Spotify executives, Neil Young has demanded his entire music catalogue be removed from the streaming service.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His reasoning behind the demand stems from Spotfiy giving a platform to podcasters who spread vaccine misinformation and dangerous rhetoric about the Covid-19 pandemic. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He wrote, “</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">I am doing this because Spotify is spreading fake information about vaccines – potentially causing death to those who believe the disinformation being spread by them.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I want you to let Spotify know immediately TODAY that I want all my music off their platform,” he continued. “They can have [Joe] Rogan or Young. Not both.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Neil’s callout directly targets right-wing podcaster Joe Rogan, who regularly pedals an anti-vaccine sentiment on his show </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Joe Rogan Experience</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and even claimed he used livestock medication ivermectin to “cure” his bout of coronavirus. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“With an estimated 11 million listeners per episode, JRE, which is hosted exclusively on Spotify, is the world’s largest podcast and has tremendous influence,” the letter reads. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Spotify has a responsibility to mitigate the spread of misinformation on its platform, though the company presently has no misinformation policy.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Just 48 hours after Neil Young issued his public demand, Spotify confirmed they would be removing his music from their platform. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The company said they regretted the turn of events and hoped to “welcome him back soon”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We want all the world’s music and audio content to be available to Spotify users,” it said in a statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“With that comes great responsibility in balancing both safety for listeners and freedom for creators. We have detailed content policies in place and we’ve removed over 20,000 podcast episodes related to Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Neil Young responded to Spotify’s move, saying he was willing to take the hit to his yearly revenue, and urged other artists to contemplate a similar move. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Spotify represents 60 per cent of the streaming of my music to listeners around the world. Almost every record I have ever released is available – my life’s music. (It is) a huge loss for my record company to absorb,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I truly want to thank the many, many people who have reached out to me thanking me for taking this position – people who are health professionals on the front lines, people who have lost loved ones to Covid or who are worried for their own children and families. I have never felt so much love coming from so many,” said Young.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I sincerely hope that other artists and record companies will move off the Spotify platform and stop supporting Spotify’s deadly misinformation about Covid.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Music

Artist demands her work be removed from 10 Downing Street

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">British artist Tracey Emin has formally requested for her 2010 artwork to be removed from 10 Downing Street: the official residence of the UK Prime Minister. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The artist took to Instagram to share the request with her followers, posting a picture of the neon sign art that reads </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">More Passion</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I am now in the process of requesting that my artwork be removed from 10 Downing Street,” wrote Emin in her post. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I feel </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">More Passion</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is the last thing this present government needs. This current situation is shameful.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Her request comes as recent revelations of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s flouting of the Covid-19 restrictions in May 2020, as he reportedly held a garden party at the residence when the country was in lockdown. </span></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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CY6af0ooksi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <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/CY6af0ooksi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Tracey Emin CBE RA (@traceyeminstudio)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite overwhelming backlash, Boris Johnson maintains that the gathering was a work event instead of a party, and has apologised for his attendance. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In an interview with the </span><a href="https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2022/01/20/tracey-emin-demands-her-work-be-removed-from-10-downing-street-after-boris-johnsons-shameful-lying-over-lockdown-party"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Art Newspaper</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Tracey Emin said she finds the hypocrisy of the situation completely baffling. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think lying to people is shameful,” she said. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“People have suffered so much through Covid. They’ve looked to the government for advice, and it turns out that the government has been telling us to do one thing and not doing it themselves.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tracey originally donated the work to the Government Art Collection in 2010 when then Prime Minister David Cameron commissioned the work from her. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tracey clarified that she would like the artwork to remain in the government collection, but for it to be relocated from the residence. </span></p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram @traceyeminstudio</em></p>

Art

A supermarket in Britain has removed use-by dates in favour of the 'sniff test'

<p><em>Image: Getty </em></p> <p>Grocery chain ‘Morrisons’ is being slammed after announcing a decision to scrap “use-by” dates on milk, instead asking customers to use a “sniff test” to determine if the milk has gone bad.</p> <p>The supermarket will switch to using “best before” dates on 90% of its home brand milk packaging from the end of January, <em>The Sun</em> reports.</p> <p>The date will remain the same but Morrisons is asking customers to not automatically assume the milk is off, but instead sniff to see whether it has expired first.</p> <p>Best before dates indicate that a product will have a better quality if consumed before that day, but use by means food might not be safe to eat after that point and runs the risk of making the customer sick.</p> <p>Morrisons said the move is intended to reduce food wastage, as millions of litres of milk are thrown away each year.</p> <p>It is estimated that 48 million litres of milk are wasted due to customers following “use-by” labels.</p> <p>Research shows milk is often fine to be used days after the use-by date the supermarket said. So yes, customers are being encouraged to smell their milk to check if it has actually gone bad before throwing it away.</p> <p>A sour aroma or curdled consistency are both signs milk has been spoiled.</p> <p>Shoppers took to Twitter to complain about the decision, with many asking how they can smell the milk while in store.</p> <p>However, Morrisons said that won’t be necessary because it won’t sell milk that is near the best before date.</p> <p>One customer said: “So, Morrisons – can we open the bottle in order to sniff it before purchase? Or do we have to go home, sniff it, then bring it back if it’s off?”</p> <p>Another added: “I can open the milk whilst still in Morrisons to check then I guess?”</p> <p>Others pointed out that one of the main symptoms of Covid is losing your sense of smell.</p> <p>“Generations before us have always used the sniff test – and I believe we can too” According to Ian Goode, senior milk buyer at Morrisons.</p>

Food & Wine

"Stuck for hours": Removal of stairs traps woman in her home

<p><em>Image: TikTok</em></p> <p>A woman was shocked to find the stairs for her apartment complex had been removed without warning, leaving her, and other tenants trapped inside. She shared her story on TikTok, shocking over 1.2 million people over the strange decision that left her “stuck for hours”.</p> <p>Olivia Crump thought it was just an ordinary morning, opening her door to start her day, however as she peered outside, she realised something was terribly wrong. The stairs were gone.</p> <p>Olivia lives on the third floor of her apartment building with no way to leave without climbing over the ledge. She grabbed her camera to film the incident, later posting it to TikTok where it went viral.</p> <p>Olivia said in the video: “When your apartment removes the stairs without warning and you’re stuck for hours.”</p> <p>She posted it alongside the song ‘hell to the no’ and comments were quickly encouraging Olivia to contact a fire marshall. In an interview with the<span> </span>Daily Dot, the TikToker explained that “it was impossible to get down without climbing over the ledge with a ladder or scaling the side with a decent drop below”.</p> <p>“My apartment complex didn’t notify any of the residents beforehand (and still hasn’t reached out since this happened),” she said.</p> <p>Olivia revealed that she and her neighbours were stuck for nearly four hours before a worker granted her permission to go down the unfinished steps.</p> <p>The TikToker shared that she called her neighbours and they too were unaware the stairs were being removed. Olivia wrote in reply to a comment, “these complexes run by huge housing companies just mess with people’s lives and get away with it because people need places to live”.</p> <p>Comments were filled with people sharing similar stories and encouraging Olivia to take action.</p> <p>“Definitely a fire hazard. They should have had everyone leave or made a temporary alternative route,” one user wrote.</p> <p>“Building Code, Fire and Lease Violations. Hefty, hefty fines,” another said.</p>

Travel Trouble

First Nations children are still being removed at disproportionate rates. Cultural assumptions about parenting need to change

<p>Child protection processes in Australia have a history of injustice that disproportionately targets and harms First Nations children, families and communities.</p> <p>As a result, contemporary child protection systems and associated professions have sought to distance themselves from explicitly racist past policies and practices by <a href="https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/618">apologising</a> for their past involvement in the Stolen Generations and committing to change.</p> <p>Yet child protection systems continue to operate on assumptions about <a href="http://upendmovement.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/How-We-endUP-6.18.21.pdf">race and class</a> that increase inequalities and injustices against First Nations families.</p> <p>In a Queensland <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.05.002">study</a> published in 2018 that used data from 2010-2011, Indigeneity was found to be a greater predictor of “subsequent child protection reports and investigations than a rating of ‘high risk’ on child protection’s risk assessment tool”.</p> <p>Another study in Western Australia found, when controlled for all other factors, Aboriginality was associated with <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.01.017">almost double the risk</a> of infant removal.</p> <p>Understandings of risk, child abuse and neglect are often biased in favour of white middle-class parenting practices. This can lead to over-surveillance of First Nations families, and a flawed notification system.</p> <h2>First Nations styles of parenting are disregarded or considered unsafe</h2> <p>According to University of Utah <a href="http://www.kooriweb.org/foley/resources/whiteness/summary_of_whiteness_theory.pdf">academic Audrey Thompson</a>, “Whiteness Theory treats whiteness not as a biological category but as a social construction.” White social constructions are often informing major decision-making in child protection practice and policies. This is because legislators and those making decisions about child protection are often white. However, families disproportionately affected by these decisions are often Indigenous.</p> <p>As a result, white constructs also inform the baseline for good parenting practices in Australian child protection services. Essentially, Australian child protection systems were built around <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajs4.90">white, middle class standards</a> of parenting. This means they often <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/10.3316/INFORMIT.201569927296804">ignore</a> cultural differences in how children are raised.</p> <p>For example, many First Nations families <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/strengths-australian-aboriginal-cultural-practices-family-life-and-child-r">raise their children collectively</a>, with resources – such as food and housing – shared among family, kinship and community members.</p> <p>The recent documentary <a href="https://sharkisland.com.au/portfolio/the-department/">The Department</a> told the story of First Nations woman Stacey and her struggles trying to get her children returned to her care.</p> <p>The size of Stacey’s house was viewed by child protection services as a barrier. Stacey complied with the department’s guidelines, including moving into a larger house with four bedrooms. Despite having two of her children in her care, the film ends with three of Stacey’s children remaining in out-of-home care.</p> <p>Another case was a First Nations woman who had her baby taken from her by child protection. According to The Guardian, the chief executive officer of the First Peoples’ Health and Wellbeing Clinic said the initial assessment of this mother had been <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jul/18/aboriginal-woman-wins-battle-to-keep-baby-after-six-court-appearances">culturally inappropriate</a>.</p> <p>This ignorance of Indigenous ways of parenting could be contributing to the 20,077 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out-of-home care as of 30 June 2019. According to the <a href="https://www.familymatters.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/FamilyMattersReport2020_LR.pdf">Family Matters Report</a>, this represents one in every 16.6 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children living in Australia.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe src="https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/7897444/embed" title="Interactive or visual content" class="flourish-embed-iframe" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="width: 100%; height: 650px;" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-scripts allow-downloads allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" width="100%" height="400"></iframe></p> <div style="width: 100%!; margin-top: 4px!important; text-align: right!important;"><a href="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/7897444/?utm_source=embed&utm_campaign=visualisation/7897444" target="_top" class="flourish-credit"><img src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/made_with_flourish.svg" alt="Made with Flourish" /> </a></div> <hr /> <p>First Nations children had far higher rates of substantiations for neglect (31.8%) compared to non-Indigenous children (18.2%) in 2019-20, and lower rates of substantiations for sexual abuse.</p> <p>Understandings of neglect and emotional abuse are <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.4135/9781473919716">subject to interpretation</a> by child protection practitioners. These interpretations can be based on societal and cultural values often incompatible with collective child rearing, and do not account for the impacts of material poverty when raising children.</p> <h2>Families facing punishment instead of support</h2> <p>Currently, child protection services often punish and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S1035077200000079">blame</a> individuals for their “dysfunction” or risk. Genuine support, with a focus on addressing the <a href="https://www.familymatters.org.au/the-family-matters-report-2020/">drivers</a> of child protection involvement, remains lacking.</p> <p>For First Nations families, these drivers include poverty, housing issues, racism, trauma, mental health concerns, domestic and family violence, and alcohol and other drugs abuse.</p> <p> </p> <p>Rather than offering support to First Nations families who are in dire circumstances – such as financial support – the response of child protection systems remains <a href="https://www.familyisculture.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/726329/Family-Is-Culture-Review-Report.pdf">coercive, controlling, and punitive</a>.</p> <p>For example, <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/australian-legal-definitions-when-child-need-protection">reasons for emotional abuse substantiations</a> can include children <a href="https://www.aic.gov.au/publications/tandi/tandi419">witnessing</a> domestic and family violence. Rather than providing ways for victim-survivors of domestic and family violence (<a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/domestic-violence/family-domestic-sexual-violence-australia-2019/contents/summary">often women and children</a>) to stay together, child removal often occurs.</p> <p>There is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1332/204674315X14207948135699">no focus on the structures driving these problems</a>. Instead, blame is placed on the affected individual.</p> <p>As argued by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udIq9oRDcDQ">Derecka Purnell</a>, lawyer and author of <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/675803/becoming-abolitionists-by-derecka-purnell/">Becoming Abolitionists</a>, child protection systems in the United States are predicated on the failure of individuals to “protect” and supply their children with certain provisions. However there is limited support from these services to supply resources needed for parents to feed, clothe and house their children.</p> <p>Australia’s child protection systems <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338476340_Typologies_of_Child_Protection_Systems_An_International_Approach">have the same flaws</a>.</p> <p> </p> <h2>A flawed notification system</h2> <p>Increased involvement of child protection agencies with First Nations families contributes to a harmful perception among those who report issues to child protection (teachers, health professionals, police and the general public) that First Nations families ought to be surveilled more than others.</p> <p>This becomes a vicious circle, increasing the number of reports, contributing to the <a href="https://www.familymatters.org.au/the-family-matters-report-2020/">overrepresentation</a> of First Nations children in child protection and out-of-home care.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe src="https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/7862106/embed" title="Interactive or visual content" class="flourish-embed-iframe" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" style="width: 100%; height: 650px;" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-scripts allow-downloads allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" width="100%" height="400"></iframe></p> <div style="width: 100%!; margin-top: 4px!important; text-align: right!important;"><a href="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/7862106/?utm_source=embed&utm_campaign=visualisation/7862106" target="_top" class="flourish-credit"><img src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/made_with_flourish.svg" alt="Made with Flourish" /> </a></div> <hr /> <p>Anyone in the community can make a notification of alleged child abuse or neglect to child protection authorities. The concerned neighbour, the midwife at the maternity hospital, the teacher in the classroom, or the police officer responding to a family violence call-out.</p> <p>They do not need to supply substantive proof or evidence of the alleged harm. They need only have “<a href="https://providers.dffh.vic.gov.au/making-report-child-protection">reasonable belief</a>” of harm or potential harm. Their judgement as to what constitutes child abuse or neglect is at their discretion. The notifier can also remain anonymous to the family who are the target of the allegation.</p> <p>Once a <a href="https://www.familyisculture.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/726329/Family-Is-Culture-Review-Report.pdf">notification</a> of alleged child abuse or neglect has been made to child protection authorities, the likelihood of future allegations increases. This is because an allegation in and of itself serves as <a href="https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/publications/australian-legal-definitions-when-child-need-protection"> another “risk factor”</a>.</p> <p>Child protection authorities hold the power to investigate any allegation of child abuse or neglect made to their jurisdiction. But affected families are left with no choice but to <a href="https://www.familyisculture.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/726329/Family-Is-Culture-Review-Report.pdf">comply</a> with child protection’s directives. These families often feel voiceless, powerless and in fear of a system that continues to remove First Nations children at disproportionate rates (despite making <a href="https://www.pc.gov.au/closing-the-gap-data/dashboard/socioeconomic/outcome-area12">commitments</a> to change).</p> <p><a href="https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/618">Social workers</a> have acknowledged the harms of past practices. However they remain complicit in child protection systems that continue to inflict harm against First Nations families and communities. These practices have resonance with the Stolen Generations.</p> <p>Changing child protection systems requires more than apologies and acknowledgements of past harms. On-paper reforms, such as the commissioning of independent reviews into child protection systems without fully implementing the recommendations, ring <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/still-they-take-the-children-away-while-20211107-p596oy.html">hollow</a>. As a result, child protection systems continue to cause harm to another generation of First Nations children and families.</p> <p>It needs to be accepted that understandings of “risk” in Australian child protection systems have been built on racial discrimination and biased understandings of “good parenting”.</p> <p>Transformation of these systems requires investment in prevention and early intervention, confronting whiteness in these practices, and improving cultural awareness about different styles of parenting.</p> <p>These are a vital steps in addressing the structural drivers of involvement with child protection systems.</p> <p>Better support for First Nations families to stay together is needed to avoid more generations of stolen children.<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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/169090/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><span><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jacynta-krakouer-196720">Jacynta Krakouer</a>, Research Fellow, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alex-bhathal-1288514">Alex Bhathal</a>, Lecturer, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/la-trobe-university-842">La Trobe University</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/catherine-chamberlain-1223086">Catherine Chamberlain</a>, Professor Indigenous Health Equity, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/james-c-beaufils-1288512">James C. Beaufils</a>, Research fellow, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-gray-1102843">Paul Gray</a>, Associate professor, Jumbunna Insitute for Indigenous Education and Research, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-technology-sydney-936">University of Technology Sydney</a></em>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tatiana-corrales-1288516">Tatiana Corrales</a>, Research Fellow, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></span></p> <p>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/first-nations-children-are-still-being-removed-at-disproportionate-rates-cultural-assumptions-about-parenting-need-to-change-169090">original article</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Unsplash, CC BY</em></p>

Family & Pets

Wild elk finally gets tyre removed from around its neck after two years

<p dir="ltr">A wild elk in Colorado is free after a years-long ordeal to remove a rubber tyre from around its neck. Wildlife officers were<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/News-Release-Details.aspx?NewsID=7971" target="_blank">able to free it</a><span> </span>over the weekend after local residents alerted them to the creature’s location.</p> <p dir="ltr">The elk was a four-and-a-half year-old male weighing over 600 pounds, or over 270 kilograms. He had spent the past few years travelling between neighbouring counties, disappearing for long periods of time, particularly in the winter, and acting normally for a wild animal, not wanting to be around humans.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">The saga of the bull elk with a tire around its neck is over. Thanks to the residents just south of Pine Junction on CR 126 for reporting its location, wildlife officers were able to free it of that tire Saturday.<br /><br />Story: <a href="https://t.co/WHfkfPuAck">https://t.co/WHfkfPuAck</a><br /><br />📸's courtesy of Pat Hemstreet <a href="https://t.co/OcnceuZrpk">pic.twitter.com/OcnceuZrpk</a></p> — CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) <a href="https://twitter.com/CPW_NE/status/1447601850878812161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Wildlife officers were first alerted to the elk’s plight in June 2019. While conducting a population survey for bighorn sheep and mountain goats, an officer saw the bull through a spotting scope. Wildlife officer Scott Murdoch said, “Being up in the wilderness, we didn’t really expect to be able to get our hands on the elk just because of the proximity or the distance away from civilization.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is harder to get the further they are back in there and usually the further these elk are away from people, the wilder they act. That certainly played true the last couple of years, this elk was difficult to find, and harder to get close to.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In the past week alone, officers had made four attempts to try and tranquilise the animal. They were finally successful on Saturday evening, after wildlife officer Dawson Swanson found the elk amongst a larger group, and managed to tranquilise it, after which officer Murdoch arrived to aid in the removal of the tyre.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Why we cut the antlers off & not the tire:<br /><br />1⃣ We tried, sawzall was slow going thru steel in the bead of the tire<br />2⃣ The animal was under anesthesia, time was limited<br />3⃣ Does not harm the elk, will grow back next year<br />4⃣ Reduces the chance the bull would be harvested this year <a href="https://t.co/C24rgd5krs">pic.twitter.com/C24rgd5krs</a></p> — CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) <a href="https://twitter.com/CPW_NE/status/1448023318590672896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 12, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Of the removal process, Murdoch said, “It was tight removing it,” even after cutting its antlers off. “It was not easy for sure, we had to move it just right to get it off because we weren’t able to cut the steel in the bead of the tire. Fortunately, the bull’s neck still had a little room to move.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We would have preferred to cut the tire and leave the antlers for his rutting activity, but the situation was dynamic and we had to just get the tire off in any way possible.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Once the tyre had been removed, the officers were surprised to see that the elk’s neck was in relatively good condition. “The hair was rubbed off a little bit, there was one small open wound maybe the size of a nickel or quarter, but other than that it looked really good,” Murdoch said. “I was actually quite shocked to see how good it looked.”</p> <div> <div class="reply-list-component"> <div class="reply-component"> <div class="reply-body-component"> <div class="reply_body body linkify"> <div class="reply-body-wrapper"> <div class="reply-body-inner"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p dir="ltr">According to Colorado Parks & Wildlife, "the elk would have gotten the tyre around its antlers either when it was very young, before it had antlers, or during the winter when it shed its antlers. It could have been a big stack of tires that the elk stuck its head in."</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p dir="ltr">Removing its antlers does not hurt the elk, as they will grow back next year.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter/@CPW_NE</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Fashion fail: Mum drives back to store to get help removing new jumpsuit

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A woman’s hilarious shopping fail has gone viral after she became trapped in a new outfit and returned to the shop to ask for help. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Posting the moment on TikTok, Isabel Robins explained that her mother had purchased a jumpsuit from Zara, and struggled to take it off when trying it on at home. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Isabel’s mother realised the zipper on the garment was faulty, she knew she had no choice but to return to the Zara store in London to get help from a sales assistant in removing the outfit. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the video, Isabel’s mum is making funny faces at the camera and laughing at the situation with her daughter behind the camera. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Once the pair entered the store, she appeared in good spirits as she desperately searched the store for a sales assistant to help her. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As an employee releases the busted zip, Isabel's mother takes a sigh of relief for the camera.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The clip ends with her walking around the store in a change of clothes, with ther Zara employee following behind with the faulty jumpsuit in their hand. </span></p> <p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" width="698" height="573" scrolling="no" id="molvideoplayer" title="MailOnline Embed Player" src="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/embed/video/2509527.html"></iframe></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Video credit: Daily Mail</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The video has racked up over 5,000 likes, with many commenting how hilarious the fashion fail was. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many people labeled Isabel’s mum as “iconic”, with one commenter saying, “What a shame, it looked awesome on her!”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: TikTok @isabelrobins</span></em></p>

Beauty & Style

Students’ removal of Queen’s photo causes ire

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Students in the UK have caused a stir after voting to remove a photograph of the Queen from their university common room.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Postgraduate students at Magdalen College, Oxford, voted to take down the print, with minutes from the meeting noting that “for some students depictions of the monarch and the British monarchy represent recent colonial history.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The move drew criticism from UK Education secretary Gavin Williamson, who tweeted: “Oxford university students removing a picture of the Queen is simply absurd. She is the head of state and a symbol of what is best about the UK. During her long reign she has worked tirelessly to promote British values of tolerance, inclusivity and respect around the world.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a swift response, Dinah Rose, the president of Magdalen College, defended the decision and wrote: “Here are some facts about Magdalen College and HM the Queen. The Middle Common Room is an organisation of graduate students. They don’t represent the College. A few years ago, in 2013 they bought a print of the Queen to decorate their common room.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“They recently voted to take it down. Both of these decisions are their own to take, not the College’s. Magdalen strongly supports free speech and political debate and the MCR’s right to autonomy.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She added: “Being a student is about more than studying. It’s about exploring and debating ideas. It’s sometimes about provoking the older generation. Looks like that isn’t so hard to do these days.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rose also said the print would be safely stored in the event the students vote to put the print up once more.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Matthew Katzman, Magdalen’s MCR president, told the </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Daily Telegraph</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">: “It has been taken down. It was decided to leave the common room neutral. That was what this was about. The college will have plenty of depictions of various things but the common room is meant to be a space for all to feel welcome.” </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Magdalen College, Theroyalfamily / Instagram</span></em></p>

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Wild elk finally gets tyre removed from around its neck after two years

Fashion fail: Mum drives back to store to get help removing new jumpsuit

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