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Sky News AU
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
Dame Olivia Newton-John's widower John Easterling finds love again with American entrepreneur Sarah Owen, three years after beloved star's death
John Easterling, the widower of the late Australian icon Dame Olivia Newton-John, has reportedly found love again. The 73-year-old has been quietly spending time with American entrepreneur Sarah Owen, 62, according to The Daily Telegraph. The pair are understood to have met at a New Year's Eve party in December 2022, four months after Newton-John died following a brave and lengthy battle with cancer. Though the pair have kept a low profile, Easterling and Owen have been spotted together more frequently in recent months around Santa Ynez, California. Owen, who was previously married to actor James Woods, is the founder of pet care brands StripHair and The Gentle Groomer, both owned by her company Betty's Best. Easterling, meanwhile, is the founder of the Amazon Herb Company, which focuses on plant-based medicine, an area he and Newton-John both passionately supported, especially in cancer research. Despite the new relationship, Easterling has remained open about the depth of his grief and enduring love for Newton-John. "Olivia and I had a love so big and so indefinite in time," he told People earlier this year. "We embraced it as something even bigger than ourselves. We never had any petty arguments or anything like that. I didn't even think love could be like that." He also revealed that he still feels connected to Olivia's spirit in places that were special to them, saying she continues to send him messages to "love and live life". "Life is very, very precious, and don't waste a moment of life because it's a very thin veil that separates us," he said. "I see and feel her presence all the time, and I know we'll be completely reunited again. So that's giving me the strength and the energy to really push forward." Easterling and Newton-John met through mutual friends in the 1990s but did not begin dating until many years later. They publicly confirmed their relationship in 2007 and married in two ceremonies in 2008, first in a spiritual Incan ritual in Peru, followed by a second wedding on a beach in Florida with family and friends. They remained married until the British-Australian actress' death on August 8, 2022, at the age of 73. "Dame Olivia Newton-John passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends," Easterling wrote in a statement posted to Olivia's official Instagram account at the time. "Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years, sharing her journey with breast cancer. Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer." Easterling was Olivia's second husband. She was previously married to actor Matt Lattanzi, with whom she shared daughter Chloe Lattanzi, 39. Since the beloved Grease star's death, both Easterling and Lattanzi have continued her legacy through the annual 'Walk for Wellness' fundraiser supporting the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre. "It's an incredible honour," Lattanzi told People in 2023. "I could never imagine letting my mum's dream die. I feel her inside of me, guiding me - like, 'This is your job. This is what you're supposed to do'." Chloe also expressed deep compassion for Easterling, describing him as "my other father". "John and I were taking care of her together," she said of her mother's final days. "There's such a strong bond and my heart just breaks for him. I will always be the person that he can lean on." Newton-John's long health journey began with a breast cancer diagnosis in 1992. After an initial remission, the disease returned in 2013 and again in 2017 as a tumour at the base of her spine. Following her tragic death, Newton-John was honoured with a state memorial service in Melbourne, featuring video tributes from Hugh Jackman, Sir Elton John, Dolly Parton, Pink, Sir Barry Gibb, and Mariah Carey.
UPI
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- UPI
Movie review: New 'Dora' movie carries 'Indiana Jones' torch
1 of 5 | Diego (Jacob Rodriguez) and Dora (Samantha Lorraine) explore the Amazon in "Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado," on Paramount+ Wednesday. Photo courtesy of Spataro/Nickelodeon/Paramount+ LOS ANGELES, June 30 (UPI) -- Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado, premiering Wednesday on Paramount+, turns the Nickelodeon animated series Dora the Explorer into a thrilling live-action adventure for families. Like 2019's underrated Dora and the Lost City, it harkens back to the best classic adventure movies. As a toddler, young Dora's (Scarlett Spears) Abuelo (J. Santiago Suarez) tells her about the legend of Sol Dorado, an Incan treasure that grants a wish. He also gives her Map, which does not speak in this iteration. Map seems to be blank, but fills in with crayon art whenever Dora needs directions in her adventures. This is a lovely way to visualize that Map is essentially Dora's own sense of direction; it just skips the part where she researches and draws it herself. As a toddler, watching Camila the Crusader (Daniela Pineda) appears to be where Dora picked up the habit of looking directly into camera and asking the audience questions. As a teenager, Dora (Samantha Lorraine) and Diego (Jacob Rodriguez) have explored the Amazon rainforest but still have not found Sol Dorado. The pair get a job at the Jungle World theme park, where Camila now works. Camila's secret excavation behind the park leads Dora, Diego, coworker Naiya (Mariana Garzón Toro) and Naiya's brother Sonny (Acston Luca Porto) on another jungle adventure. Dora and her friends explore booby trapped caves and temples loaded with gross bugs. Their adventure is more Indiana Jones than Dial of Destiny was. Dora solves riddles through her knowledge of Incan history. Her spirit is selfless and optimistic for the joy of discovery, not for profit. She doesn't outright say Sol Dorado belongs in a museum, but she shares the morality and sentiment of Indiana Jones. Dora loses Map early in her quest, so the heart of her adventure becomes learning to chart her own course. Kids going on adventures was also a Steven Spielberg staple outside of his grown-up Indiana Jones movies. This was already inherent in the animated Dora, but both live-action movies have risen to the high standard of kids' adventures. Sol Dorado filmed in Colombia and the physical jungle is palpable in the adventure, as are interior sets of those caves and temples. The actors are hanging on vines and crouching under collapsing ceilings. There are computer generated elements like Boots the monkey (voice of Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias), whom only Dora understands. Swiper the stealing fox belongs to Camila, but artificial characters fit way better in a practical location than actors fit in artificial worlds. Map represents the central theme of Dora's quest, but her Backpack also appears. The film approaches its seemingly infinite contents with an appropriate nonchalance, while dismissing it as a tool to circumvent any of the adventure's challenges. By the time Dora meets her, Camila has lost her spirit of discovery since her TV show ended. Recognizing it in Dora could be a cliche, but Dora puts it in poignant context. Dora says, "I may have lost my map but you lost your compass." She articulates the difference between getting lost and losing one's purpose. With this moral compass, Dora also captures the spirit of Indiana Jones better than the recent streaming film Fountain of Youth. Dora still has a sense of humor, but not at the expense of its characters' heroic qualities. Jungle World does test Dora's patience. She begins a tram tour with the infectious enthusiasm of her real adventures, but repetition and animatronic displays wear on her quickly. There is a fun tram chase through the park before they go back to the jungle. And Jungle World is where the audience learns Diego and Naiya used to date, adding a teen Romancing the Stone dynamic to the rest of their adventure, updated for a couple who have ghosted each other. The English language film frequently drops in Spanish words. They are simple words like eschucha and vamanos, which may be familiar as "listen" and "let's go," even to viewers who have never taken a language class. Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado captures Dora's inclusive spirit while using Incan legend to inspire curiosity and valuable moral lessons. If it is a success on the streaming services, more adventures with this gang would be welcome. Fred Topel, who attended film school at Ithaca College, is a UPI entertainment writer based in Los Angeles. He has been a professional film critic since 1999, a Rotten Tomatoes critic since 2001, and a member of the Television Critics Association since 2012 and the Critics Choice Association since 2023. Read more of his work in Entertainment.
Daily Mirror
16-06-2025
- Daily Mirror
Woman travels 30 hours to visit Machu Picchu and view leaves her horrified
Set high in the Andes Mountains in Peru, you'll find the majestic Machu Picchu. Built in the fifteenth century, it was abandoned when the Incan Empire was conquered by the Spaniards in the sixteenth century. It wasn't until 1911 that the archaeological complex was made known to the outside world. As well as being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it was selected as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World in 2007. This ramped up the number of tourists who visit – and the Incan citadel attracts around 1.6 million visitors a year. One of the many tourists who has visited the historic site is globe-trotter Leonie, who took to her TikTok page to share a video of herself after reaching Machu Picchu. She travelled for around 30 hours to get there, so was expecting big things. However, she seemed pretty underwhelmed when she saw the view. In an online post, she said: "Seeing one of Seven Wonders of the World: Machu Picchu. Did 8 hours plane, 17 hours of bus, biking and rafting, 5 hours of hiking for this view." Leonie posed with her hands over her mouth in dismay, before turning the camera to show how cloudy it was on site. Instead of seeing the historic houses and buildings, the view was concealed by a thick, grey fog that made the whole mountain look eerily creepy. According to Exploor Peru, Machu Picchu is often covered in fog, especially in the early mornings, due to its high altitude and proximity to the Amazon rainforest. The fog can be quite dense, particularly during the rainy season (November to March), and can obscure views of the ruins and surrounding peaks. However, the fog often clears out as the day progresses, and sunny periods can follow, revealing the stunning landscape. Several people soon took to the comment section of Leonie's video, which has been viewed more than 8.8 million times. It turns out, Leonie wasn't the only one who had been left underwhelmed by her visit. "Machu Picchu was so disappointing when I went in January," one person commented. Meanwhile, a second viewer wrote: "I'd stay there for days waiting to clear out – no way." Another person said: "Bruh this is why I'm avoiding planning a trip to see Machu Picchu or the Northern Lights – I couldn't deal with the disappointment." However, on the bright side, another viewer wrote: "You know it's about the journey, not always the destination."
National Geographic
13-06-2025
- General
- National Geographic
How the potato went from banned to beloved
Potatoes were once so despised they were linked to leprosy. What changed? It's a tale of propaganda, survival, and ordinary people's resilience. The potato's journey from despised and feared to dinner-table staple reveals how this simple root reshaped economies and cultures. This history of the potato, like the spud itself, has been baked into folklore, mashed into politics, and fried into a thousand origin myths. However, the tuber's rise to global stardom wasn't a simple matter of hunger meets harvest—it was a slow-cooked saga of stigma, spin, and sheer necessity. What started as sacred Indigenous knowledge of the potato was swiftly rebranded as salvation. Monarchs, scientists, and opportunistic propagandists all took turns serving the spud as miracle, menace, or national mascot. Still, the potato's real ascent sprouted far from palace gates. While elites thought they were handing down deliverance, it was the people on the ground—farmers, foragers, and famine survivors—who really made the potato take root. This is the story of how this unlikely outsider made it to the center of the plate, and how optics, politics, and the people who had no choice but to eat it transformed the potato from a rejected root to a revolutionary staple. A ceremony performed after harvest to bring the spirit of the potato. In Incan civilization, the potato was considered sacred. Photograph by Jim Richardson, Nat Geo Image Collection Before it became comfort food, the potato was considered sacrosanct. High in the Andes, some 8,000 years ago, the Incas and their ancestors cultivated the crop not just as food, but as fortune. Nutrient-dense, cold-resistant, and capable of growing in thin, rocky soil, the potato thrived where little else could and sustained sprawling pre-Columbian civilizations for centuries. The Spanish conquistadors introduced the potato to Europe in the 1500s, smuggling it among the spoils of colonization alongside maize, cacao, and tobacco. But while the stolen gold and chocolate dazzled, the potato did not. It was fast-growing but unfamiliar, ugly, and covered in dirt like something best left unearthed. Though it had divine roots in South America, the strange tuber had to dig its way to respectability in the West. Potato propaganda By the 18th century, most French recipes were rooted in religion, so while orchard fruits and game birds were celebrated, anything dug from the 'devil's dirt'—like onions, carrots, and especially potatoes—was deemed fit only for peasants and swine. People believed the potato was akinto the deadly nightshade and linked to leprosy due to its spotted skin; it was deemed un-Christian, and its cultivation for human use was banned. Bulgaria's cultural capital France was facing a famine by the late 1700s and starving—literally and figuratively—for a solution. Due to dreadful weather and poor farming techniques, wheat fields lay fallow, bread was scarce, and bellies were empty. Portrait of Antoine Augustin Parmentier (1737-1813), French military pharmacist and agronomist. Photograph by Stefano Bianchetti/Bridgeman Images But Antoine-Augustin Parmentier, a French pharmacist who survived on potatoes as a prisoner in Prussia, rose to become a staunch spokesperson for the spud. To sway the scientific community, he penned pro-potato pamphlets, won scientific accolades for using potatoes to treat dysentery and replace flour, and hosted glamorous, starch-studded soirées for Parisians and international elites. He also gave the tuber the royal treatment by gifting potato blossoms for Marie Antoinette's wigs and the king's lapels to debut exotic potato couture at court. Still, convincing the aristocracy to enjoy and advertise the potato wasn't enough. Parmentier had to win over the working class,who had long been taught to despise the spuds. Proving potatoes were edible meant staging the oldest marketing trick in the book: exclusivity. When Louis XVI granted Parmentier 54 acres of land near Paris, he had his potato plants guarded by day and left unprotected at night, tempting locals to 'steal' the coveted crop and plant it themselves. The stunt turned curiosity into cultivation. The redemption of the potato gave working-class families not just energy but also agency, and perhaps a little dignity on their dinner plates. Photograph by Bridgeman Images In 1772, the Paris Faculty of Medicine finally stamped the spud 'food safe,' sowing seeds of survival that France would soon be forced to reap when its wheat failed. Later in 1789, just as the French Revolution boiled over, Parmentier published a royal-backed murphy manifesto. By the century's end, potatoes had gone mainstream:Madame Mérigot's La Cuisinière Républicaine became the first potato cookbook, pitching the tuber as 'the petrol of the poor,' according to Rebecca Earle, food historian and professor at the University of Warwick. The potato's rise beyond Western Europe While Parmentier was staging tuber tactics in France, potato propaganda was planting roots across the globe. In Prussia, Frederick the Great saw political promise in the crop and ordered peasants to grow it. When they resisted, he threatened to cut off their ears and tongues, then used Parmentier-esque reverse psychology, declaring the potato a 'dish fit for a king,' essentially transforming it from pig food to royal fare. By the 19th century, the potato had evolved into palatable patriotism, driven by rulers, reformers, andscientists who knew that controlling food was a form of power. Peasants come to steal the potatoes grown by Antoine Augustin Parmentier, French agronomist (1737-1813). Photograph by Bridgeman Images Outside of Western Europe, Irish fleeing famine brought tubers into the Americas. In Russia, it became the backbone of everyday diets. Once promoted as a strategic food security crop in China, it's now the most widely grown staple and a street food favorite in the country. In Peru, the potato's birthplace, it remains a symbol of cultural pride and biodiversity, with thousands of native varieties still cultivated in the Andes. From Indian aloo gobi to Korean gamja jorim, the potato has managed to slip effortlessly into any cuisine, reinventing itself wherever it takes root and feeding millions along the way. The potato's impact today In modern Western food culture, the potato has faced a new kind of public relations problem. Once celebrated as a symbol of resilience, today it's often cast as a dietary delinquent: too processed and too passé. Much of the demonization of the potato is tied to how it's prepared. 'Most potatoes in the U.S. are eaten as highly processed snack food,' says Earle. 'We've forgotten that a simple boiled potato is a joy.' While it may have fallen out of favor in the U.S., the potato's role on a larger scale is far from fried. In kitchens around the globe, it's still prominent, feeding billions, and in food policy circles, it's gaining new attention as a climate-resilient, nutrient-dense staple. Earle puts it best: 'A potato cooked slowly from cold water, gently boiled and simmered until perfect, is nothing short of revolutionary.' In that humble preparation, class lines fade: anyone can afford it, and anyone can master it. A humble boiled potato becomes a taste of equality, with the power to nourish, unite, and upend the status quo.
Miami Herald
11-06-2025
- Science
- Miami Herald
Nearly foot-long ‘water mouse' with big feet found in Andes is a new species
During a three-month research expedition in the southern Peruvian Andes, researchers encountered an unusual rodent with physical traits that suggested it was well-adapted to life in the water. The team collected three specimens, all found near the ancient citadel of Machu Picchu, and determined it was a new species, according to a June 9 study published in the journal Diversity. Incanomys mayopuma, or the Incan water mouse, is about 10 inches long and has traits such as a long flattened tail and large hindfeet with fringe hairs, which indicate it is strongly adapted to fast-flowing streams, according to researchers. Researchers said the name mayopuma 'derives from Quechua, combining mayu (river) and puma (mountain lion). This name reflects the species' semi-aquatic habits and carnivorous nature, akin to the neotropical otter.' While it can survive in water, it was found inland as well. Researchers trapped one specimen in a stream, another near a waterfall and the third nearly 1,000 feet away from the closest stream, according to the researchers. The Andean highland habitat of the Incan water mouse is described as having mountain forests, steep sloped streams, abundant vegetation and abundant puddles during the rainy season, according to the study. Researchers said the discovery is 'particularly striking given the remarkable' physical similarities between the Incan water mouse and other related species from which it is geographically isolated. This is likely evidence of a process called allopatric distribution, when one species is split by a geographic barrier and evolves into a distinct species. 'Such exceptional diversity, driven by the complex topography of the Andes, highlights critical gaps in our understanding of the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms underlying these extraordinary adaptive radiations,' researchers said. 'Mounting threats to aquatic ecosystems—such as pollution, habitat degradation, and alterations to riparian zones—emphasize the urgent need to study and conserve these species, their ecological roles, and their fragile habitats.' The research team included Horacio Zeballos, Alexánder Pari, César E. Medina, Kateryn Pino, Sandra Arias, Alayda L. Arce and Fiorella N. Gonzales.
