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Airline sends woman 13 brand new suitcases as compensation

<p dir="ltr">A woman has been left shocked and confused after being sent 13 brand new suitcases as compensation. </p> <p dir="ltr">Giséle Rochefort was flying with Delta Airlines in the US when her luggage was badly damaged on her flight. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Delta destroyed my suitcase. I filed a claim, they agreed to replace it," Rochefort explained in a now-viral TikTok video.</p> <p dir="ltr">Giséle’s suitcase had some of the fabric ripped off the cover, while one of the wheels had been completely knocked off. </p> <p dir="ltr">Soon after filing her claim with the airline, Rochefort received a notification that she had been issued a replacement for her luggage and it was ready to be picked up.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, she was greeted with 13 boxes, each one containing a new suitcase in varying sizes and designs: all the same brand of her destroyed luggage. </p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7205751910886837547&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40gisele_rochefort%2Fvideo%2F7205751910886837547%3Fq%3DGis%25C3%25A9le%2520Rochefort%26t%3D1678421013573&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2F0c0dca39b4c14fafa59759c9312e38ad%3Fx-expires%3D1678442400%26x-signature%3DnoEZd10erItVG8BuGildr1uEaAk%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p dir="ltr">"I was crying laughing, It felt like an April Fools' prank. I thought I was done, only to realise 3 of the large bags had small ones inside them," she added in the comments section of her video.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I think they made a mistake," she added.</p> <p dir="ltr"> Rochefort said the bags, which retail for as much as $300 (AUD) each, are currently stacked up on a wall at her home.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's called interior design sweetie, look it up," she joked, adding, "Thanks Delta!"</p> <p dir="ltr">Her video has been viewed one million times, with many of her followers wondering how they can get their hands on such a haul.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I think I know what everyone is getting for their bday or the holidays," one commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Keep two and sell the rest," another suggested.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And here's an extra 12 Incase we break anymore," another joked.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 12pt; margin-bottom: 15pt;"><em>Image credits: TikTok</em><span id="docs-internal-guid-360681aa-7fff-03bc-3e7a-bc44225a1ae4" style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000;"></span></p>

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“Insensitive idiots”: Channel 7 slammed for airing unauthorised Newton-John biopic

<p dir="ltr">Channel Seven has come under fire from fans for airing <em>Hopelessly Devoted To You</em>, an unauthorised Olivia Newton-John biopic the same day the iconic actress and singer passed away.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 2018 miniseries, starring Delta Goodrem as a young Olivia, hit a sour note for fans grieving on Tuesday night, with many taking to social media to share their thoughts.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We should be honouring Olivia, not have this horrible wood duck imitation on,” one fan tweeted. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Why am I watching Delta Goodrem play Olivia Newton-John on TV and not... I don't know, Olivia Newton-John? 😭” wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Australia doesn’t want to see Delta Goodrem as Olivia, you insensitive idiots,” one quipped, before adding, “We want to see original music featuring Olivia.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“In the haste to put something on tonight Olivia Newton-John related, Channel 7 miss the mark with Olivia biopic starring Delta Goodrem,” a third <a href="https://twitter.com/Ancray/status/1556972888728928256" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’d rather watch something ACTUALLY starring Olivia, not someone pretending to be her!”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-705a392e-7fff-3098-0a57-6e9b387c7c26"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">To make matters worse, some savvy users pointed out that one media outlet used a photo of Goodrem as Olivia in their post breaking the news of Newton-John’s death.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">not popcrave using a pic of delta goodrem 😭 <a href="https://t.co/FwfKCaFlPN">pic.twitter.com/FwfKCaFlPN</a></p> <p>— David Mack (@davidmackau) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidmackau/status/1556726103246602240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The post has since been deleted and the outlet reshared the news with two photos of Newton-John.</p> <p dir="ltr">It comes after Goodrem paid tribute to Newton-John, describing her as a mentor, friend, and inspiration in a heartfelt Instagram post.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9af153f3-7fff-67d2-a732-017e50e42ca3"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“The whole world will feel this heartbreak today because the entire world felt Olivia’s unmatched light,” she wrote, sharing two black-and-white photos of the pair.</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/ChA2VU4P0mF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChA2VU4P0mF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Delta Goodrem AM (@deltagoodrem)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“A force for good. A force for nature. Strong and kind, my mentor, my friend, my inspiration, someone who always guided me… she was always there for me. Family to me.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I don’t have all the words I would like to say today but I hope everyone will join in celebrating our beloved Olivia, her heart, soul, talent, courage, grace… I love you forever.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2c3e2f14-7fff-81eb-95f1-397e6597e870"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Lifetime</em></p>

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What a wonderful tribute: Goldie Hawn's incredible Olivia moment

<p dir="ltr">The devastating death of Dame Olivia Newton-John has rocked the world as many sent their condolences to her family.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>Grease </em>star “passed away peacefully” at the age of 73 at her Ranch in Southern California surrounded by family.</p> <p dir="ltr">While Olivia’s family has been awash in an outpouring of love, support and shared grief, few tributes produced full-body goosebumps quite like the one shared by the normally highly private and reticent Goldie Hawn.</p> <p dir="ltr">Goldie took to Instagram to share a beautiful musical line-up that featured Olivia, Lily Tomlin, Cher, Bette Midler, Meryl Streep and of course, herself.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A light landed on this planet 73 years ago,” Goldie’s caption read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Her voice brought us to such joyous heights, nothing held her back, nothing. Her mind was strong and heroic.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Olivia’s light will continue to shine and will never flicker. Never.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Rest sweetheart. Rest peacefully, you are Love.”</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/reel/ChBOOyzpCRq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/ChBOOyzpCRq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Goldie Hawn (@goldiehawn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The clip from 1990 shows the women gathered on stage taking turns to sing verses from Louis Armstrong’s What A Wonderful World.</p> <p dir="ltr">A young Olivia appears in a stunning red dress and gold locks as she smashes her verse to a rapturous crowd.</p> <p dir="ltr">This beautiful dedication to Olivia is not the only one that has emerged, with an interview from just two years prior in 2020 re-surfacing to great delight.</p> <p dir="ltr">Olivia was being interviewed on The Project by Lisa Wilkinson about her journey with breast cancer.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have to ask on behalf of everyone in Australia who loves and adores you and has done for decades, how is your health?” Lisa asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">A jubilant Olivia smiled at the audience, put her hands up in the air and said “Fantastic!”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Olivia Newton-John joined us on The Project in 2020 alongside her daughter Chloe Rose Lattanzi.<br />⁰<br />She told us all about the big thing she believed in that kept her going throughout her cancer battle.<br />⁰<br />Everyone should remember this. <a href="https://t.co/0zndiMerbr">pic.twitter.com/0zndiMerbr</a></p> <p>— The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1556779992369053701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“I’m doing really well, thank you, and thank you for all your love and support, I really appreciate it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I believe your belief system is part of the healing. All I can know is that my last MRI, things are shrinking, going away or staying the same, and I’m living with it and feeling great.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Fellow Australian Kylie Minogue also offered a heartfelt tribute to the singer and actress by sharing a throwback photo of the pair in 1988.</p> <p dir="ltr">The photo was a black and white image of Kylie and Olivia standing together at the Royal Bicentennial Concert.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Since I was ten years old, I have loved and looked up to Olivia Newton John. And, I always will. (Just like this picture @nfsaonline),” she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She was, and always will be, an inspiration to me in so many, many ways. My deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. x ONJ4EVER @therealonj.”</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/ChA8Yvltrdd/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChA8Yvltrdd/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kylie Minogue (@kylieminogue)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Delta Goodrem also offered her condolences to her “friend and mentor” with a beautiful photo of the pair hugging.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The whole world will feel this heartbreak today because the entire world felt Olivia’s unmatched light,” she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A force for good. A force of nature. Strong and kind. my mentor, my friend, my inspiration, someone who always guided me…she was always there for me. Family to me.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I don’t have all the words I would like to say today but I hope everyone will join in celebrating our beloved Olivia, her heart, soul, talent, courage, grace…</p> <p dir="ltr">“I love you forever.”</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/ChA2VU4P0mF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ChA2VU4P0mF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Delta Goodrem AM (@deltagoodrem)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Olivia’s husband <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/honouring-dame-olivia-newton-john" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced the awful news</a> on Instagram via his late wife’s account asking for privacy as they mourn her death.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Dame Olivia Newton-John (73) passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends. We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time,” he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations be made in her memory to the @onjfoundation.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Olivia is survived by her husband John Easterling; daughter Chloe Lattanzi; sister Sarah Newton-John; brother Toby Newton-John; nieces and nephews Tottie, Fiona and Brett Goldsmith; Emerson, Charlie, Zac, Jeremy, Randall, and Pierz Newton-John; Jude Newton-Stock, Layla Lee; Kira and Tasha Edelstein; and Brin and Valerie Hall.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Could I have had COVID and not realised it?

<p>It seems not a day goes by without learning someone in our inner circle of family, friends and colleagues has COVID. When we ask how unwell our acquaintance is, the responses vary from “they’re really crook” to “you wouldn’t even know they had it”.</p> <p>This is in line with studies that report moderate to severe illness in a minority of people (usually older with other risk factors) and that <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2109229118" target="_blank" rel="noopener">up to one in three positive people exhibit no symptoms</a>.</p> <p>Given the ubiquitous presence of this <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-does-omicron-compare-with-delta-heres-what-we-know-about-infectiousness-symptoms-severity-and-vaccine-protection-172963" target="_blank" rel="noopener">highly infectious coronavirus</a> in our community and the high rate of asymptomatic illness, those who have not been diagnosed with COVID might wonder, “how would I know if I had been infected?” And, “does it matter if I have?”.</p> <p><strong>How COVID is diagnosed</strong></p> <p>Most people know they’ve had COVID because they had a fever or upper respiratory tract symptoms and/or were exposed to an infected person AND had a swab test (PCR or rapid antigen) that detected the COVID virus (SARS-CoV-2) in the upper airway.</p> <p>At the beginning of 2022, many people with consistent symptoms or high-risk exposures were not able to access PCRs or RATs to confirm their diagnosis, but instead presumed themselves positive and quarantined.</p> <p>It is possible to diagnose past infection in those who never tested positive. A blood test can look for <a href="https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3325#:%7E:text=SARS%2DCoV%2D2%20antibody%20tests%20and%20immunity,and%20memory%20against%20future%20infection." target="_blank" rel="noopener">SARS-CoV-2 antibodies</a> (also known as immunoglobulins). When we are infected with SARS-CoV-2, our immune system launches a precision counter strike by producing antibodies against viral targets, specifically the Spike (S) and Nucleocapsid (N) proteins. COVID vaccination <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-happens-when-the-covid-19-vaccines-enter-the-body-a-road-map-for-kids-and-grown-ups-164624" target="_blank" rel="noopener">induces</a> a similar immune response against the S protein only. The S antibody “neutralises” the invader by preventing the virus from attaching to human cells.</p> <p>These antibodies can be detected within one to three weeks after infection and persist for <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33408181/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at least six months – potentially much longer</a>. A blood test that shows antibodies to S and N proteins indicates someone has been previously infected. Detection of antibodies to the S protein only indicates vaccination (but not infection).</p> <p><strong>The problem with antibody tests</strong></p> <p>Before you rush off to get a COVID antibody test, there are a few notes of caution. There is still <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/resources/antibody-tests-guidelines.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">much to learn about the characteristics</a> of the immune response to COVID infection. Not everyone mounts a detectable antibody response following infection and levels can decline to undetectable levels after several months in some people.</p> <p>Because there are other circulating seasonal coronaviruses (such as those that cause the common cold), tests may also pick up antibodies to non-SARS-CoV-2 strains, leading to “false positive” results.</p> <p>Commercial and public hospital pathology labs can perform SARS-CoV-2 antibody testing, but the interpretation of results should be undertaken carefully.</p> <p>So, antibody testing should really only be done when there’s a good reason to: say, when confirming past infection or effectiveness of vaccination is important for the current care of an individual. Diagnosing a post-infectious complication or eligibility for a specific treatment, for example. It could also be useful for contact tracing or for assessing the background population rate of infection.</p> <figure class="align-center "><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452963/original/file-20220318-10592-1aq4y5g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/452963/original/file-20220318-10592-1aq4y5g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=438&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452963/original/file-20220318-10592-1aq4y5g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=438&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452963/original/file-20220318-10592-1aq4y5g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=600&amp;h=438&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452963/original/file-20220318-10592-1aq4y5g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=550&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452963/original/file-20220318-10592-1aq4y5g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=30&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=550&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/452963/original/file-20220318-10592-1aq4y5g.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=15&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;h=550&amp;fit=crop&amp;dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <p><strong>Antibody testing a population</strong></p> <p>“<a href="https://www.ncirs.org.au/our-work/serosurveillance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seroprevalence studies</a>” test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in repositories of stored blood that are representative of the general population, such as from a blood bank. This data helps to understand the true extent of COVID infection and vaccination status in the community (and informs our assessment of population susceptibility to future infection and reinfection). It’s more useful than daily reported case numbers, which are skewed towards symptomatic individuals and those with access to swab testing.</p> <p>New <a href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.14.21267791v2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research</a> from the World Health Organization, which is yet to be reviewed by other scientists, reported the results of a meta-analysis of over 800 seroprevalence studies performed around the world since 2020. They estimated that by July 2021, 45.2% of the global population had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies due to past infection or vaccination, eight times the estimate (5.5%) from a year earlier.</p> <p>There are <a href="https://kirby.unsw.edu.au/news/how-many-australians-have-had-covid-19" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plans</a> to conduct <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jan/20/blood-test-surveys-crucial-to-estimate-covid-spread-in-australia-experts-say" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fresh seroprevalence studies</a> in Australia in the coming year, which will <a href="https://academic.oup.com/ofid/article/9/3/ofac002/6517685" target="_blank" rel="noopener">update local data</a> and help us understand to what extent the Omicron wave has washed through the population.</p> <p><strong>Does it matter if I have had COVID and didn’t know?</strong></p> <p>For most people, knowing your COVID infection status is unlikely to be more than a topic of dinnertime conversation.</p> <p>While some studies have pointed to a less robust and durable antibody response following <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7454692/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mild</a> or <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33208819/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">asymptomatic</a> infection compared with severe illness, it is not known how this influences protection from reinfection. Certainly, the knowledge we have antibodies from past infection should not deter us from being fully up-to-date with COVID vaccination, which remains the best protection against severe illness.</p> <p>There are reports of people with mild or asymptomatic COVID infection developing <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-2019-nCoV-Post_COVID-19_condition-Clinical_case_definition-2021.1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">long COVID</a> – persistent or relapsing symptoms that last several months after initial infection. Symptoms can include shortness of breath, physical and mental fatigue, exercise intolerance, headaches, and muscle and joint pain.</p> <p>However, the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-021-01292-y.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">likelihood</a> of developing this condition appears higher in those who suffer a heavier initial bout of COVID illness. This might be linked with <a href="https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(22)00072-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">higher viral load</a> at that time.</p> <p><strong>Bottom line</strong></p> <p>As we enter the third year of the COVID pandemic and given that up to one in three infections may be asymptomatic, it is likely many of us have been infected without knowing it.</p> <p>If you are experiencing lingering fatigue, brain fog or other symptoms that could be long COVID, you should talk to your GP. Otherwise, knowing our COVID infection status is unlikely to be of much practical benefit. Antibody testing should be reserved for specific medical or public health indications.</p> <p>Being up-to-date with COVID vaccination is still our best defence against severe illness moving forward.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/178630/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ashwin-swaminathan-1308612" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ashwin Swaminathan</a>, Senior Lecturer, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian National University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/could-i-have-had-covid-and-not-realised-it-178630" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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“They did everything right”: Couple die of Covid one minute apart

<p>A couple from Michigan have died from Covid-19 within just one minute of each other.</p> <p>Linda Dunham, 66, and her husband Cal, 59, passed away holding hands after they were struck down by the deadly Delta variant that is ravaging the US. </p> <p>The couple were both fully vaccinated, but both of them had serious underlying health conditions that made them more susceptible to serious infection. </p> <p>The couple's daughter Sarah spoke to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.fox17online.com/news/coronavirus/grand-rapids-couple-dies-1-minute-apart-from-covid-19" target="_blank">a local news station</a>, saying that they were perfect parents. </p> <p><span>“The love that they found together after a previous marriage is fantastic,” she said. </span></p> <p><span>“They were the people that you just looked at and you were like, ‘I want to be old like that, I want that love when I’m that age.’ "</span></p> <p><span>Their lives began to change in July, when both Linda and Cal started to feel unwell during a camping trip. </span></p> <p><span>They first thought it was just a common cold, but by the third day they felt sick enough to cut their outing short. </span></p> <p><span>Within days, Cal and Linda were admitted to the local hospital and intubated, as their undisclosed pre-existing conditions worsened the severity of their infections. </span></p> <p><span>The doctors told their family members that they would have to be taken off life support, but as Sarah said, "they had other plans".</span></p> <div class="crd clln--it" data-type="text"> <div class=" crd--cnt "> <p class=" ">The two were wheeled into the same room on Sunday, and moments later, Cal Dunham died at 11:07am Linda Dunham followed less than a minute later, dying at 11:08.</p> </div> </div> <div class="crd clln--it" data-type="text"> <div class=" crd--cnt "> <p>Their passing happened as Linda said it always would, according to Sarah. </p> <p><span>“She always joked and said, ‘Well, you’re going to go before I am, I’ll be right there behind you, I promise,’ " Sarah Dunham said. </span></p> <p><span>“And she really was, like she really was right there behind him.”</span></p> <p><span>Cases such as the Dunham's are reasons why many in the US are pushing for booster shot to be administered for those with pre-exisiting conditions. </span></p> <p><span>Sarah wants her parents to be an example of how serious the virus can be, and is urging people to get vaccinated. </span></p> <p>“I’m angry because so many people are like, ‘if I catch Covid, I catch Covid that’s what it is.’ No, it’s not,” she said.</p> <p>“It could be any person; it could be anybody. They did everything right, they did everything to protocol the way it should be done.”</p> <p>The various available Covid vaccines have been proven to reduce the risk of catching the virus and severely reduce the symptoms of those who get it.</p> <p>According to America’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, unvaccinated people are 10 times more likely to be hospitalised and 11 times more likely to die from the virus.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Facebook</em></p> </div> </div>

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Delta variant more infectious than Wuhan strain, study finds

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A new study from the UK has found that the Delta strain of COVID-19 is eight times less sensitive to vaccine antibodies than the original Wuhan strain.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The study also found that changes to the spike protein in the Delta variant improved its ability to replicate and enter cells, in comparison to the Kappa variant.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The authors say this might explain how the Delta strain has become the most dominant variation of the disease.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The study, published in the journal </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03944-y" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nature</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, compared the mutated Delta variant against the mutated Wuhan-1 variant which was used to develop the vaccines.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The team, led by Ravindra Gupta, a professor of clinical microbiology at the Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, also analysed infections of 130 healthcare workers across three hospitals in Delhi, India, over six weeks.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though each of the workers studied had received both doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, the researchers found that the vaccine was less effective against the Delta variant than other variants.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“By combining lab-based experiments and epidemiology of vaccine breakthrough infections, we’ve shown that the Delta variant is better at replicating and spreading than other commonly-observed variants,” Professor Gupta </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/spread-of-delta-sars-cov-2-variant-driven-by-combination-of-immune-escape-and-increased-infectivity" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Joint senior author Dr Patha Rakshit from the National Centre for Disease Control, Delhi, India, said: “The Delta variant has spread so widely to become the dominant variants worldwide because it is faster to spread and better at infecting individuals than most other variants we’ve seen.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It is also better at getting around existing immunity - either through previous exposure to the virus or vaccination - though the risk of moderate to severe disease is reduced in such cases.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Professor Anurag Agrawal from the CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, Delhi, India and joint senior author said the infection of healthcare workers with the Delta variant could have severe consequences.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Although they themselves may only exhibit mild COVID, they risk infecting individuals who have suboptimal immune responses to vaccination due to underlying health conditions - and these patients could then be at risk of severe disease,” Professor Agrawal said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With their findings, Gupta and his colleagues say we will need to develop strategies for boosting the effectiveness of vaccines against variants of COVID-19.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We urgently need to consider ways of boosting vaccine responses against variants among healthcare workers,” Professor Agrawal added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“[This research] also suggests infection control measures will need to continue in the post-vaccine era.”</span></p>

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“Hermit nation”: New Zealand slammed by overseas pundits

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After New Zealand returned to lockdown over one case infected with the Delta COVID-19 strain, international critics quickly called out the country’s cautious strategy.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">British newspaper </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Times</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> labelled New Zealand as a “mysterious socialist hermit nation” where the inhabitants “languish in a COVID prison”, while </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Telegraph</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> described the country as a “isolated dystopia”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite the criticisms, a recent poll by public polling company Stickybeak found that 84 percent of those surveyed supported the decision to enter lockdown.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though the country’s reliance on harsh lockdowns has meant many New Zealanders overseas have been unable to return and those in-country can’t see overseas family members, many agree with the focus on eliminating COVID.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Charlotte Guigou, a 28-year-old teacher in Wellington is one of the supporters, despite it meaning she can’t see her family in France. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This lockdown was really tough, but before that we were just living life like normal, and it was all good, it was really chill,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It does seem like the pain of not having borders open, for what we get in return, for the lifestyle we get in return, is still worth it.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prior to the most recent lockdown, New Zealanders have been enjoying sports games, music festivals, and outdoor gatherings as per normal, with only 3000 cases and 26 deaths recorded so far.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anna Robinson, who has recently returned to New Zealand after spending most of the pandemic in Europe, has also missed out on special family moments due to lockdown.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, she thinks it is a price worth paying to protect people who are vulnerable or have underlying health conditions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Lockdown feels like a very small price to pay for the amount of freedom and safety for the community that will come after,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Just ten days after the country went into lockdown, the outbreak had spread to 347 cases, with one person in intensive care as of Friday.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

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‘Creepy Mummy’ Jacinda Ardern doll proves a big hit

<p>In the face of a growing COVID outbreak, New Zealand residents were given a reason to laugh on Monday when they were shown a ‘creepy’ doll version of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.</p> <p>Ms Ardern’s partner Clarke Gayford took to Instagram to share a video of the disturbing hand-made doll, sent to them by someone unknown.</p> <p>In the video, Gayford says the doll has become one of their three-year-old daughter, Neve’s favourite toys and she calls it ‘Creepy Mummy.”</p> <p>Aware that everyone in New Zealand is in a strict lockdown, Gayford says on the video: "Well Hi everyone, welcome to Monday. Who doesn't want a 30-second distraction to try and help get them through the start of the week?"</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTLNkXZhlZq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTLNkXZhlZq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Clarke Gayford (@clarkegayford)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"So, I give you this. We get given all sorts of wonderful hand-made arts and crafts here and when I say we — Neve," he continues, brushing the doll's hair with her facing away from the camera.</p> <p>"And there's some real talent in this country, some incredible talent, and she's a very lucky three-year-old.</p> <p>"Some of the things make their way into our home and into our three-year-old's heart," he said.</p> <p>"Including this wonderful dolly, which Neve has even given a name," he says, before dramatically revealing the doll's face.</p> <p>"She calls this dolly 'Creepy Mummy' and 'Creepy Mummy' would just like to say: 'Hang in there. You got this. Even though it's Monday.'"</p> <p>According to Gayford, the doll was sent to them without any details attached, but it's much loved by the smallest member of their family— despite the nickname.</p> <p>Fans loved the video, many agreeing it was the laugh they needed as New Zealand faces an outbreak of the highly contagious Delta variant.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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Elderly man collapses when arrested for not wearing a face mask

<p>A video of the incident has been posted on social media, showing the elderly man crumpling to the ground and going into spasm just minutes after being arrested.</p> <p>The man was arrested for ‘not wearing a mask in public’ in Brisbane where there is a snap lockdown due to an increase in COVID cases and one of the conditions of the lockdown is that face masks must be worn in public at all times.</p> <p>However, this elderly man allegedly has an official exemption due to a serious medical condition.</p> <p>The distressing incident was filmed on Monday morning in Brisbane's Botanic Gardens after Queensland's lockdown was extended to stem the spread of Covid in the community.</p> <p><iframe allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" id="molvideoplayer" title="MailOnline Embed Player" src="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/embed/video/2472921.html" width="698" height="573" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <p>According to the man's son, who shared the footage online, the elderly man suffers from a medical condition which causes him breathing difficulties and heart problems.</p> <p>During the arrest, he fell to the floor and started to spasm, gasping for air with his hands waving as he tried to reach for his backpack - which contained his medication.</p> <p>When the police realised the man was in serious distress, they called an ambulance and paramedics arrived on the scene shortly after. They couldn’t identify a medical issue but they took the man to hospital as a precaution.</p> <p>The distressing scenes were filmed by the elderly man's partner. The video appears to show four police officers questioning the man as they arrest him and lead him away from the park for failing to answer their questions.</p> <p>The elderly man’s partner repeatedly tries to tell the officers the man has an exemption to wearing a mask. But an officer was recorded as stating he “was not confident [the man] would comply with directives” if he were to remove the handcuffs.</p> <p>As the man was led away from the park in handcuffs, the footage shows him dramatically dropping to the floor and beginning to spasm.</p> <p>The officers immediately respond, trying to turn the man on his side as his partner screams for help, explaining there is medication in a pocket of his bag.</p> <p>An officer was filmed explaining he was legally not allowed to administer the medication, while a female policewoman reassured the woman that an ambulance had been called.</p> <p>The elderly man’s son has posted the video on social media, stating: “He did not do anything illegal, he did not retaliate in a violent manner. He was conducting himself peacefully and not looking for trouble.”</p> <p>He then posed several questions to the officers who arrested his dad, wanting to know exactly what he did to wind up in handcuffs and under arrest.</p> <p>Queensland is in the midst of a Delta COVID variant outbreak. As a result, the Sunshine State is enduring a week-long snap lockdown in an attempt to keep cases at bay.</p> <p>Chief Health Officer, Jeanette Young, has mandated that face masks be worn everywhere outside the home to minimise the risk of spreading or catching the virus.</p> <p>Police have stated they are investigating the incident to check if any possible offences were committed on that day.</p> <p><em>Image: Courtesy of Instagram</em></p>

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Passengers literally forced to "wing it" on horror flight

<p><span>Passengers on a flight from Detroit to Denver were forced to evacuate a Delta Air Lines flight, climbing out of the plane’s windows, because of smoke in the cabin.</span></p> <p><span>The flight, which landed on Tuesday and was carrying 146 passengers, had an emergency evacuation while the plane was taxiing to terminal.</span></p> <p><span>Delta Flight 1854 from Detroit landed around 8:10 pm when smoke started appearing.</span></p> <p><span>Flight attendants instructed passengers to cover their faces and to get down as low as possible.</span></p> <p><span>“We didn’t get any clear instructions, so people were like, hey, smoke,” passenger Paige Armstrong said. </span></p> <p><span>“Someone was whistling, people were yelling, everyone was pressing their buttons and then they opened the cockpit.</span></p> <p><span>“The woman next to me may have been a flight attendant and she said they are checking with the pilot to see what was going on. And I said, ‘Why don’t they let us out?’ Then they did. Then everyone was very orderly and polite.”</span></p> <p><span>All of the passengers exited the plane by using either slides or a window near the wing of the plane.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">More pictures. We’re all inside waiting for info and our bags. We all keep saying how bad our mouths taste still after breathing it. <a href="https://t.co/urEoi5JiHX">pic.twitter.com/urEoi5JiHX</a></p> — Rachel Naftel (@rachelnaftel) <a href="https://twitter.com/rachelnaftel/status/994056485616353281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2018</a></blockquote> <p><span>There were a few reports of passengers who had minor smoke inhalation.</span></p> <p><span>“After arrival in Denver and during taxi to the gate, Delta flight 1854 from Detroit to Denver stopped on a taxiway where customers deplaned via slides and over-wing exits due to an observance of smoke in the cabin,” Delta said in a statement.</span></p> <p><span>“Airport response vehicles met the aircraft out of an abundance of caution and customers were transported to the terminal via buses. The safety of Delta’s customers and crew is our top priority and we apologise for the concern this situation has caused.”</span></p> <p><span>The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate what went wrong. </span></p>

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Airline’s unthinkable response to passenger’s complaint

<p>A Delta passenger has complained that she was left in bruises after being repeatedly kicked by the child sitting next to her.</p> <p>The mum-of-three complained to cabin crew about the behaviour, but they responded by telling her that she was the nuisance, not the misbehaving child.</p> <p>Sally Canario was travelling to Minneapolis from Los Angeles when the incident occurred, reported <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/5992035/delta-passenger-left-bruised-after-repeated-kicks-from-child-on-plane-is-told-she-was-behaving-badly/" target="_blank"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Sun.</span></em></strong></a></p> <p>“I was up against the window, trying to get some sleep on a red eye flight,” she told <em>Sun Online Travel</em>.</p> <p>“A stranger’s daughter was trying to sleep on the plane with her head in her mother’s lap and her feet in my face, in my side, and on my lap.</p> <p>“The girl threw a bad tantrum — screaming, crying, and bicycle kicking while she was trying to sleep, (but) the airline would not accommodate me for a safer, comparable seat.”</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="769" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7817209/1_500x769.jpg" alt="1 (111)"/></p> <p>Sally said that when she asked for help from a flight attendant, she copped the blame for the incident.</p> <p>“I flagged down a flight attendant to file an injury report,” she said.</p> <p>“His response was, ‘I am not a babysitter, you two parties need to work things out.</p> <p>‘This is a full flight. I do not take injury reports... you aren’t injured.</p> <p>‘I heard you were causing trouble and harassing the family next to you.’”</p> <p>Sally claimed that this was an untrue allegation and said the mother of the naughty child made the false complaint.</p> <p>However, ultimately Sally believes the fault lies with the airline, not the unruly passengers.</p> <p>“Towards the end of the flight, the mother explained to me that her husband bought discount tickets for spring break where Delta does not allow seat selection 24 hours prior to boarding.</p> <p>“Why don’t they let families sit together?</p> <p>“Had I known her husband was on the flight, I would have gladly traded with him and spared myself this painful injury and hellish nightmare.”</p> <p>Sally said she now has cartilage damage as a result of the repeated kicking.</p> <p>“I am hurting on my chest from my sternum to my right rib cage.</p> <p>“It is visible asymmetry of my rib cage. My doctor assured me cartilage will heal but be painful for the next week.”</p> <p>Sally is now urging the airline to change the policy regarding seat selection for families booking last-minute discounted seats.</p> <p>A Delta employee has contacted Sally to apologise for the incident and said her claim will be sent to their insurer for investigation.</p> <p>The airline also mentioned that they had forwarded her thoughts on seating options for families to their leadership team for internal review.</p> <p>A spokesperson told <em>Sun Online Travel,</em> “We regret to learn of the experience and discomfort described by this customer on a recent flight.</p> <p>“We are in direct contact with this customer while we gather more information about the situation.”</p> <p>Have you ever experienced a nightmare plane passenger?</p>

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