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Trump escapes second assassination attempt

<p>Former president Donald Trump has escaped a second assassination attempt while playing golf at his private club in Florida. </p> <p>According to local authorities, a Secret Service agent was one hole ahead of Trump when he spotted a rifle barrel sticking out of the fence, which was later found to be an AK-47 with a scope, at the Trump International Golf Club, West Palm Beach on Sunday. </p> <p>The Secret Service opened fire on the suspect, who fled the scene only to later be pulled over on the highway and taken into custody. </p> <p>The FBI said Trump had been the subject of “an apparent assassination attempt” at his Florida golf club.</p> <p>Officials at a media briefing after the incident said a witness took a photo of the suspect's car as he fled the scene, helping authorities track him down. </p> <p>The Secret Service officer who was on the course and spotted the weapon was praised for doing a “fantastic job”.</p> <p>“What they do is they have an agent that jumps one hole ahead of time towards where the [former] president was at, and he was able to spot this rifle barrel sticking out of the fence and immediately engaged that individual, at which time the individual took off,” the Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said.</p> <p>“In the bushes where this guy was is an AK-47 style rifle with a scope, two backpacks – which were hung on the fence that had ceramic tile in them and a GoPro, which he was going to take pictures with.” </p> <p>Trump posted an update on his social media platform to assure his supporters he was unharmed in the attempted assassination. </p> <p>“There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumours start spiralling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!” he wrote.</p> <p>“Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER! I will always love you for supporting me.”</p> <p>The attempted shooting comes just months after Trump was injured during another assassination attempt in July while speaking at a rally in Pennsylvania. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock/CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

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Woman "trapped" on a boat for a decade details amazing "escape"

<p>A woman has recalled her turbulent childhood spent "trapped" a boat with her parents, detailing how she made her "escape".</p> <p>Suzanne Heywood was just seven years old when her parents told her she, along with her younger brother Jonathan, would be pulled out of school to go on a three-year voyage around the world. </p> <p>The family of four from the UK set out on their quest to recreate Captain Cook’s infamous third and final voyage around the globe, which ended up taking a decade instead of the promised three years. </p> <p>While her parents thought it was the trip of a lifetime and often described the opportunity as a “privilege”, Suzanne has since compared it to being locked up in prison.</p> <p>Now 55 years old, Suzanne has shared her tale of survival on TikTok, and recalled her 10 years at sea in her tell-all memoir <em>Wavewalker</em>. </p> <p>“My father said we would be back in three years’ time, and that my dog would be waiting for me, and my friends and school and everything would go back to normal,” the author said in a now-viral video. </p> <p>“But in fact, it was almost 10 years before we came back, and I spent that time trapped on a boat, unable to go to school or have normal friendships.” </p> <p>Despite her father assuring her the “trip would be safe”, Suzanne claimed it was “incredibly dangerous”, sharing details of a perilous journey from South Africa to Australia where the boat hit an “enormous storm”. </p> <p>“The waves became bigger and bigger, and finally one crashed over the back of the boat, through the deck and out the side,” she recalled.</p> <p>“I was thrown, a little girl at 7, against the ceiling of the cabin and against the wall, fracturing my skull and breaking my nose. Three days later, we found a tiny little island in the middle of the Indian Ocean where I had multiple head operations without anaesthetic.”</p> <p>In order to get through her "very strange" childhood, Suzanne recalled how she was determined to get an education to live a normal life. </p> <p>“As it became clear my parents had no intentions of going back, I decided I had to educate myself as it was the only lifeline that I had,” she told the hosts of <em>The Morning Show</em>. </p> <p>“The only way to get off this boat was to get an education, it was my only hope to ensure I had a ‘normal life’ for myself one day.”</p> <p>While remote education wasn't an option in 1969, Suzanne enrolled in an Australian correspondence school when she was 13. </p> <p>she began studying in the small cabin of the boat, which she found challenging both practically, and academically as she “had missed a lot of education”.</p> <p>Then, when she was 16, and her brother 15, her parents enrolled the two teenagers into a school in New Zealand while they continued sailing.</p> <p>Despite the gaps in her education, Suzanne  landed a spot at Oxford University, and after saving up money she’d earned working on a farm, Suzanne bought a one-way plane ticket back to the UK.</p> <p>Since going public with her story, which she was inspired to do after the death of her husband in 2018, Suzanne's book instantly became a bestseller, and she continues to work through the trauma caused by her "unstable" childhood. </p> <p>Suzanne's extraordinary tale has captured the hearts of millions, with thousands of online fans hailing her bravery. </p> <p>“<em>Wavewalker</em> is one of the best books I’ve read, I’m so sorry you went through all that,” one person replied, while another said, “Thank you for the this! Your story inspires me and I can change my life no matter when and how.” </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / Suzanne Heywood</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Escape to the Country host dies aged 50

<p>British TV presenter Jonnie Irwin has passed away aged 50 following a battle with terminal cancer. </p> <p>Irwin was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2020, when the disease spread from his lungs to his brain. </p> <p>He was initially given just six months to live, but managed to defy the odds and made his illness public after two years of keeping it a secret. </p> <p>The TV presenter rose to fame in the UK for his roles on shows including <em>A Place in the Sun </em>and <em>Escape to the Country</em>. </p> <p>A statement was shared to Instagram on Friday announcing his death, where he was described as "a truly remarkable soul." </p> <p>"It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of Jonnie’s passing," the statement began. </p> <p>"A truly remarkable soul, he fought bravely against cancer with unwavering strength and courage. Jonnie touched the lives of so many with his kindness, warmth, and infectious spirit."</p> <p>“At this time, we kindly ask for the privacy of Jonnie’s family as they navigate through this profound loss," the statement continued. </p> <p>“Their grief is immeasurable, and your thoughts, prayers, and support are deeply appreciated. As we remember the beautiful moments shared with Jonnie, let us celebrate a life well-lived and a legacy that will forever be etched in our hearts.”</p> <p>“Jonnie may be gone from our sight, but his love, laughter, and memories will live on. Rest in peace, dear Jonnie. You will be dearly missed, but never forgotten.”</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/C22vrMPCwmB/?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/C22vrMPCwmB/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jonnie Irwin (@jonnieirwintv)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Following his death, BBC have paid tribute to the fallen host and described him as an “extraordinary man and wonderful presenter”.</p> <p>“He brought such warmth and fun to Escape To The Country where he was a firm favourite with not just viewers, but the production team too," head of BBC daytime Rob Unsworth said.</p> <p>“More recently, he did some truly inspirational reports for <em>Morning Live</em> about his illness, tackling taboos around end-of-life care and wonderfully demonstrating the limitless positivity that he brought to everything he did.”</p> <p>Irwin’s longtime co-star Jasmine Harman, also shared a tribute on Instagram.</p> <p>“I have never admired you more than over the last few years as you’ve faced life with cancer with positivity, determination and bloody mindedness,” she wrote. “The world is a little darker today without you, but I will always smile when I think of you.” </p> <p>Irwin is survived by his wife Jessica and their three children, Rex, five and three-year-old twins Rafa and Cormac.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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Escape to the Country star’s heartbreaking cancer update

<p>Jonnie Irwin, star of Escape to the Country, has shared a heartbreaking update on his battle with terminal cancer. </p> <p>The TV star - who was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer and given only six months to live in 2020 - sat down for an interview with <em>The Sun </em>after early 50th birthday celebrations, where he opened up about his diagnosis, and the impact it has had on himself and his young family.</p> <p>Jonnie is the father of three young boys with his devoted wife, Jess. Rex - the couple’s eldest - is four, while their twins Rafa and Cormac are only two. And he was recounting a football game with his eldest son, Rex, when he revealed that he’s feeling the physical weight of his ongoing fight, explaining that he “tried to play football with Rex the other day and was in goal and I couldn’t get near the ball. It was so frustrating.</p> <p>“I’m very sporty and suddenly it’s just like … it was as if it was the first time I’d attempted football. I felt like a granddad. And that broke me a bit.</p> <p>“I always thought, ‘I’m an older dad but I’ll be leading from the front’.</p> <p>“But I’m now at the back.”</p> <p>“I’m weak now, fragile, and my memory is terrible,” he later added, “but I’m still here.”</p> <p>Jonnie only announced his diagnosis in 2020, when his appearance change had become noticeable. </p> <p>“People didn’t know for such a long time, which helped with not having the conversation for some time,” Jess explained. </p> <p>“Our friends knew, but not the severity of it, and Jonnie looked well so it was never really a topic we discussed. The physical side of it came more recently. Now it’s all we talk about at home.”</p> <p>Jess went on to explain that while she knows Jonnie is trying to “cross every T and dot all the I’s” for their family, she’s been trying to stress to him that he should “do what makes you happy. If you want to do something, just do it.”</p> <p>“I just want to be able to bring any bit of fun and enjoyment back into his life,” she added, “which is really hard to do, especially with the reality of how much he’s struggling on a day-to-day basis.”</p> <p>Their children have served as something of a distraction for them, although Jess admits they haven’t quite been able to wrap their heads around the enormity of the truth. </p> <p>“I don’t have time to think to be honest,” Jess said, “and I know that Jonnie is doing all that he can with the diet, the resting, the supplement, research, [and] looking into treatment. Jonnie is partly still here because of sheer willpower. </p> <p>“He’s stubborn and determined and he’s a scrapper. </p> <p>“I think I’m still in denial about a lot of it if I’m honest.”</p> <p>Despite the weight of their situation, Jonnie, Jess, and their loved ones recently came together to celebrate - although he won’t be turning 50 until November, the couple decided to celebrate his birthday early with over 150 of their nearest and dearest friends and family. </p> <p>“It was a great night,” Jonnie recalled. “I chose a playlist with some great tunes from the 90s and 2000s and people came from all over the country and abroad.</p> <p>“I didn’t know the extent of the loyalty and generosity that my friends would exhibit.</p> <p>“I’ve been dumbfounded and spellbound by their support, as well as that of our families, who have been amazing. I just wanted to do something to celebrate my birthday and had no idea how many people would actually turn up. It was incredible.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Sydney lions’ great escape finally explained

<p dir="ltr">The mystery surrounding the <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/five-lions-escape-from-taronga-zoo-enclosure">five lions that escaped from their enclosure</a> at Taronga Zoo has been solved, after the zoo revealed the big cats were able to roam free due to a small gap in the fence.</p> <p dir="ltr">Male lion Ato and 16-month-old cubs Khari, Luzuko, Malike and Zuri sent the Sydney zoo into lockdown last week after they got out of their enclosure.</p> <p dir="ltr">The five lions were found in an area adjacent to the main exhibit and returned to their enclosure before the zoo opened to the public.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a statement on Thursday, officials said that clamps used to join wire cables together had “failed”, leading to a cable unravelling to create a gap in the fence.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Preliminary independent engineering advice has confirmed that swages (clamps that join wire cables together) failed, enabling a lacing cable that connects the fence mesh to a tension cable to unravel,” <a href="https://taronga.org.au/media-release/2022-11-01/statement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the statement read</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">”The lions were then able to create and squeeze through a gap.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The review into the incident found that the lions were “playing and interacting” with the fence for around 20 minutes before the gap formed.</p> <p dir="ltr">While the lion and cubs took the opportunity to escape, “lioness Maya and one cub chose to remain in the exhibit”, according to officials, and were later called back into their dens by keepers.</p> <p dir="ltr">While families who were camping at the zoo overnight were taken to a safe area by staff, other Taronga Zoo employees worked to bring the lions back safely and used vehicles to “monitor and control the situation”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This enabled keepers to use their relationships with the lions, as well as their training for such incidents, to calmly call the lions back to their exhibit, ensuring a peaceful and safe outcome for all people and animals,” the zoo said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The four other cubs and adult male lion appeared to remain calm and investigated the other side of the main containment fence, remaining within metres of their exhibit, before actively trying to find their way back under the fence.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After the five lions escaped, two cubs then breached a second fence while trying to find access back into the exhibit, with one walking back to the exhibit without issue and the other needing to be tranquillised by vets and returned.</p> <p dir="ltr">The zoo concluded the statement by saying the lions would “remain in an outdoor, back-of-house holding area pending specialist engineering advice”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The ongoing review of the incident has recommended that the fence be investigated by an independent tensile-structure engineer, who would advise the zoo on how the clamps broke and how the fence can be fixed.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-bbc3bb5a-7fff-23af-6c43-dd3f90bf6372"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Five lions escape from Taronga Zoo enclosure

<p>Sydney's Taronga Zoo was placed under heavy lockdown on Wednesday morning as five lions escaped from their enclosure. </p> <p>At 6:30am on Wednesday, one adult lion and four cubs were spotted outside of their main enclosure, but were still separated from the rest of the zoo by a six-foot fence.</p> <p>When the animals were discovered, a full scale emergency response was enacted in the zoo. </p> <p>Locals from the area reported loud alarms and directions for all staff apart from the lion keepers to go to "safe havens".</p> <p>A Sydney family who were staying overnight at the zoo as part of its luxury "roar and snore" program told the <a title="" href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/taronga-zoo-put-into-lockdown-after-five-lions-escape-enclosure-20221102-p5buua.html" target="" rel="">Sydney Morning Herald</a> they were told to leave their tent and run.</p> <p>"They came running into the tent area saying, 'this is a Code One, get out of your tent and run, come now and leave your belongings'," Magnus Perri said.</p> <p>"We had to run to this building, it was only 50 or 70 metres. They counted us, then locked the door."</p> <p>Taronga Zoo's Executive Director Simon Duffy confirmed that one of the cubs was tranquillised by a veterinarian on site. </p> <p>Taronga Zoo issued a statement just before 9am confirming the lions had escaped but they had been returned to their enclosures with no further issues.</p> <p>"An emergency situation occurred this morning at Taronga Zoo Sydney when five lions were located outside their enclosure. The Zoo has strict safety protocols in place for such events," the statement read.</p> <p>"All persons on site were moved to safe zones and there are no injuries to guests or staff. All animals are now in their exhibit where they are being closely monitored."</p> <p>"The zoo will be open as normal today. Further details will be provided when possible."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Nine News</em></p>

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"If we stop communicating, Putin wins. Propaganda wins": how a Norwegian organisation is supporting Russian protest art

<p>As an international student at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow in 2012, I remember studying <em>Rekviem</em> (requiem) by Russian poet <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/anna-akhmatova">Anna Ahkmatova</a>, an elegy she penned in secret as a tribute to the countless victims of Stalin’s murderous purges. </p> <p>Akhmatova’s writing revived the atrocities, delivering their darkness into the light.</p> <p>Her words spoke of constant fear permeating lives; of distrust, anxiety and betrayal; of the secret police arriving to drag you or your family away. </p> <p>To avoid detection and retribution, Ahkmatova whispered the poem to her friends who committed it to memory. She burned the incriminating scraps of paper.</p> <p>In the first four-and-a-half months following Putin’s attack against Ukraine, over 13,000 anti-war protesters <a href="https://ovdinfo.org/articles/2022/03/07/cracked-heads-and-tasers-results-march-6th-anti-war-protests">were detained</a> in Russia.</p> <p>Some estimates are that <a href="https://meduza.io/feature/2022/05/07/skolko-lyudey-uehalo-iz-rossii-iz-za-voyny-oni-uzhe-nikogda-ne-vernutsya-mozhno-li-eto-schitat-ocherednoy-volnoy-emigratsii">hundreds of thousands</a> fled Russia in early 2022, among them thousands of artists who no longer felt safe in the climate of increasing censorship.</p> <p>Some of these artists have found themselves in Kirkenes, a small Norwegian town 15 kilometres from the Russian border.</p> <h2>Russia’s protest art</h2> <p>Russian and Soviet artists have a long history of art as protest.</p> <p>The poem <em><a href="https://poets.org/poem/stalin-epigram">Stalin’s Epigram</a></em> (1933) authored by <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/osip-mandelstam">Osip Mandelstam</a> depicted Stalin as a gleeful killer. Authorities imprisoned and tortured Mandelstam, then deported the poet to a remote village near the Ural Mountains. </p> <p>After returning from exile, he persisted writing about Stalin until he was sent to a labour camp in Siberia, where he died in 1938 at the age of 47. </p> <p>Under the comparatively liberal rule of Stalin’s successor <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/131346?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents">Nikita Khrushchev</a> from 1953, the Soviet Union began to enjoy previously unimagined freedoms.</p> <p>Protest art reflected these newfound liberties, becoming increasingly provocative and experimental. </p> <p>Many famous art movements surfaced during this period, including <a href="https://www.moscowart.net/art.html?id=SotsArt">Sots Art</a> — a fusion between Soviet and Pop Art — as Russian artists tested the boundaries, exposing the grim realities and unhappiness of life under Stalin’s regime. </p> <p>In 1962, the legendary composer Shostakovich set his <a href="https://theconversation.com/decoding-the-music-masterpieces-shostakovichs-babi-yar-82819">13th symphony</a> to a series of poems by his contemporary, Yevgeny Yevtushenko. One of these poems was Babi Yar, which criticised the Soviet government for concealing the <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/babi-yar-ukraine-massacre-holocaust-180979687/">massacre of 33,371 Jews</a> in a mass grave outside Kyiv.</p> <p>In contemporary Russia, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/10/world/europe/pussy-riot-russia-escape.html">Pussy Riot</a> came to the attention of the world in 2012 when members stepped behind the altar in Moscow’s golden-domed Christ the Saviour Cathedral wearing neon-coloured balaclavas to deliver a “punk rock prayer”. </p> <p>Their voices echoed off the cavernous, hand-painted ceilings, raging against Putin’s affiliation with the Orthodox church and the homophobic, anti-feminist policies that followed. </p> <p>They were sentenced to two years imprisonment.</p> <p>Today, <a href="https://artreview.com/amidst-a-crackdown-russia-anti-war-artists-and-activists-try-to-reclaim-the-streets/">pictures from Russia</a> reveal anonymous anti-war graffiti on the sides of buildings, “no war” chiselled into a frozen river, and yellow and blue chrysanthemums and tulips left at the feet of Soviet war memorials.</p> <h2>Cross-border collaborations</h2> <p><a href="https://www.pikene.no/">Pikene på Broen</a> (girls on the bridge) is an arts collective based in Kirkenes.</p> <p>They have spent the past 25 years curating art projects to promote cross-cultural collaboration and tackle political problems in the borderland region. </p> <p>Pikene på Broen is host to the the annual art festival <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barents_Sea">Barents</a> Spektakel (spectacle), an international artist residency including Russian, Norwegian and Finnish creatives, the gallery and project space Terminal B in Kirkenes town, and the debate series Transborder Café.</p> <p>The venue has become a hub for open discussions relating to current political and cultural issues, drawing contributions from artists, musicians, writers, politicians and researchers.</p> <p>Evgeny Goman, an independent theatre director from Murmansk, Russia – about 200 kilometres from Kirkenes – has been collaborating with Pikene på Broen for over 10 years.</p> <p>After moving to Norway in early 2022, Pikene på Broen worked with Goman to organise Kvartirnik (from the word kvartira, meaning apartment), an online talk group for Russian and Norwegian artists to exchange ideas. </p> <p>Following Putin’s attack on Ukraine, Kvartirnik shifted to an underground movement for dissident artists. Ironically, the name Kvartirnik derives from the clandestine concerts arranged <a href="https://www.ciee.org/go-abroad/college-study-abroad/blog/ciee-kvartirnik-understanding-through-music">in people’s apartments</a> during the Soviet Era when musicians were banned from performing in public.</p> <p><a href="http://deadrevolution.tilda.ws/?fbclid=IwAR2PcaqY7VdLtS1zYUu4JCbD6F36KZ8JKv_FEIYsNeSTE4aKokhV7YpITas">Party of the Dead</a> is one of several Russian protest art groups who participated in Kvartirnik. </p> <p>Pictures from the snow-decked Piskaryovskoye Cemetery in Saint Petersburg reveal members dressed as skeletons, holding placards reading: “are there not enough corpses?”.</p> <p>I spoke with Goman about the art coming out of Kvartirnik today.</p> <p>“In peaceful times, art is more about entertaining,” he says. </p> <p>"But in war and conflict, art is more important because it’s the language we use to express our pain. And through metaphors and symbolism, it allows us to speak about things that are censored."</p> <h2>Countering propaganda</h2> <p>Kvartirnik collaborators in Murmansk have also produced and distributed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samizdat">Samizdat</a> (self-publishing), an anonymous newsletter containing art suppressed by the state. </p> <p>“We have to be really smart now about how we do things in Russia,” Goman says. “Subtle.”</p> <p>Goman is pessimistic about Russia’s future. But he believes the key to moving forward is keeping communication open. He tells me the West’s decision to <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2022/03/right-way-cancel-russia/627115/">ban Russian culture</a> has backfired on their plan to pressure Putin into ending the war against Ukraine. </p> <p>Instead, he says, the divide is steadily increasing, leaving dissident artists isolated inside a country operating on fear and propaganda, furthering Putin’s agenda. </p> <p>“Putin wants us to not affect Russian minds. And that’s why we have to keep the dialogue going,” he says of the importance of cross-border collaborations like those he has undertaken in Kirkenes.</p> <p>"If we stop communicating, Putin wins. Propaganda wins."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-we-stop-communicating-putin-wins-propaganda-wins-how-a-norwegian-organisation-is-supporting-russian-protest-art-186911" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Art

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Meet the women who helped Afghanistan’s women's soccer team escape

<p dir="ltr">When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, a goalkeeper for the country’s female soccer team had to make the decision whether she and her teammates should stay in their home country or leave it and their loved ones behind.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fati, whose name and age have been withheld to protect her family’s identity, played with her teammates for years, representing an Afghanistan where women had more opportunity and freedom - and was free of the Taliban’s rule.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I accepted that Afghanistan was over,” Fati told the <em><a href="https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61744830" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought there’s no chance for living, no chance for me to go outside again and fight for my rights. No school, no media, no athletes, nothing. We were like dead bodies in our homes.</p> <p dir="ltr">“For two weeks I never slept. I was 24 hours with my phone, trying to reach out to someone, anybody for help. All day and all night, awake, texting and searching social media.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Fati and her teammates managed to escape, thanks to an invisible, international network of women.</p> <p dir="ltr">Haley Carter, a 37-year-old goalkeeper, former US marine and Afghanistan’s assistant coach from 2016 to 2018, described it as a “little virtual operation running out of WhatsApp”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Never underestimate the power of women with smartphones,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">Using WhatsApp and other encrypted messaging apps, Carter was sharing intelligence about the situation in Kabul with other marines and National Security staff in an operation dubbed ‘Digital Dunkirk’.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-be646504-7fff-57a9-37d6-18d21379c571"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">She had been enlisted to help Fati and the team flee by Khalida Popal, a former national team captain who left Afghanistan in 2011 because of death threats over her involvement in the sport, and has lived in Denmark since.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/khalida-popal.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Khalida Popal knew time was of the essence for Fati and her teammates, and enlisted the help of Haley Carter to secure their escape. Image: Getty Images</em></p> <p dir="ltr">With time not on their side, Popal knew Fati and her teammates had to act quickly, with their sporting involvements making them particularly vulnerable to Taliban investigations.</p> <p dir="ltr">She told the team to delete their social media accounts, burn their soccer gear and bury their trophies - a decision Fati said was hard to do.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Who wants to burn their jerseys?” she said. “I thought, if I survive, I will make [the achievements] again.”</p> <p dir="ltr">At the same time, Carter was working to get the team onto a military plane out of Afghanistan at the earliest opportunity.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Khalida texted all of us saying, ‘girls, be ready to leave the airport together, just one backpack each’,” Fati recalled.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She said: ‘We can’t tell you that we are even sure that you will go inside the airport. But if you fight, you will survive’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">When it was time to go, Fati carried as little as possible and wrote Carter’s phone number on her arm in case her phone was stolen or confiscated. Carter also told Fati that they should rotate having their phones on to preserve battery life.</p> <p dir="ltr">At the airport, they were among thousands who had congregated with the hope of leaving - but for many, the struggle would be in vain.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If your name was not on a list, or there wasn’t somebody inside the airport coming out to get you, you weren’t going in,” Carter said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So we had to work extra hard to make sure that marine counterparts at the gates had their information to make sure that they could get in.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Carter told Fati to meet “a guy” at the airport’s north gate with a password that would get them in.</p> <p dir="ltr">When they were turned back, Carter had to recalibrate the plan all the way from Houston.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, Fati decided she and the players would try again at the south gate - though they would have to get past the two Taliban checkpoints in the way.</p> <p dir="ltr">After being separated from her brother - who was badly beaten - at the first checkpoint and being kicked and hit herself by men with rifles at the second, Popal’s text message gave her the push to keep going forward.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was a thing that lighted up that darkness,” Fati said. “Suddenly, there was something telling me to get back up and I started again in a strong way.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The team regrouped, taking advantage of a moment when the Taliban guards were distracted to make a dash for Australian soldiers at the south entrance.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There were so many people but we managed to get past the last checkpoint,” Fati said. “We saw the Australian soldiers and shouted phrases like, ‘national team players’, ‘Australia’ and ‘football’.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They looked at our documents and let us through.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Along with some Afghan Paralympians, Fati and her teammates boarded a C-130 military transport plane heading to Australia. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The plane just took off and there was just noise and the fear that we had. Looking around, there were just scared faces,” Fati said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was thinking, you will never be able to see this beautiful place where you made memories and grew up. It’s your last time.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-993ff729-7fff-85b3-88bc-c37f1809f0a1"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">She sent a photo and message to Carter, reading: “I made it. We made it”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">“I still can’t get my head around what they’ve been through &amp; what they’ve come from but they just turn up to every session, always have a smile on their face”</p> <p>For <a href="https://twitter.com/gomvfc?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gomvfc</a> coach Hopkins, working with <a href="https://twitter.com/AfghanWnt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AfghanWnt</a>’s reminded him why he got into coaching.<a href="https://t.co/vf0w0B7y8g">https://t.co/vf0w0B7y8g</a> <a href="https://t.co/mT7rIcRrte">pic.twitter.com/mT7rIcRrte</a></p> <p>— Sacha Pisani (@Sachk0) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sachk0/status/1530135643128745985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">In February, Fati and her teammates trained together for the first time, after Melbourne Victory provided facilities and coaches. She described the feeling as “amazing” and a source of “new hope” for the team.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve locked those smiles in my memory. And I thought, I’m successful. We will not be lost,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Two months later, they played their first match against a local non-league team, though the backs of their jerseys had no names and just numbers out of concern for the safety of their relatives back home.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though their chances of competing internationally in an official competition requires the backing of the Afghan Football Association and the Taliban, Fati still has hope.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The goals instead will be for us to make the national teams of Australia or the country that we are in. Still we are Afghans and, somehow, we will be the representatives of our nationality,” Fati said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-2c8bda40-7fff-9d8b-890a-cbdfe5706f00"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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“Lucky escape”: Man’s “red flag” called out

<p dir="ltr">A man has been slammed for his unnecessary response to a potential date which he claimed was a “red flag”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony Gilét took to <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@giletslays/video/7080582251351674118?is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1&amp;lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a> to share his story of how he was blocked after calling out a potential date for suggesting a place near his. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Here is the one thing I would not accept from a potential date and you shouldn’t either,” he began his video. </p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony had agreed to go out on a date with a man called Luke but was unsure of where they should go.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I said ‘sure, where should we go?” Anthony asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">Luke then suggested a pub in the area that he lives in which did not impress Anthony at all.  </p> <p dir="ltr">“Now I’m not expecting him to take me up to the top of the Shard, but it doesn’t have to cost a fortune to be original,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“However the line for me was suggesting somewhere on your doorstep and expecting the other person to do 95 per cent of the travelling.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony said he rejected Luke’s offer by texting him: “I think I’m gonna pass, but thanks Luke. Feels like you’ve just picked an area that is convenient for you…and when a guy expects the other to do all of the travelling (to go to a pub, of which there are hundreds of) it reads as either inconsiderate or low effort/not that into.</p> <p dir="ltr">“No hard feelings and I hope you find what you are looking for”</p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony confessed that he thought he had been “quite polite” in his response to Luke but was shocked with his response.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You are mental. I hope you find some help,” Luke responded.</p> <p dir="ltr">Anthony did not let it go and replied once again: “It’s really not hard to select a pub that’s in between both of us, that should come naturally if you’re a considerate person. </p> <p dir="ltr">“But yeah, call me ‘mental’ because other little boys tolerate your bare minimum. It’s just not sometime I vibe with! And the fact that you’ve resorted to being rude quickly … another red flag.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The video has already been viewed more than 180,000 times and received 20,000 likes with many calling Anthony out for his behaviour.</p> <p dir="ltr">“By all means stick to your boundaries. But you could have just suggested somewhere else?” someone asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m with him on this one. You asked him to pick the place - don’t get mad about the decision. Reads really dramatic on your part,” another said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Maybe he wanted a venue where he felt safe in case the date turned out abusive, psychotic or over dramatic? *cough*” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Can’t help but think it was a lucky escape…for the other chap,” someone else commented.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Relationships

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Five incredible new tiny houses in Victoria, perfect for a rural escape

<p>Ecotourism tiny house company Tiny Away has added new tiny houses to its portfolio of rural getaways and they’re ready to welcome travellers looking for that perfectly quaint escape. The new houses span Mount Alexander and Moorabool Shire, the High Country, and the Macedon and Yarra Ranges. With the idea of seclusion and switching off becoming a modern-day luxury, these sustainable tiny getaways are perfect for a couple’s escape or for solo travellers looking for the ultimate me-time break. Some houses even have a little more room so you can plan a getaway with the kids, and even your furry friend.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p>The eco-friendly tiny houses are perfect for travellers seeking alternative and unique accommodation experiences. A step up from glamping, each tiny house offers hot showers, air conditioning, a cosy queen bed, and a kitchenette. Tiny Away now has over 100 unique short-stay tiny house accommodation options across Australia. Its tiny architecturally designed houses are set on private land in rural and regional locations and are designed to get visitors out of the city and into the outdoors.</p> <p>Tiny Away was created for guests to truly disconnect, recharge, and enjoy a minimalist lifestyle with loved ones. “All the properties offer something different. Some are only semi-secluded and close to activities, and others are in the middle of nowhere,” says Jeff Yeo, co-founder of Tiny Away.</p> <p><strong>Quantum Field, Toolangi</strong></p> <p>Located in Toolangi, in the stunning Yarra Valley, <a href="https://tinyaway.com/listing/quantum-field/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this house</a> is surrounded by a charming mix of native and exotic European and Japanese flora, backdropped by a picturesque, swimmable pond. Guests will enjoy a truly tranquil and remote getaway with world-famous wineries and activities right on the doorstep.</p> <p>The property follows ecologically sustainable principles, including a waterless eco-friendly compost toilet and a natural water spring that feeds the property's filtered water. </p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><strong>The Ridge, Korweinguboora</strong></p> <p>Set on farmland in Central Victoria’s Wombat Forest, <a href="https://tinyaway.com/listing/the-ridge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Ridge</a> is surrounded by productive gardens, including a fruit orchard, veggie garden and avenues of deciduous trees, all surrounded by tall eucalypt forests. The farm is home to a small flock of sheep, chickens, a (very) friendly border collie, and abundant birdlife. The rear of the property has 5 acres of forest to explore with elevated views beyond to the Wombat Forest. The nearby forest includes lush fern-covered gullies which form the headwaters of the Moorabool River.</p> <p>Just 10 minutes from the house is the thriving township of Daylesford, and close to all that the Macedon Ranges has to offer including mineral springs, truffle farms, wineries, organic produce, day spas, and fine dining. </p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house3.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><strong>The Sanatorium, Yackandandah</strong></p> <p>Tucked in a stunning, elevated bushing seeing with panoramic views cradled above the Yackandandah Valley lies <a href="https://tinyaway.com/listing/the-sanatorium/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sanatorium</a>. The tiny house’s panoramic views allow guests to experience clean mountain air, abundant wildlife and birdlife, enjoyed within a well maintained and beautifully presented farm setting.</p> <p>The house is framed perfectly by cattle grazing, meandering horses and surrounding countryside. The nearby Stanley Range provides mountain biking, horse riding and trail bike activities, as well as boutique breweries, distilleries, wineries and restaurants found in and around Yackandandah.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house4.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><strong>Tiny Hideaway, Newham</strong></p> <p>Hidden in a 97-acre property surrounded by farmland on all sides, <a href="https://tinyaway.com/listing/tiny-hideaway-at-cloverhills/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tiny Hideaway</a> is surrounded by long winding roads, perfect for walking experiences - or bring your bike, go horse riding, or just simply appreciate nature. The Cobaw Ranges are just a short drive for those who want to do some serious hiking.</p> <p>The house is in Newham, a small hamlet in the Macedon Ranges, nestled between Woodend, Kyneton, and Lancefield, making it an ideal position to explore the country town hospitality of the regions’ cafes and restaurants, as well as wineries and gin distilleries. Newham is close to the iconic Hanging Rock and nearby Hanging Rock Winery.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house5.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><strong>Treetops Trail, Walmer</strong></p> <p><a href="https://tinyaway.com/listing/treetops-trail/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Treetops Trail</a> is set in a beautiful bush setting, amongst the trees, just five minutes from the historical town of Maldon. The property offers a plethora of activities from bushwalks and discovering hidden gold mines to local towns boasting fairs, festivals and local produce.</p> <p>The friendly wildlife and remote setting will guarantee a relaxing getaway and to get a taste of the area, visitors can easily follow the Maldon Taste of Gold food and wine trail, sampling the area’s best local wines and produce from farm gates and cellar doors.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house6.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><strong>About Tiny Away</strong></p> <p>Founded in 2018, the Tiny Away network includes a range of comfy eco-friendly ‘tiny houses’ for travellers seeking alternative and unique accommodation experiences.</p> <p>Tiny Away offers adventurous road-trippers and weekenders the chance to immerse themselves in Australia’s vast flora and fauna, without compromising on comfort. A step up from glamping, each tiny house offers hot showers, air conditioning, a cosy queen bed, and a kitchenette.</p> <p>Using a profit-sharing arrangement that sees landowners earning up to 45% of rental revenue, Tiny Away considers itself a partner with landowner hosts on a mission to create rare and exceptional accommodation experiences.</p> <p>The sustainably built tiny houses are typically positioned on a working farm, often totally offgrid, and hosts offer all sorts of unique activities that give guests a taste of rural life.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/image001.png" alt="" width="250" height="137" /></p> <p><em>Images: Supplied</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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“Bail, bail, bail!”: Robert Irwin’s narrow croc escape

<p>Robert Irwin was left running for his life from a 350-kilogram crocodile in a heart-stopping clip.</p><p>After one of Australia Zoo’s crocs ignored the bait offered to him - instead making a beeline for Robert - the 18-year-old was forced to “bail” the exercise.</p><p>In the clip from Crickey! It’s the Irwins, Robert detailed one of the zoo’s “biggest and challenging moves,” switching one of their “wildest crocodiles Casper” to the “Crocoseum” enclosure.</p><p>“Before Casper makes his debut in the Crocoseum we need to do a bit of a test, just to make sure that he’s settling in nicely to this new enclosure,” Robert said.</p><p>“If he’s coming out of the water giving big strikes, that means he’s going to be ready for the Crocoseum show.”</p><p>Robert explained that one brave zookeeper would have to jump into Casper’s brand-new environment.</p><p>He shared that the croc has displayed “wild behaviour since [his late father Steve Irwin] first got Casper,” admitting that the task ahead of him was “quite terrifying”.</p><p>Robert bravely stepped into the enclosure, approaching the water with bait ready.</p><p>Suddenly, the croc leaped out of the water, snapping its jaw towards the food Robert was using as bait.</p><p>“Yeah, he’s keen, jeez he’s keen,” Robert said reacting to the croc’s speed and intensity.</p><p>Things went downhill very quickly as the croc was clearly uninterested in the bait Robert was offering.</p><p>“Bail, bail, bail, bail, bail, bail,” Robert repeated as he ran across the exhibit in a heart-stopping moment.</p><p>The clip shows Robert running from a birds-eye view, clearly showing his narrow escape.</p><p>The full video was shared on social media by Robert, and is taken from the season finale of the TV show Crickey! It’s the Irwins.</p><p><em>Images: Animal Planet </em></p>

Travel Trouble

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The world’s first fully vaccinated cruise sets sail

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The world’s first fully vaccinated cruise ship has set sail from Florida after winning a lengthy legal battle. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) restarted their operation on August 15th with the Norwegian Gem setting sail from </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Florida with fully vaccinated passengers and crew.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The voyage is a result of a legal feat by the line’s parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, who had sued the state of Florida to let the cruise commence. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The legal action was taken against the state, as state law </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">banned businesses from requiring people to disclose their COVID-19 vaccination status.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite this law, the cruise company was insistent on having 100 percent of people on board fully vaccinated against coronavirus, as opposed to adopting voyages that allow a mix of vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On August 8th, a judge ruled in favour of a preliminary injunction on the law, allowing the cruise line to go ahead with their vaccination policy.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This win kick-started NCL voyages worldwide, as cruises departed from both Greece and Alaska following the courtroom win. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Harry Sommer, NCL's president and CEO said in a press release that the win was felt around the world as the company could resume safe operations. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"It has been an exhilarating few weeks as we relaunch our fleet, reunite with our shipboard families and welcome our guests back for their long-awaited cruise vacations," he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">​​"Today is even more special as it is the first time we are relaunching from our hometown and from the new NCL Terminal at PortMiami. After many months, we are ready to deliver a safe and memorable experience for our guests at every step of their cruise journey."</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credit: Shutterstock</span></em></p>

Travel Trouble

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“Completely ridiculous” fine issued to Norwegian beach handball team

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Norway’s beach handball team has been fined 1500 euros (approximately $2500 NZD) over a violation of the sport’s uniform rules during the European Championships match.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the bronze medal match against Spain, the Norwegian women’s team wore bike shorts instead of bikini bottoms.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The European Handball Federation (EHF) said in a statement that the shorts were “not according to the Athlete Uniform Regulations defined in the IHF Beach Handball Rules of the game”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The team was fined 150 euro per player.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Abid Raja, Norway’s sports minister, said it was “completely ridiculous” and that attitudes needed to change.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Norwegian Handball Federation (NHF) criticised the fine and took to Twitter to say it was proud of the women for saying enough was enough.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Norway's women's beach handball team was fined €1,500 for refusing to wear bikini bottoms at a European championship game.<br /><br />Men wear shorts but IHF rules say women "must" use bikini bottoms, despite players saying that bikini bottoms are restrictive and uncomfortable to play in. <a href="https://t.co/VwP2cxAE1H">pic.twitter.com/VwP2cxAE1H</a></p> — AJ+ (@ajplus) <a href="https://twitter.com/ajplus/status/1417545591005974529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We at NHF stand behind you and support you. Together we will continue to fight to change the rules for clothing so players can play in the clothes they are comfortable with,” it said in the post.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to Beach Handball rules, female players must wear tops and bikini bottoms while men must wear tank tops and shorts.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Athletes’ uniforms and accessories contribute to helping athletes increase their performance as well as remain coherent with the sportive and attractive image of the sport,” the uniform regulations said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Female athletes must wear bikini bottoms … with a close fit and cut out on an upward angle towards the top of the leg.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">I knew there was a double standard for uniforms worn by male and female athletes... but this picture of Norway's beach handball team says a lot. <a href="https://t.co/qdZBKU7pTK">https://t.co/qdZBKU7pTK</a> <a href="https://t.co/KoWdOvecmr">pic.twitter.com/KoWdOvecmr</a></p> — Dr. Ji Son (@cogscimom) <a href="https://twitter.com/cogscimom/status/1417582965110894594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The decision has been widely criticised on social media, with some calling the differing rules for the mens’ and womens’ uniforms a “double standard”.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Norwegian Handball Federation / Twitter</span></em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"Lucky escape" for Winston Churchill's great-granddaughter on Epstein's notorious island

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>One of Princess Diana's younger bridesmaids detailed her "very lucky" escape after she was a guest on Jeffrey Epstein's island.</p> <p>Clementine Hambro took two flights on Epstein's jet, including one dubbed the Lolita Express.</p> <p>On both occasions, she had been at Epstein's luxury homes where he spent many years abusing young girls.</p> <p>She also was at Epstein's Island Little St James in the US Virgin Islands, which was dubbed by locals as Paedo Island.</p> <p>Miss Hambro, a great-granddaughter of Sir Winston Churchill, said she has been "completely horrified" by the revelations about the financier’s conduct and her "heart breaks for all the survivors".</p> <p>The now-married mother of four said she did not suffer or witness any abuse, but added that she hopes the victims "get the justice they so deserve".</p> <p>She issued a statement after flight logs, which were released as part of court documents, revealed that she flew on the jets to Epstein's visits to his ranch in New Mexico as well as the island.</p> <p>She made the trips back in 1999, where she was a 23-year-old employee at Christie's auction house in New York.</p> <p>In a statement last night, Miss Hambro said: "The first flight was a work trip with female colleagues to look at Epstein’s new home in Santa Fe to discuss what art he was going to buy.</p> <p>"The second trip, to Little St James, was a personal invitation, which I thought would be fun to accept, but I didn’t know anyone there, didn’t really enjoy myself, and never went back. My heart breaks for all the survivors, now I know what happened on that island.</p> <p>"In the course of those two trips, I was not abused, nor did I see anyone abused, or anything untoward happen, with minors or otherwise. I have been completely horrified about the revelations of his conduct since then. I was clearly very lucky, my heart goes out to those who were abused by him, and I trust they get the justice they so deserve."</p> <p>She also apologised for being "young and naive".</p> <p>"I was young and naive, and could not conceive of what was to unfold."</p> <p>She only travelled on the jets when leaving his homes, according to the logs. It is not known how she arrived at the ranch and the island.</p> </div> </div> </div>

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Escaping the Palace: Harry and Meghan to be the subjects of a third Lifetime movie

<p><span>The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's highly publicised royal exit is getting its very own Lifetime movie after it was revealed by the network that they intend to make a third tele-film about the couple’s life together.</span><br /><br /><span>The film aims to chronicle the events of Meghan and Harry’s announcement to step down as senior royal members.</span><br /><br /><span>The made-for-TV movie will, of course, present a fictional account of “the couple's controversial conscious uncoupling from the crown, after the birth of their son Archie,” as said by TVLine.</span><br /><br /><span>“The movie details the struggles of the new parents and unique challenges of being part of the royal family, which ultimately led Harry and Meghan to give up their royal ties to forge a new life on their own terms.”</span><br /><br /><span>However, despite the green light to go ahead with the project, there has been no information on casting, likely due to the coronavirus pandemic and associated restrictions.</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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CABkPVgK40W/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CABkPVgK40W/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by _Meghan_Markle_fan (@_meghan_markle_fan)</a> on May 10, 2020 at 3:41pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><em>Harry &amp; Meghan: Escaping the Palace</em><span> will follow Lifetime's last two movies about the couple: </span><em>Harry &amp; Meghan: A Royal Romance<span> </span></em><span>and </span><em>Harry &amp; Meghan: Becoming Royal</em><span>.</span><br /><br /><span>The first film was announced in January 2018 — just under two months after Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, announced their engagement — and aired that May, five days before their royal wedding.</span><br /><br /><span>Parisa Fitz-Henley and Murray Fraser played Meghan and Harry in the first biopic, showed how the pair fell in love from their first date in 2016 to their engagement in November 2017.</span><br /><br /><span>Actress Tiffany Smith played the Duchess of Sussex, while British star Charlie Field took on the role of the Duke of Sussex in the second film which looked at their lives after marriage and aired in May 2019.</span><br /><br /><span>The Duke and Duchess of Sussex shook not only the world but the royal family on January 8 when they revealed on Instagram that they were going to step back as senior royals, become financially independent, and split their time between North America and the United Kingdom.</span><br /><br /><span>It was reported at the time that no member from The Firm were made aware of Harry and Meghan’s announcement.</span></p>

Movies

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Man attacked by 2.5 metre croc used this tip to escape

<p>An off-duty wildlife ranger has made a surprising escape from the jaws of a 2.5 metre crocodile after it launched at him while flyfishing.</p> <p>Craig Dickmann, 54, was flyfishing at the remote Cape York Peninsula when the crocodile shot out of the water and attacked his thigh.</p> <p>While he was wrestling free from the crocodile, his hand became degloved and he was able to poke the crocodile in the eye.</p> <p>After escaping from the jaws of the saltwater crocodile, Dickmann drove more than an hour to Heathlands Ranger Station where he works to get help.</p> <p>Queensland Ambulance Service superintendent Warren Martin said that it was incredible that Dickmann survived such an attack.</p> <p>"This was a life or death response," he said to<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-11/ranger-pokes-crocodile-in-eye-after-attack-cape-york/11693150" target="_blank">ABC</a>.</p> <p>"The patient really understood the gravity of the situation and knew that he was fighting for his survival."</p> <p>After arriving at Heathlands Ranger Station, Dickmann called emergency services and was given first aid by another ranger. The ranger then drove Dickmann to Bramwell Station to wait for a Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) plane.</p> <p>Bramwell Station owner Wendy Kozicka said that Dickmann was in good spirits despite the attack.</p> <p>"He was very cheerful — but he's a very cheerful person," Ms Kozicka said.</p> <p>"His hands were wrapped up and we were teasing him about that, saying 'Are you sure you have all your fingers?'"</p> <p>Superintendent Warren Martin said that the incident was a “remarkable story” of survival.</p> <p>"There wouldn't be many people in Cape York who could say they have had an interaction with a crocodile like this and still be talking about it," he said.</p> <p>"Not only was [Mr Dickmann] by himself fishing, but after being released by the crocodile having to drive for an hour back to his residence to seek help."</p> <p>Dickmann remains in a serious but stable condition at Cairns Hospital, where he is expected to undergo surgery. He is being supported by his family and senior departmental staff.</p>

Travel Trouble

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5 ways to escape the credit card debt trap

<p>Feeling the pinch towards the end of the year and want to get ahead on your finances and debt? Here are some suggestions.</p> <ol> <li><strong>Start a piggy bank</strong> Go old-school! Save up for purchases instead of buying on impulse.</li> <li><strong>Only use one credit card.</strong> The more cards you have, the more you’ll be tempted to carry a larger balance and take on unwanted debt.</li> <li><strong>Pay the highest interest rate first.</strong> If possible, pay off your credit card bills and card balance in full each month. Or pay as much as you can afford above the mandatory payments on the highest interest rate card first. Set up a direct debit for minimum payments to avoid late fees or transfer your balance to a new 0% interest credit card for a limited time.</li> <li><strong>Spend less than you earn.</strong> Cut back on unnecessary expenses and use what you already have before buying new things. Create a self-imposed ‘spending freeze’ for a few months. Take your credit card out of your wallet and only use physical cash for a month.</li> <li><strong>Don’t spend ‘imaginary money’. </strong>Avoid spending any money you haven’t yet earned and lower your credit card limit to help avoid temptation. Financial experts suggest keeping records, making a budget and sticking to it. If you have more than one card, close off each credit card as you pay it off.</li> </ol> <p><em>Written by Readers Digest Editors. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/money/5-Ways-to-Escape-the-Credit-Card-Debt-Trap">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRN93V">here’s our best subscription offer</a>.</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Blondie’s Debbie Harry: “I escaped serial killer Ted Bundy”

<p>Debbie Harry has made an explosive claim as she says she was once lured into a taxi by serial killer Ted Bundy in the early ‘70s.</p> <p>The 73-year-old is planning to reveal the entire story in her autobiography,<span> </span><em>Face It</em>, which is set to be released in October this year.</p> <p>In a previous interview with<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/8191211/Blondies-Debbie-Harry-claims-serial-killer-Ted-Bundy-lured-her-into-car.html" target="_blank"><em>The Sun</em></a>, the Blondie singer spoke about the unsettling encounter which occurred in New York City: “It was in the early ‘70s and I was trying to get across town at two or three o’clock in the morning.</p> <p>“This little car kept coming around and offering me a ride.”</p> <p>Harry then said she hopped inside the vehicle after many failed attempts at finding a taxi.</p> <p>“I got in the car and the windows were all rolled up, except for a tiny crack. This driver had an incredibly bad smell to him.</p> <p>“I looked down and there were no door handles. The inside of the car was stripped. The hairs on the back of my neck just stood up.</p> <p>“I wigged my arm out of the window and pulled the door handle from the outside. I don’t know how I did it, but I got out.</p> <p>“He tried to stop me by spinning the car, but it sort of helped me fling myself out. Afterwards I saw him on the news, it was Ted Bundy.”</p> <p>Once Bundy was arrested, he admitted to his lawyer that he first attempted to kidnap a woman in 1969 and implied that his first murder happened in 1972.</p> <p>He was only 27-years-old when his first recorded murder occurred in 1974.</p> <p>He went on to kill 30 women.</p> <p>But even after the serial killer was imprisoned, the nightmare wasn’t over as he managed to escape lockup twice.</p>

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