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Unimaginable scenes as Baltimore bridge collapses

<p>The tranquil waters of Baltimore's Patapsco River turned tumultuous in the early hours of Tuesday following a catastrophic event that shook the city to its core. The aftermath of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse has left a community reeling, with one confirmed fatality and six individuals still missing as rescue efforts persist amid harrowing conditions.</p> <p>The calamity unfolded when a mammoth container ship lost power, careening into the Francis Scott Key Bridge on the US East Coast. The impact tore through the bridge's supports, sending vehicles and people plummeting into the frigid river below. In the chaos that ensued, heroes emerged as authorities swiftly responded, managing to halt traffic on the bridge, averting further catastrophe. However, the toll was already significant, with one individual confirmed dead and six others, believed to be part of a construction crew, still unaccounted for.</p> <p>As the day wore on, Baltimore City Fire Department Chief James Wallace provided updates on the situation, indicating that one survivor had been rescued and rushed to a local trauma centre in critical condition. Meanwhile, the US Coast Guard initiated a relentless search for the missing individuals, leveraging sonar technology to scour the depths of the river.</p> <p>The vessel responsible for the devastation, known as the <em>Dali</em>, was under the management of Synergy Marine Group, navigating under the Singapore flag. Although the crew and pilots were reported safe, the repercussions of the collision have reverberated far beyond the immediate vicinity. US President Joe Biden has pledged federal support for the reconstruction efforts: "This is going to take some time," he said. "The people of Baltimore can count on us, though, to stick with them at every step of the way until the port is reopened and the bridge is rebuilt."</p> <p>The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge not only claimed lives but also severed a vital link in the region's infrastructure. The Port of Baltimore, a bustling gateway for maritime commerce, now faces significant disruption, with vessel traffic suspended indefinitely. The reverberations of this tragedy extend beyond Baltimore, with logistical challenges expected to ripple along the entire East Coast.</p> <p>As the day progressed, stories of resilience and compassion emerged. Retired Chief Donald Heinbuch, startled from his sleep by the rumbling impact, bore witness to the unimaginable destruction. "Never would you think that you would see physically see the Key Bridge tumble down like that - it looked like something out of an action movie," he said. "And you just think about, most importantly, which is what we all should be thinking about right now, nothing but those families and people that are impacted and those people who are risking their lives right now, for not just Baltimore City and Baltimore County but all over the state, to try to save lives. That should be our focus - the preservation of life. Because no one wants to see that happen, let alone someone in their family someone that they know, be injured in an incident like this."</p> <p>Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott echoed the sentiments of a community in shock, emphasising the paramount importance of preserving life above all else.</p> <p><em>Images: Streamlive | 9News</em></p>

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Iconic movie scenes that nearly didn’t happen

<p>There are a multitude of significant changes that get made throughout the creation of a feature film.</p> <p>These iconic movie scenes nearly didn’t happen but thankfully, a spark of genius made these beloved movie moments make it on our screens.</p> <p><strong>1.<em> E.T. the Extra Terrestrial</em></strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gTVoFCP1BLg?feature=oembed" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Originally, Spielberg went for a bleak ending where E.T. dies in government captivity, but people thought this ending was much too miserable. Instead, the ending was famously reworked to see E.T fly across the moon into freedom. Spielberg also ended up making that shot the logo of his production company Amblin Entertainment.</p> <p><strong>2. <em>Lady and the Tramp</em></strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9gwZC5s2IU0?feature=oembed" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>The spaghetti date between Lady and the Tramp is the most iconic moment in the 1955 animation. Walt Disney thought the idea was a bit far-fetched to begin with and so he cut the scene from the first storyboards. “Walt wasn't convinced that that would be a very clean-cut scene," former Disney archivist Steven Vagnini told <em>Yahoo Movies</em>. "As you can imagine, if you have two pets and they eat a plate of spaghetti, it's hard to envision that being too graceful." Thankfully, the adorable scene was included.</p> <p><strong>3. <em>Rocky</em></strong></p> <p>The original ending of Rocky was going to feature Sylvester Stallone crowd surfing towards Adrian after his victory. However, there were not enough extras to carry Stallone so instead, a more intimate scene was created where he yells his girlfriend’s name.</p> <p><strong>4. <em>Star Trek II: Wrath of Khan</em></strong></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LXVqSa2l6mg?feature=oembed" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Wrath of Khan’s ending was altered after a test audience said Spock’s death was too bleak. A last-minute scene was shot showing his coffin landing on the Genesis Planet, giving a glimmer of hope of his return. Leonard Nimoy only learned of the change when he watched the completed film. </p> <p><em>Images: Universal Pictures</em></p>

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Kate Winslet reveals behind-the-scenes secrets on Titanic

<p>Kate Winslet has recounted the time she got Sir Peter Jackson into trouble with security.</p> <p>Speaking to Variety magazine, the Oscar-winning actress says she, her<em> Heavenly Creatures </em>director and his partner, screenwriter Fran Walsh, ran afoul of the authorities on the set of <em>Titanic</em> just over 20 years ago.</p> <p>"I've never told this story," she said of Jackson and Walsh's somewhat brief visit to the Los Angeles set of James Cameron's epic drama. "They were in L.A. and said 'oh, we must come down and see you'. I took them on set on a Sunday afternoon. We got out back, and the security guard said, 'You can't be here'. Until that moment, it hadn't occurred to me. They were my friends. What's lovely now is that James Cameron and Peter Jackson have a lot to do with each other because of Weta and <em>Avatar</em>. 'Of course you [Jackson] wanted to come visit! You're so cheeky. Duh.'"</p> <p>Asked what memories she had of the <em>Titanic</em> shoot itself, Winslet said shooting the scene behind the gate where Leonardo Di Caprio's character loses a key was "genuinely scary". "I didn't like shooting that at all".</p> <p>Confessing that she had no idea how big the movie, which came out in December 1997, was going to be, Winslet said she saw the film for the first time at a regular cinema screening in uptown Los Angeles. Absent for the premiere as she was in Morocco filming, Winslet recounted how she put on a baseball cap "because someone told me I ought to do that". </p> <p>"That was a real thrilling experience, to sit and watch a movie that I was in with a proper audience. I hadn't done that before or since."</p> <p>The 42-year-old English actress, currently onscreen in <em>The Mountain Between Us</em>, also contradicted earlier reports that Heavenly Creatures was the only one of her films she'd seen more than once.</p> <p>She told Variety that in fact it was <em>Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind</em>, because "my children love it". </p> <p>“That's really the only thing of mine they can actually see without their mother taking off her clothes or dying."</p> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span>Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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Cruise worker shares behind-the-scenes look at cruise ship

<p dir="ltr">A cruise employee has given the world a look at the areas strictly for crew members aboard the world’s biggest cruise ship.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bryan James, who works as a musician on board the Royal Caribbean vessel Wonder of the Seas, has shared clips of spaces off-limits to passengers below deck, including shops, bedrooms and areas to socialise away from cruise goers, per <em>The Sun</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">In one TikTok video, James shows viewers a “secret hang out” located inside the ship’s funnel, explaining that it is a perfect spot to watch sunsets.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I just discovered a new place yesterday,” James said. “It’s like a secret hangout that’s by the funnel of the ship.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-59bdcf4e-7fff-3746-c8b2-393d05c0a4f2"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“And not even by the funnel. I mean, it’s in the funnel and it’s so pretty to be up here and to see the sunset.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/cruise-secrets1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>The cruise shop is off-limits to cruise passengers and was vital for workers stuck on ships during the pandemic according to Bryan James. Images: @bryanjames.music (TikTok)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Another area James gave a behind-the-scenes look at was the crew shop, which is located below deck and only staff members can visit.</p> <p dir="ltr">He explained that the shop, which is where you can get “pretty much anything” you need, became crucial during the eight-month period during the pandemic where workers weren’t allowed to leave the ship to visit ports.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There was a time when crew weren’t allowed off the ship for eight months,” he recalled.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was like Christmas morning every single time the store got restocked, there was such a long line.”</p> <p dir="ltr">James also showed off his quarters, described as the “world’s smallest cruise ship cabin”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-264d4d72-7fff-acfb-e263-42188f86e590"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">He demonstrated how he could touch all four of his bedroom walls at the same time, despite a single bed, TV, sink and cupboards somehow being squeezed in.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/cruise-secrets2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Bryan James described his bedroom as the “world’s smallest cruise ship cabin”, complete with an equally small bathroom that he shares with another cabin. Images: @bryanjames.music (TikTok)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">The musician has an equally tiny bathroom, including a shower that he has to duck under in order to use.</p> <p dir="ltr">To make matters even more cramped, James revealed he shares his bathroom with another cabin.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-9e4b3047-7fff-c9be-1b84-f9f7291a8df6"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">As for what staff eat, James said it was pretty similar to the buffets passengers are treated to during their stays.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/cruise-secrets3.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>The tasty buffets passengers enjoyed are a shared experience for cruise employees, with a menu that often changes. Images: @bryanjames.music (TikTok)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">He added that the food changes frequently for staff, but that there was always a salad bar.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the clip, he also showed the vast array of desserts available, including a crepe station, as well as the meats and cheeses staff members have access to during meal times.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-8895b789-7fff-fe87-a09b-cef6f4bbe9e6"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images / @bryanjames.music (TikTok)</em></p>

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Stunning scenes as the Queen arrives home for the final time

<p>As Queen Elizabeth returned home to Buckingham Palace for the final time, thousands of well wishers congregated to pay their respects to Her Majesty. </p> <p>Her coffin had taken days to travel from Balmoral in Scotland where she died, to London's Buckingham Palace, as mourners cheered and clapped in the rain for the late monarch as the hearse travelled around the Queen Victoria memorial before entering the gates of the palace. </p> <p>Outriders stopped with their heads bowed at the end of the journey, while a police officer at the gate saluted. </p> <p>People also cheered "hip hip hooray" after the coffin drove under the arch, with many putting down their umbrellas as a sign of respect.</p> <p>Others could be seen wiping tears from their eyes as phone camera lights lit up the crowds lining the streets in central London.</p> <p>The royal family began the procession, as King Charles, Queen Consort Camilla, Prince Harry, Kate Middleton, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle waited in the Grand Entrance of the palace for the Queen's final return. </p> <p>For one night the coffin, which is draped in the Royal Standard flag, will lie at rest in the palace's Bow Room.</p> <p>Then, the monarch is handed to the nation to allow the public to pay their respects when she lies in state at the ancient Westminster Hall for four days until Monday September 19th - the day of her state funeral at Westminster Abbey and burial at St George's Chapel in Windsor.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Behind the scenes photos of Camilla's cover shoot snapped by Duchess Kate

<p>An exclusive behind the scenes royal photo has showcased Kate Middleton flexing her photography skills as she snapped a portrait of Camilla for the Country Life magazine cover. </p> <p>The Duchess of Cambridge, 40, who was described as a "consummate professional" by the magazine, is a keen photographer, and has taken several official portraits of her three children.</p> <p>Kate can now add magazine photographer to the list of her achievements as she captured the snap that shows the Duchess of Cornwall, 74, relaxing at her at Ray Mill House country retreat in Lacock, Wiltshire. </p> <p>According to Country Life's official Instagram, the behind-the-scenes image was taken by The Duchess of Cornwall’s country dresser, Shona Williams.</p> <p>The photograph taken by Kate appears on the cover of the July edition of the publication, just ahead of Camilla’s landmark 75th birthday on July 17th. </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/CfnxfUwAZhl/?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/CfnxfUwAZhl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Clarence House (@clarencehouse)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>According to a royal source, it was Camilla's idea to ask Kate to take the photograph, and Country Life's managing and features editor, Paula Lester has said the publication "could not be happier with the results" of the photoshoot.</p> <p>She added, "In fact, the set of images she took was so good that we struggled to choose only three, from which The Duchess of Cornwall made her final selection."</p> <p>According to Paula, Kate took the commission "very seriously" and was "incredibly professional" about the job.    </p> <p>"She phoned me to discuss our requirements for the cover and subsequently composed a range of beautifully shot images," Paula explained.</p> <p>Meanwhile, the Country Life editor Mark Hedges said everyone was thrilled by the photos which captured Camilla "magnificently", and added that the magazine would be "delighted" to offer Kate another commission.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram @countrylifemagazine</em></p>

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Readers Respond: What is your favourite scene from The Sound of Music?

<p dir="ltr"><em>The hills are alive, with the sound of music</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Admit it, you sang that line because <em>The Sound of Music</em> is obviously one of your favourite movies.</p> <p dir="ltr">We asked the OverSixty audience what their favourite scene is from the classic and for those of you who didn’t answer “all of it”, you are wrong. Sorry, I don’t make the rules. (Just kidding!)</p> <p dir="ltr">Read your responses below:</p> <p dir="ltr">Lorraine Briggs Lane - The kiss in the gazebo.</p> <p dir="ltr">Chris Howie - The dance in the garden where Maria and the Captain dance a beautiful Austrian folk dance. So romantic.</p> <p dir="ltr">Merle Davis - I loved everything but the wedding was beautiful.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jill Harker - When they declare their love! One of my favourite movies!</p> <p dir="ltr">Lorraine Peters - When he signs you are 16 going on 17.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sandra Wilkins - The first 174 minutes. </p> <p dir="ltr">Leonie Cortez - Love it from beginning to end.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sonia Freeth - The kids saying goodnight and heading off to bed. </p> <p dir="ltr">Rita Sammut - The greatest movie. Love every scene.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ellen Taylor - The Captain singing Edelweiss.</p> <p dir="ltr">Share your favourite scene/s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oversixtyNZ/posts/pfbid02MZeid76sHnJ3XVChh2KMWVLCtwSQoeEfNY1QZqTtnmnMNoxsiMvEp28AitzQREoVl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Movies

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Why scenes of sexual violence should be the exception, not the rule

<p dir="ltr"><em>Content warning: This article discusses sexual assault and rape.</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Portraying traumatic events in films and television shows, whether it is a grisly death or extreme violence, can be difficult to pull off in a way that sends its intended message and doesn’t spark outrage among viewers.</p> <p dir="ltr">With director Del Kathryn Barton’s <em>Blaze </em>confronting audiences during its showing at the 2022 Sydney Film Festival, depicting a graphic rape and murder scene witnessed by 12-year-old titular protagonist Blaze (Julia Savage), questions of when these scenes are needed and whether “very graphic” equals “very impactul” emerge.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Refinery29</em>’s Zahra Campbell-Avenell <a href="https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/blaze-2022-del-kathryn-barton-film-review" target="_blank" rel="noopener">describes</a> being on the verge of tears for the film’s entirety, while <em>Variety</em>’s Peter Debruge <a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/blaze-review-1235290438/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">questions</a> whether Barton has “earned” the use of such a graphic scene, suggesting she treats it “as a device” to make a point about a child losing their innocence and navigating trauma.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a talk after <em>Blaze</em>’s premiere at the festival, Barton said it was important for the scene to be authentic, but being authentic to the realities of witnessing sexual assault doesn’t necessarily mean extreme depictions are needed – especially when the film works to address the issue of femicide and abuse.</p> <p dir="ltr">Representing the issues of sexual assualt, gendered violence and the trauma that follows is important, particularly given that, on average, <a href="https://www.ourwatch.org.au/quick-facts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">one woman is killed by a current or former partner every week in Australia</a>, but the way that we achieve that might not be through depicting the event itself, but what comes after.</p> <p dir="ltr">Amanda Spallaci, an assistant lecturer at the University of Alberta, Canada, <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0752/8/1/8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writes</a> that portraying the event itself, usually in a way that evokes disgust or empathy, might last while audiences are watching the show or film but “fail to shift popular discourses” by neglecting to focus on effects, such as traumatic memory.</p> <p dir="ltr">She argues that making audiences witness these events fails to challenge common ideas about sexual assault and rape, particularly when it comes to the expectation that the truth of a victim’s story relies on their ability to provide coherent accounts and evidence.</p> <p dir="ltr">In reality, evidence is hard to find, witnesses are uncommon, and cases often come down to testimony from the victim and perpetrator – where beliefs that victims who are emotional during their testimony are more credible, <a href="https://www.aic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-11/ti611_misconceptions_of_sexual_crimes_against_adult_victims.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">false allegations are common</a>, and that their recollections of the event should be detailed, specific and coherent make it even more difficult for victims to be believed.</p> <p dir="ltr">In comparison, Spallaci says that graphic film depictions mean “the viewer knows that the rape occurred not because they believe the survivor’s testimony, but because they bore witness to the event, adhering to the imperative of truth of the traumatic event and its relationship to the iconic veracity of the (rape scene)”.</p> <p dir="ltr">It’s important to recognise that film and TV shows are shifting towards depicting traumatic events with a focus on memory and what comes afterwards, with <em>I May Destroy You</em> and <em>Sharp Objects </em>being good examples.</p> <p dir="ltr">Both shows rely on flashbacks and characters <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/violence-against-women-on-tv-euphoria-game-of-thrones-unbelievable-cassie-howard-sydney-sweeney-nudity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">piecing together</a> what happened to them in fragments, though they still show scenes of sexual assuault as well.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Blaze </em>also deserves praise for its presentation of the struggles that victims (or, in this case, witnesses) face when giving testimony about sexual assault and murder.</p> <p dir="ltr">It also shows that, in the wake of the #MeToo era, changes to how we tackle sexual assault are sinking through, with depictions moving away from the gratuitous scenes used for shock value in <em>Game of Thrones</em>, but that there’s plenty more work to be done to do right by victims.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2bfefe15-7fff-1a93-be6d-f03325d45067"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Lip reader reveals insight into THOSE scenes between Kate and Louis

<p>Prince Louis’ adorable antics certainly stole the show at the Platinum Jubilee, however, it seems not everyone was fond of his behaviour.</p> <p>A lip reader captured a serious parenting moment between the Duchess of Cambridge and young Louis, as the family were sitting in the royal box on the final day of celebrations.</p> <p>The Cambridges were enjoying the colourful floats at the pageant and Louis was seen pulling faces and getting tired and restless.</p> <p>According to lip reading expert Jeremy Freeman, Kate had some stern words for her youngest during his grumpy moment.</p> <p>Jeremy says when Kate spotted Louis picking his nose and put his hand down, she said to her son: "You have to."</p> <p>"I don't want to," Louis reportedly answered, before cheekily covering his mum's mouth. Kate then replied: "I said no hands!" and gave him another serious look.</p> <p>The lip reader says Kate once again told Louis to stop with his antics after he stuck his tongue out. "Stop doing that," she said.</p> <p>A sweet moment between Prince Louis and his older cousin Mike Tindall was also caught on camera. While Louis was misbehaving, Mike was seen jokingly warning the young Royal that he was watching him from the seats above, gesturing to his eyes.</p> <p>There were other moments when Louis sat in the lap of dad Prince William and granddad Prince Charles.</p> <p>The Prince of Wales was seen bopping his grandson with his legs and also pointed out parts of the display to him.</p> <p>Prince Louis was also spotted having a great time dancing along to the music as the floats went by.</p> <p>Kate's relatable parenting moment captured the hearts of millions as they watched the Cambridges enjoy the Jubilee carnival.</p> <p>The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge made light of Louis' cheeky behaviour in an Instagram, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/kate-and-will-respond-to-haters-with-unseen-snap-of-louis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sharing ten unseen photos from the Jubilee celebrations</a>. </p> <p>Freeman also caught a precious exchange between the Queen, and her great-grandson during their balcony appearance at Trooping the Colour.</p> <p>Reportedly, Prince Louis looked up to his great-grandmother and asked: "Are the Red Arrows coming?"</p> <p>The Queen replied, "I hope so." At one point, the Queen told Louis to "look at the smoke".</p> <p>The young royal also expressed amazement at the Armed Forces jets, turning to his mother and saying: "Woah."</p> <p>At the end of the display, the monarch told her great-grandson: "Let's go, it's finished now."</p> <p>Body language expert Judi James told the publication that the monarch and Prince Louis shared "childlike excitement" on the balcony.</p> <p>She explained: "Louis stepped in front of the Queen before tilting his head back to engage her in some animated conversation as they waited for the Red Arrows.</p> <p>"Louis made this conversation look like the most natural thing in the world and his lack of anything bordering on fear suggested these two might share a rather close friendship based on shared fun behind the scenes, too."</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Emotional scenes as NSW passes law on Voluntary Assisted Dying

<p dir="ltr">The NSW parliament has legalised voluntary assisted dying (VAD), with Thursday's historic vote meaning terminally ill people can now choose the timing of their death.</p> <p dir="ltr">NSW joins the rest of Australia’s states in making VAD legal with a final vote of 23 MPs in favour and 15 opposing.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-57b1d52d-7fff-87bc-6fab-77fde5fd183a">Independent Sydney MP Alex Greenwich, who introduced the bill to parliament late last year, told members that the “entire diversity” of parliament were involved in passing the bill, with 28 co-sponsors from all parties - the highest number in Australian parliamentary history per <em><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/nsw/voluntary-assisted-dying-legalised-in-nsw-20220519-p5amo0.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sydney Mkorning Herald</a></em>.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">"We are celebrating this historic day"<br />"Compassion has won"<br />says Independent MP <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexGreenwich?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlexGreenwich</a>, flanked by the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill's co-sponsors and advocates.<br />It's been 20 years since the first attempt to pass a law like this in NSW. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nswpol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nswpol</a> <a href="https://t.co/8wNpjSEZP3">pic.twitter.com/8wNpjSEZP3</a></p> <p>— Sarah Navin (@SarahNavin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SarahNavin/status/1527131431163797505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“For those wondering what happened with the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill last night; the bill was debated till midnight and almost all amendments were dealt with,” Mr Greenwich explained on social media at 6am on Thursday morning.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There is one more amendment this morning to vote on and then a final vote in both the Upper and Lower House.”</p> <p dir="ltr">MPs debated nearly 100 amendments on Wednesday, with the sitting ending at midnight.</p> <p dir="ltr">The majority of amendments, including the push to allow aged care and residential homes to block VAD from occurring in their facilities, were voted down during the debate according to the <em><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-19/voluntary-assisted-dying-laws-pass/101079940" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">At midday, it was announced that the bill had passed the upper house.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e5a4c3c0-7fff-a6a1-f7fe-4002e71c7631"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The lower house then approved the bill approximately an hour later.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Proud to be sitting in the NSW parliament to watch the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill finally pass into law. This will make such a difference to the lives of so many, allowing people to choose to live the end of their lives as well as possible and to die with dignity. ✨❤️</p> <p>— Abigail Boyd (@AbigailBoydMLC) <a href="https://twitter.com/AbigailBoydMLC/status/1527120671498588161?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Finance Minister Damien Tudehope, an opponent of the bill, told the upper house that it was a “dark day” for the state.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was a sad day because it was an opportunity for NSW to say ‘we can be better than this’,” Mr Tudehope said.</p> <p dir="ltr">He added that it would be judged by history as a “dreadful mistake”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7061fe4b-7fff-c2d4-1a70-0c7be574e249"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">However, advocate groups such as Go Gentle Australia and Dying with Dignity, as well as individual supporters of VAD, have welcomed the decision.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Voluntary assisted dying set to become law in NSW. Congratulations and thank you to all the advocates, especially those who fought for their right to die with dignity, and died waiting and the 28 MPs who co-signed the Bill, tabled by my MP, <a href="https://twitter.com/AlexGreenwich?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlexGreenwich</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/voluntaryassisteddying?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#voluntaryassisteddying</a></p> <p>— Kimberley Ramplin (@Kimbo_Ramplin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kimbo_Ramplin/status/1527130066349481985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“VAD is now legal in NSW, the culmination of 50 years of advocacy. Congratulations to all involved,” Go Gentle Australia tweeted.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Congratulations to everyone involved in this campaign!” Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was part of the Working Group on Assisted Dying in NSW Parliament, which introduced the first bill. I’m proud to have played a role so that people can die with dignity.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Genuinely stoked,” Scott Phillips, the director of City Recital Hall, said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have no idea if my old man would have taken the option, in his final days as he battled cancer.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-33a92312-7fff-da90-5db0-3ce7e371afd6"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“But I am so pleased that the choice will be available to others in NSW as a result of this bill.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">At long last. Choice &amp; dignity for terminally ill patients in NSW. Congrats to all who fought so courageously for this change. Now legalised in every State, the Federal Government need to stop blocking the NT &amp; ACT from debating this reform. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ausvotes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ausvotes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/auspol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#auspol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nswpol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nswpol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vad?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vad</a> <a href="https://t.co/UAwfar1O4X">https://t.co/UAwfar1O4X</a></p> <p>— JillHennessyMP (@JillHennessyMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/JillHennessyMP/status/1527130639816093696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">According to <em><a href="https://twitter.com/10NewsFirstSyd/status/1527133466181005312" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 News First Sydney</a></em>, the bill allows for people to choose to end their life if they have suffering that can’t be relieved and are likely to die of a disease within six months, or within a year in the case of neurodegenerative disease. </p> <p dir="ltr">The news comes just days after Sara Wright, a nurse who has long advocated for VAD to be legalised, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/terminally-ill-nurse-caught-in-desperate-waiting-game" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke out</a> about waiting for the decision to be made while being “virtually paralysed” as a result of motor neuron disease - estimating she has months left to live.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I don’t think that I will live for more than another six to eight months, as my breathing capacity is reducing very fast and I do not wish to have a tracheostomy (an operation where a breathing hole is cut into the front of the neck and windpipe),” she told 7News.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I know that all my family, my parents, my brothers, my ex-husband are all in support of voluntary assisted dying and helping me relieve my suffering.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But none of us want to break the law or risk anyone being imprisoned if they helped me.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4f1cf650-7fff-f54a-3901-698f66650fb4"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @DWDnsw (Twitter)</em></p>

Caring

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Incredible scenes of panic after US tourists pack unexploded shell as souvenir

<p dir="ltr">Chaos erupted at Israel’s Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv after a family of American tourists tried to take an unexploded ordnance through airport security.</p> <p dir="ltr">The tourists found the shell while travelling in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, according to a statement from Israel Airport Authorities, before declaring the shell to airport security when they arrived at the luggage drop-off.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-45f26c85-7fff-b14f-02be-70492e6eb6b0"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Video footage of travellers running for safety or cowering on the ground after staff announced the evacuation quickly spread on social media, garnering hundreds of thousands of views.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Chaos at Ben Gurion Airport in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Israel?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Israel</a> Israel after an American family on holiday attempted to check in an unexploded shell they found while visiting the occupied Golan Heights <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MiddleEastEye?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MiddleEastEye</a> <a href="https://t.co/5qsqnK23wM">pic.twitter.com/5qsqnK23wM</a></p> <p>— Randa HABIB (@RandaHabib) <a href="https://twitter.com/RandaHabib/status/1520466409456873473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Though the shell didn’t explode, one person was reportedly injured and hospitalised after he attempted to run along a luggage conveyor belt.</p> <p dir="ltr">The family told agents that one of their children made the discovery while they were sightseeing in the Golan Heights - an area 150 kilometres northeast of Jerusalem which was annexed from Syria in 1967.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to local media, the family said they were taking it home as a souvenir and were unaware of just how dangerous it was.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-42acd8ed-7fff-c9a8-56a5-bd2ab374fc15"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">After the family was questioned by security officials, the evacuation was cancelled and they were allowed to board their flight.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">⚠️A huge panic broke out at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport/TLV (Israel)🇮🇱 after one American family had an unexploded bomb packed in their luggage which they wanted to take home as a "souvenir"🙈. The bomb was found by child while visiting the Golan Heights🇮🇱 <a href="https://t.co/sPX3h8NEEc">https://t.co/sPX3h8NEEc</a> <a href="https://t.co/j74k6EhXzB">pic.twitter.com/j74k6EhXzB</a></p> <p>— Tomáš Semrád (@Tomas40916602) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tomas40916602/status/1520848958536441863?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Israel Airport Authorities have said the incident is “currently under operational investigation”, as reported by <em><a href="https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/israel-airport-unexploded-shell-american-tourists/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CNN</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The discovery of the ordnance comes as mine-clearing operations continue along the borders of Israel, Syria, and Lebanon, as the Israeli government works to promote tourism and population growth in the Golan area, per <em><a href="https://www.traveller.com.au/chaos-at-israels-ben-gurion-airport-after-us-tourists-pack-unexploded-shell-as-souvenir-h23h6u" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Traveller</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though the family were lucky enough to not set the shell off, unexploded ordnances are particularly dangerous because they can still be detonated, with the Australian Government’s Department of Defence <a href="https://defence.gov.au/UXO/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> urging anyone who finds one to contact police and avoid disturbing it.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b7c4f6e8-7fff-e125-a005-c8d16045f024"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Twitter</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"Round 1" goes to Novak as ugly scenes unfold on Melbourne streets

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Novak Djokovic has claimed victory in “Round 1” of his legal battle with the Australian government over his cancelled visa.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However the tennis champion may still be forced to leave the country, with Australia’s Immigration Minister still considering whether to cancel his visa for a second time.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His hearing through the Federal Court of Australia - which he viewed via a live stream while at his lawyers’ offices - ended with the overturning of the government’s decision to cancel Djokovic’s visa on health grounds, ending his five days in detention.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Judge Anthony Kelly said it was “unreasonable” to cancel Djokovic’s visa and ordered that the World No.1 be released from immigration detention within 30 minutes of the verdict.</span></p> <p><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.foxsports.com.au/tennis/australian-open/novak-djokovic-australian-open-2022-court-hearing-live-verdict-updates-latest-deported-covid-vaccination-australia/news-story/229a81a296bfe1e20feefcc5c6cfda15" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Djokovic will be allowed to stay</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in Australia and have his passport returned to him, despite the federal government’s strict requirements on foreign arrivals for the past two years.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Australian taxpayers will also foot the cost of Djhokovic’s legal team.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Serbian tennis star posted a photo on social media following the verdict, showing him standing with his entourage on Rod Laver Arena after finishing his first training session.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">I’m pleased and grateful that the Judge overturned my visa cancellation. Despite all that has happened,I want to stay and try to compete <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AustralianOpen</a> <br />I remain focused on that. I flew here to play at one of the most important events we have in front of the amazing fans. 👇 <a href="https://t.co/iJVbMfQ037">pic.twitter.com/iJVbMfQ037</a></p> — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) <a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/1480529173789696001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m pleased and grateful that the Judge overturned my visa cancellation. Despite all that has happened, I want to stay and try to compete (at the) Australian Open,” he wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I remain focused on that.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I flew here to play at one of the most important events we have in front of the amazing fans.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Djokovic’s family also spoke to the media in Serbia after he shared his update, thanking fans for their support and praising the judge for his verdict.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">From Djokovic's brother Djordje <a href="https://t.co/q7T4CvdEYi">https://t.co/q7T4CvdEYi</a></p> — Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) <a href="https://twitter.com/christophclarey/status/1480458045167521792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The whole process was not about tennis or the Australian Open, it was about justice for what was done to him,” his younger brother, Djordje Djokovic, told media.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Novak is only fighting for the liberty of choice.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We are grateful for [the] justice system for Australia.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Djokovic’s father - who led protests in the Serbian capital of Belgrade after his son was detained - said his son’s human rights had been taken away, while his mother Dijana said he was subjected to “torture”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This is his biggest win in his career, it is bigger than any grand slam,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He has done nothing wrong, he hasn’t broken any of their laws.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He has been subject to torture, to harassment.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/PGzegChaRo">pic.twitter.com/PGzegChaRo</a></p> — Laura Jayes (@ljayes) <a href="https://twitter.com/ljayes/status/1480456839770750979?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After the verdict, Djokovic’s fans congregated outside his lawyers’ office and chanted “Free Nole”, believing he was being detained once again due to a heavy police presence and false reports of his arrest.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Djokovic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Djokovic</a> supporters have arrived at his location amid reports that he may be imminently re-detained <a href="https://t.co/JCMPdSLETW">pic.twitter.com/JCMPdSLETW</a></p> — Michael Miller (@MikeMillerDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeMillerDC/status/1480465888994213891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chaotic scenes soon broke out, including clashes between fans and police, while fans mobbed a black Audi attempting to make its way through the crowd.</span></p> <p><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-11/novak-djokovic-breaks-silence-family-attacks-aus-government/100748736" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Officers used pepper spray</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to disperse the crowd as fans began banging on the windows and one man jumped onto it.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was later discovered that Djokovic was not in the vehicle, with police confirming he had already left the building.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Djokovic was treated “the same as everyone else”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 34-year-old was detained after touching down at Victoria’s Tullamarine Airport last week, where his visa was revoked.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the court’s finding, read out in the online hearing, Djokovic was interviewed overnight and told he had until 8.30am to reply to the proposed cancellation of his visa.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Instead, a border agent cancelled it at 7.42am.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a transcript from the airport interview, Djokovic expressed his confusion about why he wasn’t being allowed to enter the country.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I just really don’t understand what is the reason you don’t allow me to enter the country,” he told the border control agent, according to the transcript.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, lawyer Christopher Tran - representing the federal government - told Judge Kelly that, despite Djokovic’s victory, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke may still decide to use his “personal power of cancellation” to order his removal from the country. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By doing so, Djokovic would be banned from coming into Australia for three years.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: @djokernole (Instagram)</span></em></p>

News

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Touching scenes at sorrowful farewell for Hillcrest victim

<p><em>Image: Pinegrove Funerals </em></p> <p>Zane Mellor, one of the victims of the Hillcrest Primary School jumping castle incident in Tasmania's north, has been remembered in Devonport as a loving teenager and a passionate gamer.</p> <p>The 12-year-old was one of six students killed last Thursday while celebrating the last day of school, when a gust of wind lifted a jumping castle and some zorb balls into the air, causing children to fall from a height of about 10 metres.</p> <p>Two children remain in hospital a week after the incident but have been moved out of intensive care.</p> <p>At the service, at Pinegrove Funerals in Devonport, Zane's casket was draped in his PlayStation console, controllers and a poster of one of his favourite games.</p> <p>Speakers spoke fondly of his love of the hobby and other gamer friends he played with all over the world sent in messages of condolences.</p> <p>Officiator Tracey Bruce said Zane had some challenges in life with "both ADHD and autism".</p> <p>"But these quirks made him the character he was and certainly didn't stand in his way," she said.</p> <p>"He also had a love of animals, he was the chicken whisperer, the cat whisperer, and his support dog Peanut the dachshund was very loved," she said.</p> <p>Ms Bruce said Zane enjoyed spending time with his family.</p> <p>"Zane was kind, loving and caring to his little brothers and sisters until they got to around the age of five, then it turned into your typical sibling love-hate relationship," she said.</p> <p>"As a young boy he liked to head off on adventures and exploring with his dad.</p> <p>"His pop also told me that Zane had a fascination with hammering nails and cutting wood with a handsaw.</p> <p>"He was intrigued about building and Zane may have followed this path as he got older."</p> <p>Zane's mother, Georgie Mellor, gave a tearful tribute to her son, recalling his first breath and how he was always there for her as a young mum.</p> <p>"I was so young when I had you — only 15 — and now I know why," she said.</p> <p>Zane had twin passions — dinosaurs and gaming — which combined to form his online player name Jurassic Zane.</p> <p>Ms Mellor said her son "knew every dinosaur name" and "exactly what period they came from".</p> <p>He was said to have often corrected family members about the pronunciations.</p> <p>She said she spoiled her son rotten "and I have no regrets".</p> <p>"Everyone told me to get you off that PlayStation, but I let you play until your heart was content, until your eyes got sleepy and you fell asleep," she said.</p> <p>"I would come in, take your headset off, turn the PlayStation off and kiss your head goodnight.</p> <p>"The past year you have grown into a man that finally grew his wings.</p> <p>"I love you Zane, no matter what the weather, we're together. I love you Zane," she finished.</p> <p>At the end of the funeral Zane's casket was carried to the waiting hearse, and mourners, led by close family members, walked behind it as it left the funeral home.</p>

News

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What caused the deadly scenes at Astroworld

<p><em><strong>Warning: This story contains graphic content which may distress some readers. </strong></em></p> <p><strong>What is Astroworld?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Astroworld is an annual festival held by 30-year-old rapper Travis Scott in his native Houston, Texas.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The festival, named after his critically acclaimed album, has been running for three years after being founded in 2018 (there was no 2020 show due to the pandemic).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The festival sees young rap fans from all over the country come to enjoy their favourite artists, but the 2021 event was vastly different to the years prior. </span></p> <p><strong>What happened?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On the first night of the festival on Friday night in Houston, the festival began with over an estimated 50,000 people in attendance. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the course of the evening as Travis Scott took to the stage as the final performer of the night, the crowd began to be crushed by each other. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fans were squeezed in so tightly between other festival-goers and a series of barricades that they could not breathe or move their arms. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As fans started to jump around and dance to the music, people began to fall to the ground and become trapped under a sea of bodies. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fans became compressed towards the front of the stage, as people began to pass out from a lack of oxygen, as paramedics were unable to get to everyone who needed help due to the overwhelming capacity of the crowd.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Houston police have reported that at least 8 people have died in the mass casualty event, and hundreds more people were gravely injured. </span></p> <p><strong>How did this happen?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Throughout the beginning of the festival, people began posting photos and videos to social media of people storming the barricades and by-passing security to make it into the event. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fans recounted their time trying to make it into the venue, saying they noticed many people come into the event who didn’t have tickets or the required wristbands to the sold-out concert. </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">As we were arriving to the Astroworld Festival at NRG Park right at 2:00, a stampede burst through the gates. Hundreds of people destroyed the VIP security entrance, bypassing the checkpoint. People were trampled. Some were detained. <br /><br />(Excuse any language you may hear) <a href="https://t.co/d0m2rjqAAk">pic.twitter.com/d0m2rjqAAk</a></p> — Mycah Hatfield (@MycahABC13) <a href="https://twitter.com/MycahABC13/status/1456704812456845316?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Fans just broke through the fence to get into <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AstroWorld?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AstroWorld</a><a href="https://t.co/mpi70ZzTOs">pic.twitter.com/mpi70ZzTOs</a></p> — XXL Magazine (@XXL) <a href="https://twitter.com/XXL/status/1456724589560598537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As fans knocked down the barricades, many got stuck under the sea of people storming the venue. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many people believe that as people without tickets pushed their way into the show, the venue quickly rose to maximum capacity, and was filled with people at an unsafe number. </span></p> <p><strong>Why did the concert continue?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the majority of the injuries and deaths happened while Travis Scott, the main performer of the night, was on the stage, many in the crowd tried to start a chant of “Stop the show”.  </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Fans urged and pleaded with Travis Scott to stop the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ASTROFEST?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ASTROFEST</a> show amid the mass casualty event. He continues to sing. <a href="https://t.co/xsBdX2Ew3x">pic.twitter.com/xsBdX2Ew3x</a></p> — Drama For The Girls (@dramaforthegirl) <a href="https://twitter.com/dramaforthegirl/status/1456974764879269890?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Due to the overwhelming noise of the concert production, these cries went underheard by the performer and by concert officials. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Two concert-goers even climbed on a platform where a cameraman was filming the event, as they tried to get someone to notice what was happening. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The young woman, Seanna, posted her detailed recount of the event to her </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CV7NkBiLf3L/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Instagram</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, as another person captured her pleas to the cameraman, saying “Someone is dead in there”.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">“There is somebody dead.”<br /><br />“Stop the show. Stop the show. Stop the show.”<br /><br />And the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AstroWorld?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AstroWorld</a> show continued<a href="https://t.co/uHJKGiSosX">pic.twitter.com/uHJKGiSosX</a></p> — David Leavitt (@David_Leavitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/David_Leavitt/status/1457017187038908424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In her recount, Seanna said that as she desperately asked the cameraman to do something, the cameraman told her “he would push me off the 15ft platform if I didn’t get down” because “they were live-streaming the show”. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At one point throughout the show, Travis stops performing and says “Who asked me to stop?” before ignoring the cries of his audience and continuing the concert. </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">tw/// astroworld <br /><br />the screams for help oh my God <a href="https://t.co/W1RMyxbE2z">pic.twitter.com/W1RMyxbE2z</a></p> — ★Reena★ (@harujukoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/harujukoo/status/1457053492049285125?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><strong>Has anything like this happened before?</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yes. At the 2019 Astroworld festival, three people were </span><a href="https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-astroworld-2019-three-people-trampled-20211106-ulo2z6uderci5edpsqbz7s37e4-story.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">trampled and hospitalised</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> as fans rushed to the entrance of the music event. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Crowd crushings have long been deadly and led to casualties, as </span><a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/feature/rock-roll-tragedy-why-11-died-at-the-whos-cincinnati-concert-93437/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">11 people died in 1979</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> as fans scrambled to enter an Ohio venue for a concert by The Who. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At Sydney’s Olympic Stadium, </span><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/doublej/music-reads/features/how-the-big-day-out-lost-its-innocence/11606956"><span style="font-weight: 400;">teenager Jessica Michalik died</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> after being crushed in a mosh pit at the Big Day Out festival in 2001. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><strong>What now?</strong><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Houston officials are investigating the events that led to the devastating concert, as Travis Scott says he is “absolutely devastated” by what happened at Astroworld. </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/ijXKslw7E2">pic.twitter.com/ijXKslw7E2</a></p> — TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) <a href="https://twitter.com/trvisXX/status/1457018948109705217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 6, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the deaths of 8 people, the second day of Astroworld was cancelled and the investigation remains ongoing. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images / Twitter</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>

News

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Cuddly Kate and William share affectionate behind-the-scenes photos

<p dir="ltr">The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have shared a handful of rare behind-the-scenes photos from the Earthshot Awards that took place in London earlier this week, and they are stunning.</p> <p dir="ltr">The photos were taken by photographer Chris Jackson at the first annual Earthshot Awards on Sunday, and they show Prince William and Kate interacting with each other in a way the public rarely gets to see: naturally. One photo shows the couple laughing with each other, while another shows William with his head bent towards Kate, who has her hand on his back. A third photo shows William cloaked in shadow before taking to the stage to introduce the event.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Behind the scenes at the first ever <a href="https://twitter.com/EarthshotPrize?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EarthshotPrize</a> Awards<br /><br />📸 <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisJack_Getty?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChrisJack_Getty</a> for The Royal Foundation <a href="https://t.co/9ReGuKcgVH">pic.twitter.com/9ReGuKcgVH</a></p> — The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1450796943169499140?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Though the couple have been married for more than a decade, and have three children together, the public is rarely privy to such private moments between them.</p> <p dir="ltr">The couple drew attention as they appeared on the ‘green’ carpet at the Awards on Sunday, with William sporting a green velvet blazer and Kate an Alexander McQueen gown made from lilac chiffon. In keeping with the evening’s theme of environmentalism and dress code that requested guests not buy anything new to wear to the event, Kate’s gown was one she has worn previously; she was photographed in it for the first time in 2011.</p> <p dir="ltr">The evening saw five out of 15 finalists awarded with a $1.8 million prize for their work on creating new solutions to ongoing environmental challenges, including climate change, reducing waste, and protecting the environment. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are particularly passionate about environmentalism and combatting climate change, with William recently<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/an-absolute-disaster-prince-william-calls-out-billionaires-space-race" target="_blank">making headlines</a><span> </span>for criticising billionaires engaging in the new Space Race; in an interview with the BBC, William said, “We need some of the world’s greatest brains and minds fixed on trying to repair this planet, not trying to find the next place to go and live.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Chris Jackson</em></p>

Relationships

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Netflix forced to cut Squid Game scene for bizarre reason

<p>The popularity of Netflix's new show <em>Squid Game</em> is breaking international records, and is on track to become the most popular show of all the on the streaming service.</p> <p>The show is a violent and dystopian Korean drama that sees 456 destitute 'players' enter a game arena to win a hefty sum of prize money upon the completion of six children's games.</p> <p>In the first episode of the show however, Netflix have made a grave mistake that has had very interesting consequences.</p> <p>When the 'players' were approached to take part in the game, they were given a business card and told to call the number.</p> <p>The number was in fact a real person's phone number, and the owner has been inundated with phone calls from strangers since the show's release on September 17th.</p> <p>The real-life owner of the phone number told the Korean publication <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mt.co.kr" target="_blank">Money Today</a> that she has been receiving "endless" calls and texts, as well as offers to buy the phone number.</p> <p>“It has come to the point where people are reaching out day and night due to their curiosity. It drains my phone’s battery and it turns off,” the woman, who is from the Gyeonggi province of South Korea, said.</p> <p>“At first, I didn’t know why, then my friend told me that my number came out [in the series].”</p> <p>The woman, who is a small business owner and is unrelated to Netflix or the <em>Squid Game</em> production, has been assured by Netflix that measures will be taken to protect the woman's identity.</p> <p><span>“Together with the production company, we are working to resolve this matter, including editing scenes with phone numbers where necessary,” Netflix told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/squid-games-netflix-phone-number-b1931823.html" target="_blank">The </a></span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/squid-games-netflix-phone-number-b1931823.html" target="_blank">Independent</a>.</p> <p>Certain regions have had the scene altered to no longer feature the phone number.</p> <p>Netflix even offered to buy the woman's number for a measly $1,000AUD, which the woman rejected as the number has been tied up in her small business for almost twenty years.</p> <p>The production crew upped the compensation to almost $6,000AUD which was also rejected, before a new offer from an unlikely source was offered.</p> <p>Presidential candidate for South Korea Huh Kyung Young <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.koreaboo.com/news/squid-game-phone-number-controversy-presidential-candidate-buy-100-million/" target="_blank">offered the woman over $116,000</a> for the number, in a bid to win the position of high office.</p> <p>The issue the mystery phone number is not the first backlash Netflix's <em>Squid Game</em> has received.</p> <p>Due to its explosive popularity, a Korean internet service provider announced they were suing Netflix for clogging up the internet with traffic.</p> <p>Check out the trailer for <em>Squid Game</em> here. Viewer discretion is advised.</p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oqxAJKy0ii4" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><em>Image credits: Netflix</em></p>

TV

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First COVID cruise death since restart of cruising scene

<p>Carnival cruises has marked their first death since the cruise scene kicked back up, after a 77-year-old woman died from contracting COVID-19.</p> <p>The woman departed on the Carnival Vista with her family on July 31, to sail to Belize, and soon tested positive for the novel virus after experiencing respiratory complications.</p> <p>27 people tested positive over two weeks in late July and early August – the highest number of cases since cruises begun sailing again.</p> <p>The New York Times reported she was a great-grandmother from Oklahoma.</p> <p>The woman was admitted to a hospital in Belize and was put on a ventilator before being evacuated to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and undergoing treatment.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843412/g.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3be7c24f240b449da71e788aa5c08365" /></p> <p><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p> <p>The outbreak aboard the ship was discovered on the fourth day of an eight-day cruise.</p> <p>Twenty-six of those who tested positive were all crew members except for one passenger.</p> <p>The Texas Governor, Greg Abbott previously signed a law banning businesses from requiring proof of vaccination, however more than 96 per cent of passengers and all but one crew member on the Carnival Vista were fully vaccinated.</p> <p>Authorities are unsure if the woman who has since passed was fully vaccinated or not.</p> <p>“We are very sorry to hear about the death of a guest who sailed on Carnival Vista,” Carnival said in a statement.</p> <p>“Regrettably, there is a fair amount of disinformation about the circumstances of this matter.</p> <p>“The guest almost certainly did not contract COVID on our ship, and she was assisted with expert medical care on board and was ultimately evacuated from Belize after we provided a resource to her family. We have continued to provide support to her family and are not going to add to their sadness by commenting further.”</p> <p>Carnival has updated its vaccination policy that states a majority of guests will be required to be vaccinated.</p> <p>They must also present negative results of a COVID-19 test taken within three days before boarding a ship.</p> <p>Carnival has also states all passengers are required to wear a mask while indoors from August 7.</p> <p>“We have always required vaccinations. From our restart in July, 95+% guests have been vaccinated. We meet the definition of a vaccinated cruise,” a Carnival spokesperson said.</p> <p>“And we added the testing requirement on July 28. (August) 28 is when new guidelines for the Bahamas go into effect.”</p>

Cruising

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Nicole Kidman reveals Keith Urban’s thoughts on sex scenes: “He doesn’t know what’s going on”

<p><span>Sex scenes are a normal part of many Hollywood films, and it seems that even Keith Urban understands the importance of creating meaningful art.</span><br /><br /><span>His wife Nicole Kidman has had her fair share of racy scenes, but it’s not something her husband is worried about, she says.</span> </p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842992/nicole-kidman-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/834422e137ab4ed8be1be76fa1dc0996" /></p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em><br /><br /><span>While speaking with <em>E! News' Daily Pop</em>, the Australian starlet, 54, admitted her musician husband isn’t affected by the sex scenes she films on set.</span><br /><br /><span>"My husband is an artist, so he understands all of it, and he also does not get involved," she said.</span><br /><br /><span>"He sees the show at the very end when it's a show, all edited together, and he's fresh eyes.</span><br /><br /><span>“He doesn't read any script, he really doesn't know what's going on on the set, he's got his own career that he's completely absorbed in."</span><br /><br /><span>Kidman famously acted in some extremely explicit sex scenes on the set of <em>Big Little Lies</em> with her co-star Alexander Skarsgård back in 2017.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842993/nicole-kidman-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/fc8239e284b94cc9bd5238503ab510ba" /></p> <p><em>Kidman with her on-screen husband <span>Alexander Skarsgård, on Big Little Lies. Image: HBO</span></em><br /><br /><span>The 53-year-old even went as far to joke that Urban "doesn't know much about what I'm really doing".</span><br /><br /><span>It appears nothing can tear this loved-up couple apart, not even an intense working schedule.</span><br /><br /><span>Kidman says she and Urban make their relationship with each other and their two youngest daughters a main priority.</span><br /><br /><span>Together they share Sunday, 13, and Faith, 10.</span></p> <p><span><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842996/nicole-kidman-5.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c7aeac702555481f9bb04f7538c20c01" /></span></p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p> <p><span>"We have a system worked out to keep the family together," Kidman told WSJ. Magazine in 2020.</span><br /><br /><span>"When Keith's not touring, it's much easier. He'll be on tour next year, and then I just don't work as much.</span><br /><br /><span>“Literally — it will become imbalanced, and we will change it.</span><br /><br /><span>"We don't have the answers, but the one thing we do know is that we will not jeopardise us."</span></p>

TV

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Renée Zellweger has a new man on the scene

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Renée Zellweger has a new man on the scene and it’s none other than reality star Ant Anstead.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The two-time Oscar winner, 52, reportedly hit it off with Anstead on the set of his upcoming Discovery+ series <em>Celebrity IOU Joyride</em>, a spin-off of <em>Celebrity IOU. </em></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Zellweger had the chance to appear in an episode earlier this month, and People have just confirmed the pair are official. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The actress and reality star’s romance didn’t spark off until Zellweger returned to the set to drop off work boots for Anstead. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The announcement of the couple follows just days after </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Anstead finalised his divorce from ex Christina Haack, 37. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842036/zellwegger-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a94ddbb2551c42cd8d1cb6d16a44af70" /></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: Getty</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Together they share son Hudson, 21 months. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Ant and I have made the difficult decision to separate. We are grateful for each other and as always, our children will remain our priority," Haack wrote in September 2020. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"We appreciate your support and ask for privacy for us and our family as we navigate the future."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An official divorce was filed in November 2020.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Zellweger has had the bug of love a few times as well, as she was previously married to Kenny Chesney in 2005, and was in a relationship with Jim Carrey from 1999 to 2000. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The beloved star has also been linked to stars Jack White and Bradley Cooper.</span></p>

Movies