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Woman “bullied” on plane over budget seating trick

<p dir="ltr">A young woman has recalled a flight from hell when she was “bullied” by a couple who were trying to utilise a seating hack that went viral on TikTok. </p> <p dir="ltr">The solo traveller took to Reddit to recount the story and ask social media users if she was in the wrong for her action. </p> <p dir="ltr">The woman began by saying she usually pays more to select her plane seat ahead of time, but a medical emergency on another plane had her waiting on standby and left with no option other than to sit in a middle seat.</p> <p dir="ltr">When she was finally able to board, she was greeted by a couple who had purchased both the window and aisle seats in a bid to have more space, utilising a travel “trick” that has been popular on TikTok.</p> <p dir="ltr">The method, which has been dubbed the 'poor man's business class', usually leaves travellers with an empty middle seat and more space, and few travellers opt to pick a middle seat. </p> <p dir="ltr">“When I got to my row the man and woman were chatting and sharing a snack... it was obvious they were together. I mentioned to the man that I'm in the middle, and he got up to let me in,” the unsuspecting traveller wrote on Reddit.  </p> <p dir="ltr">“I asked them if they would prefer to sit together, I said I was totally okay with that. The woman reacted rudely to this and said ‘you're not supposed to be sitting here anyway’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After noticing how the plane was full, she offered to show the pair her new ticket with the correct seat number on it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She flicked her hand at my ticket and made a disgusted sound. I offered again if they wanted to sit together to which she didn't reply, her partner said it's okay and... made some small talk,” she continued. </p> <p dir="ltr">The man’s girlfriend then interrupted their conversation to ask,”'Did you use one of those third party websites to book your flight? It's so frustrating when people cheap out to inconvenience others.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The American woman explained that she had booked her flight directly and she had been placed on standby like everyone else and didn't choose the middle seat - she was assigned it.</p> <p dir="ltr">She then tried to keep the peace by refusing to engage with the furious woman.  </p> <p dir="ltr">“I was so done with her attitude, I put my headphones on and attempted to do my own thing,” she explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">But the “entitled” girlfriend wasn't letting it go, as the woman explained, “This woman kept reaching over me and tapping her partner and trying to talk to him in a way that was super intrusive.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I could tell even her partner was trying to engage her less so that she would hopefully stop, but she didn't.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I think they tried to pull that tactic where they don't sit together on purpose...hoping no one will sit between them. But on full flights it doesn't work. And even so - it's not the other person's fault.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The traveller's post was met with hundreds of comments slamming the girlfriend’s behaviour, as one person wrote, “It's like a toddler having a tantrum.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“She was disappointed and a total a**hole. Gross entitled people,” another added. </p> <p dir="ltr">Another person applauded the traveller’s level-headed behaviour, writing, “Wow! You are my hero for keeping it classy - I’m afraid I would not have been as kind as you.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"WOW!": Priscilla Presley's first impressions of new Elvis movie

<p dir="ltr">Priscilla Presley, the late King of Rock and Roll’s former wife, has sung the praises of Baz Luhrman’s latest biopic about her ex-husband, after revealing she was invited to see it by the director himself, per <a href="https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/priscilla-presley-praises-elvis-biopic-austin-butler/f35c6bee-9538-4f8f-b286-4222cd1e9509" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Honey</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 76-year-old took to Facebook to praise Luhrman’s <em>Elvis</em>, which is due to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in mid-May before its theatrical release on June 23, after she was invited to the screening along with Jerry Schilling, a longtime friend of Elvis.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1b135aeb-7fff-7397-a2ea-63d6d297f955"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“For those curious about the new film <em>ELVIS</em>, Baz Luhrmann, the director, provided a private screening for me and Jerry Schilling at Warner studios recently,” she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/05/priscilla13.png" alt="" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Priscilla Presley (Facebook)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">“This story is about Elvis and Colonel Parker’s relationship. It is a true story told brilliantly and creatively that only Baz, in his unique, artistic way, could have delivered.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Priscilla praised Austin Butler, who starred as the <em>Jailhouse Rock</em> singer, for his “outstanding” portrayal.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Halfway through the film Jerry and I looked at each other and said WOW!!!,” she added. “Bravo to him… he knew he had big shoes to fill. He was extremely nervous playing the part. I can only imagine.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>Naked Gun</em> star also had plenty of praise for Tom Hanks, who played Elvis’ manager Colonel Tom Parker.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What a character he was,” Priscilla reflected. “There was two sides to Colonel, Jerry and I witnessed both. The story, as we all know, does not have a happy ending. But I think you will understand a little bit more of Elvis’ journey, penned by a director who put his heart and soul and many hours into this film.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Footage from <em>Elvis </em>was also shown at CinemaCon, with Butler appearing and telling the crowd about his approach to playing the famed musician.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The main thing I set out to find was his humanity,” the 30-year-old told the crowd. “He’s one of those individuals that has been lifted up to such an iconic status that he’s almost superhuman.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-8068e39a-7fff-8feb-ab92-93656921c8c4"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images / Warner Bros (YouTube)</em></p>

Movies

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“Good for the soul!”: Sir Rod Stewart wows fans with good deed

<p dir="ltr">Sir Rod Stewart has <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/sir-rod-stewart-shows-off-road-work-skills-after-his-ferrari-couldnt-get-through/YMW3CFMIXAFZWTBWLHW37O7HCQ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shared</a> his newest skill to the delight of his many fans - and it involves a spade and plenty of high-vis gear.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 77-year-old singer took to Instagram over the weekend, sharing clips of him working to fill gaping potholes near his home that he says “no one can be bothered” to fix.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Working for a living, filling holes is good for the soul! 🕳😇” he captioned the post.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-380188ae-7fff-6f56-1580-780a7122c69d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">He recruited a team of friends to help him repair the road near his house in Harlow, Essex, and described in the clip how the potholes had caused several incidents and even stopped his Ferrari from getting through.</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/Ca-eLDONvT1/?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/Ca-eLDONvT1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sir Rod Stewart (@sirrodstewart)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“This is the state of the roads near where I live in Harlow, and it’s been like this for ages,” he says in another clip, while his friends can be heard shovelling in the background.</p> <p dir="ltr">“People are smashing their cars up. The other day there was an ambulance with a burst tyre. “My Ferrari can’t get through here at all so me and the boys thought we’d come do it ourselves.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Stewart also took the opportunity to criticise the government spending “millions and millions of pounds” on the M11 highway rather than fixing local roads.</p> <p dir="ltr">His good deeds received a flood of support from fans and friends, as well as from his daughter Ruby - who commented with a love heart - and Kimberly - who posted several applauding emojis.</p> <p dir="ltr">“👏Bravo Rod! 🕳👏,” Faces bandmate Ronnie Wood commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And not a hair out of place,” one fan added.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Legend Rod! That road is a nightmare!!! Appreciate it,” a fellow road user wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Well said. I live in Harlow and the roads are getting a joke with the amount of holes,” another said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And I thought my town was bad at filling potholes! Good for you!” a fourth shared.</p> <p dir="ltr">Some joked that Stewart was coming full circle by filling in holes after doing a short stint of work measuring grave plots at Highgate Cemetery when he was younger.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-38ea8385-7fff-8aca-2449-90fd85a2d506"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Takes you back to your graveyard days I’m sure,” one person commented, referencing the <a href="https://www.neatorama.com/origin/2012/10/21/Rod-Stewart-Was-Never-a-Gravedigger/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">popular myth</a> that he was a gravedigger.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/rod-dig.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Sir Rod Stewart took matters into his own hands to fix the dangerous potholes near his Essex home. Images: @sirrodstewart (Instagram)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Others shared their concern for the rocker’s health ahead of his North American tour in the US and Canada later this year.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Don’t hurt yourself I got tickets to see you in June,” one concerned fan said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Good for you, take it easy, don’t want a sprained muscle before touring!!” another commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">Stewart made the difficult decision in January to cancel his tours in Australia and New Zealand due to ongoing cases of COVID-19.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My dear friends, once again I feel we’ve all been cheated by this evil disease, so it is with great regret that I announce my shows for 2022 have had to be cancelled,” he said <a href="https://www.livenation.com.au/show/1300298/rod-stewart/melbourne/2022-03-16/en?irgwc=1&amp;clickid=Wu0TYCWS6xyITgVTtF0KkW%3ALUkGTi5yJtyxm3Q0&amp;camefrom=CFC_BUYAT_253533&amp;impradid=253533&amp;REFERRAL_ID=tmfeedbuyat253533&amp;wt.mc_id=aff_BUYAT_253533&amp;utm_source=253533-Zumic%20Entertainment&amp;impradname=Zumic%20Entertainment&amp;utm_medium=affiliate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in a statement</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m absolutely gutted with disappointment and when I do eventually get there we’ll have the party to end all parties. Guaranteed!”</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><em>Image: @sirrodstewart (Instagram)</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"Absolutely outrageous": Kyrgios wows in opening game

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nick Kyrgios has wowed fans in his opening game at the Australian Open, beating British player Liam Broady in every set.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Aussie star entertained the thousands of spectators in Melbourne Park’s John Cain Arena on Tuesday night, ending the match with a score of 6-4 6-4 6-3.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After securing the first set, Kyrgios delivered his customary trick shot - a sneaky underarm serve - with an added layer of difficulty as he served through his legs.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Aussie’s “absolutely outrageous” serve came shortly after he delivered a 220 km/h hit straight at Broady, with the Brit doing his best to get out of the way.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His moves were quickly praised online, with UK publication </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Metro</span></em> <a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/Metro_Sport/status/1483361201484709890" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">tweeting</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">: “Just an underarm tweener serve from Nick Kyrgios… absolutely outrageous 😲😲.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sports reporter Matt Turner </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/mattturner1986/status/1483358234815516673" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">wrote</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">: “New year, same Nick. Underhanded serve through the legs in opening service game. Wow.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Spinning serve through his legs. 1st service game of tournament. Unreal skill and great entertainment.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">British tennis writer Mike Dickson described the match as Kyrgios going “full Harlem Globetrotter on Liam Broady”, while UK-based sports journalist Michael Hincks </span><a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelHincks/status/1483358341984305152"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the tennis star was “ever the entertainer”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As the match wore on, a behind-the-back serve flopped and supporters constantly egged Kyrgios on for more underarms, but the champ said in the second set that he would keep it to “one a set”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Broady couldn’t be faulted for his technique, he couldn’t keep up with Kyrgios’ power.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CY4tglQAl2k/?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> <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/CY4tglQAl2k/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Liam Broady (@liambroady)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Taking to Instagram after his loss, Broady shared a series of photos from his time in the competition, writing: “Not the result I wanted, but the last few weeks have been unreal. ✌ Australia”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kyrgios also took to social media following the match, sharing a clip of his highly-praised serve, a selfie taken with several hyped fans and action shots from the match.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846916/kyrgios1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e21c1b897342462cbd1d499353c66906" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nick Kyrgios played up the crowd during his first match at the Australian Open, entertaining fans with his trick shots and powerful serves. Image: @k1ngkyrg1os (Instagram)</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Get a mind of your own and become what you wanna be… This is all the support I need </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">🤞🏽💕,” he captioned one series of photos and clips.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE SHOW 🔒⚡️👑.”</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CY4YklmINbp/?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> <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/reel/CY4YklmINbp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by THE COACH (@patrickmouratoglou)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His winning match also comes as the first he’s played this year, after the Canberra player withdrew from the Melbourne Summer Set and was forced </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/kyrgios-solemn-vow-despite-positive-covid-test" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">to pull out of the Sydney Tennis Classic</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> at the last minute due to his diagnosis with COVID-19.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The excitement follows a quiet 2021 which saw Kyrgios play just eight tournaments. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But his lack of playtime last year definitely didn’t translate to his first 2022 match.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I served f***ing well today,” he </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis/australian-open/never-seen-before-nick-kyrgios-stuns-tennis-with-outrageous-act/news-story/a7870ba6bc0dae9b56ce774524be7154" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">told</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Jim Courier in his on-court interview. “I don’t know what I’ve done to this crowd because you guys are a zoo now.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m just happy to be here again. Obviously we’ve all had a tough couple of years so just to be back at the Australian Open again - I’m just happy to be back here in front of you guys. Honestly, it’s so much fun.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following his Tuesday win, Kyrgios is due to pair with Thanasi Kokkinakis against Alex Bolt and James McCabe in Round 1 of the Men’s Doubles on Wednesday afternoon.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">@k1ngkyrg1os (Instagram)</span></em></p>

TV

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"WOW!" Beach handball team responds to Pink's amazing offer

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Popstar Pink has offered to pay the fines issued to the Norwegian beach handball team for wearing shorts instead of bikini bottoms during a match.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After the match between Norway and Spain last weekend, the European Handball Federal (EHF) handed the Norwegians’ a $240 fine per player for “improper clothing”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The organisation said the shorts violated the athlete uniform regulations.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The fines, totalling $2410, caused widespread backlash with athletes and celebrities taking to social media to criticise the decision, including Pink.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The popstar even said she was “happy to pay” the fines for the team, and praised them for protesting the “very sexist” uniform rules.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">I’m VERY proud of the Norwegian female beach handball team FOR PROTESTING THE VERY SEXIST RULES ABOUT THEIR “uniform”. The European handball federation SHOULD BE FINED FOR SEXISM. Good on ya, ladies. I’ll be happy to pay your fines for you. Keep it up.</p> — P!nk (@Pink) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pink/status/1419127641068630016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In response, the team shared the tweet on their Instagram Stories and thanked Pink for her support.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“WOW! Thank you so much for the support,” the team wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The ruling also drew criticism from Norway officials, who argue that the womens’ uniform requirements were not practical.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“In 2021, it shouldn’t even be an issue,” Norwegian Volleyball Federation president Eirik Sordahl told national news agency NTB.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While beach volleyball players have not been required to wear bikinis since 2012, rules from the International Handball Federation (IHF) state that “female athletes must wear bikini bottoms” which have a “close fit”, be “cut on an upward angle towards the top of the leg”, and a side depth of 10 centimetres or less.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Male players, on the other hand, are allowed to wear shorts.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Here are the rules for the men’s vs. women’s uniforms. Ridiculously <a href="https://t.co/8wDXG22sTd">pic.twitter.com/8wDXG22sTd</a></p> — KT SLP (@MrsThornSLP) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrsThornSLP/status/1419246549763244040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Norway asked the EHF for permission to play in shorts ahead of the tournament, but were told that rule violations would be punishable by fines.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The team complied until their last match.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The EHF is committed to bring this topic forward in the interest of its member federations, however it must also be said that a change of the rules can only happen at IHF level,” EHF spokesperson Andrew Barringer said in an email.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Clothing has been an issue in beach sports for a long time, with some women players finding bikinis degrading or difficult to play in.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Norwegian Handball Association (NHF) had been pushing for changes to the uniform regulations and planned to protest with the thigh-length tights the team wore.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Norway’s team captain told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that the team felt forced to wear bikini bottoms.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So then we are forced to play with panties. It is so embarrassing,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“First we were told about a fine of 50 euros ($AUD 80) per person per match, something that would have landed us a fine of about 4,850 euros ($AUD 7760). We accepted that. However, just before the match we were told that we will be disqualified if we play like that. So we had to go with bikini bottoms.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Instagram</span></em></p>

Money & Banking

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Duchess Kate wows in white and gold frock at BAFTAS

<p>Duchess Kate has wowed in a recycled white and gold Alexander McQueen gown with eye-catching shoes as she and Prince William attended the BAFTA award ceremony as guests of honour.</p> <p>All of the attendees were urged to “dress sustainable” and rewear vintage or older pieces, which is advice the Duchess of Cambridge took on board. She first wore the gorgeous dress for a state dinner during a visit to Malaysia in 2012. </p> <p>The royal couple attended the awards ceremony for the fourth year in a row, as the Duke of Cambridge was presenting an award.</p> <p>Prince William presented the Fellowship award to Star Wars producer Kathleen Kennedy at the event and also reflected his time as BAFTA president, joking that he doesn’t know if he should be “proud or slightly alarmed” that how many winners over the last decade have “portrayed members of my own family”. </p> <p>Prince William has been president of BAFTA for the last ten years.</p> <p>He also touched on the “frustration” felt by many due to the lack of diversity at the BAFTAS.</p> <p>William said: “Both here in the UK and in many other countries across the world we are lucky to have incredible film-makers, actors, producers, directors and technicians - men and women from all backgrounds and ethnicities enriching our lives through film.</p> <p>“Yet in 2020, and not for the first time in the last few years, we find ourselves talking again about the need to do more to ensure diversity in the sector and in the awards process - that simply cannot be right in this day and age.”</p> <p>He continued: “I know that both Pippa (Harris), chair of Bafta and Amanda (Berry), Bafta CEO, share that frustration and continue to work tirelessly to ensure that creative talent is discovered and supported.</p> <p>“Bafta take this issue seriously, and following this year's nominations, have launched a full and thorough review of the entire awards process to build on their existing work and ensure that opportunities are available to everyone.”</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery to see the stunning pictures of the dynamic duo on the night.</p>

Movies

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Helen Mirren wows in figure-hugging red gown

<p>Helen Mirren has stepped out in a stunning figure-hugging red gown to promote her new horror movie <em>Winchester</em>.</p> <p>The 72-year-old looked typically glamorous in a floor-sweeping red frock with sequined sleeves that showed off her curves. She finished the look with statement earrings and perfectly coiffed hair.</p> <p><img width="375" height="563" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/14/11/492F053500000578-5389865-All_eyes_on_Helen_The_stunning_star_showcased_her_effortless_ele-a-5_1518608470340.jpg" alt="All eyes on Helen: The stunning star showcased her effortless elegance as she arrived  in a gothic-inspired bus to the screening" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-45201de0638c3e"/></p> <p><img width="368" height="553" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/14/11/492F074D00000578-5389865-Capping_it_off_Her_look_was_completed_with_red_peep_toe_heels_an-a-7_1518608470398.jpg" alt="Capping it off: Her look was completed with red peep toe heels and a box clutch" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-b9ddd0561ac80760"/></p> <p> </p> <p>Promoting the thriller in Italy, Mirren, who plays an eccentric heiress haunted by lost souls, got right into character posing for photos holding a dagger.</p> <p><img width="363" height="546" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/14/09/492F678D00000578-0-image-a-30_1518598912464.jpg" alt="Menacing: Helen Mirren was pictured playing up to her new menacing role in Winchester on Tuesday, as a party was held to celebrate the film in Rome, Italy " class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-92ceb181b261fc94"/></p> <p> The film Winchester will be out in cinemas next week. </p>

Beauty & Style

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Princess Mary wows in two stunning fashion looks in one day

<p>Princess Mary rarely puts a foot wrong when it comes to fashion, but her two latest looks are particularly gorgeous.</p> <p>Arriving at Copenhagen’s Christiansborg Palace for the 500th Reformation Anniversary Ceremony, the Tasmanian-born royal looked elegant as always in a chic black-and-white ensemble, complete with two-toned shoes, a black hat, black leather gloves and a matching clutch.</p> <p><img width="600" height="902" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/45212/45df73a500000578-5037323-princess_mary_pictured_wowed_onlookers_with_her_chic_and_put_tog-a-38_1509494505870_600x902.jpg" alt="45DF73A500000578-5037323-Princess _Mary _pictured _wowed _onlookers _with _her _chic _and _put _tog -a -38_1509494505870" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>But the Danish mother-of-four had another beautiful outfit in store, changing into a dazzling, figure-hugging navy dress for the night’s celebrations, which perfectly matched Prince Frederik’s dapper suit.</p> <p><img width="600" height="898" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/45213/45e1a4cf00000578-5037323-the_always_stylish_couple_princess_mary_and_prince_frederik_wore-a-17_1509515881485_600x898.jpg" alt="45E1A4CF00000578-5037323-The _always _stylish _couple _Princess _Mary _and _Prince _Frederik _wore -a -17_1509515881485" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Absolutely stunning. Tell us in the comments below, which of these looks is your favourite?</p>

Beauty & Style

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Michelle Obama wows in daring dress

<p>Michelle Obama wowed in a daring strapless white gown at Tuesday’s White House state dinner.</p> <p>The First Lady wore an all-white, floor-length ensemble at the black-tie event, held for Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his wife Ho Ching. It marked the 50th anniversary of bilateral relations between the US and Singapore.</p> <p> <img width="506" height="373" src="http://cdn-img.essence.com/sites/default/files/styles/400x295/public/image/2016/08/main/gettyimages-585265414.jpg?itok=v9Osr1Tc" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p> <img width="544" height="401" src="http://cdn-img.essence.com/sites/default/files/styles/400x295/public/image/2016/08/main/gettyimages-585265674.jpg?itok=-OCuac_5" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>In her time beside husband President Obama, the First Lady has brought style back into the White House with her daring fashion choices.</p> <p>What do you think of Michelle Obama’s dress? Share your thoughts below. </p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/06/15-stylish-seniors/"><em>15 stylish seniors you will love</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/06/15-most-unconventional-celebrity-wedding-dresses/"><em>15 most unconventional celebrity wedding dresses</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/06/secrets-to-packing-for-an-overnight-trip/"><em>Secrets to packing for an overnight trip</em></a></strong></span></p>

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