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Two iconic locations officially given dual Indigenous titles

<p>In a significant move to recognise and honour the rich cultural heritage of the Indigenous peoples of Australia, two iconic locations in northern NSW will now be officially known by their Indigenous names. This decision comes after impassioned calls from the community to acknowledge the profound significance these sites hold in Indigenous culture and history.</p> <p>Walgan, translating to "shoulder" in the Bundjalung language, has been designated as the dual name for Cape Byron, marking it as the Australian mainland's most easterly point. Cape Byron, situated in the picturesque town of Byron Bay, has long been a hotspot for tourists seeking stunning coastal views. However, beyond its natural beauty, this area holds deep cultural significance for the Arakwal and other Bundjalung people. It has served as a sacred site for important gatherings and traditional ceremonial practices, anchoring it firmly in the cultural tapestry of the region.</p> <p>Similarly, Nguthungulli, referred to as the "Father of the World", will now share its name with Julian Rocks, a renowned diving destination located 2.5km off Cape Byron. This underwater marvel, steeped in Aboriginal lore and legend, is intricately tied to the dreaming stories of the Arakwal and other Bundjalung communities.</p> <p>By bestowing these dual names, authorities aim to not only pay homage to the Indigenous heritage of the land but also to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of its significance among all Australians.</p> <p>The decision to officially recognise these dual names was approved by the NSW Geographical Names Board, following a submission from the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Additionally, in a nod to preserving local Indigenous language and culture, a reserve in the suburb of Bangalow will be formally named Piccabeen Park. The term "Piccabeen" originates from the Bundjalung language, referring to the bangalow palm and the traditional baskets crafted from its fronds.</p> <p>Jihad Dib, the Customer Service Minister, emphasised the NSW government's commitment to safeguarding and promoting Indigenous language and culture through place naming. "All Australians share a relationship to the land and the names we give to places convey their significance, sense of history and identity," he said "Dual-naming acknowledges the significance of Aboriginal culture and represents a meaningful step towards the process of unity in NSW."</p> <p>Echoing these sentiments, David Harris, the Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty Minister, underscored the enduring connections that the Arakwal and other Bundjalung peoples have maintained with these sites since time immemorial. "It is only right to honour that history and that connection through names that bring story and language to life for all Australians to enjoy," he said.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Tragic confirmation of Julian Sands' death

<p>Missing British actor Julia Sands has been confirmed dead at age 65.</p> <p>Californian hikers <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/human-remains-found-in-search-for-missing-actor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">discovered human remains</a> in the surrounding area where the actor was said to have vanished, and the remains have now been identified as Sands, according to authorities.</p> <p>"The identification process for the body located on Mt. Baldy on June 24, 2023, has been completed and was positively identified as 65-year-old Julian Sands of North Hollywood," the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department said in a statement.</p> <p>"The manner of death is still under investigation, pending further test results," it continued.</p> <p>"We would like to extend our gratitude to all the volunteers that worked tirelessly to locate Mr. Sands.”</p> <p>Sands’ tragic death comes days after a search and rescue was resumed by the San Bernardino Sherrif’s Office, which had been leading the searches for the missing actor over the past six months.</p> <p>The local region experienced wild and uncharacteristic weather which led to a more difficult search.</p> <p>Sands was first reported missing in January after setting out to hike the notoriously dangerous Mount Baldy, which rises more than 10,000 feet (approx. 3048 metres) east of Los Angeles and has been hit with severe storms during their winter season.</p> <p>"We continue to hold Julian in our hearts with bright memories of him as a wonderful father, husband, explorer, lover of the natural world and the arts, and as an original and collaborative performer," the statement said.</p> <p>Sands’ family released a statement at the time of his disappearance, saying, "Our heartfelt thanks to the compassionate members of the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department who are coordinating the search for our beloved Julian, not least the heroic search teams listed below who are braving difficult conditions on the ground and in the air to bring Julian home,”</p> <p>Sands’ son Henry also released a statement in April to praise the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department for their continued efforts in rescuing his father.</p> <p>"I am hugely appreciative for all the efforts made so far from the volunteer search and rescue climbers and the San Bernardino county sheriff team to bring my father home," Henry Sands told <em>The Times</em>.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

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Human remains found in search for missing actor

<p>Californian hikers have discovered human remains in the wilderness area where actor Julian Sands disappeared more than five months ago, according to authorities.</p> <p>Officials have not yet identified the victim.</p> <p>The remains were transported to the coroner’s office for confirmation, which is expected to be completed next week, <em>The New York Post</em> reported.</p> <p>Sands was reported missing on January 13 after he failed to return from a hiking trip in Mount Baldy, located about 72 kilometres east of Los Angeles.</p> <p>The search – consisting of 80 volunteers and officials – resumed on June 12 after a temporary suspension.</p> <p>Police have conducted eight ground and air searches since the actor's disappearance on the mountain.</p> <p>“Despite the recent warmer weather, portions of the mountain remain inaccessible due to extreme alpine conditions. Multiple areas include steep terrain and ravines, which still have 10-plus feet [about 16 metres] of ice and snow,” San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office said.</p> <p>Sands’ family spoke publicly for the first time since he vanished, releasing a statement on June 23 to express their gratitude for the ongoing search and rescue efforts.</p> <p>“We are deeply grateful to the search teams and co-ordinators who have worked tirelessly to find Julian,” the family said.</p> <p>“We continue to hold Julian in our hearts, with bright memories of him as a wonderful father, husband, explorer, lover of the natural world and the arts, and as an original and collaborative performer.”</p> <p>Sands is known for starring in films such as Arachnophobia, A Room with a View, Warlock and Leaving Las Vegas.</p> <p>Mt. Baldy is renowned for being one of the most dangerous peaks to climb in California.</p> <p>According to the<em> Los Angeles Times</em>, six people have died with crews conducting over 100 searches as daredevils and avid hikers alike are drawn to the daunting challenge of the more-than-16,000 metre climb.</p> <p>In January, officials found hiker Jin Chung, 75, who had become lost on Mount Baldy and was hospitalised with a leg injury and other weather-related injuries.</p> <p>Before Chung’s brief disappearance, a mother of four fell more than 500 to 700 feet to her death.</p> <p>Crystal Paula Gonzalez, renowned as a “hiking queen”, slipped on the steep icy hillside and later died from her injuries, officials reported.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Facebook / Getty</em></p>

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A new book argues Julian Assange is being tortured. Will our new PM do anything about it?

<p>It is easy to forget why Julian Assange has been on trial in England for, well, seemingly forever.</p> <p>Didn’t he allegedly sexually assault two women in Sweden? Isn’t that why he holed up for years in the Ecuadorian embassy in London to avoid facing charges? When the bobbies finally dragged him out of the embassy, didn’t his dishevelled appearance confirm all those stories about his lousy personal hygiene?</p> <p>Didn’t he persuade Chelsea (formerly Bradley) Manning to hack into the United States military’s computers to reveal national security matters that endangered the lives of American soldiers and intelligence agents? He says he is a journalist, but hasn’t the New York Times made it clear he is just a “source” and not a publisher entitled to first amendment protection?</p> <p>If you answered yes to any or all of these questions, you are not alone. But the answers are actually no. At very least, it’s more complicated than that.</p> <p>To take one example, the reason Assange was dishevelled was that staff in the Ecuadorian embassy had confiscated his shaving gear three months before to ensure his appearance matched his stereotype when the arrest took place.</p> <p>That is one of the findings of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture, Nils Melzer, whose investigation of the case against Assange has been laid out in forensic detail in <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/au/trial-of-julian-assange-9781839766220/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Trial of Julian Assange</a>.</p> <p>What is the UN’s Special Rapporteur on Torture doing investigating the Assange case, you might ask? So did Melzer when Assange’s lawyers first approached him in 2018:</p> <blockquote> <p>I had more important things to do: I had to take care of “real” torture victims!</p> </blockquote> <p>Melzer returned to a report he was writing about overcoming prejudice and self-deception when dealing with official corruption. “Not until a few months later,” he writes, “would I realise the striking irony of this situation.”</p> <p>The 47 members of the UN Human Rights Council directly appoint <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-torture" target="_blank" rel="noopener">special rapporteurs on torture</a>. The position is unpaid – Melzer earns his living as a professor of international law – but they have diplomatic immunity and operate largely outside the UN’s hierarchies.</p> <p>Among the many pleas for his attention, Melzer’s small office chooses between 100 and 200 each year to officially investigate. His conclusions and recommendations are not binding on states. He bleakly notes that in barely 10% of cases does he receive full co-operation from states and an adequate resolution.</p> <p>He received nothing like full co-operation in investigating Assange’s case. He gathered around 10,000 pages of procedural files, but a lot of them came from leaks to journalists or from freedom-of-information requests. Many pages had been redacted. Rephrasing <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carl-von-Clausewitz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Carl Von Clausewitz</a>’s maxim, Melzer wrote his book as “the continuation of diplomacy by other means”.</p> <p>What he finds is stark and disturbing:</p> <blockquote> <p>The Assange case is the story of a man who is being persecuted and abused for exposing the dirty secrets of the powerful, including war crimes, torture and corruption. It is a story of deliberate judicial arbitrariness in Western democracies that are otherwise keen to present themselves as exemplary in the area of human rights.</p> <p>It is the story of wilful collusion by intelligence services behind the back of national parliaments and the general public. It is a story of manipulated and manipulative reporting in the mainstream media for the purpose of deliberately isolating, demonizing, and destroying a particular individual. It is the story of a man who has been scapegoated by all of us for our own societal failures to address government corruption and state-sanctioned crimes.</p> <h2>Collateral murder</h2> <p>The dirty secrets of the powerful are difficult to face, which is why we – and I don’t exclude myself – swallow neatly packaged slurs and diversions of the kind listed at the beginning of this article.</p> <p>Melzer rightly takes us back to April 2010, four years after the Australian-born Assange had founded WikiLeaks, a small organisation set up to publish official documents that it had received, encrypted so as to protect whistle-blowers from official retribution. Assange released video footage showing in horrifying detail how US soldiers in a helicopter had shot and killed Iraqi civilians and two Reuters journalists in 2007.</p> <p>Apart from how the soldiers spoke – “Hahaha, I hit them”, “Nice”, “Good shot” – it looks like most of the victims were civilians and that the journalists’ cameras were mistaken for rifles. When one of the wounded men tried to crawl to safety, the helicopter crew, instead of allowing their comrades on the ground to take him prisoner, as required by the rules of war, seek permission to shoot him again.</p> <p>As Melzer’s detailed description makes clear, the soldiers knew what they were doing:</p> <blockquote> <p>“Come on, buddy,” the gunner comments, aiming the crosshairs at his helpless target. “All you gotta do is pick up a weapon.”</p> </blockquote> <p>The soldiers’ request for authorisation to shoot is given. When the wounded man is carried to a nearby minibus, it is shot to pieces with the helicopter’s 30mm gun. The driver and two other rescuers are killed instantly. The driver’s two young children inside are seriously wounded.</p> <p>US army command investigated the matter, concluding that the soldiers acted in accordance with the rules of war, even though they had not. Equally to the point, writes Melzer, the public would never have known a war crime had been committed without the release of what Assange called the “Collateral Murder” video.</p> <p>The video footage was just one of hundreds of thousands of documents that WikiLeaks released last year in tranches known as the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jul/25/afghanistan-war-logs-military-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Afghan war logs</a>, the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/oct/22/iraq-war-logs-military-leaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iraq war logs</a>, and <a href="https://theweek.com/articles/488953/wikileaks-cablegate-dump-10-biggest-revelations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cablegate</a>. They revealed numerous alleged war crimes and provided the raw material for a shadow history of the disastrous wars waged by the US and its allies, including Australia, in Aghanistan and Iraq.</p> <h2>Punished forever</h2> <p>Melzer retraces what has happened to Assange since then, from the accusations of sexual assault in Sweden to Assange taking refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London in an attempt to avoid the possibility of extradition to the US if he returned to Sweden. His refuge led to him being jailed in the United Kingdom for breaching his bail conditions.</p> <p>Sweden eventually dropped the sexual assault charges, but the US government ramped up its request to extradite Assange. He faces charges under the 1917 Espionage Act, which, if successful, could lead to a jail term of 175 years.</p> <p>Two key points become increasingly clear as Melzer methodically works through the events.</p> <p>The first is that there has been a carefully orchestrated plan by four countries – the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden and, yes, Australia – to ensure Assange is punished forever for revealing state secrets.</p> <p>The second is that the conditions he has been subjected to, and will continue to be subjected to if the US’s extradition request is granted, have amounted to torture.</p> <p>On the first point, how else are we to interpret the continual twists and turns over nearly a decade in the official positions taken by Sweden and the UK? Contrary to the obfuscating language of official communiques, all of these have closed down Assange’s options and denied him due process.</p> <p>Melzer documents the thinness of the Swedish authorities’ case for charging Assange with sexual assault. That did not prevent them from keeping it open for many years. Nor was Assange as unco-operative with police as has been suggested. Swedish police kept changing their minds about where and whether to formally interview Assange because they knew the evidence was weak.</p> <p>Melzer also takes pains to show how Swedish police also overrode the interests of the two women who had made the complaints against Assange.</p> <p>It is distressing to read the conditions Assange has endured over several years. A change in the political leadership of Ecuador led to a change in his living conditions in the embassy, from cramped but bearable to virtual imprisonment.</p> <p>Since being taken from the embassy to Belmarsh prison in 2019, Assange has spent much of his time in solitary confinement for 22 or 23 hours a day. He has been denied all but the most limited access to his legal team, let alone family and friends. He was kept in a glass cage during his seemingly interminable extradition hearing, appeals over which could continue for several years more years, according to Melzer.</p> <p>Assange’s physical and mental health have suffered to the point where he has been put on suicide watch. Again, that seems to be the point, as Melzer writes:</p> <blockquote> <p>The primary purpose of persecuting Assange is not – and never has been – to punish him personally, but to establish a generic precedent with a global deterrent effect on other journalist, publicists and activists.</p> </blockquote> <p>So will the new Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, do any more than his three Coalition and two Labor predecessors to advocate for the interests of an Australian citizen? In December 2021, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jun/02/labor-backbenchers-urge-albanese-to-stay-true-to-his-values-on-julian-assange-trial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Guardian Australia reported</a> Albanese saying he did “not see what purpose is served by the ongoing pursuit of Mr Assange” and that “enough is enough”. Since being sworn in as prime minister, he has kept his cards close to his chest.</p> <p>The actions of his predecessors suggest he won’t, even though Albanese has already said on several occasions since being elected that he wants to do politics differently.</p> <p>Melzer, among others, would remind him of the words of <a href="https://theelders.org/news/only-us-president-who-didnt-wage-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">former US president Jimmy Carter</a>, who, contrary to other presidents, said he did not deplore the WikiLeaks revelations.</p> <blockquote> <p>They just made public what was the truth. Most often, the revelation of truth, even if it’s unpleasant, is beneficial. […] I think that, almost invariably, the secrecy is designed to conceal improper activities.</p> <p><em><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-book-argues-julian-assange-is-being-tortured-will-our-new-pm-do-anything-about-it-183622" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</strong></em></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p> </blockquote> </blockquote>

Books

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John Lennon’s son performs Imagine for the first time

<p dir="ltr">Julian Lennon has performed his late father John Lennon’s legendary song <em>Imagine</em> for the first time. </p> <p dir="ltr">Taking to Instagram on Saturday, the singer-songwriter shared a video of him performing the 1971 hit song in a candlelit room accompanied by acoustic guitarist Nuno Bettencourt.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the caption, Julian explained that by delivering his own rendition of the song, he was breaking a vow that he would only perform the song "if it was the end of the world".</p> <p dir="ltr">He shared the video during a benefit for Ukrainian refugees, closing out a televised European Union pledge drive that raised $10.1 billion in grants and loans for the cause.</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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CcGJArDlNdK/?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/tv/CcGJArDlNdK/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Julian Lennon (@julespicturepalace)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">"Today, for the first time ever, I publicly performed my Dad's song, <em>Imagine</em>," the 59-year-old wrote. "I had always said that the only time I would ever consider singing Imagine would be if it was the End of the World…”</p> <p dir="ltr">"The war on Ukraine is an unimaginable tragedy... As a human, and as an artist, I felt compelled to respond in the most significant way I could."</p> <p dir="ltr">Of the track, Julian said, "Within this song, we're transported to a space, where love and togetherness become our reality, if but for a moment in time...The song reflects the light at the end of the tunnel, that we are all hoping for."</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m calling on world leaders and everyone who believes in the sentiment of <em>Imagine</em>, to stand up for refugees everywhere!”</p> <p dir="ltr">The fundraiser drive, called Stand Up for Ukraine, closed on April 9th, however international humanitarian organisations are still taking donations to help with the ongoing crisis of the Russian invasion. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram @julespicturepalace</em><span id="docs-internal-guid-6e975720-7fff-2c99-f31d-f4dd8072848f"></span></p>

Music

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Princess Sofia shares stunning new photos of Prince Julian

<p>Princess Sofia of Sweden has taken to social media to share some new family photos.</p> <p>The 36-year-old, who welcomed her third child last week, gushed over the latest addition to their family.</p> <p>Sharing a photo of husband Prince Carl Philip, with their sons, the mum-of-three told fans: "Life gave me not just one but four beautiful princes."</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/CM9ty9sA5xc/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CM9ty9sA5xc/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Kungahuset 🇸🇪 (@kungahuset)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"A heartfelt thank you from us for all the warm congratulations in connection with Julian's birth."</p> <p>The Duchess of Varmland appears to have taken the beautiful black and white photos, which feature older kids Prince Alexander, four, and Prince Gabriel, three, playing with newborn Prince Julian.</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/CNE-3apnDvA/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNE-3apnDvA/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Prinsparet (@prinsparet)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Princess Sofia gave birth to Julian Herbert Folke at Danderyd Hospital in Stockholm on March 26, at 11.19 am (9.20 pm AEDT).</p> <p>The bub is seventh in line to the throne behind his aunt Crown Princess Victoria, her two children, his father, and his brothers.</p> <p>As per tradition, a Council of State was held at the Royal Palace in Stockholm on the occasion of the birth of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia's son.</p> <p>In a statement the palace said: "In accordance with His Majesty The King's decision of 7 October 2019 regarding changes in The Royal House, Prince Julian is a member of the Royal Family but not of The Royal House. The Prince will therefore not enjoy the style of Royal Highness."</p>

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Is Australia looking the other way as Assange is hung out to dry?

<p>Right now, the substantial extradition hearings involving the US government request that the UK hand over publisher and journalist Julian Assange <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-09-09/julian-assange-what-does-extradition-hearing-mean/12642972">are underway</a>. The Wikileaks founder has been held in British custody at London’s Belmarsh prison since April 2019.</p> <p>The Trump administration is attempting to extradite the Australian through the mechanisms of the UK-US Extradition Treaty.</p> <p>However, due process has been thrown out the window when it comes to the way our fellow citizen has been dragged before the Old Bailey in London.</p> <p>The terms of the 2003 treaty specifically ban extradition over <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-assange/uk-u-s-treaty-bans-extradition-of-assange-lawyer-says-idUSKBN1YN1G9">political offences</a>. And Julian is facing multiple espionage charges in relation to the publishing of classified US government documents: distinctly political crimes.</p> <p>Another major middle finger to the rule of law is the fact that the United States has reached across international jurisdictions and arrested Assange <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/julian-assange-the-afp-raids-and-the-crime-of-dissent/">by proxy</a> for alleged crimes that were committed outside of its own borders.</p> <p>And on top of all this, the UK has been holding Assange on remand on behalf of the States <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/sep/14/julian-assange-to-remain-in-jail-pending-extradition-to-us">since September 2019</a>.</p> <p>A dangerous precedent</p> <p>“There’s no due process being followed whatsoever,” said <a href="https://www.facebook.com/julianassangesydney.townhallgathering?ref=bookmarks">Julian Assange Sydney Town Hall Gathering</a> spokesperson Tony Wakeham. “The judicial system couldn’t do more to hobble Assange, than they’re doing – short of killing him.”</p> <p>“It goes right back to him being gaoled for <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/unacceptable-risk-in-bail-laws-what-does-it-mean/">bail jumping</a>,” he told Sydney Criminal Lawyers. “By the time they put him in gaol for the maximum time for bail jumping, they did so after the Swedes had dropped their attempt to extradite him on what were false grounds in the first place.”</p> <p>Wakeham also warns that if the extradition is successful it will set a dangerous precedent for the entire planet, as anyone anywhere in the world involved in publishing information about crimes committed by the US in either the mainstream or social media will be open to the same treatment.</p> <p>Assange published over <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=where+is+the+extradition+trial+assange+taking+place&amp;rlz=1C1CHBF_en-GBAU887AU887&amp;oq=where+is+the+extradition+trial+assange+taking+place&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57j33.9919j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8">700,000 classified US government documents</a> over 2010 and 2011. These were leaked by former US military intelligence officer Chelsea Manning. And if Assange ends up in America, he’ll be facing 18 espionage charges with a combined maximum penalty of 175 years.</p> <p>A not so fair go</p> <p>The lawyer representing the US government in the extradition proceedings, James Lewis QC, told the Old Bailey <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/this-is-nonsense-julian-assange-interjections-earn-stern-warning-20200909-p55tpj.html">on the first day of hearings</a> this week that Assange is not facing charges for the blanket publishing of the files, but rather he’s charged over conspiring to obtain some of them.</p> <p>At that point Julian was heard to call out, “This is nonsense.” But he was promptly silenced by the judge.</p> <p>Meanwhile, back in his homeland, there’s been a lot of radio silence around what’s happening to this Australian. And Wakeham’s none too impressed about it.</p> <p>The social justice activist questions why PM Scott Morrison and foreign minister Marise Payne don’t step up and speak out to protect a fellow citizen, as the government has done this before on behalf of journalists  <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/australian-journalist-imprisoned-in-cambodia-seeks-royal-pardon/">James Ricketson</a> and <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/free-assange-incarcerated-for-exposing-the-truth/">Peter Greste</a> when they were imprisoned overseas.</p> <p>Wakeham posits that the ministers of the Morrison cabinet aren’t doing their jobs because there’s not enough opposition to what’s happening to Assange.</p> <p>“And this brings me to the most disheartening thing about all of this, which is that we Australians, by and large, don’t give a shit about what’s happening to him,” the fervent Wikileaks supporter concluded.</p> <p><em>Written by Paul Gregoire. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.sydneycriminallawyers.com.au/blog/australia-looks-the-other-way-as-assange-is-hung-out-to-dry/">Sydney Criminal Lawyers.</a> </em></p>

Art

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Inside The Block creator’s $4 million Sydney home

<p>Julian Cress rose to prominence as the co-creator and executive producer of Channel Nine’s The Block, one of Australia’s most popular real estate programs, so it only makes sense that he’d have an incredible, unique property of his own.</p> <p>The television mogul’s $4 million Sydney property is about to hit the market, and as you can see when you scroll through the gallery above it’s quite a stunner.</p> <p>Cress transformed a sprawling warehouse in the inner-city Suburb of Annandale into a luxurious family home with his wife Sarah, and he’s reportedly reluctant to see it go.</p> <p>“I blame the kids,” Cress laughingly <a href="http://www.news.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>told News.com.au</strong></em></span></a>.</p> <p>“We are gutted to be selling. But with two boys (Max, 4, and Charlie, 3) we have realised The Block is going to be keeping us in Melbourne for a while. The kids are going to start school soon, so we won’t be back for 15 more years.</p> <p>“We want to see a family enjoy it.”</p> <p>What are your thoughts? Do you think it’s a decent property?</p>

Art

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Julian McMahon: "I kissed my ex-wife’s sister Kylie Minogue"

<p>Hollywood star Julian McMahon has spoken about the controversial moment when he kissed his ex-sister-in-law Kylie Minogue on the set of their new movie.</p> <p>The 49-year-old is starring with the pop icon in the new film Swinging Safari, and insists that the moment was just a way to break up any built-up tension with Minogue.</p> <p>The two go far back, with McMahon famously marrying Minogue’s sister Dannii Minogue back in 1994, before splitting up a year later in 1995.</p> <p>In an interview with <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>The Daily Telegraph</strong></em></span></a>, McMahon explained his move.</p> <p>“(I thought) Bugger it, I'll get up and snog my ex-sister in law,” he said.</p> <p>“She had this great reaction,” he says, pulling a horrified face, “like she was being attacked by some kind of creature. It was very funny”.</p> <p>McMahon also commented on his relationship with Danni.</p> <p>“Oh look, I never had any weirdness to be honest,” he says.</p> <p>“First, it feels like another lifetime ago, so it’s hard to relate to it completely.</p> <p>“But Dannii and I loved each other — the relationship didn’t work but we had an incredible relationship when we had it. And Kylie was an amazing sister-in-law. She sung at our wedding and that was pretty fricking special.</p> <p>“The sad thing is that it didn’t last ... it’s just what happened, you know. You always feel a little bit weird when you’re breaking up with somebody, but I didn’t really think about it (while making the movie).”</p> <p>What are your thoughts? Do you think it was appropriate? </p>

Movies

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Exciting news for Downton Abbey fans

<p>After months and months of speculation, hints and cast rumours, a <em>Downton Abbey</em> film has finally been confirmed. The big screen treatment of the hit BBC period drama, which sadly ended last year, will be written by <em>Downton</em> creator Julian Fellowes.</p> <p>So confident in the possibility of a movie has Fellowes been that he reportedly began writing the script prior to receiving the green light from producers. <a href="/news/news/2016/08/downton-abbey-what-happened-next/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Click here</span></strong></a> to read his thoughts on what the film might look like.</p> <p>Filming is set to begin in September, with casting announcements to come through as they are confirmed. Although, it seems likely that a few cast members are already onboard – last year, Joanna Froggatt (who played Anna Bates) said she’d <a href="/news/news/2016/09/joanne-froggatt-signs-on-to-downton-abbey-movie/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">“love to do it”</span></strong></a>.</p> <p>“I think everybody would. We're all willing to do it, and willing it to happen... As long as we can get everyone together, it would be delightful.”</p> <p>Phyllis Logan (who played Mrs Hughes) also <a href="/entertainment/tv/2016/04/mrs-hughes-talks-about-final-series-of-downton-abbey/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">revealed to Over60</span></strong></a> she’d be keen to be involved in a movie. “If they want me in it, I think it would be lovely to have one last hurrah, wouldn’t it?”</p> <p>However, it might be difficult to wrangle Dame Maggie Smith, who last year told Graham Norton she didn’t see how it would be possible. “By the time we finished, she must have been about 110. It couldn’t go on and on, it just didn’t make sense.”</p> <p>Only time will tell how the film pans out, but no matter what, we’ll be watching.</p>

Movies

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Downton Abbey creator reveals what would have happened next

<p>It’s been almost a year since we said goodbye to the Crawleys of <em>Downton Abbey</em>, and if, like us, you’ve been desperate for more, you’re in luck. Julian Fellowes, the show’s creator, has opened up about what might have happened if the series were to continue, offering glimpses into what a possible movie could look like.</p> <p>When we left <em>Downton Abbey</em>, the grand estate was under a bit of financial strife, with the Crawleys (like many families at the time) struggling to reconcile the maintenance of such a house in a time where they were becoming no longer relevant. In order to compensate for this, Fellowes believes Mary (played by Michelle Dockery) would step in with an ingenious solution – opening the Abbey to the public full-time.</p> <p>“My own belief is that Mary, whether you like her or dislike her, is a hard worker, and she’s practical,” Fellowes explained. “She would probably have opened the house to the public in the 1960s, as so many of them did, and she'd have retreated to a wing, and maybe only occupied the whole house during the winters.”</p> <p>And where would the Crawley descendants be today? “[They] would still be there, just as the Carnarvons [owners of the real-life location Highclere Castle] are today.”</p> <p>Fellowes also gave us a glimpse into the lives of the youngest Crawleys. “George [Mary’s first son] would have gone to the Second World War, and of course the fear is that he would be killed,” he said. “As for the title, I don’t know where it would go beyond George, but let’s hope he gets through the war and has children of his own.”</p> <p>Let’s hope we’ll see some of this play out on the big screen! Tell us in the comments below, what shows are you watching at the moment?</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/05/julian-fellowes-reveals-details-about-downton-abbey-film/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Julian Fellowes reveals details about Downton Abbey film</em></span></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/entertainment/tv/2016/04/mrs-hughes-talks-about-final-series-of-downton-abbey/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Downton Abbey’s Mrs Hughes tells Over60 what it was like wrapping up season 6</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/entertainment/tv/2016/04/hilarious-downton-abbey-quotes/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>24 hilarious quotes from Violet Crawley</strong></em></span></a></p>

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