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"You were our whole damn sky": Tributes flow after alleged murder of young teacher

<p>The family of a young teacher from Victoria are in mourning after the body of 23-year-old was found in a burnt-out car just hours after she was reported missing. </p> <p>Hannah McGuire was found near State Forest Rd in Scarsdale, an area near Ballarat surrounded by bushland, on Friday after her family had reported her missing just before. </p> <p>On Sunday, two young men were arrested over her death, and on Monday, a 21-year-old was charged with one count of murder.</p> <p>The young man is believed to be Hannah's ex-boyfriend, who had been living with Ms McGuire for about a year before their recent separation.</p> <p>Police will allege the man drove her body to a remote national park and set the car on fire, before posting a loving tribute on social media and telling her friends she had taken her own life. </p> <p>The man will appear in Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.</p> <p>As news of Hannah's untimely death broke, her parents shared a heart-wrenching tribute to their daughter on Facebook. </p> <p>Her parents run the National Hotel in the regional town of Clunes, and shared their tribute on their business Facebook page to inform patrons that the pub will remain closed until Wednesday. </p> <p>"Thank you everyone for your love, support and kind words. Our hearts are broken," the post read."</p> <p>"You weren’t just a star to us. You were our whole damn sky. Miss you Princess!"</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-hannah-mcguire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page has been set up by the Clunes Cricket Club supporting McGuire’s family, and has already raised over $45,000. </p> <p>“As a community we send our deepest love and condolences to Glenn, Debbie, Jude and Fletcher,” the club said.</p> <p>“Hannah was known by many as a bright young woman and had a heart of gold.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook / GoFundMe</em></p>

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Elite school headmaster resigns in the wake of damning exposé

<p>The headmaster at an elite Sydney school has resigned after a damning exposé about historic toxicity and sexism within the school. </p> <p>Cranbrook School headmaster Nicholas Sampson announced his resignation on Thursday night after an emergency meeting was called to discuss the serious allegations made by former staff members in an episode of <em>Four Corners</em>.</p> <p>In the damning episode, former staffers shared their experiences of the "toxic boys's club" and systemic sexism in the school, which the <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/elite-school-teacher-blackmailed-for-naked-photos-by-student" target="_blank" rel="noopener">female teachers</a> allege was swept under the rug by the headmaster and his deputy.</p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">In a statement to the school community on Friday morning, the council said, "The circumstances of the matter and subsequently Mr Sampson's failure to disclose the matter to the current School Council in the context of this week's ABC <em>Four Corners</em> broadcast, have led to an irrevocable breakdown of trust between the Headmaster and the School Council."</p> <p class="paragraph_paragraph___QITb" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 1rem; font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif;">"The School Council communicated this to Mr Sampson and this morning received his resignation."</p> <p><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The council said it, "deeply regrets the distress to our students, our staff, our parents, our alumni and the broader Cranbrook family arising from the current circumstances".</span> </p> <p>Sampson's resignation comes after <span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">revelations he kept a teacher on staff after discovering he sent multiple graphic emails to a former female student. </span></p> <p><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">The teacher in question was still working at Cranbrook this week and had recently been promoted. Cranbrook confirmed on Friday he is now on immediate leave pending an investigation.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Image credits: Cranbook School</span></em></p>

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Waleed Aly and Steve Price clash over damning Voice letter

<p>Waleed Aly and Steve Price have clashed over an anonymous letter from Yes campaigners, condemning those who opposed the Voice to Parliament. </p> <p>On Sunday night, a lengthy and unsigned letter was shared by activists associated with the Uluru Dialogue group, as the letter slammed No voters for committing "a shameful act" by contributing to the Voice defeat. </p> <p>On <em>The Project</em>, Price was quick to slam the author of the letter, who addressed the message to the Prime Minister and all federal members of parliament, saying they did not have "the guts" to sign it. </p> <p>"It seems to me the Yes campaign hasn't learned anything about the result that happened Saturday two weeks ago," he said on Monday night. </p> <p>"The public voted 60 (per cent) No, 40 (per cent) Yes and yet, they pen a letter that they then send to the Cabinet and Prime Minister calling people who voted No as doing a shameful act, suggesting No voters are racists."</p> <p>"If you are going to do that, at least have the courage to put your name to it."</p> <p>Aly then leapt to the defence of those who wrote the anonymous letter, saying, "I don't think they said all No voters were racist."</p> <p>"They said racism was a big part of the campaign and the vote, they are inextricably bound up."</p> <p>Aly admitted that while he did not agree with everything in the letter, it was "hard to have a simple response to it".</p> <p>"They must be so hurting. I can't deny them that. Whether we agree or not," he said.</p> <p>The open letter claims to be "the collective insights and views of a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, community members and organisations who supported Yes".</p> <p>The published letter said, "The truth is that the majority of Australians have committed a shameful act whether knowingly or not, and there is nothing positive to be interpreted from it. We needed truth to be told to the Australian people." </p> <p><em>Image credits: The Project</em></p>

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BBC responds to damning Russell Brand allegations

<p>The BBC has shared that they are "urgently looking" into a series of sexual assault allegations against comedian and actor Russell Brand. </p> <p>The allegations from several women emerged after Channel 4's <em>Dispatches</em> program aired a bombshell documentary about the alleged assaults. </p> <p>The documentary, which was a years-long joint investigation between Channel 4 and the Times, has accused Brand of rape and sexual assaults between the years of 2006 and 2013. </p> <p>Brand has denied all the allegations and said all of his relationships have been consensual.</p> <p>Some of the alleged incidents raised by the women in the documentary occurred while Brand, 48, was working at BBC radio stations between 2006 and 2008. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The BBC say they are "urgently looking into the issues raised" by allegations about Russell Brand in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/C4Dispatches?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#C4Dispatches</a> documentary, Russell Brand: In Plain Sight.</p> <p>The production company Banijay UK and Channel 4 have also said they are launching their own internal investigations. <a href="https://t.co/937IBnPnOJ">pic.twitter.com/937IBnPnOJ</a></p> <p>— Channel 4 Dispatches (@C4Dispatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/C4Dispatches/status/1703459588379406500?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>A BBC spokesperson said in a statement, "The documentary and associated reports contained serious allegations, spanning a number of years."</p> <p>"Russell Brand worked on BBC radio programmes between 2006 and 2008 and we are urgently looking into the issues raised."</p> <p>Mr Brand resigned from the BBC programs in 2008 following public uproar over a on-air prank, when he made prank calls to actor Andrew Sachs with offensive comments about the actor's granddaughter.</p> <p>Channel 4's production company has also launched an "urgent" internal investigation into the allegations. </p> <p>In response to the damning allegations, Dame Caroline Dinenage, who chairs the House of Commons media committee, said, "We will be closely monitoring the responses of the media, especially our public service broadcasters, to these allegations, and looking at the questions that this, yet again, raises about the culture in the industry as a whole."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

News

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Bruce Lehrmann condemns damning inquiry and labels trial conduct as a "dark chapter"

<p>Bruce Lehrmann has expressed his strong disapproval of a damning inquiry into his rape trial, referring to it as "a dark chapter" in the justice system.</p> <p>In response to the inquiry's findings, Bruce Lehrmann has criticised the Director of Public Prosecutions, Shane Drumgold, for his conduct during the trial, stating that it was a troubling episode for the justice system.</p> <p>The former Liberal staffer, who intends to pursue a multimillion-dollar compensation claim over the trial's handling, commended his legal team, led by Steve Whybrow SC and Kamy Saeedi lawyers.</p> <p>Mr. Lehrmann stated to <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/nsw-act/courts-law/bruce-lehrmann-slams-damning-inquiry-describes-trial-conduct-as-dark-chapter/news-story/b5b6ec06d5b435f8870a1e7d5b9ae4b8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>, "Much of what we are reading, my brilliant criminal defense team led by Steve Whybrow SC suspected all along. I owe everything to the lawyers who have surrounded me. This is overwhelming and alarming reading."</p> <p>He also acknowledged Mr. Sofronoff and his team for revealing the truth and shedding light on what he perceives as a dark chapter for the ACT Justice system. Mr. Lehrmann promised to share more details once the Chief Minister releases the full report to the public.</p> <p>The landmark inquiry found that the prosecution's legal initiation was appropriate, but it severely criticised Mr. Drumgold's actions during the trial.</p> <p>Walter Sofronoff KC, a former Supreme Court judge in Queensland, affirmed the lawfulness of the police's charges against Mr. Lehrmann and agreed that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions was justified in prosecuting based on the available evidence.</p> <p>It is essential to note that this finding does not reflect Mr. Lehrmann's guilt or innocence but focuses on the conduct of the police and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.</p> <p>Mr. Lehrmann remains innocent under the law since he was never convicted, as the trial collapsed following an allegation of juror misconduct.</p> <p>However, the inquiry revealed damning evidence against Mr. Drumgold, accusing him of "knowingly lying" to the ACT Supreme Court regarding his alleged warning to Lisa Wilkinson concerning her Logies speech.</p> <p>The report uncovered unethical conduct by Mr. Drumgold, including his use of a note related to a discussion he had with Ms. Wilkinson just days before her speech.</p> <p><em>The Australian</em> newspaper <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/sofronoff-report-reveals-shane-drumgold-lied-during-bruce-lehrmann-rape-case/news-story/07d25b9c79364a10473806e3df48dfa7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">obtained a complete copy</a> of the extensive 600-page Sofronoff report, which confirmed the seriousness of the findings against Mr. Drumgold. This led Mr. Sofronoff to contemplate whether the DPP was suitable to continue holding the office.</p> <p>The inquiry was initiated after Mr. Drumgold wrote a letter to ACT Chief Police Officer Neil Gaughan in November 2022, demanding an inquiry and making "scandalous allegations" about political interference. However, the inquiry revealed that these allegations were baseless and untrue.</p> <p>The report further criticised Mr. Drumgold for not disclosing crucial material to the defence, which is a significant violation of the principle of disclosure in criminal litigation.</p> <p>Chief Justice Lucy McCallum's stern criticism of Ms. Wilkinson's Logies speech led to a four-month delay in the trial and sparked a firestorm of adverse publicity.</p> <p>The report favoured Ms. Wilkinson's account over Mr. Drumgold's, suggesting that he had knowingly lied to Chief Justice McCallum about his warning to the broadcaster.</p> <p>Mr. Sofronoff stated that while Ms. Wilkinson should have exercised caution in making the speech given the trial's proximity, Mr. Drumgold had a responsibility to the court and failed to act appropriately.</p> <p>In conclusion, the Sofronoff inquiry found significant misconduct on the part of Mr. Drumgold and raised concerns about the fairness of the trial conduct in Bruce Lehrmann's case.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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Why is it so damn cold right now? A weather researcher explains

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tess-parker-111039">Tess Parker</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p>If you woke up this morning and thought “Gosh, it’s a bit brisk!”, you’re not alone.</p> <p>Temperatures plummeted across southeast Australia this week, with Weatherzone <a href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/coldest-morning-in-5-years-for-parts-of-nsw-qld-act/1342232">reporting</a> Canberra’s low of -7.2ºC was “its lowest temperature since 2018 and the lowest for June since 1986.”</p> <p>Sydney experienced its <a href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/coldest-morning-in-5-years-for-parts-of-nsw-qld-act/1342232">coldest June morning</a> today since 2010, with a temperature of 5.2ºC. In Victoria, temperatures of -7.2ºC were <a href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/coldest-morning-in-5-years-for-parts-of-nsw-qld-act/1342232">recorded</a>.</p> <p>So what’s going on? Here’s what you need to know.</p> <h2>A big pool of Antarctic air</h2> <p>It started off at the beginning of the week, when a low-pressure system saw a big cold front come through southeastern Australia on Sunday night. This basically means a lot of very cold air came from higher latitudes close to Antarctica, and swept across southeastern Australia.</p> <p>So everywhere from Melbourne to Sydney to South Australia was getting this big pool of incredibly cold air at the start of the week.</p> <p>Even though that cold front has now moved off over the Tasman Sea, it has left behind it a really big high-pressure system sitting over the southeast of Australia.</p> <p>This has led to calm conditions, where winds are very light and the skies are clear with not a lot of cloud during the day or night.</p> <p>So it’s getting really, really cold in the early mornings because there are no clouds to act as an insulating blanket for the Earth and trap the heat that the planet radiates to space overnight.</p> <p>The result, in many places, has been very cold temperatures before sunrise, often with a lot of frost.</p> <h2>Remind me, what’s a low-pressure system? And what’s a high-pressure system?</h2> <p>The air above the Earth’s surface has mass, but it’s not uniform everywhere. The way the atmosphere is moved around by what’s going on at upper levels will mean the mass of the atmosphere is redistributed. That transmits down to the surface where we live and causes low- and high-pressure systems.</p> <p>At some points the pressure is lower because there’s not as much mass of air above that point over the Earth. This is what we call a low-pressure system. Air rises in a low, reducing the pressure at the surface.</p> <p>The winds around the low are clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. So when that low is approaching Australia, the winds on the western side are bringing air from near Antarctica. That’s why a low-pressure system in Australia often means cooler conditions.</p> <p>At some points above the Earth, the pressure is higher because the mass of air above that area is greater. This is what we call a high-pressure system. Air descends in a high, raising the surface pressure.</p> <p>High-pressure systems tend to mean very calm weather; the wind isn’t very strong, the skies tend to be clear and there’s little to no cloud.</p> <p>In summer, that means the sun is baking down all day onto Earth with no protection from cloud. So a high-pressure system in summer can mean a heatwave.</p> <p>In winter, the lack of cloud in a high-pressure system means that much of the heat the Earth has absorbed during the day just re-radiates out to space again, as the cloud isn’t there to act as a blanket and keep all that heat in.</p> <p>That’s why a high-pressure system can mean very cold weather in winter, especially when there are lower levels of sunlight coming in to warm up the Earth in the first place.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208182/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tess-parker-111039">Tess Parker</a>, Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-is-it-so-damn-cold-right-now-a-weather-researcher-explains-208182">original article</a>.</em></p>

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Damning first draft of Clare Nowland statement found

<p dir="ltr">New documents have brought forth allegations that the NSW police force removed key elements in their initial statement regarding the death of 95-year-old Clare Nowland. </p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/clare-nowland-dies-officer-charged">The mother-of-eight passed away</a> in Cooma Hospital on May 24, one week after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/furious-response-to-95-yr-old-woman-tasered-by-police">she was tasered by a police officer</a> at her Yallambee Lodge aged care facility. Nowland had reportedly been approaching law enforcement with her walking frame and a steak knife when she was tasered, before she fell backwards and fractured her skull. </p> <p dir="ltr">In the wake of the incident, Police Commissioner Karen Webb reportedly approved a 71-word press release - one that made no mention of the knife, the taser, or even Nowland’s movements. </p> <p dir="ltr">“A critical incident investigation has been launched after an elderly woman sustained injuries during an interaction with police at an aged care facility in the state’s south today,” it read. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The 95-year-old woman was taken to Cooma District Hospital, where her condition is being monitored. A critical incident team will now investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. That investigation will be subject to independent review.</p> <p dir="ltr">“No further details are available at this time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">However, ‘new’ documents - obtained by the Australian Associated Press under Freedom of Information laws - have revealed that there was another draft, 100 words longer than the released statement, that mentions those key aspects of the case. </p> <p dir="ltr">According to the<em> Sydney Morning Herald</em> - who obtained the internal emails regarding the statement - that draft had been sent to NSW Police Executive Director of Public Affairs Elizabeth Deegan for review, but had been cut by more than half mere hours later, leading the <em>SMH</em> to run with the headline "<a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/top-nsw-cops-covered-up-tasering-of-clare-nowland-20230621-p5di67.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Top NSW cops covered up Tasering of Clare Nowland</a>".</p> <p dir="ltr">The original 171-word document made mention of the reports that a Yallambee Lodge resident had a knife, and noted that two officers had arrived to find a woman “still armed … in a small room”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Police and paramedics attempted to speak to the woman; however, all instructions were ignored,” it continued. “When she stood up and moved towards officers, a taser was deployed by a constable.”</p> <p dir="ltr">It explained that the woman had received treatment from paramedics at the scene, leaving room for information on her condition. It even mentioned that the officer who had deployed the taser was under review.</p> <p dir="ltr">Commissioner Webb defended the decision to edit their original draft while speaking to 2GB’s Ben Fordham, denying that the police force had hidden anything when she told him that “early in the investigation it was necessary for us to make sure that the family were aware of what the circumstances were.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Mrs Nowland has a large family and we didn’t want that family to hear on the radio on TV what had happened to their mum, and so we had to be a bit sensitive to that, and when we were able to talk about it we did.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She added that it was “a very sensitive matter”, and that it was an “unusual” circumstance with everyone seeking answers, but that “it’s appropriate we think about and respect that family, and certainly they deserve that.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was important that the family were informed of the situation in a factual manner before we went public on it - I think that’s very necessary and I’m sure that family appreciates that now.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: 9News / Nine</em></p>

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Queen Camilla's damning "proof" in Simon Dorante-Day's case

<p>A seemingly innocent comment made by Queen Camilla to the Archbishop of Canterbury about her relationship with King Charles has become new "proof" in Simon Dorante-Day's claims against the monarch. </p> <p>For several years, 57-year-old Simon from Queensland has claimed that he is the love child of King Charles and Queen Camilla. </p> <p>However, there have been several holes in his fact checking that have seen his claims been slammed. </p> <p>One major blindside in his story is the fact that he was born in 1966, and Charles and Camilla have famously dated their relationship back to when they were introduced by a friend in 1970.</p> <p>When Charles and Camilla first met, they were aged 21 and 22 respectively, and were not photographed publicly together until 1972.</p> <p>However, in a new documentary titled The Real Crown: Inside the House of Windsor, Dr George Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, said their relationship could go back further than initially believed.</p> <p>Dr Carey was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1991 to 2002, and gave his blessing for Charles and Camilla to marry. </p> <p>In the explosive documentary, Dr Carey says Camilla confirmed that her relationship with Charles went “back to when they were teenagers”.</p> <p>The former Archbishop said he met Camilla at his son’s flat in Peckham, London, to discuss the possibility of marrying Charles, who was then the Prince of Wales.</p> <p>He explained they had met at the obscure location to avoid attracting public attention.</p> <p>“She walked through the front door and we had coffee together… we had an animated conversation and we talked about her relationship with Charles, going way back to when they were teenagers,” Dr Carey said in the TV interview.</p> <p>“And after that I decided there was no way I could treat her as anything other than a really nice human being who is deeply in love with Charles.”</p> <p>Dr Carey later gave his blessing for the pair to marry.</p> <p>Dorante-Day has long claimed that his own personal research has shown that Charles and Camilla first became close in 1965.</p> <p>He believes that months later, in the lead-up to when he was born, Camilla disappeared from Britain’s social scene for at least nine months, while Charles was sent to Australia.</p> <p>“I have been unable to find any photos of Camilla from the last months of 1965 or the beginning of 1966, when she would’ve been heavily pregnant with me,” Dorante-Day said.</p> <p>Speaking to <em><a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/queen-camilla-comment-to-archbishop-becomes-explosive-new-proof-in-aussie-simon-dorante-day-royal-love-child-case--c-10543212" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a></em>, Dorante-Day said the new interview with Dr Carey casts doubt over the public history of Charles and Camilla's early relationships days.</p> <p>“My adoptive grandmother said to me, she said to me quite clearly, that Charles and Camilla were your parents,” he said.</p> <p>“So when I looked back in the history of when they got together and if this was even possible, I didn’t just believe it. But I went off and I researched it."</p> <p>“When you go back and you look at the newspapers from the time and read the royal biographies, it was always stated that they first met in 1972 at a polo match in Windsor."</p> <p>“You know, sometimes the media got it wrong and said 1974 or things like that. But that story was always 1972 until I started doing this."</p> <p>“Then royal commentator Robert Jobson changed it to 1970 in a TV interview with me, pushed it back a few years."</p> <p>“People just keep changing the date. It’s interesting to me."</p> <p>“And now the Archbishop’s story, that Camilla said that they went back to when they were teenagers as well. Yeah. Come on."</p> <p>“It’s the first time someone has given a concrete account of when they met, where it wasn’t just reports and changing dates.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook</em></p>

Family & Pets

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"Show some damn respect": Carrie Bickmore targeted by vile online trolls

<p dir="ltr">In a tale as old as time, strangers online have seen fit to make disgusting comments about a woman’s body.  </p> <p dir="ltr">When Carrie Bickmore took to social media to share some happy snaps from a day out with loved ones, the last thing on the minds of her fans was to nitpick how the presenter looked.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, for the trolls crawling from the internet sewers for their daily hatefest, that was the first - and only thing - they cared about. </p> <p dir="ltr">The images Carrie had opted to share were simple enough - two saw her jumping for joy alongside a forest path, and another saw her laughing with an arm around friend Fifi Box.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Forest fun for city girls,” Carrie captioned the series of pics. She went on to add that they’d driven an hour and a half to find their intended forest destination only to learn it was closed, before travelling another hour to an open one. The friends shared a picnic, a game of hide and seek with the kids, a milestone “first LEECH” encounter, and a touching photo credit to “a 4 year old.”</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/Cpuqg9-PcWl/?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/Cpuqg9-PcWl/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Carrie Bickmore (@bickmorecarrie)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Carrie was dressed comfortably for the adventure in an oversized hoodie and yellow bike shorts, Fifi in a red jacket and full-length leggings. But unfortunately, in the year of 2023, these simple and appropriate options didn’t sit well with the noisy few. </p> <p dir="ltr">Her supporters didn’t miss a beat, swarming her comments with positivity, all while calling out the “inappropriate, sexual” commentary invading her post. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Your 4 year old has taken beautiful pics of his Mum having fun and enjoying the long weekend. Great pics,” wrote one. “From all the good men out there, you rock Carrie and keep being you. You bring joy and happiness. Lots of love and support from us.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Ffs [for f*** sake] it’s 2023 and there are still guys that think it’s ok to pass sexually inappropriate comments or body shame women all from the safety of their keyboards,” lamented another. “What if people were saying these things about your mother or sister or even daughter? It’s 2023 we must be better than that and treat all women with the respect they deserve. Beautiful photos Carrie.”</p> <p dir="ltr">When one man piped up to share his wildly inappropriate take, the second fan returned to the comments section, writing, “what gives you, me or anyone else the right to mock or embarrass others because of what they choose to wear or their clothes size? Especially people that hide behind a keyboard and have their settings set so they can not be mentioned or called out directly? </p> <p dir="ltr">“If a male chose to wear the same outfit and received similar vile comments then I would still stand up for them and their right to do so. The outfit is in no way offensive but some comments are very much so … I appreciate you have the right to your own opinion but not the fact that you use it in an attempt to make others feel bad. As I said previously, beautiful photos, Carrie.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Some of you have children and here you are commenting on @bickmorecarrie's photos as if she is a slab of meat,” added another. “It’s disgusting. You’re grown men ffs. Show some damn respect.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And as one other put it, “jeeeeebus. Guess I never read your comments (sm comment sections are generally cesspools to be avoided imo [in my opinion] lol) so don't know if this is standard or because some folk can't seem to handle a woman in (entirely appropriate) close fitting attire but holy bejaysus some of the repulsiveness going on in here … hope you had as great a time as it looks like you did! absolute dote!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Images: Instagram</p>

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"Name and shame": Qantas baggage handler stood down over damning footage

<p dir="ltr">A Qantas baggage handler has been fired after he was filmed throwing luggage with such force that they fell on the floor. </p> <p dir="ltr">Footage shared to social media shows the disgruntled worker picking up the bags and transferring them angrily onto a trailer at Karratha Airport in West Australia’s Pilbara region. </p> <p dir="ltr">There were moments when the man would throw the bags and they would fall to the ground where he leaves them.</p> <p dir="ltr">Viewers were left fuming wondering if passengers would’ve had their property or items in the bag destroyed over the worker’s negligence. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I hope this was sent to city of Karratha and reported to bad if someone had something important in their bags and it got damaged,” someone wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Name and shame,” another commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He wouldn't have a job if he worked for Virgin,” another comment read. </p> <p dir="ltr">Qantas confirmed that the worker has been stood down as an investigation is underway into his behaviour.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We are disappointed with the behaviour in this video and we’ve raised it with our ground handling contractor for urgent action,” they said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Watch the footage <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/462858791322558/posts/1178957256379371/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"Anger resonates through me": AFL rocked by accusations of historical racial abuse

<p><em><strong>Warning: This article contains distressing content which some readers may find confronting.</strong></em></p> <p>A damning report has exposed alleged racism, bullying and abuse within the Hawthorn AFL club, with several players coming forward and sharing their devastating stories of trauma during their time as part of the team.</p> <p>In the report conducted by <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-09-21/alastair-clarkson-and-chris-fagan-named-in-hawks-review/101452320" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC Sport</a>, coaches Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan were named among a group of AFL leaders for allegedly encouraging an Indigenous player to convince his partner to terminate their pregnancy and then split from her, for the sake of the player's career.</p> <p>The report initially began as an investigation into the club's treatment of Indigenous players, and quickly unearthed a much greater issue within the club.</p> <p>An unidentified player, who was allegedly told to encourage his partner to terminate a pregnancy, claimed it was Clarkson who “leaned over me and demanded that I needed to get rid of my unborn child and my partner”.</p> <p>“I was then manipulated and convinced to remove my SIM card from my phone, so there was no further contact between my family and me,” the footballer told the ABC.</p> <p>“He told me to kill my unborn kid.”</p> <p>The player was then allegedly moved from his home, which he shared with his partner and child, prompting a series of suicide attempts from the player.</p> <p>“They broke me as a man, a footballer and as a family man,” he told the ABC.</p> <p>In a similar instance, another player was allegedly forced to live away from his partner and newborn child for months at a time, which triggered a "mental health crisis" for the recent draftee, who also attempted suicide five times.</p> <p>A third player also came forward against the club, saying Clarkson and Fagan allegedly came to his house at night to relocate him from his pregnant partner, whom he was then unable to contact.</p> <p>When his partner unfortunately miscarried weeks later, he was informed by the coaches at a training session “in a ‘by the way’ kind of comment”.</p> <p>Following the publishing of the damning report, Hawthorn responded to the allegations in a lengthy statement.</p> <p>“The club places the best interests and welfare of our players and staff as our number one priority," the statement read.</p> <p>It went on to say further investigation is required into the historical allegations, and further First Nations training and development programs "should be strengthened".</p> <p>“Given the matters raised are confidential, the club will not provide any further comment at this time,” the statement concludes.</p> <p>The AFL also released a statement, declaring the re-investigation of the claims.</p> <p>“The AFL is committed to providing a safe, welcoming and culturally appropriate environment for all players and staff throughout the industry, ensuring that physical, mental and emotional welfare is a key priority for all in our sport,” it said.</p> <p>“The experiences outlined in the document are extremely serious and require further and full examination."</p> <p>“We are committed to the welfare of all involved. Once we have spoken to those who have shared their experiences, we will be able to provide an update on the next steps in the investigation.”</p> <p>After hearing the findings of the report, sports commentators around Australia chimed in, with Indigenous football media personality Shelley Ware writing “anger resonates through me”.</p> <p>“I will be watching for what happens next for Clarkson, Fagan and Burt closely as I have my wishes,” she posted in a comment online.</p> <p>Australian journalist Alan Sunderland wrote, “The ramifications of this story can and should go far beyond just Hawthorn", while The ABC’s Penny Timms wrote, “This is beyond horrific. Action must be taken against those responsible”.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

News

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"They weren't real tears": Damning testimony at Melissa Caddick inquest

<p dir="ltr">One of the first police officers to interview Melissa Caddick’s husband has said he was acting extremely strangely and, when seen crying, wasn’t shedding “real tears”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sergeant Trent Riley told the inquest into Caddick’s death of Anthony Koletti’s behaviour after he reported her missing 28 hours after he says she left their <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/property/real-estate/melissa-caddick-s-husband-ordered-to-vacate-15-million-mansion" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dover Heights home</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Louise Coleman, the junior counsel assisting, asked whether Sergeant Riley believed Koletti’s behaviour “was extremely strange and unusual”, to which he said, “Yes”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought it was strange a husband would ring the police station, report his wife missing two days later and wasn't prepared to come to the police station,” Sergeant Riley said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Or didn't really want police to go around and see him (because) he had too much work on that day.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Since the inquest began on Monday, it has been heard that Koletti impersonated Caddick the day after she went missing and falsely told friends he was with her at home.</p> <p dir="ltr">Koletti cancelled an appointment with their cleaner via text using his wife’s phone and lied to Caddick’s brother Adam Grimley and friend Scott Little in text messages, telling them he was home with her when he hadn’t actually seen her that day.</p> <p dir="ltr">Coleman asked Sergeant Riley about the text message sent to the cleaner, which he described as strange.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I did think it was strange,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“(He) contacted her closest friends but hadn’t let them know she was missing?” Coleman asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He did. Very strange,” Sergeant Riley said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The part-time hairdresser and DJ reported that his wife <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/wild-theories-over-melissa-caddick-disappearance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was missing</a> on November 30, just over a day after he said she left the house to go for a walk or a run.</p> <p dir="ltr">The inquest heard on Wednesday that Sergeant Riley’s suspicions prompted him to visit Koletti at the couple’s home in the eastern suburbs, with his body-cam footage played before the court.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You can’t be too careful these days,” Koletti can be heard saying while unlocking one of the doors.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the cellar, Koletti points out that Caddick “hasn’t even taken any grog”.</p> <p dir="ltr">On the upstairs deck, where the Harbour Bridge could be seen in the background, Sergeant Riley mentioned that it was a good spot for New Year’s Eve.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was looking forward to New Year's Eve, but I don't know now. It doesn't mean anything when you don't have the love of your life,” Koletti responds.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Did you go anywhere last night?” Sergeant Riley asks again.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Not that I know of,” Mr Koletti says.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sergeant Riley repeatedly says he doesn’t believe Koletti is telling him the complete truth.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Like I said before I think there's something you're not telling me,” Sergeant Riley says.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I told you if something comes up I will tell you ... I've been on this for a long time now,” Koletti responds.</p> <p dir="ltr">Solicitor Judy Swan, who is representing Koletti, pointed out to the sergeant that her client began to cry at the end of the search and interview.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They weren't real tears in my opinion ... I'm very confident they weren't real tears,” Sergeant Riley said.</p> <p dir="ltr">He noted that Koletti gave him two different versions of the last time he saw Caddick, first telling police that he wasn’t worried about his wife and hadn’t left home at all and later saying he had spent the day searching above the ocean near The Gap.</p> <p dir="ltr">“(He says) he didn't think she was missing but he was checking the cliffs around Rodney Reserve all day,” Coleman said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Extremely strange,” Sergeant Riley responded.</p> <p dir="ltr">The officer, who was unaware that the couple’s home had been raided by the Australian Federal Police and Australian Securities and Investments Commission on November 11, added that he was bewildered by Koletti’s ability to describe the clothes his wife was wearing when she left the house, despite not seeing her leave.</p> <p dir="ltr">The inquest before Deputy State Coroner Elizabeth Ryan continues.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-f2f2ce33-7fff-9678-4c7f-f542a1728f98"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Damning footage filmed by Buxton crash survivor emerges in court

<p dir="ltr">Tyrell Edwards, the 18-year-old driver and sole survivor of a devastating car crash that killed five teens, filmed himself driving dangerously beforehand, according to court documents.</p> <p dir="ltr">Edwards was driving a Nissan Navara ute when it crashed into two trees near the village of Wollondilly Shire in Buxton on Tuesday night, resulting in the deaths of three girls and two boys aged between 14 and 16.</p> <p dir="ltr">Appearing in local court on Thursday on five charges of dangerous driving occasioning death, Edwards was refused bail after prosecutors said a video allegedly filmed in the lead-up to the crash showed he had a high level of moral culpability and supported several aspects of the charges.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to a summary of police facts, Edwards filmed the video with his phone about an hour before the crash, with the clip showing him driving with two of the victims.</p> <p dir="ltr">He is seen holding his phone while aggressively turning the steering wheel, with loud music playing in the background.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We’re going to spin out cuz,” a male in the car can be heard saying.</p> <p dir="ltr">Police allege that, in the moments before the crash, Edwards drove at high speed, lost control, crossed onto the wrong side of the road and travelled for about 40 metres along a grassy road shoulder.</p> <p dir="ltr">Investigations suggest the car rotated for about 50 metres before hitting a tree then spun in the opposite direction before hitting a second tree.</p> <p dir="ltr">The force of the impact caused the ute cabin to be torn open, ripping the rear seat from the car and throwing the five victims out.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to court documents, witnesses overheard Edwards say, “I f***ed up, I’m going to jail.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Edwards told police after the crash that the ute span out of control following a steering fault where the wheel was “shaking, going left to right”, and that braking failed to stop the vehicle.</p> <p dir="ltr">He appeared via video link in Picton Local Court after a crowd of family members and friends descended on the court, with the 18-year-old to remain in custody until his next court appearance on November 16.</p> <p dir="ltr">The court was told that Edwards finished Year 11 last year at Picton High School - the same school the five victims attended - and now works as a labourer.</p> <p dir="ltr">Picton Magistrate Mark Douglass concluded that Edwards posed a risk to the community and could tamper with witnesses due to his strong ties to the community.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s not an easy decision - he is a young man who has never been in custody,” Douglass said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Edwards had previously held a driving licence for a short period of time before he accumulated two speeding offences and had it suspended earlier this year.</p> <p dir="ltr">Outside court, Exaven Desisto, the father of crash victim Antonio, told the media that he didn’t want to see anyone behind bars.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve got to visit my son at the f***ing morgue,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Superintendent Paul Fuller, the chief of Camden Police who has 38 years of experience in the force, described the crash site as “one of the worst accident scenes I have ever come across”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-17692387-7fff-2845-016e-9e05d3d8a8d5"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Nine News (Twitter)</em></p>

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Furious parents respond to damning footage of child cruelty at preschool

<p dir="ltr">Two preschool teachers have been charged with child cruelty after a parent saw them allegedly abuse their students. </p> <p dir="ltr">Zeina Alostwani, 40, and Soriana Briceno, 19, have been fired from their jobs at Parker-Chase Preschool in Roswell, Georgia and charged with first-degree child cruelty. </p> <p dir="ltr">The classroom has a parent monitoring livestream which allegedly showed Alostwani and Briceno stepping on children’s hands, kneeing them and poking their foreheads. </p> <p dir="ltr">“That parent reported logging onto the camera system and seeing concerning physical contact between Alostwani and Briceno against several children in the classroom,” police said in a statement.</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FRoswellGAPolice%2Fposts%2F393926096107257&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="632" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">Footage shows the students between the ages of two and three sitting in a circle on a rug when one of the teachers allegedly steps on a child’s hand for several seconds before allegedly kneeing a second child in the back.</p> <p dir="ltr">Then one of the teachers is on all fours and gets extremely close to one of the kids and allegedly pokes them repeatedly in the forehead with her finger.</p> <p dir="ltr">It is alleged that the child who was poked in the forehead was the same one who was allegedly kneed in the back. </p> <p dir="ltr">Alostwani and Briceno were arrested and charged with first-degree child cruelty when the parent made a complaint. </p> <p dir="ltr">The preschool released a statement expressing their shock and disappointment of the “inappropriate disciplinary actions with children”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The teachers in question were immediately removed from the classroom and have been dismissed. We reported this matter to our licensing agency and Children’s Protective Services and are co-operating fully with the authorities, who have informed us that criminal charges are being pursued,” the statement read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“While we are extremely grateful that the children are well, we take this matter seriously, and our investigation is ongoing. We expect our staff to adhere to the highest standards of care, and any failure to do so will not be tolerated.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Roswell Police</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Court hears Chris Dawson was "always angry" in damning letter

<p>During the highly publicised trial of Chris Dawson, the court has been told that Lynette Dawson told her sister that her husband Chris was “angry with her all the time” and thought he needed to see a doctor.</p> <p>Chris Dawson is standing trial in the NSW Supreme Court over the alleged murder of Lynette, four decades after her disappearance from Sydney's Northern Beaches.</p> <p>The former teacher and rugby league player has pleaded not guilty, denying killing her and disposing of her body.</p> <p>Mr Dawson's defence have claimed that he had no reason to want her to disappear and have denied allegations that he wanted to hire a hitman.</p> <p>On the second day of evidence, Ms Dawson’s sister Patricia Jenkins told the court she last spoke to Ms Dawson in early January 1982, just weeks before her disappearance. </p> <p>The court was told the Mr Dawson developed a sexual relationship with one of his students, who later moved into the Dawson's home as a babysitter.</p> <p>Just before Christmas in 1981, Mr Dawson left his home with the girl, who can only be known as JC for legal reasons, leaving Lynette with her two young children.</p> <p>However, he retuned several days later. </p> <p>Ms Jenkins told the court that Ms Dawson found out about Mr Dawson leaving when she arrived home to find his clothes and pillow gone and a note on the bed.</p> <p>“Don’t paint too dark a picture of me to the girls,” the note read, Ms Jenkins said.</p> <p>Ms Jenkins said when she spoke to her sister prior to Christmas in 1981, Ms Dawson had expressed concern about Mr Dawson’s health because she thought he was often “angry”.</p> <p>“She said to me he was always so angry with her all the time,” Ms Jenkins said.</p> <p>“Her descriptive words were ‘his black eyes flashing’. And she thought he needed to go see a doctor to see if it was some physical cause that he would react to her in such an angry way.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine News</em></p>

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Damning full-page ad slams Ardern’s border policy

<p dir="ltr">New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/jacinda-ardern-popularity-plunges-as-kiwis-struggle-to-return-home/e350bbd6-907c-4bd9-be82-63037dc52269" target="_blank" rel="noopener">openly criticised</a> in a full-page ad regarding the country’s strict border policy, after news emerged of a pregnant New Zealand journalist fighting to return home to give birth.</p><p dir="ltr">The advertisement, taken out by prominent businessman Michael Horton in one of New Zealand’s most widely-read magazines, claimed that New Zealand was one of the few countries not allowing its citizens to return home.</p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2ce06cae-7fff-55cf-e942-5c571f5e3dc0"></span></p><p dir="ltr">Under the headline, “The following countries do not ban their own citizens from returning to their home country”, the ad listed dozens of countries, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">This ad, sponsored by Michael Horton, appears in the January 29 <a href="https://twitter.com/nzlistener?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nzlistener</a>. Thank you Michael. <a href="https://twitter.com/nzgovt?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nzgovt</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/govtnz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@govtnz</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/jacindaardern?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jacindaardern</a> <a href="https://t.co/ZGTW2iFHUr">pic.twitter.com/ZGTW2iFHUr</a></p>— Graeme Jennings (@Graeme_rj) <a href="https://twitter.com/Graeme_rj/status/1484343384357494786?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2022</a></blockquote><p dir="ltr">Above it, another headline read, “The following countries effectively ban their own citizens from returning to their home country”, with New Zealand as the only country listed.</p><p dir="ltr">The ad comes as Charlotte Bell, a 35-year-old journalist  who was working in Qatar for Al Jazeera until recently, remains stranded in Afghanistan, despite being triple-vaccinated and ready to isolate upon her return to her home country.</p><p dir="ltr">Kiwis looking to return home are required to secure a place in government-run quarantine, through a system called Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ).</p><p dir="ltr">According to the MIQ website, travellers are advised to book their place in MIQ - with spots gradually released in the months prior to flight arrivals - before booking their flights.</p><p dir="ltr">“In periods of high demand, some people will miss out on securing an MIQ voucher, regardless of the system that is used,” the website reads.</p><p dir="ltr">As a result of the high demand for the 4500 available spots, thousands of New Zealanders have been unable to return home in time to be with dying family members or be present for milestone moments.</p><p dir="ltr">The system, which used a weekly lottery system to allocate vouchers until early January, has been fully booked out for months in advance which has also meant that impromptu travel or returning for emergencies - such as in Ms Bell’s case - remains virtually impossible. </p><p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0e7e5743-7fff-7d75-76eb-89bdc2ad4ad7"></span></p><p dir="ltr">Ms Bell published an open letter in <em><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/covid-19-omicron-charlotte-bellis-an-open-letter-on-miq/U4WQGYTJHUP36AGVOBN3F6PJSE/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New Zealand Herald</a></em> over the weekend detailing how she was forced to seek refuge in Afghanistan’s capital of Kabul, after she was no longer able to work in Qatar because it is illegal to be pregnant and unmarried there.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF;border: 0;border-radius: 3px;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/CZSRlVysIQF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"><div style="padding: 16px"><div style="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="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="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="flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center"><div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;height: 12.5px;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"> </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"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: auto"><div style="width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent"> </div></div></div><div style="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"><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/CZSRlVysIQF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Charlotte Bellis (@charlottebellis)</a></p></div></blockquote><p dir="ltr">“This is ridiculous. It is my legal right to go to New Zealand, where I have healthcare, where I have family. All my support is there,” she <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/from-kabul-pregnant-reporter-fights-nz-govt-to-come-home/94ed99be-8bbf-4ed0-a0f3-10a77e52ff84" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.</p><p dir="ltr">Ms Bell first attempted to secure residency in Belgium - where her partner is from - but said the length of the process meant she would have been left in the country with an expired visa.</p><p dir="ltr">With the option to either hop from country to country on tourist visas or attempt to secure a more long-term stay while she fought to return home, Ms Bell and her partner returned to Afghanistan because they had a visa, felt welcome, and could continue their battle there.</p><p dir="ltr">Critics like Mr Horton have claimed the lottery system is a needlessly punishing process as more than 90 percent of the country’s population have been fully vaccinated and boosters continue to be administered.</p><p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, Ms Ardern’s approval ratings have taken a hit, with a recent 1 News Kantor poll indicating that her current approval rate sits at just 35 percent, the lowest it’s been since she became Prime Minister in 2017.</p><p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ff3c29b5-7fff-be5f-acb9-82fc7a0f93fa"></span></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @charlottebellis (Instagram)</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Peter Hellier "truly sorry" as damning video resurfaces

<p>Comedian and television personality Peter Hellier has issued an apology to former Collingwood Magpies defender Heritier Lumumba after footage resurfaced of his 2017 interview on Channel 10's The Project.</p> <p>Representing the Magpies for 10 years between 2005-2014, Lumumba claimed he had endured a "culture of racist jokes" at the club.</p> <p>The player said he was nicknamed "Chimp" by teammates, and claimed he was "ostracised internally" after speaking out against racism.</p> <p>During an interview with The Project's Waleed Aly in 2017, Lumumba opened up about his experience with racism in the AFL.</p> <p>Addressing his fellow panelists, Helliar questioned why more teammates had not publicly supported Lumumba's claims.</p> <p>“Heritier has the opportunity to become a really strong, significant voice in the battle against racism with the AFL and Australian sport,” Helliar said.</p> <p>“My only thing — it would be really helpful if we heard more detail, specifically with the nickname.</p> <p>“We can’t find anyone who would speak to us who knew of that nickname over a playing career of 10 years.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Retired AFL star Héritier Lumumba reflects on the systemic racism present in both football and society. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheProjectTV?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheProjectTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/UVk3M8vzXk">pic.twitter.com/UVk3M8vzXk</a></p> — The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/907550590485409793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>“Even if you have to name names, take us into your experience. Paint the picture so we understand it more. Because if you don’t do that, then it just sounds like you’re smearing an entire club.”</p> <p>After Lumumba's claims, Collingwood conducted an internal club investigation last year, which found Collingwood's responses to alleged racism were "at best ineffective, or at worst exacerbated the impact of the racist incidents".</p> <p>The report also said Collingwood prioritised the reputation of the club, rather than addressing the claims of racism directly and instigating change.</p> <p>In response to the “heartbreaking” report, Helliar posted an apology to Lumumba on social media.</p> <p>“I urge all fans &amp; members to demand better from @CollingwoodFC,” Helliar tweeted on Tuesday morning.</p> <p>“This report is heartbreaking. To @iamlumumba I am truly, unequivocally sorry. I should have believed you. I will do better.”</p> <p>Later that day, Lumumba revealed<span> </span><em>The Project</em><span> </span>had once again invited him onto the program, but he turned it down.</p>

TV

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Damning evidence sheds awful new light on cruise line toddler death

<p>A man who dropped his young granddaughter on a cruise ship “unquestionably” knew the window was open, the cruise operator alleges in a court filing.</p> <p>Royal Caribbean Cruises filed a motion this month asking the federal court in the Southern District of Florida asking to dismiss a lawsuit by the family of Chloe Wiegand, who fell to her death from an 11th floor window on the Freedom of the Seas ship in Puerto Rico in July 2019.</p> <p>The toddler’s parents have accused the cruise liner of negligence in her death by allowing the window in the children’s play area to be open.</p> <p>In the new filing, Royal Caribbean alleged the blame falls on Wiegand’s 51-year-old grandfather Salvatore Anello, who was charged in Puerto Rico with negligent homicide.</p> <p>The company said surveillance video shows Anello leaning out the open window before lifting Wiegand up to it.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 291.941px; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7834041/court-document-pic-5.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/95e2e7fdf05b45f390375a75efd666ee" /></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><em>Source: <span>United States District Court of Southern Florida</span></em></p> <p>“Because Mr Anello had himself leaned out the window, he was well aware that the window is open,” the court motion said.</p> <p>“This is a case about an adult man, who, as surveillance footage unquestionably confirms: (1) walked up to a window he was aware was open; (2) leaned his upper body out the window for several seconds; (3) reached down and picked up Chloe; and (4) then held her by and out of the open window for 34 seconds before he lost his grip and dropped Chloe out of the window.</p> <p>“His actions, which no reasonable person could have foreseen, were reckless and irresponsible and the sole reason why Chloe is no longer with her parents.”</p> <p>The family’s attorney Michael Winkleman said the cruise company’s motion is “baseless and deceptive”, <em><span>The Indianapolis Star</span></em><span> reported.</span></p> <p><span>Anello told <em><a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/salvatore-anello-grandfather-charged-in-cruise-ship-death-speaks-out-2019-11-25/">CBS This Morning</a> </em>in November that he is colourblind and did not realise the tinted window was open. “I thought there was glass,” he said then. “I still say it to myself, it's just, I kind of relive it all the time and I just thought there was glass there.”</span></p>

Cruising

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New damning images of Prince Andrew with Jeffrey Epstein and girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell

<p>Damning new images show Prince Andrew alongside Jeffrey Epstein and “madam” Ghislaine Maxwell at the Ascot races in 2000.</p> <p>The discovery was shown on the BBC program<span> </span>Panorama<span> </span>as Virginia Giuffre shared details of how she allegedly had sex with Prince Andrew three times in 2001 and 2002 when she was just 17 years old.</p> <p>The photos show the trio wearing fancy racewear and hats, laughing and smiling at the event.</p> <p>The outing was at a time where Prince Andrew claimed that he was seeing Epstein once or twice a year.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7833003/body-andrew.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/16bba459eef34179adc01ec1d753136a" /></p> <p>Prince Andrew had been introduced to Epstein months earlier by Maxwell, and the couple attended Windsor Castle for the Prince’s 40th birthday.</p> <p>Prince Andrew has constantly denied the allegations from Giuffre and hasn’t been seen in public since Epstein’s death, which was ruled as a suicide.</p> <p><strong>Bombshell emails uncovered in Panorama documentary</strong></p> <p>In the BBC documentary, emails between Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell were uncovered and have thrown doubt on his claims that he did not recall meeting Virginia Giuffre in 2001.</p> <p>Giuffre alleges that she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein and was forced to have sex with Prince Andrew.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CYTrKvQI0sQ"></iframe></div> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <p>An email that was aired on Panorama after being found buried in thousands of pages of legal documents shows that Maxwell and Prince Andrew discussed Guiffre at one point in 2015.</p> <p>“Let me know when we can talk. Got some specific questions to ask you about Virginia Roberts,” Prince Andrew wrote to Maxwell.</p> <p>She replies: “Have some info – call me when you have a moment.”</p> <p>Panorama<span> </span>reported that three days letter, Prince Andrew was sent a “dossier of inconsistences and inaccuracies in articles” about Giuffre.</p> <p><strong>Virginia Giuffre recalls night she was given order to have sex with Queen’s son</strong></p> <p>The documentary included an interview with Giuffre, who recalled the night she met Prince Andrew as they went to a nightclub.</p> <p>“It was horrible, and this guy was sweating all over me, I mean his sweat … it was raining, basically, everywhere … and I was just grossed out from it,” she said.</p> <p>“But I knew I had to keep him happy because that’s what Jeffrey (Epstein) and Ghislaine (Maxwell) would expect from me.”</p> <p>She also explained that it was in the car ride to Maxwell’s London home that she was told to have sex with Prince Andrew.</p> <p>“In the car, Ghislaine tells me that I have to do for Andrew what I do for Jeffrey — and that just made me sick,” she told the BBC.</p> <p>“I just didn’t expect it from royalty. I didn’t expect it from someone people look up to and admire in the royal family.”</p> <p>Giuffree goes into explicit detail of the night that she alleges she was made to have sex with Prince Andrew.</p> <p>“It was disgusting. He wasn’t mean or anything,” she said.</p> <p>“He got up and he said ‘thanks’ and walked out and I just sat there in bed, just horrified and ashamed and felt dirty and had to get up and have a shower,” she explained.</p> <p>Giuffre also explained the impact that having sex with the Queen’s son had on her mental health.</p> <p>“It was a wicked time in my life, it was a really scary time. I had just been abused by a member of a royal family — so when you talk about these chains, yeah, I wasn’t chained to the sink, but these powerful people were my chains. I didn’t know what could happen.</p> <p>“I couldn’t comprehend how in the highest levels of the government, powerful people were allowing this to happen. Not only allowing it to happen but participating in it.”</p> <p><strong>Prince Andrew declines to answer questions from BBC</strong></p> <p>The documentary explained that the BBC reached out with detailed questions to Prince Andrew, but he declined to answer. However, a statement was provided to the organisation.</p> <p>“The Duke of York unequivocally regrets his ill-judged association with Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein’s suicide left many unanswered questions, particularly for his victims,” the statement said.</p> <p>“The duke deeply sympathises with those affected who want some form of closure.</p> <p>“It is his hope that, in time, they will be able to rebuild their lives. The duke is willing to help any appropriate law enforcement agency with their investigations, if required.”</p> </div>

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Madeleine McCann's parents give up fight against ex-cop's damning claims

<p>The parents of Madeleine McCann have given up their fight against the Portuguese ex-cop who claim Kate and Gerry McCann faked their daughter’s kidnapping to cover up her death.</p> <p>According to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3996381/madeleine-mccanns-parents-kate-and-gerry-have-failed-in-their-battle-to-silence-ex-portuguese-cop-over-sick-slurs/" target="_blank">The Sun</a></strong></em></span>, friends of Kate and Gerry McCann said ex-detective Goncalo Amaral “has won once and for all” because they don’t have the “time, energy or funding” to challenge him further.</p> <p><img width="373" height="497" src="https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/nintchdbpict0003210939952.jpg?strip=all&amp;w=720&amp;quality=100" alt="Madeleine McCann" class="size-thesun-article-image wp-image-3543575" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>“Realistically a European Court appeal was never going to succeed plus it would be too expensive to launch. It seems Mr Amaral, regrettably, has won once and for all. The fight is finally over,” the family friend told The Sun.</p> <p>“It means he can continue to spout his malicious lies about Kate and Gerry being involved in a cover up of their daughter’s death, which is almost laughable if it wasn’t so hurtful and damaging in the hunt for Madeleine.</p> <p>“Kate and Gerry have always said they’ll keep no stone unturned in the global search and that’s what they want to concentrate on. I don’t think they have the time, energy or funding to lodge yet another appeal.”</p> <p><img width="447" height="335" src="https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/nintchdbpict0002984632242.jpg?strip=all&amp;w=960&amp;quality=100" alt="The first Portuguese chief investigator, Goncalo Amaral, pressed the theory the McCanns were involved" class="size-thesun-article-image wp-image-3442106" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>In March this year, Kate and Gerry lost their third and final appeal in Portugal’s top court to silence the former detective after an eight-year battle over his bestselling 2008 book, Maddie: The Truth Of The Lie where Amaral claims the couple are to blame for their daughter’s disappearance.</p> <p>The British couple pledged to take Amaral to the European Court of Human Rights but have not done so.</p> <p><img width="446" height="309" src="https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/nintchdbpict0002984632263.jpg?strip=all&amp;w=960&amp;quality=100" alt="Kate and Gerry McCann" class="size-thesun-article-image wp-image-3422657" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Kate said in an interview to mark the milestone 10th anniversary of Maddie’s disappearance in May that Amaral’s poisonous words have been “very upsetting and incomprehensible.”</p> <p>Ten years on, Kate revealed she still buys birthday and Christmas presents for Madeleine.</p> <p>"I obviously have to think about what age she is and something that, whenever we find her, will still be appropriate. So there's a lot of thought goes into it.</p> <p>"But I couldn't not, you know? She's still our daughter, she'll always be our daughter."</p>

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