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Trump escapes second assassination attempt

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

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Robert Downey Jr announces shock Marvel return

<p>Robert Downey Jr. has sensationally announced his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe at the San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday. </p> <p>The actor, who has been instrumental in the build up of the franchise with his role as Iron Man/ Tony Stark, before the character was killed off in the <em>Avengers: Endgame</em> finale, will return to screens as one of Marvel Comics' original villains, Dr. Doom. </p> <p>The moment Downey Jr.'s return was unveiled has since gone viral.</p> <p>In the video clip, studio head Kevin Feige announced two upcoming films <em>Avengers: Doomsday</em> and <em>Avengers: Secret Wars, </em>while surrounded by rows of figures in green robes wearing Doom's iconic metal mask. </p> <p>Joe Russo, one of the directors for <em>Avengers: Infinity War</em> and <em>Endgame</em>, then said: </p> <p>"As proof of the unlimited possibilities of the Marvel [Multiverse], we give you the one person who could play Victor von Doom."</p> <p>Downey Jr, among the dozens of others wearing metal masks dressed as Dr. Doom, coyly walked to the front of the stage and took of his mask to a thunderous response from the crowd. </p> <p>"New mask, same task," the actor said.</p> <p> He added, "I tell ya, I like playing complicated characters."</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/reel/C98vrwXvgSc/?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/reel/C98vrwXvgSc/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Marvel Studios (@marvelstudios)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“If we’re going to bring Doctor Doom to the screen — he is one of the most complex characters, most entertaining characters in all of fiction,” said Joe Russo.</p> <p>“If we’re going to do this … then we are going to need the greatest actor in the world,” he added.</p> <p><em>Avengers: Doomsday </em>will be out in cinemas on May 2026, with <em>Avengers: Secret Wars</em> set to be released the following year. </p> <p><em>Image: John Salangsang/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p> <p> </p>

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“This is the guy”: Shocking new footage of Trump shooting released

<p>New footage has emerged from the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, as investigations continue into the shooting. </p> <p>Graphic new bodycam footage has shown local authorities speaking to a Secret Service agent after the shooter, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was gunned down at a Trump rally. </p> <p>The footage shows the moment authorities climbed onto the roof where Crooks was positioned, and captures the moment police identify the shooter as a suspicious person. </p> <p>One man, who appears to be a Secret Service agent, tells a Beaver County Emergency Services Unit (ESU) officer that Crooks’ body appeared to be the person who was previously reported to them for suspicious activity. </p> <p>“So this is the guy,” the agent says, as the Beaver County ESU officer replies, “This is him.”</p> <p>The ESU officer also says a police sniper took photos of Crooks, including of him on a bicycle, according to the footage.</p> <p>“That’s the sniper that sent the original picture and seen him come from the bike and set the book bag down and then lost sight of him,” the officer tells the apparent Secret Service agent.</p> <p>Crooks’ gunfire grazed Mr Trump’s ear and hit three rally-goers, killing 50-year-old volunteer firefighter and married father-of-two <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/hero-victim-identified-at-trump-rally-shooting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Corey Comperatore</a>, before the gunman was quickly shot and killed by a Secret Service agent.</p> <p>Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley a Republican, called on the Secret Service to release more information to the public about the attempted assassination as the federal law enforcement agency faces fierce criticism over security failures at the rally. </p> <p>“Federal agencies, particularly the Secret Service, have failed to be transparent with the American people,” Mr Grassley said in a statement.</p> <p>“This assassination attempt is a matter of substantial public interest, and the public’s business ought to be public.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Beaver County ESU / Bethel Park School District</em></p>

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Trump's insult to Biden after he drops out of presidential race

<p>Joe Biden has officially withdrawn from the presidential race against former president Donald Trump. </p> <p>Biden, who is the oldest US president at 81, has been facing mounting calls to drop out of the election from both his opponents and supporters, amid fears of his failing health, mental clarity and age. </p> <p>On Sunday, the 46th president shared a lengthy statement to share that he would be dropping out of the race, saying it is "in the best interest" for both his Democratic Party and the country to take a step back. </p> <p>“While it has been my intention to seek re-election, I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term,” Mr Biden wrote in a letter he posted on his X account.</p> <p>“I will speak to the Nation later this week in more detail about my decision. It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve as your President.”</p> <p>Biden shared a second announcement to social media following his bombshell withdrawal, saying he would be endorsing his Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee to run for President in the November election against Trump. </p> <p>"My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President, and it’s been the best decision I’ve made," he began.</p> <p>"Today I want to offer my full support and endorsement for Kamala to be the nominee of our party this year. Democrats — it’s time to come together and beat Trump. Let’s do this."</p> <p>Mere hours after Biden's announcement, former President Donald Trump reacted to the news on TRUTH social, his own social media platform, exactly as many expected. </p> <p>“Crooked Joe Biden was not fit to run for President, and is certainly not fit to serve — And never was!” Trump said.</p> <p>“All those around him, including his doctor and the media, knew that he wasn’t capable of being President, and he wasn’t. We will suffer greatly because of his presidency, but we will remedy the damage he has done very quickly.”</p> <p>In a phone call with CNN minutes after Biden announced his exit from the 2024 race, former Trump described Biden as going “down as the single worst president by far in the history of our country”.</p> <p>Mr Biden will remain President until the end of his term next January.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Bonnie Cash / Pool via CNP/ Ron Sachs/CNP /Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

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Jack Black cancels Tenacious D tour after on-stage Trump comment

<p>Jack Black has cancelled the rest of Tenacious D's Australia and New Zealand tour after his bandmate Kyle Gass’s on-stage joke about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump was widely condemned. </p> <p>Gass was celebrating his 64th birthday on stage at Sydney’s International Convention Centre on Sunday night, just hours after Trump was fired upon at a rally Pennsylvania, when Black presented him with a cake and asked for his birthday wish. </p> <p>“Don’t miss Trump next time,” Gass replied. </p> <p>The moment was captured and posted to TikTok where it quickly went viral, even attracting attention from radio shock jock <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/kyle-slaps-comedy-legends-with-lifetime-ban-for-twisted-trump-joke" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyle Sandilands</a>, who proposed Tenacious D receive a lifetime ban from touring in Australia.</p> <p>Since the moment garnered online attention, Kyle Gass has been dropped by his talent agency, Greene Talent, with rep Michael Greene telling <em><a href="https://www.tmz.com/2024/07/16/tenacious-d-kyle-gass-dropped-talent-agency-trump-shooting-comment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">TMZ</a></em> they have parted ways due to the incident.</p> <p>In the hours after the show, Jack Black took to Instagram where he shocked fans by announcing the rest of their tour would be cancelled, as the joke prompted a falling out between the two bandmates.</p> <p>“I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday. I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form,” Black wrote in a statement.</p> <p>“After much reflection, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold. I am grateful to the fans for their support and understanding.”</p> <p>Gass has since apologised for the joke, saying, “The line I improvised onstage Sunday night in Sydney was highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake."</p> <p>“I don’t condone violence of any kind, in any form, against anyone. What happened was a tragedy, and I’m incredibly sorry for my severe lack of judgement."</p> <p>“I profoundly apologise to those I’ve let down and truly regret any pain I’ve caused.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Reynaud Julien/APS-Medias/ABACA/Shutterstock Editorial/TikTok</em></p>

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Kyle slaps comedy legends with lifetime ban for "twisted" Trump joke

<p>US comedy-rock duo Tenacious D have found themselves at the centre of a media maelstrom during their current Australian tour. The reason? A blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment during which guitarist Kyle Gass expressed that his birthday wish at their Sydney show was: “Don’t miss Trump next time.”</p> <p>The comment quickly sent shockwaves through the media landscape, and has even managed to ruffle the feathers of the famously unshockable Kyle Sandilands. </p> <p>It all started innocently enough at Sydney’s ICC Theatre. As the band celebrated Kyle Gass' 64th birthday, Tenacious D frontman and star of the big and small screen Jack Black paused the show for the ceremonial blowing out of candles. What better time for Gass to wish for world peace, or perhaps a new guitar?</p> <p>But no: “Don’t miss Trump next time,” he quipped, referring to the failed assassination attempt that very morning on the former US President. </p> <p>As expected, the moment was captured by at least one concertgoer and shared on TikTok, where the comment section swiftly became a battlefield. “As a Tenacious D fan, no. Just no,” lamented one disappointed follower. “Hmm … the left condoning gun violence. Hypocrisy at its finest. Keep showing us your colours,” declared another.</p> <p>However, not everyone was scandalised. “My respect for Tenacious D,” reads the top comment, with another fan chiming in, “Aaand I like them even more.” </p> <p>But the real kicker came when Sandilands, on the Kyle & Jackie O show, took to the airwaves to express his utter dismay. “Someone’s promoting the assassination of another human being? Seriously?” he said. “That’s some serious, twisted s**t. And whoever that is, is banned for life.” </p> <p>Sandilands was especially flabbergasted to learn the comment came from Tenacious D. “See, those two seem like normal people, not unhinged lunatics,” he mused.</p> <p><em>Images: KIIS FM | TikTok</em></p>

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Elon Musk tops donations as millions raised for Trump shooting victims

<p>In the wake of the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, a groundswell of support has emerged from celebrities, business leaders, Republican Party notables and countless regular Americans for those affected by the event that left Trump injured, one man dead, and two others in critical condition.</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/president-trump-seeks-support-for-butler-pa-victims" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe campaign</a>, initiated by Trump's top finance person, Meredith O'Rourke of Tallahassee, initially set a goal of $1 million. However, by Monday morning, donations had already far surpassed this target. As of Monday evening, the online fundraiser had amassed over $4.6 million from more than 60,000 donations.</p> <p>Prominent figures have made substantial contributions, with tech mogul Elon Musk donating $100,000 in two instalments late on Monday, while the Ultimate Fighting Championship and its president, Dana White, each contributed $50,000.</p> <p>Meredith O'Rourke, the organiser of the fundraiser, said that the collected funds would support the victims and their families, aiding in recovery and providing assistance to those in mourning. "This is about coming together as a community to help those who have suffered from this senseless act of violence," O'Rourke stated.</p> <p>Among the victims is volunteer fire chief <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/hero-victim-identified-at-trump-rally-shooting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Corey Comperatore</a>, aged 50, who was praised by Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as a hero who shielded his wife and daughter during the shooting. Two other individuals remain in critical condition as they recover from their injuries.</p> <p>Here are some of the notable donors who have contributed to the "Butler PA Victims GoFundMe" campaign:</p> <p><strong>Elon Musk:</strong> $100,000. The Tesla CEO, X (formerly Twitter) owner, and SpaceX founder, now a Texas resident, has a significant presence in Florida due to regular launches from Cape Canaveral.</p> <p><strong>Kenneth C. Griffin:</strong> $100,000. The founder and CEO of multinational hedge fund Citadel LLC, Griffin, is a Daytona Beach native who maintains a home in Miami.</p> <p><strong>Governor Rick & Ann Scott:</strong> $50,000. Rick Scott, the former governor of Florida, has been serving as a U.S. senator from Florida since 2019.</p> <p><strong>Kid Rock:</strong> $50,000. Versatile musician and entertainer Kid Rock is renowned for blending rock, hip-hop, and country genres, delivering energetic performances and chart-topping hits over a career spanning more than two decades.</p> <p><em>Image: GoFundMe</em></p>

Money & Banking

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"I just got shot": Trump gives first interview after assassination attempt

<p>In his first interview since a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/attempted-assassination-of-trump-the-long-history-of-violence-against-u-s-presidents" target="_blank" rel="noopener">failed assassination attempt</a> at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, Donald Trump provided new insights into his harrowing experience and "miraculous" survival. The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks fired upon the former president during his speech.</p> <p>Speaking aboard his private jet to a <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/07/14/us-news/grateful-defiant-trump-recounts-surreal-assassination-attempt-at-rally-im-supposed-to-be-dead/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>New York Post</em> journalist</a>, Trump described the weekend’s events as a “very surreal experience".</p> <p>“The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle,” Trump, wearing a white bandage over his right ear, told the <em>Post</em>. “I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead.”</p> <p>Trump recounted that his survival was due to a slight turn of his head to the right to read a chart on illegal immigrants. At that precise moment, what could have been a fatal shot tore off a small piece of his ear, splattering blood on his forehead and cheek.</p> <p>As Secret Service agents quickly led him off stage, Trump expressed his desire to continue speaking to his supporters. However, agents insisted it wasn’t safe and rushed him to a hospital. He marvelled at how the agents reacted, comparing them to "linebackers" as they shielded him.</p> <p>Unbuttoning his long-sleeve white shirt, Trump revealed a large bruise on his right forearm, evidence of the forceful protection provided by the agents.</p> <p>Trump had previously posted on his social media account, Truth Social, to thank the Secret Service and law enforcement. “The agents hit me so hard that my shoes fell off, and my shoes are tight,” he said.</p> <p>Microphones at the podium captured the urgent commands from security telling Trump to “get down, get down” before he was helped back up. In the commotion, Trump was heard saying, “let me get my shoes,” before being escorted to a waiting car.</p> <p>In a powerful photograph that has since circulated widely, Trump, after being shot, stood and raised his fist, shouting “fight” three times to the crowd as Secret Service agents tried to move him offstage.</p> <p>“A lot of people say it’s the most iconic photo they’ve ever seen,” Trump said of the image. “They’re right and I didn’t die. Usually, you have to die to have an iconic picture. I just wanted to keep speaking, but I just got shot.”</p> <p>The rally saw two people killed, including the shooter, and two others injured. Reflecting on his survival, Trump told reporters that “by luck or by God” he was still here.</p> <p><em>Images: Xinhua News Agency/Shutterstock Editorial</em> </p>

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Attempted assassination of Trump: The long history of violence against U.S. presidents

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/thomas-klassen-1171638">Thomas Klassen</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/york-university-canada-1610">York University, Canada</a></em></p> <p>Political assassinations in the United States have a long and disturbing history.</p> <p>The <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vp-vance-rubio-7c7ba6b99b5f38d2d840ed95b2fdc3e5">attempted assassination of Donald Trump</a>, who narrowly escaped death when a bullet grazed his right ear while he was speaking at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, highlights the danger of those seeking votes in a country whose constitution guarantees citizens the right to bear arms.</p> <p>Trump joins a not-so-exclusive club of U.S. presidents, former presidents and presidential candidates who have been the target of bullets. Of the 45 people who have served as president, four have been <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/us-presidents-assassinated-targeted-presidential-candidates-111920908">assassinated while in office</a>.</p> <p>Given the near mythic status of U.S. presidents, and the nation’s superpower role, political assassinations strike at the very heart of the American psyche.</p> <p><a href="https://www.loc.gov/collections/abraham-lincoln-papers/articles-and-essays/assassination-of-president-abraham-lincoln/">Abraham Lincoln</a>’s killing in 1865 and that of <a href="https://theconversation.com/jfk-assassination-60-years-on-seven-experts-on-what-to-watch-see-and-read-to-understand-the-event-and-its-consequences-216203">John F. Kennedy</a> in 1963 are key moments in the history of the United States. <a href="https://www.history.com/news/the-assassination-of-president-james-a-garfield">James Garfield</a> (1881) and <a href="https://www.history.com/news/the-assassination-of-president-william-mckinley">William McKinley</a> (1901) are less remembered, but their deaths nonetheless rocked the nation at the time.</p> <h2>Secret Service provides protection</h2> <p>It was after McKinley’s assassination that the U.S. Secret Service was given <a href="https://www.secretservice.gov/about/history/150-years#:%7E:text">the job of providing full-time protection to presidents</a>.</p> <p>The last American president to be shot was Ronald Reagan, <a href="https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/permanent-exhibits/assassination-attempt">who was seriously wounded and required emergency surgery in 1981</a>.</p> <p>Reagan was leaving a Washington hotel after giving a speech when gunman John Hinckley Jr. fired shots from a .22-calibre pistol. One of the bullets ricocheted off the president’s limousine and hit him under the left armpit. Reagan spent 12 days in hospital before returning to the White House.</p> <p>Other presidents have been shot at, but luckily, not injured.</p> <p>In 1933, <a href="http://www.fdrlibraryvirtualtour.org/page03-06.asp">a gunman fired five shots at the car of then President-Elect Franklin D. Roosevelt</a>. Roosevelt wasn’t hit but the mayor of Chicago, Anton Cermak, who was speaking to Roosevelt after the newly elected president had made some brief remarks to the public, was injured and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7297642/">died 19 days later</a>.</p> <h2>Two attempts in one month</h2> <p>In September of 1975, President Gerald Ford survived <a href="https://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/avproj/assassinations.asp">two separate assassination attempts — both by women</a>. The first came on Sept. 5 when Lynette (Squeaky) Fromme, a follower of cult leader Charles Manson, tried to shoot Ford as he was walking through a park in Sacramento, Calif., but her gun misfired and didn’t go off. On Sept. 22, Sara Jane Moore, a woman with ties to left-wing radical groups, got one shot off at Ford as he left a hotel in San Francisco but it missed the president.</p> <p>Presidential candidates have not been exempt from assassination attempts, including most notably Senator <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/06/05/1179430014/robert-kennedy-rfk-assassination-anniversary">Robert F. Kennedy</a> killed in 1968 and <a href="https://www.wsfa.com/2024/07/14/son-late-alabama-gov-george-wallace-reacts-trump-rally-shooting/">George Wallace</a> shot and left paralyzed in 1972.</p> <p>In 1912, former president Theodore Roosevelt <a href="https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2019/07/the-pocket-items-that-saved-the-life-of-theodore-roosevelt/">was hit in the chest by a .38-calibre bullet</a> as he was campaigning to regain the White House. But most of the impact of the bullet was absorbed by objects in the chest pocket of Roosevelt’s jacket. Even though he had been shot, Roosevelt went on to make a campaign speech with the bullet still in his chest.</p> <h2>The violence of 1968</h2> <p>Other figures with significant — if unelected — political power have also had their lives cut short by gunfire, most notably <a href="https://theconversation.com/mlks-vision-matters-today-for-the-43-million-americans-living-in-poverty-92380">Martin Luther King Jr.</a> in 1968, just a few months before Bobby Kennedy’s death.</p> <p>In a country with <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/06/19/there-are-more-guns-than-people-in-the-united-states-according-to-a-new-study-of-global-firearm-ownership/">more guns than people</a>, and with firearms easily available, it is not surprising that invariably shootings are the preferred means of killing or attempting to kill political office holders.</p> <p>Like Trump, most assassination attempts occur when candidates and politicians are in public spaces with crowds of people nearby. There is a long history of politicians insisting, against the advice of their security advisers, to “press the flesh” in events that jeopardize their safety. Trump was extraordinarily fortunate to escape with only minor injuries.<!-- 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/234630/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/thomas-klassen-1171638">Thomas Klassen</a>, Professor, School of Public Policy and Administration, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/york-university-canada-1610">York University, Canada</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Xinhua News Agency/Shutterstock Editorial </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/attempted-assassination-of-trump-the-long-history-of-violence-against-u-s-presidents-234630">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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"Hero" victim identified at Trump rally shooting

<p>A former Pennsylvania volunteer fire chief has been named as the man who got caught in the crossfire of an assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a campaign rally. </p> <p>While Trump was delivering a speech to supporters in a small town in the state of Pennsylvania, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks was stationed on a rooftop near the event armed with a sniper. </p> <p>Crooks  fired multiple rounds on the former president and spectators, missing Trump, before he was ultimately killed by a Secret Service sniper.</p> <p>Caught up in the crossfire was 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, who died at the rally while trying to protect his daughter from the shooting. </p> <p>Comperatore's sister Dawn Comperatore Schafer took to Facebook to pay tribute to her brother and praise his heroism in his final moments. </p> <p>“The hatred for one man took the life of the one man we loved the most. He was a hero that shielded his daughters,” she wrote on Facebook.</p> <p>“His wife and girls just lived through the unthinkable and unimaginable,” she added.</p> <p>Comperatore’s wife, Helen, said her husband was as a “real-life superhero” who protected them. </p> <p>“Yesterday, what [was meant to] be such an exciting day for my husband, especially, turned into a nightmare for our family,” Helen wrote on Facebook. </p> <p>“What my precious girls had to witness is unforgivable,” she added. “He died the hero he always was.”</p> <p>Comperatore’s daughter, Allyson, echoed her statement, calling her father “the best dad a girl could ever ask for” as she mourned his sudden death. </p> <p>Allyson said that when the gunshots rang out, Comperatore quickly threw her and her mother to the ground to try to protect them after Trump was shot.</p> <p>“He truly loved us enough to take a real bullet for us,” Allyson wrote on Facebook. </p> <p>“And I want nothing more than to cry on him and tell him thank you.”</p> <p>Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro also hailed Comperatore, who was an avid Trump supporter, as a local hero and has ordered flags to be flown half staff in his honour. </p> <p>“Corey died a hero,” Shapiro said. “Corey was the very best of us.”</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-allyson-after-tragic-loss??fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR1AbXfAyX9lw5cZpb1v3op6jM42CFcYObgctlnjT0JokJZAkCMzXjREWkU_aem_e473Brl2b31I68lZxNcpIg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page to support Helen and Allyson has already raised more than $890,000. </p> <p><em>Image credits: GoFundMe/Xinhua News Agency/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

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Hollywood legend Donald Sutherland dies at age 88

<p>Legendary Hollywood actor Donald Sutherland has died at the age of 88 after a battle with an ongoing illness. </p> <p>The actor, known for his roles in<em> M*A*S*H</em>, <em>Klute</em> and <em>The Hunger Games</em>, passed away on Thursday in Miami, his agency confirmed. </p> <p>Donald's actor son Kiefer announced his father's death in an emotional post on Instagram, reflecting on his illustrious career. </p> <p>“With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away,” he began. </p> <p>“I personally think one of the most important actors in the history of film. Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly."</p> <p>“He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived.”</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/p/C8cgckJJ548/?utm_source=ig_embed&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/C8cgckJJ548/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kiefer Sutherland (@kiefersutherland)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Tributes from past colleagues have flooded social media, as director Ron Howard reflected on working with the iconic actor. </p> <p>"I was blessed to direct him in Backdraft. One of the most intelligent, interesting & engrossing film actors of all time," he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).</p> <p>"Incredible range, creative courage & dedication to serving the story & the audience with supreme excellence."</p> <p>Helen Mirren, who co-starred with Sutherland in 2017's <em>The Leisure Seekers</em>, also paid tribute to her late friend, saying in a statement, "Donald Sutherland was one of the smartest actors I ever worked with. He had a wonderful enquiring brain, and a great knowledge on a wide variety of subjects."</p> <p>"He combined this great intelligence with a deep sensitivity, and with a seriousness about his profession as an actor. This all made him into the legend of film that he became."</p> <p>Sutherland’s career spanned more than 50 years and 140 film credits and earned an Emmy for his role as a Soviet official in the fact-based HBO movie<em> Citizen X</em>, as well as a pair of Golden Globes.</p> <p>Sutherland’s big break came when he was cast as one of <em>The Dirty Dozen</em> in the star-studded 1967 film, before landing a role in the movie version of<em> M*A*S*H,</em> and also playing alongside Jane Fonda in her Oscar-winning portrayal of a high-class “call girl” in the crime mystery <em>Klute</em>.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Ace Pictures/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

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Donald Trump facing jail after guilty verdict

<p>Former US president Donald Trump is facing the possibility of jail time after being found guilty on all 34 counts of a hush money trial in New York. </p> <p>Trump was found to be unanimously guilty by the jury on Thursday afternoon, making him the first former US President with a criminal conviction.</p> <p>In the New York courtroom, he was accused of 34 counts of fraud by falsifying business records to cover up payments of $200,000 ($US130,000) to adult star Stormy Daniels.</p> <p>It was reported that Mr Trump wanted to buy her silence about an alleged extramarital sexual encounter which was in danger of becoming public knowledge in the run up to the 2016 US Presidential election.</p> <p>While paying hush money to cover up a potentially damning story isn't illegal, Trump's falsifying of business records to bury the payments is a criminal offence in the state of New York. </p> <p>Mr Trump, 77, denied a sexual encounter with Ms Daniels took place and denied all the charges.</p> <p>After the guilty verdict was handed down, Trump spoke to reporters outside the courtroom, saying the trial was “rigged” and a “disgrace”.</p> <p>“This was a rigged trial by a conflicted judge who is corrupt,” he said.</p> <p>“The real verdict is going to be November 5 by the people and they know what happened here and everybody knows what happened here.”</p> <p>He insisted “we didn’t do anything wrong”.</p> <p>“I’m a very innocent man and it’s OK, I’m fighting for our country, I’m fighting for our Constitution,” he said.</p> <p>A sentencing hearing has been set for July 11th, just four days before the Republican National Convention, when the party will officially nominate him for President ahead of the election in November.</p> <p>He faces a minimum of probation and a maximum of up to four years in prison.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-46607c99-7fff-4305-1a14-3fd4a2e9d2b3"><em>Image credits: Justin Lane/UPI/Shutterstock Editorial</em> </span></p>

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Harry Connick Jr shares tragic family update

<p>Harry Connick Jr has shared the tragic news that his father, Harry Connick Sr has passed away aged 97. </p> <p>The former <em>Australian Idol</em> judge's father, who was New Orleans’ district attorney for three decades, died peacefully at his home on Thursday surrounded by family. </p> <p>The cause of death has not been revealed. </p> <p>Harry Connick Jr greatly admired his father who he called his “hero and inspiration.”</p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Harry Connick Sr </span>passed on his love for music to his son, as prior to his career in law he owned two record stores in New Orleans and regularly performed in bands around the city’s French Quarter, according to <em>People</em> magazine. </p> <p>He then began his career as a New Orleans district attorney from 1973 until his retirement in 2003. </p> <p>New Orleans’ current district attorney, Jason Williams, has shared his condolences to Connick's family. </p> <p>“Mr. Connick remains the longest tenured District Attorney, serving from 1973-2003. Such a longstanding public servant gives an enormous amount of themselves to their community — as do their families,” he wrote.</p> <p>“Our thoughts are with the Connick family during this difficult time.”</p> <p>Despite often travelling out of the US  for his music and acting commitments, Harry Connick Jr loved spending time with his father. </p> <p>One of the last few pictures he shared of them together was posted last October, where he described “hanging with my dad” as “my FAVOURITE thing in the world”.</p> <p>“I come to see him about once a month in New Orleans, and it’s still not enough!” he wrote on Instagram.</p> <p>“At 97, he continues to be my hero and inspiration ... I love you sooooo much, dad!!!”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Harry Connick Jnr finally comes clean on feud with Kyle

<p>Kyle Sandilands and Harry Connick Jr. have hashed out their rumoured ongoing feud, calling a truce live on air. </p> <p>The radio shock jock welcomed the singer on <em>The Kyle and Jackie O Show</em> on Wednesday morning to discuss his upcoming Australian tour, when Sandilands brought up their long-running beef. </p> <p>“You know what I admire about Harry, and I’ve watched Harry too,” he told co-host Jackie O when Connick Jr. was on the line.</p> <p>“When you think some doesn't like you, you watch them, you, over-analyse them and you start getting in your head, ‘I wonder why he doesn’t like me?’”</p> <p>Kyle then discussed some lessons he had learned from Harry during their time on Australian Idol together, “What I do know about Harry, and he told the Idol contestants this last year, is read the room. You’ve got to perform to whoever is there, whether it’s an auditorium or it’s to three people on a TV show.”</p> <p>Rather than welcoming the compliment, Connick Jr. thought Sandilands was being sarcastic and "tricky" by stirring the pot. </p> <p>“I see how tricky you are, slipping in there that I don’t like you,” the star said on air. “I don’t know where you got that from. I do like you very much and I really enjoyed our time together. So I see you trying to flip that in there, but you’re not gonna get that past me, pal.”</p> <p>Henderson said Sandilands may have been “paranoid”, while he agreed he “misread” the situation.</p> <p>“So this whole time, I should’ve maybe asked,” he told Connick Jr, who replied: “I love my wife and kids, and I’ve been very lucky in may career. Life is too short for any kind of … I just love life. So when you say I don’t like you, I’m not sure where that comes from, but for the record, I do like you very much and so everything is cool from my end.”</p> <p>While he accepted the explanation, Sandilands also remained slightly sceptical because Connick Jr “is a very good actor” after all, he said.</p> <p>“But Kyle the thing about actors is we don’t lie – we tell the truth,” replied Connick Jr.</p> <p>“You gotta tell the truth in the scene because, if you’re lying, you’re not being true to your character.”</p> <p>Sandilands then urged listeners to forget “everything I’ve ever said about Harry”.</p> <p><em>Image credits: KIIS FM / Getty Images</em></p>

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Kyle and Harry’s feud moves to the live stage

<p>Kyle Sandilands and Harry Connick Jr have traded ‘respectful’ slights while offering feedback to one young contestant during live shows for <em>Australian Idol</em>. </p> <p>The pair were unable to see eye-to-eye on how one singer should approach her next performance, after having taken the judging table by surprise with her position in the bottom four, and made no secret of their differing industry opinions. </p> <p>“You could really throw a curveball,” Harry, who is halfway towards an EGOT [an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony award winner], suggested to her. “And do something completely unproduced, completely stripped down, just bare.” </p> <p>Kyle interrupted with a series of disagreeing noises, prompting Harry to ask, “you disagree?” </p> <p>“No, that would stress– I love your musical knowledge, but the contest side panics me,” Kyle said, “I love what you’re saying to her, because as an artist that’s valuable. But in the contest - right at the end, ‘oh, let’s do something different’.” </p> <p>“No, but there’s the thing,” Harry said, addressing the young singer on stage, “I’m telling you as objectively as I can, that’s what I would do. Because we’ve already seen this, every single week it’s like a ten, ten, ten, ten, ten.”</p> <p>After fumbling over his words, Harry then stated “no, actually, I’m talking to Kyle. If Kyle understands.” </p> <p>“This is what I understand,” Kyle shot back. “You show up in a Ferrari not a Datsun with some mag wheels on it.”</p> <p>Immediately, Harry responded to tell everyone “therein lies the difference. I understand what Kyle says but I don’t think - respectfully - you understand what I’m saying.” </p> <p>Kyle went on to try and convince the contestants that their best plan of attack would be not to try and impress Harry, but instead to consider the people watching the competition. </p> <p>“This is a place where you sing to win,” he stated. “You win the record deal, then you go and you do your ‘airy fairy artist party stuff’.” </p> <p>The 51-year-old radio host had previously opened up to <em>Daily Mail Australia </em>about their relationship, telling them, “it's not bulls***. There's no drama really. It's like, you know when someone just doesn't like you, you can tell?”</p> <p>He went on to admit that while he doesn’t hate Harry, the two don’t spend a lot of time with each other. He noted that he doesn’t believe there’s any real rivalry or drama, instead suggesting that the two are just too busy, but seemed to acknowledge the tension between them when he added, “maybe it's because he doesn't run around and praise me, which I don't expect him to. </p> <p>“Like, it's tongue in cheek, but he's at one end and I'm at the other.”</p> <p><em>Images: Australian Idol / Seven</em></p>

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“I'm never speaking to him again": Kyle's feud with Harry Connick Jnr leaps to another level

<p>Kyle Sandilands is in for a bout of silent treatment with his co-star Harry Connick Jr after a prank drew a far from desirable response from the exasperated American. </p> <p>The pair, who star as judges on 2023’s season of <em>Australian Idol</em>, had been unsure about each other from the beginning. </p> <p>On <em>KIIS FM </em>with Will and Woody, Kyle confessed that “I don’t think he gelled with me. If someone doesn’t like you, and you feel it, you just don’t like them automatically.”</p> <p>With tensions already between them, Kyle recalled a critical phone call that led to the pair ceasing communication off the set, “I just thought ‘what a flop’ and hung up. That was it. Friendship over.”</p> <p>On set, however, their situation wasn’t much better, and things boiled over when one of Kyle’s <em>KIIS FM </em>colleagues decided to play a little prank on the judges. </p> <p>The 51-year-old radio presenter saw 'Intern' Pete Deppeler from <em>KIIS FM </em>swing by the set for an audition that was doomed from the start. </p> <p>Pete, who entered in disguise with big glasses and a face mask, informed the judges that he would be performing a song titled ‘Big D**k Energy’. He went on to perform a unique rendition of Harry Styles’ hit ‘Watermelon Sugar’. </p> <p>Kyle claimed not to have any idea what was going on when the big reveal came, while Kyle’s fellow judges Amy Shark and Meghan Trainor were thoroughly entertained by the stunt, the same could not be said for Harry Connick Jr who opted to leave the set. </p> <p>As one fan put it, “obviously Harry had a tantrum and didn't want to be in on this. He seems so like he can't wait for the whole thing to be over.”</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/reel/CoVvj65sPaV/?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/reel/CoVvj65sPaV/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kyle and Jackie O (@kyleandjackieo)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Discussing the prank on <em>The Kyle and Jackie O Show</em>, Kyle shared his belief that Harry is a “serious man and not into jokes” and that was why he had grown frustrated enough to storm off. </p> <p>“Harry stood up and said, ‘oh my God, we're better than this’,” Kyle said, “and walked off the set.”</p> <p>Kyle’s co-host, Jackie, had some intel of her own to share, mentioning that she’d heard a rumour Harry had asked for all footage of him responding to the prank to be “destroyed”. </p> <p>Kyle, who was at his wit’s end with Harry’s more serious attitude towards life, concluded that their friendship was over, declaring, “I'm never speaking to him again. I'm not saying a word to him on the show, I'm not even acknowledging his existence.” </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram </em></p>

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Is Kyle too cruel even for Australian Idol?

<p>Kyle Sandilands, known across Australia for his controversial no-filter commentary, has once again caused a stir with his take on one<em> Australian Idol </em>contestant’s audition. </p> <p>Kyle, the only original cast member to return for the show’s reboot, was joined by Meghan Trainor, Harry Connick Jr, and fellow Australian Amy Shark.</p> <p>Ali Morriss, a 27-year-old aged care worker from Brisbane, kicked off her audition with an unusual technique - handing out copies of her young adult novel Outside to the judges. The book is published under the pen name RA Bissmire.</p> <p>Kyle’s inappropriate remark came after Ali informed the judges which song she’d be performing for her audition, <em>Untouched</em> by The Veronicas. </p> <p>“Is it because you are untouched?” Sandilands asked. </p> <p>Ali replied, “I don’t know if I can answer that.” </p> <p>Kyle’s comment, which had nothing to do with Ali’s singing ability and everything to do with his “shock jock” approach to commentary, drew varied reactions from his fellow judges. </p> <p>“Oh my god,” Meghan Trainor exclaimed, waving a hand in Kyle’s direction from her position next to him on the panel, “oh my god. It’s a family show.”</p> <p>Amy Shark managed an uncomfortable laugh, leaning away. </p> <p>Meanwhile, Harry Connick Jr did not dignify Kyle’s jab with a response, keeping his gaze down and locked on Ali’s gifted book. </p> <p>Ali’s situation wasn’t set to improve, with her rendition of <em>Untouched</em> falling short of what the judges were searching for. </p> <p>“This is a hardcore singing show,” Harry Connick Jr told her in a bid to soften the rejection, “and as lovely as you are, you’re just not ready for that.”</p> <p>Amy Shark agreed with Harry’s take, telling Ali that she’d selected a difficult song in the first place, even adding, “I feel like it’s a song only the Veronicas can crush.”</p> <p>It was then that Kyle chose to follow up on his initial approach to Ali’s audition, holding her book up as he told her, “I think you should go outside.” </p> <p>Kyle’s attitude has left a bad taste in the mouths of many viewers, especially given the show’s approach to “respecting” their talents this season. </p> <p>In a pinned tweet from January 30, producers invited the audience to join them for a “respectful season”. It appears Sandilands missed the invitation. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Here's your golden ticket to a respectful season of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AustralianIdol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AustralianIdol</a> 💙 <a href="https://t.co/t1R2gZk0XO">pic.twitter.com/t1R2gZk0XO</a></p> <p>— Australian Idol (@AustralianIdol) <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianIdol/status/1619954465641234432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>People were quick to share their take on that, given Kyle’s presence on the panel, and the fact that <em>Australian Idol </em>was choosing to broadcast the less-than-ideal auditions in the first place. </p> <p>“Lol lol lol lol lol,” began former journalist and reporter Mark Kearney, “says the show that’s platforming serial misogynist Kyle Sandilands?”</p> <p>“So why put them up for public ridicule?” asked one fan. </p> <p>“Except the judges are reacting and comment some terrible stuff,” wrote another, “and being straight up rude- it’s not even funny.”</p> <p>One commenter took the opportunity to point out the show’s hypocrisy, posing the question to the <em>Australian Idol</em> account, “aren’t you using people as a platform knowing they are terrible?”</p> <p>It appears that <em>Australian Idol </em>is shaping up to be a bumpy ride, with some noting that it hasn't changed in the 14 years since its previous seasons, surmising that it’s “back to its old ways of humiliating young people.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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Why King Charles reacted with "torrents of profanity" to Donald Trump's comments

<p>A new book has claimed King Charles unleashed a "torrent of profanity" towards former US President Donald Trump after he made inappropriate comments about Kate Middleton. </p> <p>Earlier this week, <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-kate-middleton-remark-profanity-prince-william-harry-1756283" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Newsweek </a>reported on excerpts obtained from Christopher Andersen’s upcoming royal biography, <em>The King: The Life of Charles III</em>. </p> <p>The book claims that the royal family was furious with the then-President after his distasteful tweets about the Princess of Wales came to light. </p> <p>In 2012, Mr Trump tweeted about the Princess of Wales after photographs of her sunbathing topless were published in the French publication Closer.</p> <p>“Kate Middleton is great – but she shouldn’t be sunbathing in the nude – only herself to blame,” Mr Trump tweeted at the time. “Who wouldn’t take Kate’s picture and make lots of money if she does the nude sunbathing thing. Come on Kate!”</p> <p>Mr Andersen wrote in his book that, at the time, “Trump’s criticism of Kate resulted in what one Clarence House butler referred to as ‘torrents of profanity’ from both Prince Charles and his sons.”</p> <p>He also alleged that this wasn’t the first time the royals had openly expressed their disapproval of Mr Trump.</p> <p>Prior to the incident in 2012, Mr Andersen explained that Trump’s previous comments about Princess Diana were also not well-received by the royal family.</p> <p>“It didn’t help that Trump had aggressively pursued Princess Diana after her divorce—overtures that were rebuffed—and claimed later on a radio program that he could have ‘nailed her if I wanted to,’ but only if she passed an HIV test,” Mr Andersen wrote.</p> <p>After several instances of tension with the former President, the book claims that King Charles, when prompted by a former Washington official, referred to him as "a ghastly, awful man".</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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"Where is the diversity?": Australian Idol judging panel hits first major snag

<p dir="ltr"><em>Australian Idol </em>is yet to hit the screens but it’s already facing a major problem with its lack of diversity.</p> <p dir="ltr">Radio shock jock <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/he-s-a-real-crooner-kyle-reveals-judging-line-up-for-return-of-australian-idol" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyle Sandilands announced</a> that he will be joined by US singers Meghan Trainor and Harry Connick Jr and Australian pop star Amy Shark as judges on the talent show.</p> <p dir="ltr">The show’s social media accounts also shared the news but many people asked about the lack of diversity with the judges.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Where is the diversity?” queried former ABC News reporter Mark Kearney.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The OG Australian Idol had at the heart of its panel Marcia Hines. This one has … a foul shock jock with a history of racism, misogyny and homophobia? Yucky.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Co-founder of Media Diversity AU Antoinette Lattouf sarcastically said there was a bit of diversity because one of the judges has a hyphen in their name.</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/CjBmkvnhDq_/?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/CjBmkvnhDq_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Australian Idol (@australianidol)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“This is an epic and exciting opportunity to get judged by six white people. (To be fair there is some diversity, one has a hyphen in their name.)” she tweeted.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Not sure why anyone is surprised about the Australian Idol judging panel - the other talent shows on our screens are just as bad. If they want diversity they always just have Mel B on,” someone else commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I LoVe tHiS rEpReSenTatiOn oF oUr MuLtiCuLtuRaL cOunTrY,” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Australian Idol</em> first hit the screen 10 years ago and will come back on Channel 7 in 2023.</p> <p dir="ltr">“(We) start filming the auditions next week. It’ll be me. The other Australian I’ve chosen, Amy Shark will be the other Australian. She’s excellent. She’s a nice girl but she’s been busy, she writes songs, she works hard, she’ll be fabulous,” Sandilands said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Meghan Trainor … and from American Idol … Harry Connick Jr. Yes grannies, get your panties wet now. Harry Connick Jr. is on Australian Idol. He’s a real crooner.”</p> <p dir="ltr">It will take back its old format in which contestants from around Australia will audition before a top 12 is chosen for live shows.</p> <p dir="ltr">Past seasons have come out with incredible stars including Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy and Casey Donovan.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Poxy McPoxface, TRUMP-22, Mpox: Public called on to rename monkeypox virus

<p>The World Health Organisation has called on the expertise of the public to help them rename the monkeypox virus after claiming the name is "misleading".</p> <p>Names for viruses are usually chosen by a committee behind closed doors, but the WHO has decided to open up the process to allow submissions from all over the world. </p> <p>Names such as Poxy McPoxface, TRUMP-22 or Mpox have been put forward so far, prompting the WHO to say they will choosing a serious name. </p> <p>WHO spokesperson Fadela Chaib said, "I am sure we will not come up with a ridiculous name."</p> <p>Dozens of submissions have now been made from a range of contributors including academics, doctors, and a gay community activist.</p> <p>One more technical submission came from Harvard Medical School emergency physician Jeremy Faust, who said the virus should simply be called OPOXID-22.</p> <p>Another proposal, TRUMP-22, appeared to be refer to former US President Donald Trump who used the controversial term "Chinese virus" for the new coronavirus, although its author said it stood for "Toxic Rash of Unrecognized Mysterious Provenance of 2022".</p> <p>Pressure is growing for a new name for the disease, largely because critics say it is misleading, since the virus did not originate in monkeys. </p> <p>A group of leading scientists wrote a position paper in June calling for a name that was "neutral, non-discriminatory and non-stigmatizing" amid fears the name can be used in a racist way.</p> <p>"It's very important we find a new name for monkeypox because this is best practice not to create any offence to an ethical group, a region, a country, an animal etc," Miss Chaib said.</p> <p>"The WHO is very concerned by this issue and we want to find a name that is not stigmatising," she added without giving a timeline of when the new name may be decided. </p> <p>Monkeypox was first discovered in 1958 and named after the first animal to show symptoms.</p> <p>The WHO declared the current outbreak a public health emergency in July having reported more than 32,000 cases from over 80 countries.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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