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Fresh claims about Queen Elizabeth's health in her final days

<p>Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has shared a sad claim about Queen Elizabeth and her secret health battle that she was going through before her death in 2022. </p> <p>Johnson reflected on his relationship with the former monarch in his upcoming memoir, <em>Unleashed</em>, detailing his final meeting with the Queen at Balmoral Castle just days before she died.</p> <p>In the book, he explained that the Queen had been battling bone cancer and was worried about the deterioration of her condition.</p> <p>“I had known for a year or more that she had a form of bone cancer, and her doctors were worried that at any time she could enter a sharp decline,” Johnson wrote in an excerpt obtained by the <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13901877/BORIS-JOHNSON-meeting-Queen-inspirational-words-wisdom.html">Daily Mail</a></em>.</p> <p>Before their meeting, Johnson claimed the Queen’s private secretary, Edward Young, warned him that her health had “gone down quite a bit over the summer.”</p> <p>“She seemed pale and more stooped, and she had dark ­bruising on her hands and wrists, probably from drips or injections,” Johnson wrote.</p> <p>He continued, “But her mind – as Edward had also said – was completely ­unimpaired by her illness, and from time to time in our ­conversation she still flashed that great white smile in its sudden mood-lifting beauty.”</p> <p>Queen Elizabeth died just two days after their final meeting. </p> <p>According to Johnson, the Queen “had known all ­summer that she was going, but was determined to hang on and do her last duty” by overseeing the “peaceful and orderly transition” of power from him to his successor Liz Truss.</p> <p>Johnson isn’t the first person to have claimed the late monarch was diagnosed with cancer during her final years, as royal author Gyles Brandreth wrote about rumours Her Majesty had a rare form of myeloma, a bone marrow cancer, in his book, <em>Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait</em>.</p> <p>He explained that the diagnosis “would explain her tiredness and weight loss and those ‘mobility issues’ we were often told about during the last year or so of her life.”</p> <p>However, the Queen’s official cause of death was listed as “old age” and the palace has never disclosed any other medical records.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Andrew Parsons/No 10 Downing Street/UPI/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Caring

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London stabbing victim's incredible bond with hero security guard

<p>The identity of the NSW schoolgirl who was stabbed in<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/11-year-old-australian-girl-identified-as-london-stabbing-victim" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> a random attack</a> in London’s Leicester Square has been revealed. </p> <p>Laila Johnson, 11, and her mum Samantha, 34, from Candelo NSW, were on holiday when the horrific incident occurred on August 12. </p> <p>Abdullah, a security who was working nearby during the random attack, immediately jumped into action and saved her life by holding down the alleged attacker, Ioan Pintaru, until police arrived. </p> <p>“I saw outside there was a guy who was stabbing a girl, so as I saw him stabbing the girl, I started to run towards the guy,” he said shortly after the attack. </p> <p>“I jumped on the guy and grabbed his hand in which he was carrying a knife. I tackled him down on the floor and kicked the knife away from him.</p> <p>“There was only one thought — to save the kid and save her mum, nothing else.”</p> <p>Laila was taken to hospital where she had plastic surgery for serious but non-life-threatening injuries to her face, shoulder, wrist, and neck and was out of hospital the day after the incident. </p> <p>On Thursday, Laila and her mum talked about the terrifying incident on <em>Sunrise</em> and paid tribute to Abdullah. </p> <p>“He is an absolutely gorgeous human,” mother Sam, said.</p> <p>“He’s just been checking in on Laila and myself and, yeah, we’ve just been keeping in contact.</p> <p>“He’s quickly taken Laila in as a little sister, and I think that he will continue to check in on her for a very long time.”</p> <p>Sam recalled the moment Abdullah saved her daughter's life. </p> <p>“He didn’t hesitate. He’s exactly who you want around in a time like that,” she said.</p> <p>She also praised daughter Laila for her optimism, and the day after the incident, the pair were escorted to Wembley Stadium, with the two police officers who came to her aid last week, where she sat in a VIP box to watch her favourite superstar, Taylor Swift. </p> <p>“She was still very sore, but she was getting up and dancing,” Laila’s mum told <em>The Daily Telegraph</em>. </p> <p>“She has always been the most optimistic and determined child in the world. Yeah, I was a bit worried that that might stop her from Taylor Swift, but I shouldn’t have worried,” Sam said on <em>Sunrise</em>. </p> <p>Laila is now back at school and will be he lead in the school's performance of Alice in Wonderland. </p> <p>Pintaru — a Romanian citizen of no fixed address — fronted Westminster Magistrates Court last week charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place.</p> <p>He was asked not to enter any pleas and was remanded in custody before his next hearing on September 10.</p> <p><em>Images: Seven</em></p>

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"Pure terror": Samuel Johnson recalls infamous Logies moment with Molly Meldrum

<p>Samuel Johnson has opened up on his long-running feud with Molly Meldrum, which began at the 2017 Logies. </p> <p>Johnson appeared on 2Day FM’s <em>Hughsey, Ed &amp; Erin</em> on Wednesday to reveal the brutal fallout of the infamous moment when Meldrum stormed the state during Johnson's acceptance speech and took over the microphone, giving a rambling and at times explicit speech of his own.</p> <p>The win, for playing Meldrum in the two-part miniseries about his life titled <em>Molly</em>, came at a time when the actor had become a tireless fundraiser for cancer research after starting the Love Your Sister charity in 2012 with his sister Connie, who had been diagnosed with multiple cancers throughout her life.</p> <p>However, instead of being able to use his speech to raise awareness for the charity, Meldrum instead stole the actor’s thunder and was left facing a wave of criticism over his bizarre antics. </p> <p>Speaking on Wednesday, Johnson said that incident was “pure terror” and a night he’s still not forgotten about.</p> <p>“I told him it was my moment not his! I was looking down at the front table. It was all the people from <span id="U84206877909VdF">The Project</span> and they all had their jaws on the floor,” he said. “It was 8 minutes of pure terror.” </p> <p>Johnson, who previously claimed Meldrum’s antics at the ceremony cost the charity he had planned to plug over $1 million dollars, went to reveal the fallout of the incident, confessing that he’s not seen Meldrum since all the drama went down that infamous evening.</p> <p>“I don’t hold grudges, I just can’t walk into the future with him,” he continued, suggesting that more has gone down behind the scenes than fans know about.</p> <p>“There’s a lot that he’s done that I don’t say. But it’s not that I hold a grudge, it’s that I’ve moved on.”</p> <p>Johnson appeared on the same radio show last year when he spoke about the feud, when Hughesy urged him to let go of his grudge against the Aussie TV legend. </p> <p>“You said you would never speak to Molly again … I hate grudge holding and that’s bad for you,” Hughes bluntly told Johnson last year. </p> <p>“I agree with you, I totally agree with you, but when I’ve specifically asked you not do something, and it’s a once in a lifetime moment, a moment I’ll never get back … He has breached my trust in that moment and I’m sorry, I’m not going to do the Molly sequel. I don’t think I should,” Johnson argued.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine Network / 2Day FM </em></p>

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"Offer is on the table": New James Bond actor revealed

<p>In a world where the only constant is change, one thing remains certain: James Bond will always be suave, sophisticated, and British.</p> <p>The search for the next 007 has been a rollercoaster of speculation, rumours and hopes dashed faster than a villain's escape plan. But now the wait appears to be over. The man most likely in line to be the next James Bond has been revealed, and his name is Taylor-Johnson ... Aaron Taylor-Johnson. </p> <p>According to a report from <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tv/26774029/aaron-taylor-johnson-offered-role-james-bond/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>The Sun</em></a> on Tuesday, Eon Productions, the brilliant minds behind the iconic spy franchise, appear to have finally settled on their man. According to sources as reliable as Bond's impeccable taste in martinis, Taylor-Johnson is set to don the tuxedo and wield the Walther PPK in the next instalment of the series. Well, at least if he accepts the offer.</p> <p>“Bond is Aaron’s job, should he wish to accept it," <em>The Sun </em>reported. "The formal offer is on the table and they are waiting to hear back.</p> <p>“As far as Eon is concerned, Aaron is going to sign his contract in the coming days and they can start preparing for the big announcement.”</p> <p>Now, some of you might be scratching your heads, wondering, "Aaron who?"</p> <p>Aaron Taylor-Johnson is an English actor, which automatically makes him qualified for the role. Plus, he's been in action films like <em>Tenet</em>, <em>Bullet Train</em> and <em>Avengers: Age of Ultron</em>. So, he's no stranger to high-stakes thrills and spills. Also, did we mention he's British? Because that's kind of a prerequisite.</p> <p>At 33 years of age, Taylor-Johnson would be the youngest actor to step into Bond's impeccably polished shoes since George Lazenby back in 1969. Talk about big shoes to fill. But if anyone can handle the pressure, it's our man Aaron. </p> <p>Now, some purists might be clutching their martini glasses in horror, lamenting the departure of Daniel Craig, who graced our screens for five thrilling films. But fear not, for change is the spice of life, and if there's one thing Bond knows how to handle, it's change. Besides, who wouldn't want to see what Taylor-Johnson brings to the table? Maybe he'll introduce a new signature drink or a quirky catchphrase. The possibilities are as endless as Bond's list of conquests.</p> <p>The response to <em>The Sun</em>'s announcement has caused a few reactions across the globe, with 9News reporting that "A source with knowledge of the situation tells CNN that Johnson has not been cast as Bond. And, BBC News reports that a 'production insider' said there is no truth to the rumours about Taylor-Johnson's casting."</p> <p>So, as we eagerly await the official announcement from Eon Productions, let us raise our glasses to Aaron Taylor-Johnson, the next suave superspy set to save the world, one shaken, not stirred, adventure at a time. </p> <p><em>Images: Getty / Twitter (X)</em></p>

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Former Neighbours star’s stunning Yarra Valley wedding

<p>In a celebration filled with love, laughter and music, singer and former <em>Neighbours</em> star Bonnie Anderson tied the knot with her beau, Samuel Morrison, in a breathtaking ceremony at the enchanting Acacia Ridge Vineyard in Yarra Valley, Victoria.</p> <p>The 29-year-old songstress and her landscaper husband exchanged vows in the presence of their closest family and friends, marking the beginning of a beautiful journey together.</p> <p>The radiant bride walked down the aisle in a sleeveless, halter-neck lace gown crafted by the talented Australian designer Jason Grech, while the dashing groom looked ever so handsome in a classic black tuxedo. The picturesque vineyard provided the perfect backdrop for this special day, creating an atmosphere of pure magic and romance.</p> <p>Sharing their joy with the world, Anderson captioned the first wedding photo on Instagram with the simple yet powerful words, "Mr and Mrs Morrison."</p> <p>The newlyweds flooded their social media with countless photos and videos, giving fans a glimpse into the magical celebration of their love.</p> <p>During the reception, the talented bride took the stage once again, not only as a singer but as a romantic lyricist. Anderson serenaded her new husband with a heartfelt song she had written especially for him, creating an unforgettable moment as their guests gathered around to witness their love story unfold.</p> <p>The celebration continued inside a marquee on the sprawling estate, where the bridesmaids, adorned in elegant black satin gowns, kicked off the festivities with a rehearsed entrance set to the iconic Beyoncé hit, "Single Ladies". Dinner was served, and the atmosphere was electric as the bride treated the guests to her musical prowess before the DJ took over, transforming the evening into a dance-filled extravaganza.</p> <p>In a pre-wedding interview with the <em>Herald Sun</em>, Anderson expressed her desire for the celebration to be a "big party" filled with entertainment and music, and she certainly delivered on that promise. Life may be chaotic as a mum, singer and wedding organiser, but for Bonnie Anderson, the chaos is well worth the joy that comes with looking forward to the future.</p> <p>The couple, who had already welcomed their bundle of joy, Bobby, in December the previous year, radiated happiness and love throughout the day. Anderson, who found fame at the tender age of 12 as the first winner of <em>Australia's Got Talent</em> in 2007, has come a long way, gracing the screens of <em>Neighbours</em> from 2018 to 2021. Now, as Bonnie Morrison, she begins a new chapter in her fairy tale alongside Samuel.</p> <p>As they dance into the rest of their lives together, Bonnie and Samuel Morrison serve as a testament to the enduring power of love, the magic of music, and the joy of sharing life's grandest moments with those who matter most. Cheers to the newlyweds, and may their journey be filled with endless love, laughter, and, of course, more unforgettable music!</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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“I’ll never speak to him again”: Samuel Johnson blows up at Molly Meldrum

<p>While speaking to Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies on <em>The Morning Show</em>, a visibly upset Samuel Johnson blew up over 79-year-old Molly Meldrum’s bizarre behaviour at a recent Elton John concert. </p> <p>Meldrum issued an apology for the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/a-naughty-boy-who-needs-a-new-belt-molly-meldrum-s-excuse-for-mooning-elton-john-s-crowd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“faulty belt buckle” incident</a>, telling the <em>Herald Sun</em> that he “shouldn’t have ventured on stage, but I just wanted to tell Elton that I loved him. Some people thought it was part of the show. It wasn’t. Elton had no idea I was going to jump on stage. Elton might have been singing The Bitch Is Back but it was more a case of the idiot is back.”</p> <p>Now Johnson has revealed something of a rift between himself and Meldrum – whom he portrayed in the 2016 miniseries “Molly”, and was rewarded for his efforts with a coveted Gold Logie. </p> <p>It was during that 2017 Gold Logie acceptance speech that Meldrum mounted the stage and stole Johnson’s “million-dollar moment” when he was trying to raise funds for cancer, which claimed the life of his sister Connie.</p> <p>Johnson told hosts Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies that he has not said a word to Meldrum since that incident.</p> <p>“I’ll never speak to him again. He cost my charity a million dollars that night</p> <p>“I want to do him a service, not a disservice. I am a little bit uneasy talking about this.</p> <p>“Firstly, thank you, Molly. He has helped me out of a legal pickle and I’ve known him for 20 years. He visited my sister in hospital when she was sick with cancer when she was 11 in the 1980s.</p> <p>“I am really grateful for everything Molly has done in our lives. But at the same time, when I won the Gold Logie I was about to have my million-dollar moment and I told him specifically not to come on stage. He was not nominated, it was my moment.</p> <p>“I wanted to make it about cancer and he wanted to make it about the network. He ended up coming up at the Gold Logies and it was my million-dollar moment gone wrong,” Johnson fumed.</p> <p>“It was an absolute catastrophe. He warbled in a very drunken fashion for eight whole minutes. Now I have seen him do it again at the Elton John concert. Maybe it is time to hang up your hat, mate. I hope he is OK.”</p> <p>Johnson also made it very clear that he did not believe Molly’s excuse and apology. “I thought his apology was false. I don’t believe it was a wardrobe malfunction,” he said.</p> <p>“I believe that if it was a wardrobe malfunction, we would have seen his undies not his bum.</p> <p>“For years, I have not said anything. I don’t want to say anything. Who are his minders? Is he OK? He should not be allowed out in the PM.</p> <p>“He has two shots of vodka in his coffee in the morning. If I want to make any sense out of him, I need to see him before midday. Stop, Molly, stop!”</p> <p><em>Images: Seven / Twitter</em></p>

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“His music lives on”: Legendary UK rocker dies aged 75

<p dir="ltr"><em>Game of Thrones</em> actor and guitarist Wilko Johnson has died aged 75.</p> <p dir="ltr">The beloved actor played Ser Ilyn Payne in the popular series but had found fame earlier as guitarist in the band Dr Feelgood.</p> <p dir="ltr">His devastated band mates released a statement announcing the heartbreaking news.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is the announcement we never wanted to make, &amp; we do so with a very heavy heart: Wilko Johnson has died,” the statement read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He passed away at home on Monday 21st November. Thank you for respecting the family’s privacy at this very sad time. RIP Wilko Johnson.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Before his rise to fame, Johnson worked as an English teacher before forming a band with some of his friends.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is the announcement we never wanted to make, &amp; we do so with a very heavy heart: Wilko Johnson has died. He passed away at home on Monday 21st November. Thank you for respecting the family's privacy at this very sad time. RIP Wilko Johnson.<br />(Image: Leif Laaksonen) <a href="https://t.co/1cRqyi9b9X">pic.twitter.com/1cRqyi9b9X</a></p> <p>— Wilko Johnson (@wilkojohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/wilkojohnson/status/1595358840400248832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 23, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The group rose to fame and eventually Johnson was cast as Ser Ilyn Payne in <em>Game of Thrones</em> in 2011.</p> <p dir="ltr">He was initially meant to be a guest star in the first season but reappeared in the second season.</p> <p dir="ltr">Unfortunately he was phased out of the show following a terminal pancreatic cancer diagnosis in 2013 and was given only 10 months to live.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I suddenly found myself in a position where nothing matters anymore," Johnson told the Associated Press in 2013.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I'm a miserable so-and-so normally. ... I'd be worrying about the taxman or all the things that we worry about that get in the way of the real things.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And suddenly it doesn't matter. All of that doesn't matter.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You walk down the street and you feel intensely alive. You're, 'Oh, look at that leaf!′ You're looking around and you think, 'I'm alive. Ain't it amazing?'"</p> <p dir="ltr">Johnson is survived by his sons Simon and Matthew and grandson Dylan.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Queen breaks 114-year-old royal tradition

<p dir="ltr">Queen Elizabeth II will be greeting outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his successor at the Balmoral estate, as being unable to travel down to London will see her breaking a royal tradition that predates her reign.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since 1908, it has been a royal tradition that the sovereign greets the outgoing and incoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at Buckingham Palace in London.</p> <p dir="ltr">The leaving PM will visit the monarch after resigning or losing an election to advise her on who commands a majority of MPs in the House of Commons, as well as who should lead the country next.</p> <p dir="ltr">Then, the incoming leader will meet the Queen and “kisses hands” with her. While this previously required the new PM to actually kiss the sovereign’s hands, it now just refers to the meeting between the Queen and the PM.</p> <p dir="ltr">The shock development will mean that Boris Johnson - who <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/boris-johnson-resigns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">resigned from the top job</a> in early July - will be travelling 1600 kilometres to Balmoral to take part in the royal tradition.</p> <p dir="ltr">He will also be joined by the next Prime Minister, who will be announced on Monday evening.</p> <p dir="ltr">Currently, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is the frontrunner to take on the role, with Rishi Sunak, the former Chief Secretary of the Treasury, following up behind.</p> <p dir="ltr">The decision comes amid growing concerns about the 96-year-old monarch’s health, after it was reported last week that Prince Charles is making “regular, daily” visits to his mother. </p> <p dir="ltr">Charles doesn’t typically make unplanned visits to see his mother, with most meetings planned by palace officials.</p> <p dir="ltr">He has been staying with the Queen at the estate in Aberdeenshire, which is where she spends most of her summers.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8b0227f5-7fff-37dd-ef97-d79623a76a47"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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Young girl wants to be paramedic after saving own mum's life

<p dir="ltr">A nine-year-old girl has set her sights on becoming a paramedic after she performed lifesaving CPR on her mum with the help of an emergency dispatcher.</p> <p dir="ltr">When Charli Johnson’s mum, Sharon, fainted as a result of a viral infection while the pair were home alone in July, the young girl knew exactly what to do next.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I checked if she was awake and still breathing, and I went and called trip-0,” Charli said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought something was wrong so I knew what to do.”</p> <p dir="ltr">At the start of the call to the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS), emergency medical dispatcher Anne Barklimore can be heard asking for Charli’s suburb and name, to which she replied, “Helensvale, Charli”.</p> <p dir="ltr">During the call, Charli told Ms Barklimore that her mum had stopped breathing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She just kneeled to the ground and she just fainted,” Charli said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Is she awake?” Ms Barklimore asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">“No, I don’t think so. I think she just stopped breathing,” Charli said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Barklimore then talked Charli through how to perform CPR, and the pair counted the pumps together.</p> <p dir="ltr">With Ms Barklimore’s guidance over the phone, Charli performed chest compressions on her mother for about 17 minutes.</p> <p dir="ltr">“One, two, three four - that’s the speed you’re going Charli. You’re doing a great job,” Ms Barklimore told Charli during the call.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You are doing such a good job Charli, and that you knew to call triple-0, I am so proud of you … and your mum is going to be so proud of you.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Johnson can then be heard crying after regaining consciousness.</p> <p dir="ltr">Charli said that Ms Barklimore’s instructions were helpful, but that performing CPR was still a challenge, especially on her mum.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was a bit scary, especially doing it on my mum,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Barklimore said she recognised Charli was young from the first moment she heard her voice and praised her for her calm composure.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She answered the questions calmly and directly - that’s so important,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I was proud. As a mother, I just thought, 'She's nine and she doesn't know what's happened to her mum'. </p> <p dir="ltr">"She held it together. So many older people don't have that composure — it was quite surprising.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She saved her mum’s life that day.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Gavin Nichols, one of the first paramedics to arrive on the scene, said it was unusual to see a young person performing CPR on their mum, and that seeing a child know to call triple-0 and provide information clearly and directly was an important lesson for other families.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You don’t know when you’re going to have your emergency,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"So it's really important to have your friends and family aware of what to do when that emergency happens."</p> <p dir="ltr">Charli was honoured for her bravery and composure by the QAS on Friday morning, receiving a teddy bear dressed in a paramedic uniform and an award.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her mum said she was “very proud” of her daughter, who says she now wants to be a paramedic so she can teach other kids how to do CPR.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I'm surprised Charli did what she did," Ms Johnson said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We'd gone over our address, my phone number — we hadn't actually done it for a while, but she's obviously retained it.</p> <p dir="ltr">"She's a bit of a ratbag at home, so she did surprise me."</p> <p dir="ltr">To hear the full recording of Charli’s call to triple-0, head <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-19/nine-year-old-girl-saves-mums-life-on-triple-0-call/101350536" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d0d848e6-7fff-bab6-64ab-9d5a98b1435d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

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Brad Pitt has a list of actors he’ll never work with again

<p dir="ltr">The people you work with have the power to make going to work heavenly or hellish, so it should come as no surprise that Brad Pitt - whose career in acting and producing spans 35 years - would be selective about who he works with.</p> <p dir="ltr">In fact, <em>Bullet Train</em> co-star Aaron Taylor-Johnson has revealed that Pitt has a “long” list of actors he never wants to work with again.</p> <p dir="ltr">Taylor-Johnson told <em>Variety</em> that Pitt keeps notes on who he likes and dislikes when he’s making films.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He just wants to bring light and joy into the world and be around people who are there to have a good time,” the 32-year-old explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You work with many actors and after a while you start making notes - ‘I am definitely not working with this person ever again’.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Brad has this list too: the ‘good’ list and the ‘s**t’ list.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-0b58473c-7fff-a28a-53f3-7b4800d2810c"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">But, Taylor-Johnson was tight-lipped as to who was on Pitt’s “s**t list”.</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/CgPY8Eyr9kZ/?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/CgPY8Eyr9kZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Aaron Taylor-Johnson (@aarontaylorjohnson)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">It comes after the <em>Fight Club</em> star recently revealed he would be winding down his acting career to the dismay of her millions of fans.</p> <p dir="ltr">Pitt told a popular men’s magazine that he was on the “last leg” of his career and that he chooses his new projects very carefully.</p> <p dir="ltr">Taylor-Johnson said his 58-year-old costar “is in a new chapter of his life”, describing him as “a humble and gracious human being”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Quentin Tarantino, who worked with Pitt on <em>Once Upon A Time In Hollywood</em>, said that when Pitt does retire, Hollywood will lose “one of the last remaining big-screen movie stars”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s just a different breed of man,” Tarantino said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c7a240c0-7fff-ce3d-7ca0-1b30139672c6"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“And frankly, I don’t think you can describe exactly what that is because it’s like describing starshine.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Man wins $117 million after getting cancer “from baby powder”

<p>A man from New Jersey has been awarded $117 million after filing a lawsuit against Johnson &amp; Johnson, claiming his use of the brand’s talcum powder products had given him the lung disease mesothelioma.</p> <p>46-year-old investment banker Stephen Lanzo filed a lawsuit against the company and its supplier, Imerys Talc, after being diagnosed with the disease that is often linked to asbestos exposure.</p> <p>Mr Lanzo claimed the company was aware that its talcum powder products contained carcinogenic asbestos but failed to warn the public about it.</p> <p>Last week, a jury awarded him $30 million and his wife Kendra $7 million for “loss of consortium”, in which spouses are compensated for any harm caused by a “negligent injury”.</p> <p>On Wednesday, Mr Lanzo was awarded a further $80 million in punitive damages, taking his total compensation payout to $117 million.</p> <p>Punitive damages are generally awarded for unethical or negligent actions, but both Johnson &amp; Johnson and its supplier have denounced the danger of talcum powder use. </p> <p>Both the company and the supplier plan to appeal the verdict.</p> <p>Mr Lanzo is the first male to file a lawsuit linking a cancer diagnosis with the talcum powder products he used for over 20 years. However, thousands of women have filed lawsuits against Johnson &amp; Johnson and other companies, claiming a link between talcum powder use and ovarian cancer.</p> <p>Lawyers for Mr Lanzo claimed Johnson &amp; Johnson had withheld information from the public about the health effects of talcum power since the 1960s.</p> <p>The powder is made from talc, a soft mineral that is generally found near asbestos deposits.</p> <p>Previous studies have revealed that there is a risk of cross-contamination between the two during the mining process.</p> <p>Asbestos exposure has been linked to mesothelioma, an aggressive cancer that usually affects the lungs, as well as ovarian cancer.</p> <p>Johnson &amp; Johnson claimed the company undertakes extensive testing to ensure that none of the products contain asbestos.</p> <p>"While we are disappointed with this decision, the jury has further deliberations to conduct in this trial and we will reserve additional comment until the case is fully completed," a spokeswoman for Johnson &amp; Johnson told CNN.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Samuel Johnson portrait win Archibald Prize People’s Choice

<p dir="ltr">An emotional portrait of Samuel Johnson OAM has won the Archibald Prize 2022 ANZ People’s Choice award. </p> <p dir="ltr">The portrait, painted by Jeremy Eden, shows a solemn looking Johnson holding a black and white photograph of his sister Connie. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s an honour to have my painting chosen for this year’s ANZ People’s Choice award,” Jeremy said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“This painting has been one I have been thinking about and wanting to make for 10 years. Sam is a storyteller at heart, and it was really important to find a way to share my own narrative while still capturing Sam’s character and emotion in the portrait.”</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/Cgx4yY8MRz_/?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/Cgx4yY8MRz_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Art Gallery NSW (@artgalleryofnsw)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“It is inspiring to see what Sam and the team at Love Your Sister have accomplished, having raised so much money for cancer research.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve followed Sam’s journey with the charity for many years and it’s a privilege to be able to contribute in my own way. It is amazing to be a finalist in the Archibald Prize but knowing the painting has resonated with so many people makes the experience even more meaningful.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Jeremy is also selling prints of his award-winning artwork, with 50% of the proceeds going to Sam’s charity ‘Love Your Sister’.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Art

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Hugh Grant trolls outgoing PM Boris Johnson

<p dir="ltr">Actor Hugh Grant has engaged in some hilarious antics against outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson amid calls for the leader to quit.</p> <p dir="ltr">After several days defying calls for his resignation from Conservative MPs and mass resignations from his cabinet, Mr Johnson finally announced he would resign late on Thursday (Australian time).</p> <p dir="ltr">But, the announcement came with the sounds of <em>Yakety Sax</em> playing in the background - per a request from Grant.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-5fa9ef9d-7fff-14c1-c7fc-4f22cc7c8cf6">The<em> Love Actually</em> star requested activists standing outside Westminster to play the famed <em>Benny Hill Show</em> theme song, which activist and anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray honoured at full volume.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Morning <a href="https://twitter.com/snb19692?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@snb19692</a> Glad you have your speakers back. Do you by any chance have the Benny Hill music to hand?</p> <p>— Hugh Grant (@HackedOffHugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/HackedOffHugh/status/1544953409845043201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Morning [Mr Bray],” Grant tweeted on Thursday afternoon.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Glad you have your speakers back. Do you by any chance have the <em>Benny Hill</em> music to hand?”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Bray was all too happy to play the tune, sharing footage of protestors dancing to the wacky tune on the College Green.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-02960a36-7fff-83c2-cb7d-de92ee69ab9d">“Just for [Hugh Grant] as requested here today at the media circus… College Green. The<em> Benny Hill </em>theme tune,” Mr Bray tweeted.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Just for <a href="https://twitter.com/HackedOffHugh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HackedOffHugh</a> as requested here today at the media circus… College Green. The Benny Hill theme tune. <a href="https://t.co/Tazb57gT8e">pic.twitter.com/Tazb57gT8e</a></p> <p>— Steve Bray Activist Against Brexit +Corrupt Tories (@snb19692) <a href="https://twitter.com/snb19692/status/1544998211630383104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The music could even be heard in the background of news broadcasts which aired interviews with MPs, including supporters of Mr Johnson, also held in Parliament Square.</p> <p dir="ltr">Footage of the interviews quickly spread on social media, with many praising Grant and the activists.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Brilliant! Whoever is responsible for the choice of music &amp; the impeccable timing should be given an MBE!!!” one person commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You absolute beauties. He’s only gone and done it!” a second fan wrote.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b3645abc-7fff-ab41-bca7-43924f381034"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Don’t know about you, but I’m pretty damn excited with Boris Johnson’s replacement as the new PM,” another said, sharing a photo of Grant in his role as the British PM in <em>Love Actually</em>.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hugh Grant tweeted a request at activists protesting outside Westminster to play the Benny Hill theme on their loudspeakers; when they did it became the soundtrack for street interviews with leading Tories trying explain the situation to the British people <a href="https://t.co/V1LxUoxRUE">pic.twitter.com/V1LxUoxRUE</a></p> <p>— Aaron Fritschner (@Fritschner) <a href="https://twitter.com/Fritschner/status/1545077380527673344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Your request was Grant’ed Hugh!” another joked. “Bravo Steve! Bravo!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Although Mr Johnson has announced his resignation, he wants to stay until his replacement is chosen.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Today I have appointed a cabinet to serve, as I will, until a new leader is in place,” he said in his speech outside Downing Street.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I know that there will be many people who are relieved and perhaps quite a few who will also be disappointed. And I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world. But them’s the breaks.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e0904715-7fff-c9a1-0c72-f82ec641e619"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p>

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Boris Johnson resigns

<p dir="ltr">Boris Johnson has resigned as Prime Minister of the UK.</p> <p dir="ltr">The leader of the controversial Conservative Party was plagued with various scandals from holding parties during lockdown to offering his colleague who was under investigation for sexual misconduct a high profile job. </p> <p dir="ltr">Within 48 hours, 59 people resigned from Johnson’s parliament with many of them calling for him to quit. </p> <p dir="ltr">Johnson eventually resigned from the top job at 12.30pm on Thursday UK time.</p> <p dir="ltr">He said he will remain in his position until a new leader of the Conservative Party is appointed. </p> <p dir="ltr">"It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister,” he said outside 10 Downing street.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I've agreed with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of our backbench MPs, that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now and the timetable will be announced next week. </p> <p dir="ltr">“And I've today appointed a cabinet to serve, as I will, until the new leader is in place.</p> <p dir="ltr">"So I want to say to the millions of people who voted for us in 2019, many of them voting Conservative for the first time: 'Thank you for that incredible mandate, the biggest Conservative majority since 1987, the biggest share of the vote since 1979’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Johnson revealed that he tried to convince his party to stick together and how switching governments now would be “difficult”.</p> <p dir="ltr">"In the last few days, I've tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments when we're delivering so much... and when the economic scene is so difficult domestically and internationally," he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I regret not to have been successful in those arguments, and of course, it's painful, not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself.</p> <p dir="ltr">"To you, the British public: I know that there will be many people who are relieved and, perhaps, quite a few will also be disappointed.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world, but them's the breaks."</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Read his full speech below.</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">"It is clearly now the will of the parliamentary Conservative Party that there should be a new leader of that party and therefore a new prime minister, and I've agreed with Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of our backbench MPs, that the process of choosing that new leader should begin now and the timetable will be announced next week. And I've today appointed a cabinet to serve, as I will, until the new leader is in place.</p> <p dir="ltr">"So I want to say to the millions of people who voted for us in 2019, many of them voting Conservative for the first time: 'Thank you for that incredible mandate, the biggest Conservative majority since 1987, the biggest share of the vote since 1979’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">"And the reason I have fought so hard in the last few days to continue to deliver that mandate in person was not just because I wanted to do so, but because I felt it was my job, my duty, my obligation to you to continue to do what we promised in 2019.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And of course, I'm immensely proud of the achievements of this government: from getting Brexit done to settling our relations with the continent for over half a century, reclaiming the power for this country to make its own laws in parliament, getting us all through the pandemic, delivering the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe, the fastest exit from lockdown, and in the last few months, leading the West in standing up to Putin's aggression in Ukraine.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And let me say now, to the people of Ukraine, that I know that we in the UK will continue to back your fight for freedom for as long as it takes.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And at the same time, in this country, we've been pushing forward a vast program of investment in infrastructure and skills and technology, the biggest in a century. Because if I have one insight into human beings, it is that genius and talent and enthusiasm and imagination are evenly distributed throughout the population but opportunity is not. And that's why we must keep levelling up, keep unleashing the potential in every part of the United Kingdom. And if we could do that, in this country, we will be the most prosperous in Europe.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And in the last few days, I've tried to persuade my colleagues that it would be eccentric to change governments when we're delivering so much and when we have such a vast mandate and when we're actually only a handful of points behind in the polls, even in midterm after quite a few months of pretty relentless sledging and when the economic scene is so difficult domestically and internationally.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And I regret not to have been successful in those arguments, and of course it's painful not to be able to see through so many ideas and projects myself. But as we've seen at Westminster the herd instinct is powerful and when the herd moves, it moves. And my friends, in politics, no one is remotely indispensable, and our brilliant and Darwinian system will produce another leader, equally committed to taking this country forward through tough times, not just helping families to get through it but changing and improving the way we do things, cutting burdens on businesses and families and yes, cutting taxes, because that is the way to generate the growth and the income we need to pay for great public services.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And to that new leader, I say wherever he or she may be, I say I will give you as much support as I can.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And to you, the British public, I know that there will be many people who are relieved and perhaps quite a few who will also be disappointed. And I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world. But them's the breaks.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I want to thank Carrie and our children, all members of my family who have had to put up with so much, for so long. I want to thank the peerless British civil service for all the help and support that you have given our police, our emergency services, and of course, our fantastic NHS who at a critical moment helped to extend my own period in office, as well as our armed services and our agencies that are so admired around the world, and our indefatigable Conservative Party members and supporters whose selfless campaigning makes our democracy possible.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I want to thank the wonderful staff here at Number 10 and of course Chequers, and our fantastic prop force detectives, the one group, by the way, who never leak.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Above all I want to thank you, the British public for the immense privilege that you have given me. And I want you to know that from now on, until the new prime minister is in place, your interests will be served and the government of the country will be carried on.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Being Prime Minister is an education in itself. I've travelled to every part of the United Kingdom and in addition to the beauty of our natural world, I found so many people possessed of such boundless British originality and so willing to tackle old problems in new ways that I know that even if things can sometimes seem dark now, our future together is golden.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Thank you all very much."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Oatlands killer appeals severity of sentence

<p>The drug and alcohol-riddled driver who killed four children after crashing into them on their way to the local shops has launched an appeal to decrease the severity of his sentence. </p> <p>On Monday, Samuel Davidson appealed the minimum 21-year sentence he was given for the manslaughter of Veronique Sakr, 11, and her cousins, siblings Antony, 13, Angelina, 12, and Sienna Abdallah, 8, when they were struck by his car as they walked to get ice cream near Oatlands golf course in February 2020.</p> <p>When the accident occurred, Davidson was under the influence of drugs and alcohol, and driving erratically before he mounted the footpath and struck the group of children. </p> <p>Davidson pled guilty to a host of charges around the deaths in October 2020, and was sentenced in April 2021. </p> <p>Davidson had no criminal history before the accident, a point his barrister Stephen Odgers used in Monday’s appeal to argue that his sentence was unreasonable.</p> <p>He also argued that Davidson’s diagnosis of ADHD, which he said made him prone to reckless behaviour, was not properly considered by the sentencing judge.</p> <p>At the time he was sentenced, Davidson was 30 years old and is not set to be released until he is at least 51. </p> <p>“That is a crushing sentence,” Odgers said.</p> <p>The parents of the Abdallah children were not present at the appeal hearing, however Veronique’s mother Bridget Sakr was in attendance at the court.</p> <p>“Our sentence is for the rest of our lives. Our suffering is every day,” she said.</p> <p>Bridget Sakr’s husband David Mackenzie said on Monday that the sentence sent an important message.</p> <p>“There are no comparable cases to our case, sadly,” Mackenzie said.</p> <p>“That’s why our case is so important. Because it sets a benchmark.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / 7News</em></p>

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Review: The Drover’s Wife: the Legend of Molly Johnson

<p><em>Review: The Drover’s Wife: the Legend of Molly Johnson, written and directed by Leah Purcell, Sydney Film Festival</em></p> <p>Leah Purcell’s The Drover’s Wife: the Legend of Molly Johnson is an inspired and compelling re-imagining of Henry Lawson’s <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9363188-the-drover-s-wife" target="_blank">The Drover’s Wife</a>, a short story originally published in The Bulletin in 1892.</p> <p>Purcell’s debut feature film as writer and director, filmed in late 2019, has emerged out of a lifelong connection with this story. Citing three generations of drovers in her own family, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82A3wzwKWOI" target="_blank">Purcell explained in a recent interview</a> how, as a five-year-old girl, she would implore her mother to read Lawson’s story to her. For Purcell, it was, “the first time I used my imagination and saw myself in a story”.</p> <p>As her mother recited, Purcell would imagine a “little film in my head”. In it, she was the little boy in the story and her mother the drover’s wife.</p> <p>Purcell has been repeatedly drawn to The Drover’s Wife as a way of placing her Indigenous family’s story before a broad Australian audience. The film expands on the acclaimed stage play she wrote and starred in, <a rel="noopener" href="https://belvoir.com.au/productions/the-drovers-wife/" target="_blank">which premiered at Belvoir Street Theatre in 2016</a> and won the Victorian prize for literature, two NSW premier’s literary awards and four Helpmann awards. She also adapted the play into a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-drovers-wife-9780143791478" target="_blank">novel, released in 2019</a>.</p> <p><iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TltTxxIqv4U?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p>In all three versions of the story, set in 1893 in the Snowy Mountains in NSW, Purcell gives voice to Indigenous experiences of the frontier that were maligned and marginalised in Lawson’s version.</p> <p>As in the play, the film is carried by its Indigenous co-stars. Purcell plays the drover’s wife, Molly Johnson, unearthing an Indigenous heritage for the character. Johnson is burdened by a dark secret and Purcell imbues the role with a determined strength, her posture and gaze expressing fortitude, grit and constant vigilance, whether she is carrying her broom or her rifle.</p> <p>Rob Collins plays Yadaka, a character inspired by Purcell’s great-grandfather, Tippo Charlie Chambers, a caring and gentle man who spent time as a travelling circus performer in the 1890s while yearning for his Country.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/430929/original/file-20211108-19-11q4cdq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/430929/original/file-20211108-19-11q4cdq.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">Yadaka (Rob Collins), left, is central to this reworked story.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Bunya Productions, Oombarra Productions</span></span></em></p> <p>Yadaka is central to Purcell’s reworking of the original story, fleshed out from the brief mention of a “stray blackfellow” who chops some wood for the drover’s wife in Lawson’s version.</p> <p>In the film, the fugitive Yadaka arrives at the heavily pregnant Molly’s isolated property and ultimately saves her life when her labour goes wrong, helping her to bury her stillborn child. But Yadaka is a wanted man, blamed for the murder of a white family in town. This sets off an unfortunate chain of events.</p> <p>Yadaka also unlocks Molly’s understanding of her Indigenous family, paving the way for her children to escape from becoming wards of the state. The strong bond the drover’s wife has with her children in Lawson’s original story is deepened in Purcell’s film. Molly is driven to protect her children from the authorities and to overcome violence and hardship.</p> <p>Molly’s eldest son Danny – played by Malachi Dower-Roberts, who <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82A3wzwKWOI" target="_blank">Purcell joyfully describes</a> as a “red-haired freckled Blackfella from Glebe” – functions as a figure of hope in the film.</p> <p>He forms a bond with Yadaka, taking responsibility for guiding his siblings to safety. The absence of the drover himself, Jo Johnson, meanwhile, is attributed to his being a violent drunk and an abuser, rather than the heroic, pioneering figure imagined by Lawson.</p> <p><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/430931/original/file-20211108-17-wm8elz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=1000&amp;fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/430931/original/file-20211108-17-wm8elz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&amp;q=45&amp;auto=format&amp;w=754&amp;fit=clip" alt="" /></a> <em><span class="caption">Molly Johnson is driven to protect her children.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Bunya Productions, Oombarra Productions</span></span></em></p> <p>The film was shot in and around Adaminaby. Cinematographer Mark Wareham captures the beauty and harshness of the rolling hills and valleys of this vast, alpine landscape, from dusty clearings to lush greenery and stark, white snow.</p> <p>Foreboding, enveloping mists are rendered by the time-lapse photography of Murray Fredericks. The beauty and menace of this landscape frame the film’s harrowing violence. The final closeup shots are especially chilling.</p> <p><strong>Violent realities</strong></p> <p>Purcell’s is not, of course, the first re-imagining of Lawson’s story. In 2017, Frank Moorhouse brought together a collection of its numerous literary reworkings in <a rel="noopener" href="https://sydneyreviewofbooks.com/review/the-drovers-wife-wives-frank-moorhouse-ryan-oneill/" target="_blank">The Drover’s Wife: A Celebration of a Great Love Affair</a>, including the writer and director’s notes from Purcell’s original play.</p> <p>But Purcell’s cinematic version of the story exemplifies what Felicity Collins and Therese Davis describe in their book <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.cambridge.org/au/academic/subjects/arts-theatre-culture/media-mass-communication/australian-cinema-after-mabo?format=HB&amp;isbn=9780521834803" target="_blank">Australian Cinema After Mabo</a> as a process of “cinematic backtracking”. Familiar figures and archetypes are revived and reworked, opening up new meanings and interpretations.</p> <p>In recent years, we have witnessed a surge of interest in the archetypes, themes and aesthetics of the Western in Australian cinema with films like The Proposition (John Hillcoat, 2005), Sweet Country (Warwick Thornton, 2017), The Nightingale (Jennifer Kent, 2018) and High Ground (Stephen Johnson, 2020). All suggest a growing reckoning with the violent realities of our frontier history.</p> <p>Purcell’s film is part of this turn.</p> <p>By bringing her personal history and identity as a Black woman to bear on the Australian Western, Purcell has enriched this burgeoning film cycle.</p> <p>The way that Purcell’s Molly Johnson endures in this film is both inspiring and heartbreaking. This is a subversive survival story that brings an unflinching new perspective to Australian cinema’s ongoing engagement with the frontier.</p> <p><em>The Drover’s Wife will be in cinemas May 2022.</em><!-- 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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/170782/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 rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/megan-carrigy-1283895" target="_blank">Megan Carrigy</a>, Associate Director, Academic Programs, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/new-york-university-1016" target="_blank">New York University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/the-drovers-wife-the-legend-of-molly-johnson-brings-a-black-womans-perspective-to-australian-frontier-films-170782" target="_blank">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: <span>Bunya Productions, Oombarra Productions</span></em></p>

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Joe Biden and Boris Johnson caught napping at COP26

<p dir="ltr">US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson were both caught trying to catch some shut eye during the COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow this week, and while that may sound bad, many people were quick to look for the nuance in the situation.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a video posted to Twitter by<span> </span><em>Washington Post<span> </span></em>journalist Zach Purser Brown, President Biden can be seen closing his eyes for approximately 20 seconds, before he is approached by an aide. After their conversation, Biden can be seen rubbing his eyes.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Biden appears to fall asleep during COP26 opening speeches <a href="https://t.co/az8NZTWanI">pic.twitter.com/az8NZTWanI</a></p> — Zach Purser Brown (@zachjourno) <a href="https://twitter.com/zachjourno/status/1455174496164458496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Some weren’t convinced he was actually falling asleep, with one Twitter user writing, "I have extensive knowledge re: watching old men fall asleep during church. This ain’t that. I’d bet everything he was just closing his eyes so he can listen better w/out distraction."</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, others accepted that he was falling asleep, but shared their own experiences of what his schedule might have looked like that contextualised his exhaustion. One Twitter user wrote, “When I worked in the Joint Staff and would go NATO meetings, we'd typically fly overnight then have a whole day of meetings...I'd grow my fingernails long to stick them into my palms during the meeting to keep from falling asleep. Nice work by the aide to intervene.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Others said it indicated he was not up to the job, with one person writing, “If it isn’t that important, then he shouldn’t be there. If it is important and he can’t stay awake, then he shouldn’t be there. Either way it shows he is not up to the job.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Fortunately, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was on hand to help Biden feel less alone. He was spotted shutting his eyes during the opening ceremony of the conference, while seated next to Sir David Attenborough and the Secretary-General of the United Nations. While some made fun of the Prime Minister for nodding off, others wondered why he was not wearing a mask when both men next to him were.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Takes an extra special kind of dickhead to not wear a mask to protect David fucking Attenborough <a href="https://t.co/UwJFBxc3pz">pic.twitter.com/UwJFBxc3pz</a></p> — James Felton (@JimMFelton) <a href="https://twitter.com/JimMFelton/status/1455271483102703622?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">A source at Number 10 said it was “total nonsense” to suggest Johnson had been falling asleep. Obviously, he was just resting his eyes.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter/<span>Getty Images</span></em></p>

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Samuel Johnson finally shares pictures from devastating car crash

<p><em><strong>Warning: This story contains graphic content which may distress some readers.</strong></em></p> <p>Gold Logie winner Samuel Johnson has shared the terrifying details of a car crash that nearly killed him earlier this year. </p> <p><em>The Project's</em> Peter Helliar sat down with Samuel for a candid chat, when he revealed he didn't recall the moment he was accidentally struck bar a car on June 19th. </p> <p>Samuel showed Peter the only photo he has of the accident, which shows him lying on the ground covered in blood being tended to by paramedics. </p> <p>In reaction to the horrific image, Peter said, "I don't even recognise you in that."</p> <p>Samuel had been celebrating at a cancer research fundraiser just hours before the accident. </p> <p>“I pulled into a slip road, and went and had a wee, and woke up a couple of weeks later. I wasn’t expected to survive. I nearly died,” Johnson said.</p> <p>“My face was really a mess, basically my whole right side was cactus. I inhaled glass.</p> <p>“I got hit between 40 and 50 km/h by a small white vehicle. I broke my skull, I fractured my upper neck, and luckily my face bore the brunt of the impact, so my face saved my brain from a lot of damage."</p> <p>“Basically I got hit fairly badly and by the time they got me to hospital, they rushed me into ICU, I tanked, and I had two loved ones with me, I was told later, that were put into the death room – the one with the fridge and the couch where you are private and you are able to be told the bad news.”</p> <p>Samuel credits his girlfriend Emma Rooke for saving his life, by ensuring that help reached him as soon as possible. </p> <p>“She kept me alive. She understood the importance of the golden hour – the hour from when you have an accident to receiving treatment is the most important hour.”</p> <p>Samuel told Peter Helliar that the accident had caused traumatic amnesia, meaning he had no recollection of what happened when he woke up. </p> <p>“I woke up and I was really way more famous than I ever remembered being. Photographers were trying to get at me while I was inside and I wasn’t in a hospital – I as either in a mental home or my drink had been spiked,” he said.</p> <p>“Maybe I was kidnapped, maybe I was clinically insane. So, I thought all kinds of things. I was Russian for a while, I spoke with a heavy Russian accent in three-word sentences for a couple of days, and then I was a Japanese 11-year-old girl, and basically – basically what happens when your brain gets wobbled is you go loopy.”</p> <p>While Samuel appears to be on the mend, he said, <span>“a lot of the symptoms are now invisible and I’m still recovering”.</span></p> <p>As his recovery continues, Samuel said he has a whole new appreciation of the medical staff who helped him. </p> <p>“They are the people that put people like me who have a bad accident back together again. Pretty much from the moment I knew what was going on through to now, I’ve got a great respect for the wizards that worked not just on putting me back together, but on putting anyone back together, where it is Covid, a brain injury or cancer.</p> <p>“These are the genuine heroes of our world.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Channel Ten - The Project</em></p>

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“That fellow Down Under”: Biden’s blunder in historic announcement

<p>United States President Joe Biden has seemingly forgotten Scott Morrison's name in an historic press conference. </p> <p>The joint announcement with the UK, US and Australia saw the three politicians come together for a virtual press conference to discuss their new <span>trilateral security partnership.</span></p> <p><span>Amid the President's </span>speech, Biden thanked "that fellow down under" for bringing the three countries together. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">🇦🇺 'I want to thank that fella down under.'<br /><br />🇺🇸 President Biden appears to forget the name of Australian PM Scott Morrison 😬 <a href="https://t.co/2aCUbUBjdz">pic.twitter.com/2aCUbUBjdz</a></p> — GB News (@GBNEWS) <a href="https://twitter.com/GBNEWS/status/1438250398033326087?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2021</a></blockquote> <p>"Thank you Boris, and I want to thank that fellow down under,” he said.</p> <p>“Thank you very much, pal! Appreciate it, Mr Prime Minister."</p> <p>Biden quick backtracked and address Scott Morrison by name as he thanked him for the partnership, but the blunder was not missed by those on Twitter. </p> <p>Social media users criticised Biden's fumble and said the announcement would have been "more significant" <span>if Mr Biden hadn’t forgotten Mr Morrison’s name.</span></p> <p><span>One person tweeted, "Surely 'that fella Down Under' is the </span>equivalent of running into someone in a pub whose name you can't remember and can only come up with 'Maaaaate'."</p> <p>Another wrote, "Well. AUKUS is off to a good start..."</p> <p>The announcement shadowed a statement of Scott Morrison's on Thursday, as he confirmed that Australia would be utilising British and American technology to build its next fleet, <span>replacing the existing Collins class submarines.</span></p> <p>The Prime Minister made it clear that Australia was not planning to create any nuclear weapons or a civil nuclear capability, and will abide by all non-proliferation obligations.</p> <p>The news comes with the official forming of a security partnership between the three powerful country, called AUKUS, with a focus on new technologies. </p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty Images</em></p>

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