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"It was hard to watch": Sean Connery's final days revealed

Sean Connery's final moments have been revealed in a new book, Connery, Sean Connery, which dives into his decades-long career and the obstacles he faced in life. The Scottish actor, who rose to fame as the original James Bond, passed away on October 31, 2020, at the age of 90. The book written by Herbie J Pilato, features never-before-published commentary from Connery's friend, Brendan Lynch about the actor's final days. The Oscar winner struggled with dementia before his passing, and the book claims that Lynch was requested by Connery’s wife, Micheline Roquebrune, to visit his friend “as much as possible in his last days." In the book, Lynch recalled: “Because he wasn’t well at all, Micheline did ask me to try and see a bit more of him in the end.” “He didn’t want to have people that he didn’t know hanging around, so I would stop in to visit.” “I was crying at times to see this mountain of a man — this monumental human achievement in such a terrible state — frail (mentally and physically) unable to carry on a conversation or finish off a sentence,” Lynch said. “To see his body weak and flawed at the end… it was very sad. We tried to have a conversation. I tried to tell him what was going on in the sporting world, despite knowing that he wasn’t actually taking it all in.” Pilato told Fox News Digital that he spoke to numerous other sources and co-stars to get a better understanding of the man behind the iconic character. “Dementia is not just a mental issue. You’re affected physically in other ways… It affects everything. So it’s not just the mind. And to see someone who was so strong battling this disease — it was difficult," Pilato said. “If anybody looked like a movie star, it was Sean Connery,” he shared. “But towards the end, when he was frail, it was hard to watch. It was hard to see that.” According to the book, the actor's health was kept private “for some time" as he spent his final days surrounded by “sprawling golf courses, near wide-open silky sands and… clear blue Bahamian waters.” Connery died in his sleep, and according to his wife it was exactly "what he wanted.” “At least he died in his sleep, and it was just so peaceful,” she told The Daily Mail on Sunday. “I was with him all the time, and he just slipped away. It was what he wanted." Images: Getty

Caring

Karl Stefanovic discusses acting debut alongside Sean Penn

They say "go big or go home," and Karl Stefanovic wasted no time in going big, boldly venturing into acting alongside Hollywood legend Sean Penn in Stan's latest original series, C*A*U*G*H*T . In an interview with 9Entertainment the on the blue carpet premiere at the Sydney Opera House, the Today show host shared how he landed the role, and what it was like to film with a legend. "I'm in it!" he boasted. "It's amazing, when Kick [creator, producer, director and star] asked me to come on I thought it was a joke – that's how crazy it is. "It was so fun to see his vision brought to life and be part of that process." Stefanovic also shared how his first day of acting went. "I was in my first scene, and Sean Penn walked out and stood right next to the camera. Sean Penn, my first acting scene ever," he gushed. "I actually stopped during my line, and I just said, 'Oh my God... Sean Penn!'" Stefanovic laughed as he recalled how the Hollywood legend looked at him, shook his head and jokingly walked away. The series itself is directed and produced by Australian writer Kick Gurry, who is known for his role as Griff in Edge of Tomorrow. The show is a comedy about four Australian soldiers who get mistaken for Americans in a war-town country and are captured by freedom fighters. The freedom fighters then made a hostage video, which goes viral, and the soldiers rise up to fame. The show features a star-studded cast including Matthew Fox, Susan Sarandon, Bryan Brown and more. Images: Getty/ Mike Marsland/WireImage

"His worst moment as a person": Sean Penn unleashes on Will Smith's Oscar's slap

Sean Penn has become visibly angry as he recalled the infamous moment at the 2022 Oscars ceremony when Will Smith stormed the stage to slap Chris Rock. Penn recalled the award ceremony moment as he reflected on the Academy's decision to not let Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speak at the ceremony. The actor has been a strong advocate for the people of Ukraine in their ongoing war against Russia, and even traveling to the war-torn region to help in their fight. Speaking to <a href="https://variety.com/2023/film/features/sean-penn-slams-will-smith-slap-ai-oscars-1235720417/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Variety</a>, Penn shared how frustrated he was that Zelenskyy was silenced, while Smith's actions were the real problem. “The Oscars producer thought, ‘Oh, he’s [Zelenskyy] not lighthearted enough.’ Well, guess what you got instead? Will Smith.” Variety noted that the actor was visibly infuriated speaking on the subject, even turning red during the interview. “I don’t know Will Smith. I met him once,” Penn said. “He seemed very nice when I met him. He was so f***ing good in King Richard.” “So why the f**k did you just spit on yourself and everybody else with this stupid f***ing thing? Why did I go to f***ing jail for what you just did? And you’re still sitting there? Why are you guys standing and applauding his worst moment as a person?” the 63-year-old said, referencing his 1987 arrest and jail stint for punching a film extra in the face. “This f***ing bulls**t wouldn’t have happened with Zelenskyy,” Penn added. “Will Smith would never have left that chair to be part of stupid violence. It never would have happened.” Penn was so shocked and infuriated by the moment that he chose to destroy his two Oscars. "I thought, ‘Well, f**k, you know? I’ll give them to Ukraine. They can be melted down to bullets they can shoot at the Russians,’” he said. When visiting Zelenskyy in Ukraine last fall, Penn showed his support by giving the leader one of his Oscars. At the 2022 Oscar's ceremony, Will Smith stormed the stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock after he made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith. After returning to his seat, Smith shouted out, “Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth!” Image credits: Getty Images

Movies

First state to lock in Matilda's public holiday promise

New South Wales premier Chris Minns has backed Anthony Albanese's proposal to implement a public holiday if The Matildas win the FIFA Women's World Cup. The Prime Minister flagged the idea of a public holiday if the Australian women's team claim the victory, however, the actual decision for the day off will come down to each individual state. NSW Premier Chris Minns has thrown his support behind the idea, and has even put forward the idea of a "ticker tape parade" through the Sydney CBD. "If the Matildas win the semi-final and then win the World Cup final, then yes we will pursue a public holiday in NSW, not just to celebrate the victory but also to have a massive civic celebration and allow the Matildas to celebrate with the people of Sydney what will be an amazing, like, life-changing and unbelievable event in the state's history," Minns told 2GB's Ben Fordham on Monday morning. He said the government was currently working on "contingency plans" in the event of the Matilda's victory. Minns went on to say that any celebrations would happen the week of the winning game, and not the Monday after. Despite the surge of support for the Matildas throughout the tournament, some businesses have opposed the idea of a public holiday, saying they can't afford the expense. "If we did do it in Sydney for a big public holiday, and a massive ticker tape parade, can you imagine the kind of energy and economic excitement," Minns said. The Matildas will be taking on England in the semi-final game on Wednesday night, with the winner going into the final against either Spain or Sweden. Image credits: Getty Images

News

New Maddie McCann theory has "electrified" investigators

An important witness in the Madeleine McCann case has shared a valuable piece of information which has has "electrified" investigators, as the search for the missing child continues. The witness claims that Christian Brueckner, the prime suspect in Maddie's disappearance, had a burglary tool kit that could unlock any security door, and boasted to friends about his lock picking skills. This new theory has raised fresh doubts over the official theory that Maddie’s kidnapper clambered in through a window of holiday apartment 5a in Praia da Luz when she was abducted. German police are said to be “electrified” by discovery, and are also probing the possibility that Christian B used car paint solvent to sedate Maddie. In an exclusive interview from a secret location, Helge B – now in German police witness protection – told filmmaker Jutta Rabe for <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/22893975/madeleine-mccann-suspect-christian-b-lock-pick-kit/">The Sun on Sunday,</a> “He came through the door”. Helge B, 52, who met his fellow German a year before Maddie vanished aged three, said he found the kit at Christian B’s Algarve home. The petty criminal had decided to ransack it with another friend after learning Christian B was serving time for theft. He said, “I knew from Christian that he uses tools to break into holiday resorts, hotels and holiday homes to steal from tourists." “There were passports on the table. There was all sorts of stuff lying around – cameras, suitcases, everything that tourists have with them. I also found a lock pick set.” Helge B, who kept the kit and told German police about it, added, “You can use it to pick any lock, including security locks.” Despite police long believing Maddie's abductor had snuck in through the window, when asked how Christian B might've entered the hotel room, Helge simply said, “Through the door. Easily. He can open any door”. Upon the discovery of the new evidence, a police source said, “The German detectives were electrified by the discovery of the tool kit with the lock picks in it. This evidence is now very important to them." “It confirmed a suspicion that they’d had for a long time – that Christian B entered the apartment through the door.” German prosecutors hope to use the lock picks evidence to nail Christian B, who is in jail for drugs crimes and appealing a seven-year sentence for raping a woman of 72. Image credits: Getty Images

Legal

Rod Stewart’s son blows through inheritance

Rod Stewart’s son, Sean Stewart, has allegedly spent all of his inheritance in an attempt to rebrand his clothing line. A source told Page Six Style exclusively that Sean had “cashed out” the funds he would have received upon his father’s death in order to salvage the failing Dirty Weekend brand. “It’s insane because this is the third time I think he’s relaunching Dirty Weekend,” the source revealed. “Maybe third time’s the charm.” Reps for Sean and Dirty Weekend did not return Page Six Style’s requests for comment. In March, the son of the British rockstar posted about his company’s rebrand and credited artist Hector De Marquez for helping him with the relaunch. “Really proud of the work me and @hectordemarquez have put into rebranding dirty weekend,” the 42-year-old captioned the Instagram post. “Someone who finally sees my vision. What makes a successful business and entrepreneur is the team you have behind you.” The brand was originally launched in 2022. He also recently married his partner Jody Weintraub in Las Vegas on Valentine’s Day. He had known his now-wife, also 42, since high school. She is the daughter of late producer Jerry Weintraub. The pair eloped and made their way back to Los Angeles to celebrate the special day with the infamous musician and his ex-wife Alana Stewart, who is Sean’s mother. The British icon married Alana in 1979 but they divorced after five years. Stewart, 78, has been married to his current wife, Penny Lancaster, for 14 years. During Stewart’s 2023 Australian tour, the lovebirds <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/rod-stewart-s-secret-ceremony" target="_blank" rel="noopener">renewed their vows</a> in a secret ceremony. Image credit: Instagram

Money & Banking

Police smash window to rescue two toddlers left in locked car

NSW Police officers were forced to take drastic action in a hot northern Sydney carpark and smash a car’s windows to rescue the two young children trapped inside. The officers were alerted to the potential danger by concerned shoppers who believed they had spotted a child in the silver Honda. Upon arrival, however, the police, firefighters, and paramedics on scene were shocked to discover that there were actually two children trapped in there - one aged one, the other four. After first trying to unlock the car and proving “unsuccessful” in their efforts, as NSW Police later announced in a statement, officers were forced to break the vehicle’s window to get inside and access the children. The pair were reportedly in their carseats, waiting for their mother to return. She did - as police were already well into their rescue. "A woman returned to the vehicle a short time later and was spoken to by police," the statement by NSW Police read. "Inquiries continue." The entire incident was caught on camera and quickly uploaded to social media, with many strong opinions coming to the surface in the wake of the near miss. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Two young children have been freed from a locked car in a Sydney shopping centre carpark, with emergency services' rescue efforts captured on film | <a href="https://twitter.com/nswpolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nswpolice</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/FRNSW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FRNSW</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NRMA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NRMA</a> <a href="https://t.co/L2Ha1EhipX">pic.twitter.com/L2Ha1EhipX</a> — 10 News First Sydney (@10NewsFirstSyd) <a href="https://twitter.com/10NewsFirstSyd/status/1630068785599184898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2023</a></blockquote> “The toddlers' mother reportedly returned to the car in a distressed state as the scene unfolded,” 10News tweeted. “Paramedics assessed the boy and girl at the scene, with neither requiring significant medical attention.” “Hopefully she was charged,” replied one woman. “Why are parents still doing this?” questioned another. And while many called for the mother to be charged for her actions, some were not so quick to condemn her, instead suggesting that the situation was blown out of proportion. “In a ventilated garage ... not in the open sun. Turns out the kids were fine ... if not traumatised by the police actions that saw windows being smashed and glass splinters flying everywhere,” complained one. “Nothing like an overreaction on a slow news day!” “Underground carpark, 26 deg (max) outside, no treatment required,” agreed another. “Yeah, not ideal but really no danger, yeah? Couldn't the NRMA guy get in less dramatically?” While the act may seem unnecessary to some, after the recent tragedy that saw a three-year-old boy lose his life when left inside a blisteringly hot car, to many it was the right move to prioritise the children. Of the latest incident, NRMA’s Peter Khoury told Yahoo News Australia about the number of children being left in cars, and how they consider it to be “alarming”. "January this year we rescued 213 children, it was the highest month in five years," he explained. "And 2022 was the highest in 10 years considering both children and pets [4267]." "The overwhelming majority of those cases are accidental where people lock their keys in the car with their child and call us frantically." He went on to explain that there are a few possible reasons for the increase in cases. One being that perhaps the Covid-19 pandemic had people preferring to keep children and pets in the car rather than risking exposure outside. And the other being the weather, with Khoury stating “we didn’t have a particularly hot 2022 and so because of that people thought 'well, it’s not hot, it's not an issue'. Whereas we tell people that regardless of the weather, it's not safe to leave children in vehicles.” Images: 7News

Legal

Locking up kids has serious mental health impacts and contributes to further reoffending

This article contains information on violence experienced by First Nations young people in the Australian carceral system. There are mentions of racist terms, and this piece also mentions self harm, trauma and suicide. The ABC Four Corners report “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-11-14/locking-up-kids:-australias-failure-to-protect/101652954" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Locking up Kids</a>” detailed the horrific conditions for young Aboriginal people in the juvenile justice system in Western Australia. The report was nothing new. In 2016, <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-25/australias-shame-promo/7649462" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Four Corners</a> detailed the brutalisation of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory’s Don Dale Youth Detention Centre, in its episode “Australia’s Shame”. Also in 2016, <a href="https://www.amnesty.org.au/amnesty-international-welcomes-queensland-youth-detention-review/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amnesty International</a> detailed the abuse children were receiving in Queensland’s juvenile detention facilities. Children should be playing, swimming, running and exploring life. They do not belong behind bars. Yet, on any given day in 2020-21, an average of <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/youth-justice/youth-justice-in-australia-2020-21/contents/summary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">4,695</a> young people were incarcerated in Australia. Most of the young people incarcerated are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Despite Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in WA making up just <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/youth-justice/youth-justice-in-australia-2020-21/contents/state-and-territory-fact-sheets/western-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6.7%</a> of the population, they account for <a href="https://www.oics.wa.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Banksia-Hill-2020-002.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more than 70%</a> of youth locked up in Perth’s Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre. <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/agispt.20211109056541" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The reasons</a> so many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are detained are linked to the impacts of colonisation, such as intergenerational trauma, ongoing racism, discrimination, and unresolved issues related to self-determination. The Four Corners documentary alleged children in detention were exposed to abuse, torture, solitary confinement and other degrading treatment such as “folding”, which involves bending a person’s legs behind them before sitting on them – we saw a grown man sitting on a child’s legs in this way in the documentary. The documentary also found Aboriginal young people were more likely to be held in solitary confinement, leading to the young people feeling helpless. Racism was also used as a form of abuse, with security calling the young detainees apes and monkeys. One of the young men detained at Banksia Hill expressed the treatment he received made him consider taking his own life. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> No action taken against Don Dale guards over 'excessive force' in fresh Four Corners vision <a href="https://t.co/RdJgN8vQhu">https://t.co/RdJgN8vQhu</a> — Sarah Collard (@Sarah_Collard_) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sarah_Collard_/status/1592451372808802305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2022</a></blockquote> How does incarceration impact young people’s mental health? Many young people enter youth detention with pre-existing neurocognitive impairments (such as <a href="https://theconversation.com/indigenous-youth-with-foetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder-need-indigenous-run-alternatives-to-prison-56615" target="_blank" rel="noopener">foetal alcohol spectrum disorder</a>), trauma, and poor mental health. More than <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10398560902948696" target="_blank" rel="noopener">80%</a> of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people in a Queensland detention centre reported mental health problems. Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare revealed that more than <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/youth-justice/young-people-in-child-protection/summary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">30%</a> of young people in detention were survivors of abuse or neglect. Rather than supporting the most vulnerable within our community, the Australian justice system is <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/agispt.20211109056541" target="_blank" rel="noopener">imprisoning traumatised</a> and often developmentally compromised young people. <a href="https://reader.elsevier.com/reader/sd/pii/S027273581300010X?token=9CBCD682BF76BBE308B2073C2A3980D63745C157813CAC79F171AA4577C849EC40D0B848B6DB0D009AFACC05B8BC6185&originRegion=us-east-1&originCreation=20221116031322" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Research</a> has shown pre-existing mental health problems are likely exacerbated by experiences during incarceration, such as isolation, boredom and victimisation. This inhumane treatment brings about retraumatisation of the effects of colonisation and racism, with feelings of <a href="https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/SCLSI/Youth_Justice_System/Submissions/Submission_44-Parkville_College.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hopelessness</a>, worthlessness and <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Senate/Community_Affairs/completed_inquiries/2004-07/inst_care/report2/c06" target="_blank" rel="noopener">low self-esteem</a>. Youth detention is also associated with an <a href="https://www.ranzcp.org/news-policy/news/detention-of-children-in-adult-prisons-must-stop#:%7E:text='Youth%20detention%20is%20associated%20with,substance%20use%2C%20and%20behavioural%20disorders." target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased risk</a> of suicide, psychiatric disorders, and drug and alcohol abuse. Locking young people up during their <a href="https://www.cypp.unsw.edu.au/sites/ypp.unsw.edu.au/files/Cunneen%20%282017%29%20Arguments%20for%20raising%20the%20minimum%20age%20of%20criminal%20responsibility.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crucial years</a> of development also has long-term impacts. These include poor emotional development, poor education outcomes, and worse mental health <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5260153/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in adulthood</a>. As adults, post-release Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1467-842X.2004.tb00629.x" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ten times</a> more likely to die than the general population, with suicide the leading cause of death. You don’t have to look far to see the devastating impacts of incarceration on mental health. Just last year, there were <a href="https://www.parliament.wa.gov.au/Hansard/hansard.nsf/0/A4A8FAAE33FDD6BE48258844001C7E29/$File/C41%20S1%2020220511%20All.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">320 reports</a> of self-harm at Banksia Hill, WA’s only youth detention centre. Locking up kids increases the likelihood of reoffending Imprisoning young offenders is also associated with future <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S027273581300010X?casa_token=TJ6WoQJnWnsAAAAA:NKTzeYv-LJcHuwT7Xs5fxeHUx9lHsKzVlQDpLpWPyG7u4KAXb1866s-sdupwbQmcbPR93qArg99O" target="_blank" rel="noopener">offending behaviours</a> and <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Committees_Exposed/atsia/sentencing/report/chapter2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continued contact with the justice system</a>. Without proper rehabilitation and support post-release, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young peoples often return to the same conditions that created the patterns of offending in the first place. Earlier this year, the head of Perth Children’s Court, Judge Hylton Quail <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-02-10/hylton-quail-slams-conditions-banksia-hill-detention-centre/100819262" target="_blank" rel="noopener">condemned</a> the treatment of a young person in detention at Banksia Hill, stating: <blockquote> When you treat a damaged child like an animal, they will behave like an animal […] When you want to make a monster, this is how you do it. </blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Today marks 5 years since the recommendations of the Royal Commission into the Detention and Protection of Children in the NT, which recommended closing Don Dale. We now have record numbers of Aboriginal children incarcerated due to punitive bail laws introduced last year. <a href="https://t.co/buxMFFucW7">pic.twitter.com/buxMFFucW7</a> — NAAJA (@NAAJA_NT) <a href="https://twitter.com/NAAJA_NT/status/1593059263223844864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2022</a></blockquote> What needs to be done? There needs to be substantive change in how young people who come in contact with the justice system are treated. We need governments to commit, under <a href="https://www.closingthegap.gov.au/national-agreement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Closing the Gap</a>, to whole-of-system change through: <ol> <li> recognising children should not be criminalised at ten years old. The <a href="https://raisetheage.org.au/campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Raise the Age</a> campaign is calling for the minimum age of responsibility to be raised to 14. Early prevention and intervention <a href="https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/agispt.20211109056541" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approaches</a> are necessary here. Children who are at risk of offending should be appropriately supported, to reduce pathways to offending. </li> <li> an approach addressing why young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are locked up in such great numbers is required, driven by respective First Nations communities. This means investing in housing, health, education, transport and other essential services and crucial aspects of a person’s life. An example of this is found in a pilot program in New South Wales called <a href="https://www.justreinvest.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/JRNSW-I-Reinvestment-Forum-I-Report.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Redefining Reinvestment</a>, which tackled the social determinants of incarceration using a community approach. </li> <li> future solutions must be trauma-informed and led by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. </li> </ol> Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are not born criminals. They are born into systems that fail them, in a country that all too often turns a blind eye before locking them up. The Australian government needs to work with First Nations communities to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including our future generations. If this article has caused distress, please contact one of these helplines: <a href="https://www.13yarn.org.au/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAsdKbBhDHARIsANJ6-jfrUNMB9So6Gd1ICVQPd6uvGbfEaceXNR0BNYnEVCoxnMs7eiMmv20aAjDaEALw_wcB">13yarn</a>, <a href="https://www.lifeline.org.au/">Lifeline</a>, <a href="https://headspace.org.au/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAsdKbBhDHARIsANJ6-jdx8qmNF8hzPZNjURGbT9af0wT_xGUjDU26wX5Eftykygb35_OPLccaAp5uEALw_wcB">Headspace</a><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/194657/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Writen by Summer May Finlay, Ee Pin Chang, Jemma Collova and Pat Dudgeon. Republished with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/locking-up-kids-has-serious-mental-health-impacts-and-contributes-to-further-reoffending-194657" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Getty Images

Mind

Aussie academic released from Myanmar prison after 650 days

After spending 650 days in a Myanmar prison, Australian academic Sean Turnell will be returning to his family in Australia. The country’s military-controlled government announced that Turnell would be released and deported, along with a Japanese filmmaker, ex-British diplomat, and an American, on Thursday as part of a wider prisoner amnesty to mark National Victory Day. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong shared the news on social media on Friday morning, writing that she had spoken to Turnell, who had confirmed he was now free and going home. <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/ClEBre8Phqr/?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/ClEBre8Phqr/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Penny Wong (@senatorpennywong)</a> </div> </blockquote> “Wonderful news - Professor Sean Turnell is free and on his way home to his family. I’ve just had the chance to speak with him,” she wrote, shared alongside a photo of Turnell. “I thank everyone who worked tirelessly for his release, including @DFAT staff like our Head of Mission in Myanmar, Angela Corcoran, pictured here.” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had spoken to Turnell on the phone after he landed in Bangkok on his way home. “People have been wonderful,” Turnell told him. Albanese described him as a “remarkable man”, sharing how Turnell would be given his food in buckets in prison, except when he received care packages from Australia in tote bags bearing the Australian crest. "He would eat it and he would put the tote bags at where the bars were on the cell in which he was being detained so that both he could see and the guards who were detaining him could see the Australian crest, so that he could keep that optimism," Albanese said. "And the Australian crest, of course, with the kangaroo and emu that don't go backwards. "They don't go backwards. It was very important for him." The PM said Turnell was “clearly counting” down the 650 days until his release and that he was in “remarkably good spirits” despite losing a lot of weight. "He was in really, really good spirits," Albanese said. "He was making jokes. He is from my electorate and apologised for not voting at the election. I assured him he wouldn't be fined and that it was understandable." <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> I just spoke with Professor Sean Turnell, who recently landed in Bangkok after being released from prison in Myanmar. He will soon be on his way to Australia to be with his family. — Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1593222741536428033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2022</a></blockquote> Turnell was among 5774 prisoners released from Myanmar, as reported by state-run MRTV. The imprisonment of foreign nationals, which the rights monitoring organisation Assistance Association for Political Prisoners said totalled 16,232 people, had become a source of friction for Myanmar’s leaders and home governments since the democratically elected government was ousted in February last year. According to AAP, 13,015 of those arrested were still in detention as of Wednesday, while at least 2465 people have been killed by security forces. Tim O’Conner of Amnesty International welcomed the release of Turnell, saying that he and many others should never have been arrested or imprisoned. "Amnesty continues to call for the release of all those arbitrarily detained for peacefully exercising their human rights," he said. "Thousands of people jailed since the coup in Myanmar have done nothing wrong." Turnell, an associate professor in economics at Sydney’s Macquarie University, was serving as an advisor to Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s former leader, when he was arrested at a hotel just days before the military takeover. In September last year, Turnell was sentenced to three years prison for violating Myanmar’s official secrets law and immigration law. "He's a remarkable man. And he was there doing his job as an economic policy adviser," Albanese said. "He was doing his job, nothing more, nothing less. And he's very good at his job. "And he is a proud Australian. And today, I think we should all be proud of him." Image: Instagram

Legal

“When you win, bring it back to Malibu”: Sean Penn loans Oscar to Ukraine

Actor Sean Penn has shown his support for Ukraine in its war with Russia by loaning one of his two Oscars to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, telling him it could stay on one condition: “When you win, bring it back to Malibu”. A video of the encounter between Zelenskyy and Penn, who is making a documentary about the Russian invasion, was shared by Zelenskyy’s office online and described the gift as “a symbol of faith in the victory of our country”. “It will be in Ukraine until the end of the war.” During his most recent visit to Ukraine, Penn told Zelenskyy that every time he leaves he feels “like a traitor”. “But if I know this is here with you then I will feel better and stronger for the fights,” he said before presenting the leader with his award. “When you win, bring it back to Malibu. Because I feel much better knowing there is a piece of me here.” <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/CktdU1RLvIQ/?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/reel/CktdU1RLvIQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Володимир Зеленський (@zelenskiy_official)</a> </div> </blockquote> After initially hesitating, Zelenskyy accepted the statue and quipped: “We have to win, quick.” Wednesday’s meeting, which marked Penn’s third visit to Ukraine since the invasion began, also saw the actor accept an award from Zelenskyy. The Mystic River star was presented with the Ukrainian Order of Merit of the third degree, which is given to citizens for outstanding achievements in economics, science, culture or military or political activity. “It was with great pleasure that I presented Sean Penn with the Order of Merit of the III degree,” the caption of the clip shared on Zelenskyy’s official Instagram read. “Thank you for such sincere support and significant contribution to the popularization (sic) of Ukraine in the world!” The video also showed the pair walking around Kyiv and arriving at Constitution Square where there is a “Walk of the Brave” - a walkway lined with plaques for world leaders who have supported Ukraine. Penn also has a plaque laid on the ground along the walkway, engraved with his name and the date February 24, 2022, which was the start of the invasion, as Penn was one of the first people to visit Ukraine after Russian troops moved in. Pointing to the plaque, Penn said there were three sources of pride for him in the world. “The place where my daughter was born, the place where my son was born and this. Thank you,” he said. Image: Getty Images

News

Rod Stewart's son rushed to hospital

Rod Stewart’s son has been rushed to hospital after being hit by a truck. Sean Stewart shared the terrifying ordeal to Instagram showing himself in hospital after he “got hit by a truck at a red light”. He uploaded a photo of himself wearing a facemask and some bandages followed with the words: “Hard out here on these streets”. In a later post to his Instagram story, Sean was back at home with his pet dog. “Still in a lot of pain. Got my best friend by my side #doggydoctor,” he wrote. Sean is the eldest son of Rod’s eight children at 42 years, who he shares with his first wife, Alana Stewart. The actor is best known for his roles on the reality TV show, Stewarts and Hamiltons. Him and his dad made headlines back in 2021 after being involved in an altercation with security staff during a 2019 New Years Eve party. “No one was injured in the incident, and a jury did not find Sir Rod Stewart guilty of the accusation,” the music icon’s lawyer Guy Fronstin said in a statement at the time. Their lawyer said that Rod opted to plead guilty “to avoid the inconvenience and unnecessary burden on the court and the public that a high-profile proceeding would cause”. Images: Instagram

News

Coles "drops and locks" prices on popular products

Coles has announced they have "dropped and locked" the price on 150 products both in store and online until January 31st 2023. The supermarket giant says the initiative is a response to "cost of living pressures", which has seen the price of popular items reduced between 10 and 40 percent. Some of the most popular brands affected include Steggles, Kleenex, Golden Circle, Kellogg’s, Bulla, Pepsi, Masterfoods, Cadbury, Handee and Whiskas, as well as selected items from the Coles deli. Coles originally trialled the campaign in August, which "locked" the price of over 1,100 items in store and online. Coles Chief Executive of Commercial and Express Leah Weckert said Coles was committed to helping customers find key staple products that will be dropped and locked in price for a few months. “We know it’s been a really tough year for many of our customers and they are looking for prices they can rely on each time they shop to help their household budget go further,” Weckert said. “Our ‘locked’ campaign has been successful because customers can clearly identify products that won’t go up in price until at least the end of January 2023." “They’ll now be able to see where we can provide savings on products Aussies love and keep them locked." “As we get closer to Christmas, we want our customers to know that they can depend on Coles to bring them reliable value and great prices during the festive season.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Sean Connery's personal James Bond Aston Martin on sale for first time ever

A piece of Hollywood history has gone up for sale, with car enthusiasts everywhere dying to get their hands on it. Sean Connery's personal 1964 Aston Martin DB5 is being offered for sale through <a href="https://www.broadarrowauctions.com/vehicles/009/1964-aston-martin-db5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Broad Arrow Auctions</a>, with the iconic vehicle expected to fetch between $US1.4 million and $1.8 million ($AU1.9-2.5m). The car boasts a Snow Shadow Grey colour, as per it's appearance in the Bond movie Goldfinger, over a show-stopping red leather interior. The vehicle was delivered brand new to its original owner in the UK in 1964, where it remained until Connery bought it in 2018 and relocated it to his property in Switzerland. It is worth noting that the car was originally black, and Connery had it painted to match his famous on-screen co-star. The Snow Shadow Grey colour was limited to the prototype DB5 used in the James Bond films, and was replaced by Silver Birch as the 'factory' DB5 colour. The car is on sale for the first time, with the lucky owner also receiving driving training from Formula One World Champion Jackie Stewart. Many of the proceeds from the sale benefitting the Sean Connery Philanthropy Fund, a charity supporting young people of Scotland. The auction for the car will take place on August 17th 2022. Image credits: drive.com

Money & Banking

Sean Penn flees Ukraine on foot

Famous Hollywood actor and director Sean Penn has fled war-torn Ukraine on foot. The Oscar-winning actor, 61, was <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/movies/sean-penn-travels-to-ukraine-to-film-war-documentary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in Ukraine filming a documentary </a>and was forced to escape to Poland when Russia invaded the country on February 24. “Myself & two colleagues walked miles to the Polish border after abandoning our car on the side of the road,” the actor tweeted on Tuesday. “Almost all the cars in this photo carry women & children only, most without any sign of luggage, and a car their only possession of value.” Days prior, Penn called out Russian President Vladimir Putin for the “horrible mistake” of attacking the European country. “Already a brutal mistake of lives taken and hearts broken, and if he doesn’t relent, I believe Mr. Putin will have made a most horrible mistake for all of humankind,” Penn wrote. “President Zelensky and the Ukrainian people have risen as history symbols of courage and principle. "Ukraine is the tip of the spear for the democratic embrace of dreams. If we allow it to fight alone, our soul as America is lost.” Penn had been in Ukraine for several months filming his documentary about the escalating situation between the two countries. He managed to escape to Kyiv before Russian forces made their way into the country. Image: Twitter

Travel Trouble

Sean Penn travels to Ukraine to film war documentary

Actor Sean Penn has travelled to Ukraine to film a documentary about the ongoing conflict with Russia. The 61-year-old met with the Ukrainian president after attending a government press briefing for part of a VICE documentary he is filming. President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a video of his meeting with the actor on his Instagram, with the caption, "The more people know about the war in the Ukraine, the higher the likelihood of stopping Russia!" Sean Penn has been filming the documentary about escalating tensions in the area for several months, and recently returned to Kyiv, just days before Russian forces invaded the country. In a translated <a id="mol-f6a771f0-9594-11ec-bc71-19f2c1b2d56a" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/facebook/index.html">Facebook</a> post, the Ukrainian government said it was grateful for Penn being there, and was praised as being more courageous than Western leaders. "An American actor and filmmaker, Oscar winner Sean Penn arrived to Ukraine. The director specially came to Kyiv to record all the events that are currently happening in Ukraine and to tell the world the truth about Russia's invasion of our country." "Sean Penn is among those who support Ukraine in Ukraine today. Our country is grateful to him for such a show of courage and honesty." "He spoke to journalists, to our military, saw how we defend our country. Sean Penn demonstrates the courage that many others, especially western politicians lack." "The more such people, true friends of Ukraine, who support the fight for freedom, the sooner it will be possible to stop the massive attack on Russia," a statement on the Ukrainian government's Facebook page read. Sean Penn has recently been spotted in Kyiv having dinner with journalists, while thousands of people are fleeing the Ukrainian capital. Penn has been involved in several journalistic endeavours before, after taking part in a documentary of the aftermath of the earthquake that devastated Haiti in 2010. In 2016, the actor and director found himself caught up in the US investigation into fugitive drug lord El Chapo, after he made contact with him while working on a Rolling Stone article. Image credits: Instagram

Movies

Toddler "traumatised" after being left locked in daycare

A mother went to collect her child from Kindcare Learning Center, north of Miami, to find her 2-year-old daughter locked inside alone at 6:30 pm on a Wednesday. After lights had been turned off and workers had left for the day, Stephanie Martinez reportedly saw her child peeking through the window of the locked childcare center. In a video recording of a 911 call Ms Martinez shared with NBC Miami, the room appears dark and Ms Martinez can be heard telling a dispatcher that she could see her daughter crying. “She was able to push a chair up to the door and call for my name, and that was the only reason I was able to see her, ” Ms Martinez said. Fire department workers pried open the door of the Sunrise Boulevard day care and found the girl in good health roughly 20 minutes later, according to the Plantation Police Department incident report. Ms Martinez shared that her daughter is “super traumatised.” Police later learned that the day care worker responsible for checking out children left at 6:20 pm and locked the doors. The police report does not say if criminal charges are expected and further investigations are being made by the local child protection agency. A spokesperson for KinderCare, which owns the facility, said in a statement that while the company was “thankful the child was quickly found and was safe, this incident should not have happened.” Image: NBC

Family & Pets

"I was not aware": Audrey Hepburn's son responds to casting choice

An upcoming biopic focusing on the life of Audrey Hepburn <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/rooney-mara-to-play-audrey-hepburn-in-new-biopic/" target="_blank">has revealed</a> who will bring the classic film star to life - and Hepburn's son has since weighed in on the decision. The news broke that American actress Rooney Mara (The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) has made a deal to portray Hepburn in the future film from Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino in early January, as Mara prepares for a role in Guilermo del Toro's Nightmare Alley. Sean Ferrer, Hepburn's son, told Fox News he had no idea about the upcoming project. "I was not aware of the project," he told the outlet. “Rooney is a delight. Sounds like there is a lot of love there.” Ferrer has spent much of his life keeping his mother’s legacy and memory alive since her passing in 1993 from cancer. In 2020, Ferrer and his wife, Karin, wrote Little Audrey’s Daydream, a children’s book that followed Hepburn’s rocky childhood in Holland during the war and her dreams of becoming a Hollywood star. Speaking to Fox News <a rel="noopener" href="https://nypost.com/2022/01/10/audrey-hepburns-son-responds-to-rooney-maras-biopic-casting/" target="_blank">at the time</a>, Ferrer said his favourite moment with his mother was “anytime I made her laugh”. “It’s one of the greatest things you can take from any relationship if you can make someone laugh and give them that moment of sunshine,” he said. “But there are many moments I think about. “I think about when she drove me to the airport and I left to do my first job. I was walking through security and when I turned around, there were tears coming down her face. As a parent and having been through it, I now understand. “But I take great comfort in those moments when I simply made her laugh.” Hepburn was known for her roles in Breakfast at Tiffany's, My Fair Lady, Charade, and Sabrina, and she received a Grammy award posthumously in 1994, making her the fifth person to receive an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award. Though the plot of the new film is still <a rel="noopener" href="https://variety.com/2022/film/news/rooney-mara-audrey-hepburn-apple-luca-guadagnino-1235148712/" target="_blank">under wraps</a>, Apple has backed the project, with The Giver’s Michael Mitnick writing the script and Mara producing. Images: Getty Images

Movies

Teacher locks son with Covid in car boot

A Texas teacher has been arrested and charged with endangering a child after locking her Covid-positive son in the boot of her car in order to protect herself from exposure to the virus as they drove to a testing site. Sarah Beam, 41, was arrested after a witness called police and told them they heard someone in the vehicle’s trunk on January 3 at a testing site in Harris County, Texas. Beam reportedly opened the boot to reveal the 13-year-old boy lying inside. She explained that her son had tested positive for COVID-19 and that she was taking him to a testing site at Pridgeon Stadium for a second test to confirm the result. She reportedly said that she had placed her son in the boot as she did not want to be infected herself. A health worker told her that no test would be administered until the boy was allowed to sit in the back seat of the car. Ms Beam has been working as a teacher at Cypress Falls High School since 2011, but is now on administrative leave. CY-Fair ISD Police Department said in a statement, "CFPD was alerted that a child was in the trunk of a car at a drive-thru Covid-19 testing site earlier this week. Law enforcement conducted a full investigation, resulting in a warrant for arrest. Thankfully, the child was not harmed." Sergeant Richard Standifer, of the Texas Department of Public Safety, told reporters that the boy could have been seriously injured if the vehicle had been involved in an accident. He added, "I have never heard of somebody being put in a trunk because they tested positive for anything.” Image: Silvia Bianchini

Travel Trouble

Sean Penn's Aussie wife files for divorce after just one year

Actor Sean Penn’s Australian wife has filed for divorce after just one year of marriage. Leila George, whose father is American actor Vincent D’Onofrio, married Penn in a Zoom wedding in July 2020. The actress filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday. Penn told late night talk show host Seth Meyers that he and George, 29, tied the knot in an intimate ceremony attended only by Penn’s two children and George’s brother, with a county commissioner officiating over Zoom. Though the couple made their red carpet debut in 2016, a close friend told People that they had reunited early in 2020 after an on and off romance. "They got together and then they broke up, and Sean won her back," the source told People. "He realised he had made a mistake and when he felt he might lose her, he worked hard to get her back." This is the third time Penn, 61, has been divorced. He was previously married to Robin Wright from 1996 to 2010, and he shares two children with her: daughter Dylan, 29, and son Hopper Jack, 26. Prior to that, he was married to Madonna from 1985 to 1989. George, whose full name is Leila George D’Onofrio, is the American-Australian daughter of Law and Order: Criminal Intent actor Vincent D’Onofrio and Italian-Australian actress Greta Scacchi. She studied at the Sydney Film School and started out in Hollywood as a camera operator before trying her hand at acting. Since then, she’s appeared in several films, including Mortal Engines, The Long Home, and Mother, May I Sleep with Danger? In an interview with W Magazine, George said of her decision to pursue acting, "Growing up, I'd sit on my mum's sets or my dad's sets for hours and hours and not get bored. "That's always where I wanted to be." Image: Kevin Winter/Getty Images

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British comedian dies after long battle with cancer

Legendary comedian Sean Lock has died at the age of 58 as many people around the world mourn his loss, stating he was an “influential” comedian for this generation. The celebrity was best known for his deadpan humour when he appeared on the British panel shows 8 Out Of 10 Cats and 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown. Lock’s agent confirmed the father-of-three passed away after a long battle with cancer, surrounded by his family. A statement from Off The Kerb Productions said: “It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of Sean Lock. “He died at home from cancer, surrounded by his family. “Sean was one of Britain’s finest comedians, his boundless creativity, lightning wit and the absurdist brilliance of his work, marked him out as a unique voice in British comedy. “Sean was also a cherished husband and father to three children. Sean will be sorely missed by all that knew him. “We kindly request that the privacy of his family and children is respected at this difficult time.” Previous battle with cancer In 1990, Lock was diagnosed with skin cancer while he worked as a labourer on a building site but it’s not clear if this was the type of cancer which returned. He went on to make a full recovery and has since worked with others to help raise awareness of the disease. Lock’s final public appearance was in December when he appeared in a video for the charity - Edible London. Many tributes have flooded in Tributes to Lock as a person - and to his prodigious talent - have started flooding in from the comedy world. 8 Out Of 10 Cats host Jimmy Carr said: “Brutal news about Sean Lock today. I loved him. I’m watching clips of him right now – laughing & crying. I’ll miss him so much.” Comedian Lee Mack, who was a close friend, paid tribute saying: “I’ve known this day was coming for some time, but it’s no less heartbreaking. A true original both in comedy and life. I will miss him so much.” More British personalities took to social media to pay tribute to him, including Ricky Gervais who posted on Twitter: ‘Such sad news. RIP the great Sean Lock. One of the funniest, most influential comedians of a generation. A lovely man.’ Lock’s TV career began in 1993 when he starred alongside Rob Newman and David Baddiel on their signature show Newman And Baddiel In Pieces. Lock was also praised for his live comedy and won the gong for best live stand-up at the British Comedy Awards in 2000. In 2005, the comic became a team captain on panel show 8 Out Of 10 Cats and went on to appear for 18 series. Photo: Getty Images

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