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"It's up to men": Anthony Albanese joins violence against women rally

<p>Anthony Albanese has joined a rally in Canberra to protest the recent spate of acts of violence against women, admitting his government hasn't "done enough" to ensure Aussie women are protected. </p> <p>Addressing the 5,000-strong crowd at Parliament House, Mr Albanese delivered a fiery speech, demanding nationwide change to all levels of Australian society and asking protesters to hold him “accountable” for his government’s actions. </p> <p>Mr Albanese said Australia needed to change its “culture”, “attitudes” and “legal system” to end the scourge of violence against women that has already allegedly claimed the lives of 26 women this year.</p> <p>“We’re here today to demand that governments of all levels, must do better, including my own, and every state and territory government,” he said. </p> <p>“We’re here as well to say that society, and Australia, must do better. We need to change the culture, we need to change attitudes, we need to change the legal system."</p> <p>Mr Albanese spoke about some of the actions his government had taken to address the problem, including the introduction of domestic violence payments.</p> <p>A protester interrupted, saying “it’s not enough”.</p> <p>The prime minister replied, “I agree it’s not enough. I said that. We need to do more.”</p> <p>Mr Albanese finished his speech by calling the problem a “national crisis” and said one or two months of funding would not be enough to solve it.</p> <p>“It’s up to men to change men’s behaviour as well,” he said. “Yes, people do need to be made accountable and I’ll be accountable for what my government does.”</p> <p>Thousands took to the grounds of Parliament House on Sunday to listen to Albanese's address, where one of the event organisers Sarah Williams from the company WWYW (What Were You Wearing?), claims the Prime Minister lied to the crowd at the start of his stirring speech.</p> <p>In his speech in the afternoon, Mr Albanese suggested he had asked the rally organisers for permission to speak but had been knocked back. </p> <p>“We did ask to speak, myself and (Finance minister) Katy (Gallagher) and we were told that’s not possible,” he said to the 5000 strong crowd.</p> <p>“And that’s fine, we respect the organisers’ right to do that.”</p> <p>However, Ms Williams took to social media after the event to say the Prime Minister had "lied to the country". </p> <p>“The Prime Minister of Australia lied to his country today,” she began. </p> <p>“Representatives from (Finance Minister Katy) Gallagher and Albanese’s offices both said this morning that they were sure Katy would be happy to speak. Not the Prime Minister.”</p> <p>“He never asked to speak. For him to not only demand he speak because he was being heckled, but lie was disgraceful."</p> <p>“He demonstrated today what entitlement looks like. A man with power trying to diminish a vulnerable young woman.”</p> <p>In an awkward and tense exchange, Ms Williams then demanded the politicians show their commitment to the organisation’s demands, and declare that the recent spate of murders of women by men was a national emergency. </p> <p>However, the Labor ministers appeared non-responsive and confused, initially refusing to front the rally, a move which brought boos and heckling from the audience. </p> <p>“Why are you even here?” one protester yelled from the crowd.</p> <p>“Shame on you,” shouted another.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram</em></p>

Caring

“I’m excited to be back”: Fergie joins list of luminaries Down Under

<p>Sarah Ferguson has returned to Australia for the first time in years to help battle a major problem facing our nation, while sharing her love for the country.</p> <p>The Duchess of York is visiting Melbourne to take part in the <a title="www.globalcitizen.org" href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/now/melbourne/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Citizen NOW</a> summit from March 4th, which is seeking to drive urgent action to end extreme poverty and address the climate crisis in the Asia-Pacific region.</p> <p>In an exclusive interview with <a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/why-sarah-fergie-ferguson-duchess-of-york-is-back-in-australia/news-story/0a99dbcd4c518d12dcd56b11e89186ba" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>news.com.au</em></a>, Fergie shared her love of Australia, describing the country as a "haven" and sharing her excitement to be back Down Under. </p> <p>“Australia feels like a home away from home to me,” the 64-year-old royal said.</p> <p>“My sister Jane has lived here for decades, so I have visited many times over the years. I have so many memories of wonderful moments."</p> <p>“I remember the excitement of going to the Melbourne Cup with my mother, for example. I’m excited to be back again to make new memories." </p> <p>“I love the Aussie outlook on life and of course I adore your incredible landscapes and wildlife, which are like nothing you see in Europe." </p> <p>“Australia has often been a haven for me. One thing I particularly like is that there is no culture of building people up in order to knock them down again later, which you see elsewhere.”</p> <p>Fergie will be joined at the summit by hundreds of other leading voices, famous personalities and political figures, including actor Hugh Jackman, musicians Crowded House and former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard. </p> <p>The Duchess said that she has taken a special interest in the issue of preserving the planet for future generations, worrying about what the state of the world looks like in the years to come for her grandchildren. </p> <p>“Becoming a grandmother has really changed my outlook on life,” she revealed.</p> <p>“I have always loved nature and the great outdoors, but now I find myself reflecting on what sort of world we are going to leave to our grandchildren’s generation."</p> <p>“Let’s be honest, it doesn’t look great, does it? So far, my generation has failed to take the big decisions necessary to safeguard the future of the planet, to the point that scientists are telling us the changes we are seeing to our climate and biodiversity are becoming irreversible."</p> <p>“I really hope we can take global, concerted action to change things. We have a responsibility to do so."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Caring

Experienced bush tracker to join in search for Samantha Murphy

<p>An experienced bush tracker is joining the search for Samantha Murphy, who went missing two weeks ago after she was last seen going out for a morning run. </p> <p>Jake Cassar - who has experience in high-profile missing persons cases including that of missing child, William Tyrrell - is on his way to Ballarat to help with the ongoing search. </p> <p>Cassar’s involvement was announced in a Facebook post set up by locals to help find Murphy. </p> <p>Cristie Lea, who helped organised Cassar’s visit to Victoria, said that the experienced bushman will be arriving in Melbourne on Monday and will return on Friday, with the community pitching in to cover the cost of his flights. </p> <p>“I’m hoping to get a lot done while I’m here,” Cassar told 7News. </p> <p>Cassar's arrival is ahead of the planned community-led ground search for Murphy on Saturday, with him set to teach tracking skills to volunteers and help them “establish a solid game plan” before he leaves. </p> <p>“I’ll cover as much ground as physically possible while I’m out here, especially in the more remote places.</p> <p>“I plan on training up some locals in the fundamentals of tracking, so when I leave I can continue to liaise with those on the ground.”</p> <p>He added that he respected the work done so far by police and SES volunteers and hoped that he could find something that could further the investigation. </p> <p>“People are entitled to their opinions as to whether or not Samantha is out in the bush,” he said.</p> <p>“On the chance that she is, I want to ensure that absolutely everything is done to find her.”</p> <p>Cassar’s involvement had been “highly anticipated, warmly welcomed and very much appreciated” by locals who are helping search for Murphy. </p> <p>“Jake has significant bush expertise, tracking skills and previous experience in searching for missing people,” Lea said.</p> <p>“Momentum is strong and we pray that Jake’s expertise will energise the already motivated community and grow the already overwhelming public support for this Saturday’s major Ground Search event.</p> <p>“Together we will continue to encourage others to join local search activities that will bring Samantha home.”</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Legal

Matt Shirvington joins the cast of Home and Away

<p>Sunrise host Matt Shirvington has secured a role in one of Australia's iconic shows, <em>Home and Away</em>. </p> <p>The former Olympian turned TV presenter has secretly been filming scenes for the show, which will air some time next year. </p> <p>According to <em>7News</em>, Shirvington will be playing himself and recently shot a few scenes at Sydney's iconic Palm Beach. </p> <p>“As a kid who grew up watching Home and Away, it was all a bit surreal to be in Summer Bay with Alf Stewart!” he told the publication. </p> <p>“What a fun experience. The entire cast and crew were so welcoming and generous with acting tips and advice for this novice.</p> <p>“I think this will be one of those things my kids are never going to let me live down!”</p> <p>Although the storyline is still being kept a secret, viewers can expect to see the former athlete in “scenes which will air later next year”. </p> <p>The official Instagram page for <em>Home and Away</em> also teased Shirvington's appearance on the show. </p> <p>"Look who’s coming to Summer Bay in 2024 👀 ☀️" they captioned a photo of him at the beach with Ray Meagher, who plays Alf Stewart.</p> <p>Shirvington has been booked and busy this year, after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/kochie-s-sunrise-replacement-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">replacing David Koch</a> as <em>Sunrise</em> host alongside Nat Barr back in June. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram/ 7News/ Home & Away</em></p>

Two massive music icons join the Yes Campaign

<p>With three weeks to go before the nation votes to decide on whether the constitution should be changed to establish an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice, two music legends have joined the Yes campaign. </p> <p>Australian singer Kamahl has flipped his initial No vote to a Yes within a week, after “sleepless nights weighing the pros and cons." </p> <p>The singer took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share the reasons why he had a change of heart. </p> <p>“I'm damned if Vote YES and I'll be damned if I Vote NO ! Having spent sleepless nights weighing the pros and cons, I'll be damned and I'll Vote YES !” he wrote.</p> <p>“Coincidentally I was in ‘Journey out of Darkness’ in 1967 as the Aboriginal prisoner, just before THE Referendum”.</p> <p>Just last week the music icon encouraged his followers to vote No in the referendum by changing the lyrics to John Farnham’s song <em>You’re the Voice</em> to “What’s the Voice, I just don’t understand it. It’s just noise and it’s not clear. Vote no-o-oh-oh, o-o-o." </p> <p><em>“We’re not going to vote Apartheid. We don’t want one race privilege. Vote no-o-oh-oh," he sang. </em></p> <p>The 88-year-old flipped his vote after meeting Indigenous comedian Dane Simpson and constitutional lawyer Eddie Synot and listening to their arguments. </p> <p>“I’m embarrassed, until Monday or Tuesday I didn’t realise they (Indigenous people) were considered not human,” he said, after Simpson and Synot explained the voice to Kamahl. </p> <p> “I can’t …For me, it is a heart and mind thing,” he said, while breaking down into tears. </p> <p>The singer explained to Simpson and Synot that he was hesitant to speak up because he had "insufficient knowledge on how the whole thing works”.</p> <p>In a sensational backflip on the issue, the singer also added that he hoped that "the right people with the right mind, heart, ability and knowledge make it a reality," and wished that there was a way of "doing it without looking like a race of people were being advantaged.”</p> <p>“At the end of the day, I am here to help rather than hinder. If the Yes vote helps, then so be it,” he said. </p> <p>“It is a positive thing to do. I don’t think I would achieve anything by voting No … if there is good I can do, I would rather do it than regret it another time.”</p> <p>The <em>Sounds of Goodbye </em>singer is not the only one backing the Yes campaign. On the other side of the world, American rapper MC Hammer – famous for his number one hit song<em> U Can't Touch This</em> – has shared his support for the Yes campaign ahead of the Voice referendum. </p> <p>“I’m with you. Australia it’s time. Repair the breach. #Yes2023,” the rapper tweeted. </p> <p>The 61-year-old admitted that he didn't know what the Voice referendum was until one of his followers brought it up in a post shared on the platform. </p> <p>“Australia has no treaty with its Indigenous people, and has done little in comparison to other British dominions like Canada, New Zealand and the United States to include and uplift its First Nations people,” he said.</p> <p>He then quoted human rights lawyer Professor Megan Davis, one of the most central figures of the Yes campaign. </p> <p>“A successful referendum will set a precedent that will be “really useful for other indigenous populations around the world in relation to recognition,” he quoted the human rights lawyer. </p> <p>This comes just days after<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/cathy-freeman-reveals-her-stance-on-the-voice" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Cathy Freeman</a> shared her stance on the Voice and asked Aussies to "stand together and to show our support for Australians who need it the most."</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Music

Kmart and Target join forces to create mega discount stores

<p dir="ltr">Two of Australia’s favourite retail giants are about to get better in a huge merger creating a $10 billion discount giant.</p> <p dir="ltr">Wesfarmers is set to fold Target into Kmart with hopes that it will improve sales, provide better value for customers, and allow both stores to share backend technology.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ian Bailey the Managing Director of Kmart Group has said that there will be “no impact” to stores, and that the move was an "internal reorganisation".</p> <p dir="ltr">"With customers now demanding value more than ever, this new operating model will unlock a new level of scale and productivity across both brands, so we can deliver even greater value to our customers in the future," he said in a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">"For store networks and 50,000 store team members – it's business as usual – as we continue to focus on providing the best value products to the thousands of customers in Australia and New Zealand who choose to shop at Kmart or Target every day."</p> <p dir="ltr">The move comes as the cost of living crisis is forcing more and more Aussies to be mindful of their spending habits.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a statement to the <em>The Australian Financial Review</em>, Bailey said that there would likely be “a handful of redundancies" but more jobs overall by next year.</p> <p dir="ltr">He added that one of the benefits of tighter integration and better technology is the ease in which the prices of products can be reduced.</p> <p dir="ltr">He said that the price drop on 1000 Kmart products this month was assisted by merchandise planning tools and a self-navigating inventory scanning robot.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Kmart and Target are both strong businesses. I don't see us doing this from a position of weakness. It's quite the opposite,” he told the publication.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I'd say we're strong, but I think there's an opportunity to really capitalise on this time and find ways to continue to deliver better value for customers."</p> <p dir="ltr">"What we found was that running two businesses it was very, very difficult to get the tech into Target, and to get those benefits. This is really why we decided to push the two businesses into one."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

Jimmy Barnes joins his family for special live performance

<p>Jimmy Barnes and his talented family have wowed the <em>Today Extra</em> viewers with a rousing musical performance. </p> <p>Appearing on the breakfast show to promote the upcoming Jane Barnes Band tour, Jimmy was joined by his wife Jane, and daughter Mahalia, with a special addition of his son and <em>Today Extra</em> co-host David Campbell. </p> <p>To mark the family affair, the Barnes took the opportunity to perform a beautiful acoustic rendition of Nat King Cole's <em>Around The World</em> for the <em>Today Extra</em> audience.</p> <p>David admitted it was not the family's first time playing the song, saying it was their "party trick tune".</p> <p>"This is the first time you've heard it live on national television guys," an excited Sylvia Jeffreys said before introducing them.</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/CrzRx78SMeX/?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/CrzRx78SMeX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sylvia Jeffreys (@sylviajeffreys)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Before their performance, David admitted that he was still tossing up whether he will join his family on tour with the Jane Barnes Band.</p> <p>"You were one of the original members," Jane told David.</p> <p>"I'm going to be singing with the two best singers in the land, sometimes three - I haven't negotiated with you yet."</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Here I am trying to take the run through seriously and they are, as usual being clowns. Will have to see if David can join us in one of the shows. I love him 💙 😂😂🎶🙏🏻 🕺<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/family?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#family</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/music?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#music</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/laughter?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#laughter</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Todayextra?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Todayextra</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidCampbell73?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DavidCampbell73</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JimmyBarnes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JimmyBarnes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MahaliaBarnes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MahaliaBarnes</a> <a href="https://t.co/tms6NjNiQI">pic.twitter.com/tms6NjNiQI</a></p> <p>— 💧Jane Barnes (@jane13barnes) <a href="https://twitter.com/jane13barnes/status/1653919562994429953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Sylvia joked that David should do it for "mates rates" and he said he "used to be higher up" in the family hierarchy.</p> <p>"No offence, I'm calling my therapist after this," he laughed.</p> <p>You can check out the full video of their performance <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/today/jimmy-barnes-david-campbell-perform-today-extra-host-sings-with-dad/3e9a5368-0590-4e2e-a180-23891b09eeb8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Today Extra </em></p>

Music

Daryl Braithwaite joins Harry Styles on stage for a show-stopping performance

<p>As Harry Styles finished up his Love on Tour shows in Australia, he was joined by an impressive 70,000-strong crowd in Sydney's Accor Stadium.</p> <p>On Saturday night, after two weeks Down Under, Styles performed his final show in Australia before heading to New Zealand. </p> <p>As a special treat for his fans to commemorate the final Aussie show, the British pop icon brought an Aussie legend to the stage. </p> <p>“It’s our last show in Australia, so it only felt right to do something a little bit special,” Harry told his fans. “Please welcome, Mr Daryl Braithwaite!”</p> <p>In a true display of Australianism, Daryl Braithwaite led a duet of <em>The Horses</em> as the entire crowd sang along, with Styles dancing alongside him. </p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7206678993213426945&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40yourislandgyalmb%2Fvideo%2F7206678993213426945&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2F15d698da8fda4e8e9aea6713dcd8c6bf_1677935718%3Fx-expires%3D1678075200%26x-signature%3Dn3BzCrm7n9lxLVMnztJiIKKoiTA%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>As the song finished, Harry told the crowd the "Aussie was coursing through my veins," before explaining, “He’s a TimTam, he’s a shoey, he’s Vegemite ... He’s Mr Daryl Braithwaite!”</p> <p>The iconic on-stage moment comes just days after Daryl attended Harry's Melbourne show, in which Styles also sang a cover of <em>The Horses</em>, not knowing the man behind the song's Aussie fame was in the crowd. </p> <p>Braithwaite was impressed by Styles' cover, sharing his admiration for him on Facebook, writing, “What an extraordinary night it was at Harry’s gig."</p> <p>"I just love the feeling of these massive concerts as they take on a life of their own."</p> <p>“Harry Styles is so good at what he does and they loved him. I was completely overwhelmed by the night.”</p> <p>When Styles first performed The Horses in Perth, he described the track as "catnip" to Aussies, with every member of the audience knowing every word to the iconic song. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Daryl Braithwaite watching Harry cover The Horses at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia - February 25 (via fenellamai) <a href="https://t.co/zsEot2TbQt">pic.twitter.com/zsEot2TbQt</a></p> <p>— HSD Love On Tour (@hsdlot) <a href="https://twitter.com/hsdlot/status/1629529137680351232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>“I’ve been playing that a couple of times here and there,” Styles said of the song. “And every time you are around an Australian, this happens.”</p> <p>Styles then turned his back to the Perth audience, pretended to hear the song, quickly twisting his head with interest, and asked, “Is that Daryl Braithwaite?”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Music

Breakfast Club star finally joins the baby club

<p>Actor Anthony Hall and his wife, Lucia Oskerova, have shared the delightful news that they are expecting their first child together.</p> <p>In a statement to <em>People</em>, the 54-year-old actor, best known for his roles in <em>Sixteen Candles </em>and <em>The Breakfast Club</em>, opened up about how 34-year-old Lucia broke the news - a far cry from his <em>The Breakfast Club</em> character Brian Johnson’s stubborn “it's personal business. It's my personal, private business.”</p> <p>"Lucia and I were at home,” he explained. “She surprised me by revealing that she was pregnant with an at-home pregnancy test. We were kissing, hugging, and thanking God. We immediately started dancing and laughing in our bathroom to celebrate the good news.” </p> <p>Anthony went on to add that the couple will be having a boy, and that they already have a name for the little one picked out - “Michael Anthony the II”. Anthony’s full name is Michael Anthony Hall, but he changed it as many celebrities do upon joining the Screen Actors Guild in 1976. </p> <p>Of their upcoming dive into parenthood this summer, he gushed, "my wife and I are feeling so blessed, excited and filled with joy in anticipation of our son being born this summer.”</p> <p>Lucia took to Instagram to share their exciting news, with a post that also wished their fans a happy Valentine’s Day, tagging it “#babynews” and “#firsttimeparents”. </p> <p>“Congratulations!” Wrote Boardwalk Empire actor Chris Caldovino, to the thanks of both expectant parents. </p> <p>“I’ve been waiting FOREVER for the announcement of my new baby buddy! Love, love, love!” Declared one loved one, to whom Lucia responded that “it was starting to get hard to keep it a secret.” </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/Cop_osxSaGM/?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/Cop_osxSaGM/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lucia Oskerova (@luciaoskerova)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Anthony had nothing but praise for his wife when asked about her pregnancy experience, telling People she’s been a “champ throughout”. </p> <p>"She's tending to every important detail as a proud, expectant mother-to-be,” he explained. “She is now six and half months along.</p> <p>"As a new father-to-be, I've been taking care of family business and making sure we all eat well, with a healthy diet of good foods — plenty of greens, vegetables, fresh fruit, and protein-rich food. Lucia makes great smoothies for us. And we are all getting good sleep each night."</p> <p>Anthony, as character Brian Johnson, once announced that he was “in the math club, uh, the Latin, and the physics club”. Whether or not Anthony himself has ever added any of these to his resume as well, he’ll soon be a lifetime member of The Baby Club.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty </em></p>

Family & Pets

If you want your child to be more resilient, get them to join a choir, orchestra or band

<p>One of the most important qualities for a young person to develop is resilience. This involves their ability to overcome adversity. </p> <p>Resilience is perhaps more important now than ever. Today’s young people have been <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/children-youth/australias-youth-in-brief/contents/summary">facing adversity on a mass-scale</a>, thanks to COVID and all the disruptions to their education and social, home and working lives. </p> <p>The good news is, resilience is not just something you are born with. It <a href="https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/ca34a20a-en/index.html?itemId=/content/component/ca34a20a-en#chapter-d1e10348">can be learned</a> from our experiences and interactions with others. </p> <p>Parents may not be aware that one way to develop resilience is through group music making, such as in a school or community choir, orchestra or band.</p> <h2>Our research</h2> <p>We wanted to investigate how group music making can develop skills beyond just learning to play an instrument or sing. </p> <p>Our <a href="https://www.utas.edu.au/research/projects/music-resilience-project">study</a> is based on the Tasmanian Youth Orchestras, which include accomplished musicians aged from 14 to 25. This includes the state youth orchestra as well as two other orchestras, specialist ensembles and two choirs.</p> <p>For our project, we collected comments from players, managers and conductors/teachers on a closed Facebook site and then did eight follow-up interviews. </p> <p>Our findings show how qualities like teamwork, empathy and grit – all components of resilience – can be developed through group music making.</p> <h2>Teamwork</h2> <p>In order for a group of players to make a piece of music work, they have to work together. </p> <p>People have to listen to each other, understand what is happening around them, and be prepared to change how they play something (slow or fast, loud or soft) depending on how the group is performing. You need to be able to value the contributions of other people, not just your own. </p> <p>So, <a href="https://www.utas.edu.au/research/projects/music-resilience-project/teamwork">we found</a> if you are playing in a band, you are learning team work skills. As David*, a conductor told us: "After a while, players realised that they were ultimately responsible to the other players not to the conductor."</p> <h2>Empathy</h2> <p>Players also need to be able to understand others in a group and share their feelings. </p> <p>In a choir or orchestra, the music making is a shared creative experience – that involves the whole body. And this is where <a href="https://www.utas.edu.au/research/projects/music-resilience-project/empathy">empathy</a> comes in. </p> <p>Empathy, like teamwork, can be cumulative, growing over time through rehearsals and performances, as players and teachers support one another. As brass player Tom said, "I have to understand that I am not always going to be the main focus of a piece."</p> <p>Another player, Simon, told us about his realisation that other people were also having to work hard (and it wasn’t just about him). </p> <p>"You certainly aren’t the only person having to practise your doubles [playing two notes at once] for that piece."</p> <h2>Grit</h2> <p>It is important for young people to develop a “<a href="https://www.mindsetworks.com/science/">growth mindset</a>”, where they understand effort makes them stronger and learning is a long-term commitment.</p> <p>This is where <a href="https://www.utas.edu.au/research/projects/music-resilience-project/grit">grit</a> also comes in: pursing a goal and sticking with it even if it takes a lot of work or gets difficult.</p> <p>It can take many months to learn a piece of music up to performance standard. And learning an instrument requires practice every day. So commitment is a key part of learning music. </p> <p>Lawrence, a player, told us about participating in his school musical, "There were many points throughout the year which I felt like giving up […] but it was something I had committed to […]. I kept working on playing the music to the best of my ability, even if it felt like I couldn’t do it."</p> <p>Tory, a choir conductor, described performance as both “safe and unsafe”. Young people in a choir learn to deal with the unexpected as part of performance. And this takes a kind a bravery. </p> <p>"You’ve got safety in numbers, to some extent, but you are still stepping into the unknown every time you walk on stage to do a thing. You can rely on each other, because you’ve rehearsed, but stuff does go pear shaped. Stuff happens […] It’s an incredibly useful life skill to be able to go, ‘well, that sucked’ […] and go, all right ‘let’s [go again]’."</p> <h2>Why music?</h2> <p>But what is so special about music in fostering resilience? Young people also work in sporting teams or academic assignments. They can also work together while playing games. </p> <p>Playing music provokes activity in many different parts of the brain at the same time. Listening to music that we like triggers the pleasure/reward centre of the brain. Dopamine and serotonin are released, resulting in that “feel good” sensation, and <a href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/this-is-your-brain-on-music-daniel-levitin/book/9780241987353.html?source=pla&gclid=Cj0KCQjw48OaBhDWARIsAMd966B_bnNSq0206FOdSKqjfAEbrRWPkyKsh1tlY4v7eD1JGqZMB5qYGmoaAgmKEALw_wcB">providing an incentive</a> to keep engaging with music.</p> <p>Learning a musical instrument also <a href="https://www.jneurosci.org/content/early/2021/01/14/JNEUROSCI.1985-20.2020/tab-article-info?versioned=true">strengthens connections</a> in the brain, linking the auditory cortex to parts of the brain involved in the processing of complex information. This link has <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.02023/full">been shown</a> to improve memory, motor functions and learning in other subject areas. </p> <p>Making music with others also <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364661313000491">affects levels</a> of the bonding hormone oxytocin, supporting a sense of togetherness, while reducing levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and boosting immune function.</p> <p>For young people, music can provide valuable respite from study and daily life, and <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1049732320944142">help</a> manage and express their emotions. </p> <p>So, if you want your child to be a team player who is empathetic and shows grit, our research suggests that joining a music group could be the answer.</p> <p><em>*names have been changed</em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/if-you-want-your-child-to-be-more-resilient-get-them-to-join-a-choir-orchestra-or-band-190657" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p>

Music

United in grief: William and Harry join mournful march

<p>Prince Harry and Prince William have walked by the side of their grandmother's coffin in a procession through London, as Queen Elizabeth made her final journey from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall. </p> <p>The brothers were united in their grief as they joined other senior members of the royal family, who were led by King Charles for the procession to see Queen Elizabeth’s coffin lie in state in parliament.</p> <p>While Prince William wore regimental uniform, Prince Harry, no longer a senior working member of the royal family, was dressed in a dark mourning suit.</p> <p>Also not in uniform was Prince Andrew, who walked alongside sister Princess Anne and brother Prince Edward.</p> <p>As the journey from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall began, guns fired every minute at the nearby Hyde Park, as Big Ben tolled in unison. </p> <p>Mourners were lining the streets to catch a glimpse of Her Majesty's coffin, and to be one of the first in line when the official lying in state period begins. </p> <p>As the senior royals followed the procession, Kate, the Princess of Wales, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, Queen Consort Camilla and Sophie of Wessex travelled from Buckingham Palace to Westminster by car.</p> <p>The emotional scenes were reminiscent of those at Princess Diana's funeral in 1997, almost 25 years ago to the day, where the young princes again followed in the procession of mourning. </p> <p>“My mother had just died, and I had to walk a long way behind her coffin, surrounded by thousands of people watching me while millions more did on television,” Prince Harry once told royal biographer Angela Levin.</p> <p>“No child should lose their mother at such a young age and then have his grief observed by thousands of people.”</p> <p>In the documentary <em>Diana, My Mother</em>, Prince William said, “I remember just feeling completely numb, disorientated, dizzy."</p> <p>“And you keep asking yourself, ‘Why me?’ All the time, ‘Why? What have I done? Why? Why has this happened to us?’”</p> <p>As Queen Elizabeth now rests in Westminster Hall, four days of lying in state will then begin until the funeral on September 19th. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

‘Thank you Ma’am, for everything’: Paddington Bear joins worldwide tributes

<p>The adorable Paddington Bear himself has paid a touching tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, only a few months after they warmed hearts around the world with a hilarious collaboration during the <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/our-favourite-highlights-of-the-close-of-the-platinum-jubilee-celebrations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Platinum Jubilee celebrations</a>.</p> <p>Much to the delight of millions of viewers, the Queen herself appeared in the sketch with the famed British bear that no one could have foreseen to kick-start the Party in The Palace concert.</p> <p>The much loved duo tapped out the beat of Queen’s We Will Rock You anthem together on china teacups using silver spoons as a unique way of getting the celebrations under way.</p> <p>The sketch, which the Queen spent half a day filming, was dubbed better than her Olympic opening show cameo with James Bond.</p> <p>Sitting opposite each other at a table, laid for afternoon tea, Paddington began by telling the Queen that he hoped she was “having a lovely Jubilee” before Her Majesty offered some tea.</p> <p>During a special moment shared by the two, the Queen revealed she shares Paddington's love of marmalade sandwiches and keeps an emergency stash in her trademark handbag.</p> <p>Britain's favourite bear took time to congratulate his new friend on her outstanding 70 years of service. Commenting on her record-breaking reign Paddington said: “Happy Jubilee Ma'am. And thank you. For everything” to which she replied, “That's very kind”.</p> <p>Upon The Queen’s passing, Paddington has paid his respects one last time, tweeting: “Thank you Ma’am, for everything”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Thank you Ma’am, for everything.</p> <p>— Paddington (@paddingtonbear) <a href="https://twitter.com/paddingtonbear/status/1567931094858702850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p><em>Image: Youtube</em></p>

Caring

"So proud": Blue Wiggle's daughter joins the cast

<p>The daughter of Blue Wiggle Anthony Field has shared she has joined the children's entertainment group as a dancer. </p> <p>Lucia Field, 17, made the announcement on her TikTok account, as she shared a throwback picture of her and her famous dad with Dorothy the Dinosaur. </p> <p>She wrote, "I never would've believed you if 16 years ago you told me I'd be here."</p> <p>She then shared a photo of her in a blue skivvy dancing in front of the giant Wiggles logo. </p> <p>The video, which was posted on the offical Wiggles account, was flooded with comments of people cheering on the new dance member. </p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7132666717473344769&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40thewiggles%2Fvideo%2F7132666717473344769%3Fis_copy_url%3D1%26is_from_webapp%3Dv1%26lang%3Den&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>Anthony also commented, saying he was "so proud" of his daughter.</p> <p>Lucia graduated from high school in December last year, with her excited father sharing a photo to Instagram of them together at her formal.</p> <p>In addition to Lucia, Anthony is father to daughter Marie, 16, and son Antonio, 14, whom he shares with his wife of 18 years, Michaela Patisteas.</p> <p>Anthony joined The Wiggles in 1979 alongside retired members Murray Cook, Greg Page and Jeff Fatt.</p> <p>The trio were replaced by 'Yellow Wiggle' Emma Watkins, who left the group in October last year, 'Purple Wiggle' Lachlan Gillespie and 'Red Wiggle' Simon Pryce.</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok</em></p>

Family & Pets

"It's been fun": ScoMo joins in on nationwide roasting of himself

<p>As the internet banded together to create memes and art out of Scott Morrison's secret ministerial roles, the former PM thought he would join in the fun.</p> <p>After the news broke of ScoMo secretly appointing himself to at least five ministries without the public's knowledge while he was prime minister, businesses, artists, journalists, and internet fiends alike started rolling out the memes of Morrison working different roles. </p> <p>But the barrage of sarcasm came to a screeching halt on Thursday night, when the opposition backbencher joined in. </p> <p>The Member for Cook's official Facebook page went on a commenting spree, replying to more than a dozen memes from Aussie companies welcoming him to their team.</p> <p>"It's been fun joining in on all the memes. But there are so many now I can't keep up," Morrison said, in a post accompanying his own attempt at a meme.</p> <p>"As Aussies we can always have a chuckle at ourselves. Have a good evening."</p> <p>"This was my own effort with the Sooshi Mango boys. Glad to be also joining their team, along with all the other gigs you guys have given me today."</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fscottmorrisonmp%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02ugv6rDyELJ2DJek9XCdS9bGMH5UUNoLRJXMrRr4pKUL11aL2rzgU2hNqx78aMNoFl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="472" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>The former PM gleefully responded to Photoshopped posts showing him tiling, concreting, moving a piano and even modelling a new range of fetching women's sun shirts.</p> <p>Some commenters praised Morrison's tongue in cheek reaction, thanking him for a "few good chuckles" but others were not so complimentary.</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fmalidesignsau%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02oEDWSsUV6fAgodQLu7CrudeJmdZoK8suoTLDWL5CPdNjUhgSsxeARiU5PGifEWZ8l&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="459" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FJeffordtreeservices%2Fposts%2Fpfbid09yc15H4KprM5vD8T7yPexQ44SZyPjCGb7TmU8XaWq41tphsXdAQnGUUNUhxx5nu1l&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="658" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fsouthportbudgettyres%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02ZvRpAcmCJnwF61KB6tVEK4ieU1EYPT9Q1ZLAsHx1Qaoi3fXXX89E78wPLQeKAwjjl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="432" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Frooftilersmind%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02MvegtBhwppWBRqUdNP6aCe7GNuyUKdxckkYFQKvDVoQZjX7z3Zu8zUHd6Rijf7W1l&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="608" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>"You think the running of this country is a joke," one user wrote.</p> <p>"Have some humility and say you made a mistake. We don't need US-style gloating about how badly you behaved in office."</p> <p>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has launched an investigation into how Morrison was able to take on extra portfolios in secret during his time in the top job, describing the moves as "beyond belief".</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Money & Banking

Scotty Cam joins in on Block challenge

<p dir="ltr">In a series first, Scotty Cam will be both hosting and taking part in <em>The Block</em>, having been tasked with renovating a 154-year-old country retreat.</p> <p dir="ltr">Season 18 of<em> The Block</em> will see Cam tackle a “weatherboard House” built in 1866 by Scottish immigrant Joseph McGeorge.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, the 59-year-old had a headstart on this season’s contestants, starting to make over the home - which has been desolate for 25 years and left “falling to bits” - three months before the contestants.</p> <p dir="ltr">As the teams work on their houses each week, Cam will continue to renovate his property and even be included in the room reveals.</p> <p dir="ltr">So far, Cam has completed three rooms, including a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchenette, though the exterior of the property is covered in scaffolding and the exterior walls, roof and verandah have been ripped apart.</p> <p dir="ltr">The formerly drab and aged bedroom has been given a modern country vibe, with navy blue panelling on the walls and a bed frame panelled with rattan.<br />Cam continued the navy theme into the bathroom, transforming the grimy room with its pink sink and sky blue tiles into a spacious area with a grey tiled splashback, more navy wood panelling, a free-standing bath and a spacious shower separated by a glass screen.</p> <p dir="ltr">As for the kitchenette, the dirt-filled room still had remains of old kitchen utensils on the tables and a barren oven cavity which was transformed in a modern space with navy furniture and decor, beige wall panelling, timber floorboards, under-cabinet lighting, a bar fridge under the new bench, and new cabinetry.</p> <p dir="ltr">It was revealed that Cam would be picking up renovating tools during the show last year, and his progress comes amid stellar ratings following the <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/don-t-waste-my-time-elle-ferguson-and-joel-patfull-face-heat-on-the-block" target="_blank" rel="noopener">controversial departure of Elle Ferguson and Joel Patfull</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The engaged couple left after being on-set for just two days, after Patfull’s mother was hospitalised following a fall, though Cam <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/property/real-estate/scott-cam-speaks-from-the-heart-about-block-stars-abrupt-exit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">described their behaviour</a> as “p*** poor” and “un-Australian”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-096eca6b-7fff-5525-42a9-60c6be89aa31"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Nine</em></p>

Real Estate

Princess Charlotte joins her dad in rare video message

<p>Princess Charlotte has joined Prince William in a rare video message as the royal father and daughter wished England's football team good luck in the Euro 2022 women's final.</p> <p>In the video shared by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on Instagram, William and Charlotte sent a message to the Lionesses, who later made history by winning their first major women's tournament by beating Germany 2-1.</p> <p>"We both want to wish the Lionesses the best of luck for tonight," William said. </p> <p>"You've done amazingly well in the competition and we're rooting for you all the way."</p> <p>Sitting on her father's lap, Charlotte chimes in with a short and sweet declaration of her own, saying, "Good luck, I hope you win. Bye!" and signing off with a wave.</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/reel/Cgq4TEyFBbg/?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/Cgq4TEyFBbg/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@dukeandduchessofcambridge)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The women's team responded to the royal message with their gratitude for the well wishes. </p> <p>Queen Elizabeth later sent a message of congratulations to England, after the match went into extra time on Sunday.</p> <p>"My warmest congratulations, and those of my family, go to you all on winning the European Women's Football Championships. It is a significant achievement for the entire team, including your support staff," Her Majesty said in a statement.</p> <p>"The Championships and your performance in them have rightly won praise. However, your success goes far beyond the trophy you have so deservedly earned."</p> <p>"You have all set an example that will be an inspiration for girls and women today, and for future generations. It is my hope that you will be as proud of the impact you have had on your sport as you are of the result today."</p> <p>Prince William attended the final match at Wembley, and handed out the trophy to England's winning team.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

NSW Police blasted after joining TikTok

<p dir="ltr">TikTok has become the home of influencers, brands, creatives and even zoos, but the NSW Police haven’t received as warm a welcome on the platform as they might have expected.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite gaining popularity for their law-related memes and posts on Facebook, the organisation’s debut on TikTok has seen them be called out for issues including police violence, Indigenous deaths in police custody, and the rates of domestic violence in the force.</p> <p dir="ltr">Less than a month after starting the @nswpolice TikTok account, users have been taking advantage of the platform’s ‘duet’ feature (which allows users to create videos that play next to the original video) to address these issues.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ben Vance, a 26-year-old digital marketing coordinator in Sydney, has even been blocked by the account after duetting their videos with less-than-flattering headlines involving the police.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought, ‘This is the perfect time to air out some bad laundry’,” he told <em><a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stefficao/nsw-police-blocks-tiktok-duets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buzzfeed News</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Some of the videos show officers acting out funny skits about their law enforcement tactics, with one viral clip showing an officer responding to the question, ‘How do we keep the roads safe this long weekend?’ with a cartoon filter overlaid with text reading, “DOUBLE DEMERITS”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Can’t say we didn’t warn you,” the caption reads.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9a24f7f6-7fff-dd8f-e933-df4b97b1655f">Mr Vance <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@easymoneyvancey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">duetted</a> that clip with a video of himself smiling over a screenshot from the Australian Institute of Criminology’s report that reveals there were almost 500 Indigenous deaths reported in police custody in the last 30 years.</span></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/tiktok-nswpolice.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Ben Vance has been praised for pointing out issues involving the police, who have since blocked him on the platform. Image: @easymoneyvancey (TikTok)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Vance has had his own takes go viral, with supportive comments telling him he is “doing god's work” flooding in and messages from people sharing their frustrations with the police.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve gotten people reaching out to me in my TikTok comments and DMs (direct messages) telling me they were 16, walking into a music festival, and strip-searched because they ‘looked like a drug dealer’,” he told the outlet.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though he said he didn’t intend to start “a beef with the police”, he thought it was a good opportunity to hold them accountable.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There’s a lack of accountability reporting in this country with the news media being owned by a select few people, and this information isn’t very well publicised,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The double demerits clip isn’t the only one of NSW Police’s videos to be used to criticise the force, and Mr Vance isn’t the only person to be blocked as a result of their criticisms. </p> <p dir="ltr">Taken from the perspective of two officers tapping on a computer screen, it features the text: “POV: you’re looking up someone in the system who was using their phone while driving without a licence and speeding in an unregistered vehicle with two bald tyres and no working tail lights, wondering how they thought they would get away with it”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d57e00c0-7fff-00fb-7db5-d453298ce1dc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">User @<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@biglublyleanne?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biglublyleanne</a> responded to that clip, mimicking the officers with the caption, “POV: you’re writing an incident report after killing another Black Australian”, written over the top.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/tiktok-cops1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>TikTok user @biglublyleanne was also blocked shortly after pointing out the issue of Indigenous deaths in custody. Image: @biglublyleanne (TikTok)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">On the same day, the user revealed they had also been blocked by the account.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You can give Indigenous people the heat mercilessly but can’t take it,” they wrote in the caption.</p> <p dir="ltr">As of publication, interactive options that allow users to duet or stitch videos are no longer available - but preventing people from sharing their clips has just increased the backlash.</p> <p dir="ltr">A more recent clip about Ed, the tabby police cat that features prominently on the organisation’s Facebook page, has received comments asking for the features to be turned back on, while some joked that the page would soon prevent people from commenting too.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The police thinking they can come on tiktok and not be dragged,” one user wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Don’t be shy, turn duets and stitches back on,” another said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Imagine blocking people who are exercising freedom of speech - I thought criticism of government bodies was legal, guess not,” a third argued.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-0c36875b-7fff-2075-379a-00b334b382c9"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @easymoneyvancey (TikTok)</em></p>

Legal

Ed Sheeran joins concert for Ukraine relief

<p dir="ltr">Ed Sheeran is the latest musician added to the lineup of a charity concert to help Ukraine. </p> <p dir="ltr">He joins the likes of Snow Patrol, Camila Cabello, Tom Odell, Becky Hill, Manic Street Preachers, Emeli Sande and many more, who will all be performing the fundraising concert in Birmingham.</p> <p dir="ltr">Proceeds from the concert will go to the Disasters Emergency Committee's Ukraine Humanitarian appeal, which is providing food, water, shelter and medical assistance to refugees in Ukraine and neighbouring countries.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I will be singing to try to help every human being forced to flee their home and in solidarity with those being racially discriminated against even within this humanitarian crisis," Emeli Sande said in a statement. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">💙💛 <a href="https://twitter.com/Camila_Cabello?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Camila_Cabello</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/edsheeran?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@edsheeran</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/emelisande?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@emelisande</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/GregoryPorter?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GregoryPorter</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/snowpatrol?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@snowpatrol</a> are the first performers to be announced for Concert for Ukraine, a two hour fundraiser event raising money for the <a href="https://twitter.com/decappeal?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@decappeal</a> humanitarian appeal in Ukraine on Tuesday 29 March on ITV 🌻 <a href="https://t.co/TnoBCfWX3f">pic.twitter.com/TnoBCfWX3f</a></p> <p>— ITV (@ITV) <a href="https://twitter.com/ITV/status/1505822111448842244?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 21, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">"Nobody should be refused access to relief, aid and the right to cross the border to safety, and I'm pleased for the chance to support the DEC's appeal to help all people whose lives have been affected by the conflict."</p> <p dir="ltr">The concert will be hosted by Spice Girl Emma Bunton, alongside Marvin Humes and Roman Kemp on March 29th at the Resorts World Arena, Birmingham, United Kingdom. </p> <p dir="ltr">Another fundraiser concert will also be taking place in the UK at west London’s famous Shepherd’s Bush, with big name acts performing at A Night For Ukraine, with 100 percent of profits going towards the Disasters Emergency Committee‘s (DEC) Ukraine Humanitarian Fund.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Music

"Each of us is a warrior": Prisoners released to join fight against Russia

<p dir="ltr">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that imprisoned Ukrainian citizens with “real combat experience” will be released to join the fight against Russia.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Zelensky made the “morally difficult” announcement during an address on Monday (local time), as peace talks between Ukraine and Russia continue.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Ukrainians with real combat experience will be released from custody and will be able to compensate for their guilt in their hottest spots,” he <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/ukrainian-prisoners-released-to-fight-russia-peace-talks-fail-231759682.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a video posted to Telegram.</p> <p dir="ltr">“All sanctions against some individuals who participated in the Anti-Terrorist Operation will be lifted. The key thing now is defence.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The president urged Ukrainians to help protect their country and said Russian troops were fighting “against all living beings”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When I went to the presidency, I said that each of us is the president. Because we are all responsible for our country,” Mr Zelensky said.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1901643b-7fff-3e34-f417-b25df38f94dc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“For our beautiful Ukraine. And now it has happened that each of us is a warrior. And I am sure that each of us will win.”</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/CahvwH7Atdj/?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/CahvwH7Atdj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Володимир Зеленський (@zelenskiy_official)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Mr Zelensky also called on Russian soldiers to flee and save themselves.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Don’t trust your commanders, don’t trust your propagandists. Just save your lives,” he urged.</p> <p dir="ltr">He also used the address to encourage foreign volunteers wanting to join the fight to sign up for an “international brigade” at Ukrainian embassies.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, Prime Minister Scott Morrison discouraged Ukrainians in Australia from flying over to fight in the conflict.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At this time, the legality of such actions are uncertain under Australian law,” Mr Morrison said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Zelensky’s address comes as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues to meet unexpected resistance.</p> <p dir="ltr">The President signed a letter formally requesting immediate membership of the European Union, though it could take years for it to become an actuality.</p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, videos have emerged on social media of residential areas in Kharkiv being shelled.</p> <p dir="ltr">Authorities said at least seven people had been killed and dozens were injured.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-877388f3-7fff-801b-6769-655edb600d85"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @zelensky_official (Instagram)</em></p>

Legal

Former Miss Ukraine joins the fight to defend her homeland

<p>A former Miss Ukraine is one of hundreds of local civilians taking up arms against invading Russian forces in Kyiv. This comes as satellite images show Vladimir Putin's army encircling the capital city.</p> <p>Anastasiia Lenna, 31, was pictured with a huge rifle, complete with a pink scope, as she warned in an Instagram post: 'Everyone who crosses the Ukrainian border with the intent to invade will be killed!'</p> <p>Ms Lenna usually works as a public relations manager in Turkey. She posted the image alongside two hashtags, reading 'stand with Ukraine' and 'hands off Ukraine'.</p> <p>It is not the first time she has been pictured with a gun and previous posts appear to show her training with weapons in wooded areas and indoor training grounds.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CaSsOdyr4FA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px;"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent;"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CaSsOdyr4FA/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Miss Ukraine🇺🇦Anastasiia Lenna (@anastasiia.lenna)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>For weeks now, ordinary citizens across the country have been receiving basic combat training in everything from handling guns to making incendiary Molotov cocktails to tossing grenades.</p> <p>Even Ukrainians living abroad have even flown home to join the 'Territorial Defense Units' which have been trained by military personnel in wooded or abandoned areas on the outskirts of cities.</p> <p>The newly trained forces have been seen standing guard behind stacks of tires at checkpoints in the capital of Kyiv and patrolling its empty streets.</p> <p>Most wear street clothes with yellow arm bands to identify them as volunteer soldiers. It comes as satellite imagery showed a large deployment of Russian ground troops moving in the direction of the Ukrainian capital from approximately 40 miles (64 km) away.</p> <p>As another bout of intense battle looms, Kyiv's mayor was filled with pride over his citizens' spirit but remains anxious about how long they can hold out.</p> <p>After a gruelling night of Russian attacks on the outskirts of the city, mayor Vitali Klitschko was silent for several seconds when asked if there were plans to evacuate civilians if Russian troops managed to take Kyiv.</p> <p>The mayor confirmed that nine civilians in Kyiv had been killed so far, including one child. A Klitschko-ordered curfew began at about sundown on Saturday and is to extend until at least 8 am on Monday.</p> <p>'We are hunting these people, and it will be much easier if nobody is on the street,' Klitschko explained, saying that six Russian 'saboteurs' were killed Saturday night.</p> <p>'I just talked to the president [Volodymyr Zelensky]. Everybody is not feeling so well,' Klitschko said.</p> <p>In the last few days, long queues of people, both men and women, were spotted waiting to pick up weapons throughout the capital, after authorities decided to distribute weapons freely to anybody ready to defend the city.</p> <p>'To be honest, we don't have 100% control,' said Klitschko. 'We built this territorial defense in a short amount of time - but these are patriotic people.'</p> <p>'We are at the border of a humanitarian catastrophe,' he said. 'Right now, we have electricity, right now we have water and heating in our houses. But the infrastructure is destroyed to deliver the food and medication.</p> <p>Ukrainian forces in Kyiv had been optimistic on Sunday morning after surviving a 'brutal' night of shelling and destroying a column of Russian vehicles in the city's northwest.</p> <p>Meanwhile President Vlodymyr Zelensky repeatedly calls on citizens and foreigners to take up arms to defend the country. Ukraine's defence ministry echoed the call for foreigners to come forward to join its armed forces and fight back Putin's army.</p> <p>'Together we defeated Hitler, and we will defeat Putin too,' he said in a Twitter post this morning.</p> <p>President Zelensky has warned Russian plans on 'attacking everything' in the country in a bid to conquer the state.</p> <p>Ukraine's president said he was ready for peace talks with Russia just not in Belarus, which was a staging ground for Moscow's invasion.</p> <p>Speaking in a video message Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy named Warsaw, Bratislava, Istanbul, Budapest or Baku as alternative venues.</p> <p>Putin is said to be growing increasingly angry by his stalled efforts to conquer Ukraine. His fire and manpower vastly outnumbers that of Ukraine, and it is widely believed that Russia will eventually conquer its neighbour.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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