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Hero cop from Bondi Junction attack nominated for major award

<p>The hero cop who brought an end to the Bondi Junction stabbing in April has been nominated for Australian of the Year.</p> <p>Inspector Amy Scott, who fatally shot Joel Cauchi during the April 13th attack, is up for the coveted award in New South Wales for her quick-thinking and courage during the terrifying ordeal. </p> <p>Scott is up for NSW Australian of the Year alongside the likes of former cricketer and charity boss Kath Koschel and youth advocate Daniel Principe.</p> <p>The nomination commends Scott for her "unparalleled bravery and dedication to service" during the horror attack, which killed six people and injured another 12.</p> <p>"Without hesitation or regard for her own safety, Inspector Scott responded with exceptional courage, not waiting for backup and choosing to face the threat head-on and alone, a decision that would define her heroism," the statement confirming her nomination read.</p> <div> <div>"Her actions saved countless lives and showcased her unwavering leadership in the face of extreme danger. Inspector Scott's fearless and decisive actions are an inspiration to all Australians."</div> </div> <div> <div>The award recipients for the NSW Australian of the Year will be announced on November 13th.</div> </div> <p>In October, Inspector Scott <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/hero-cop-breaks-silence-on-westfield-bondi-junction-stabbing" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spoke</a> about the horrific attack during an NRL event to honour emergency services, telling <em>9News</em>, "The incident was obviously extremely traumatic for so many people so when people are so kind and acknowledge us in the way they have it's really helped the healing process I would say."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Nine </em></p>

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The Project hosts shocked by snarky Father's Day remark

<p><em>The Project</em> hosts have been stunned by a snarky Father's Day comment by a guest, with viewers letting loose online over the remark. </p> <p>On Sunday night's show, which coincided with Father's Day, hosts Hamish Macdonald and Sarah Harris were joined by <em>The Guardian</em>'s political editor Amy Remeikis to discuss Australia's housing shortage and cost of living crisis. </p> <p>At the end of her interview, however, she signed off by noting Father's Day with a snarky comment. </p> <p>"Happy Dad's Day to all the non-crap dads and for all the mums and everyone else who had to stood up for the crap dads [sic]," she said. </p> <p>The bizarre off-the-cuff remark left the bemused hosts lost for words with a perplexed Harris appearing to grimace, while the audience awkwardly laughed. </p> <p>"Okay, in other news," Macdonald eventually responded as he quickly moved to the next segment.</p> <p>Dozens of viewers took to X to share their confusion over the remark after the program shared the segment online, which has since been deleted. </p> <p>"What was that little rant at then about c**p dads?" one viewer asked. </p> <p>Others slammed the comment and believed that it shouldn't have been aired, as another viewers wrote, "Happy Father's day to the non crap dads? Are you serious? What a s**t thing to say." </p> <p>"Just say happy Father's Day, or don't."</p> <p>But some viewers did see the funny side, as one person wrote, "I've just watched Amy Remeikis discuss capitalism and crap dads on Father’s Day. Cannot ever imagine an equivalent on British TV."</p> <p>Single parents who solely raise their children alone also leapt to Remeikis' defence, as one mum added, "Just saw you on The Project. As a mum who does both roles. THANK YOU!"</p> <p><em>Image credits: The Project</em></p>

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Hero cop breaks silence on Westfield Bondi Junction stabbing

<p>Amy Scott, the hero police officer who shot Joel Cauchi during his stabbing rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction in April, has spoken about her brave act. </p> <p>On Sunday, the Sydney Roosters publicly recognised all emergency services during the NRL match against Canberra, in what will become an annual event. </p> <p>There were  tributes for NSW Police, NSW Ambulance, Fire and Rescue, VRA Rescue NSW, SES, Rural Fire Service, Marine Rescue, Surf Life Saving Australia and St John Ambulance.</p> <p>Scott was the star of the event arriving in a PolAir helicopter to present the game ball to Roosters captain, James Tedesco.</p> <p>She was given a standing ovation from the NRL crowd, as she spoke about her brave act. </p> <p>“I was just doing my job that day, absolutely” she said. </p> <p>“It was a job I hoped the community would expect from us. I know any of my colleagues would have done exactly the same. I’m grateful that we were able to get there and do what we did as quickly as we did.</p> <p>“Look, I’m a very big believer in taking the support that is ­offered to you. I had done that significantly prior to anything that happened at Bondi.</p> <p>“The people you go home to, your family and friends, are key. For me, it’s my wife Emma because they deal with trauma you deal with in a different light and she has been incredible. We got married in February and we have two young boys. I’m excellent, I’m doing really well," Scott continued. </p> <p>“I’m enjoying being back at work. I actually just had some annual leave, which was nice. I love my job, I love where I work and I love my team. I’m grateful to be there with them doing day-to-day stuff again. It is (a thankless task) at times, absolutely.</p> <p>“It’s a wonderful day to recognise so many different emergence services and I’m incredibly grateful to the Roosters and NRL for making this happen because there are so many unsung heroes out there, not just with the NSW Police Force, but with all other emergence services, so it’s so nice to have a wonderful, positive, light shed on us all.</p> <p>“It was unreal, a fantastic experience. It’s a privilege.”</p> <p>When asked who she supported in the NRL, the hero police said: “Today I’m a Roosters fan," but she will always remain a Knights fan as she is a "one-town, one-team kind of girl." </p> <p>NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley and NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb also attended the match and praised her for her actions. </p> <p>“What courage Amy Scott has shown this year. She really epitomises policing in NSW. She is very humble,”  Catley said. </p> <p>“This is an opportunity for us to say to her: ‘Thank you so much for her courage’. Without her actions, we could have ended up with a different situation that day in Bondi.</p> <p>“She (Scott) is an amazing officer every day of the week,” Webb said. </p> <p><em>Images: Nine</em></p> <p> </p>

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Bondi cop receives special valour award for "exceptional bravery"

<p>The police officer who stopped the Bondi massacre has been honoured with a valour award at a police induction ceremony.</p> <p>Inspector Amy Scott fatally shot Joel Cauchi in the middle of his terrifying rampage through the Bondi Junction Westfield shopping centre, which resulted in the deaths of six people. </p> <p>On Friday, ten weeks on from the mass stabbing, NSW Premier Chriss Minns announced the officer would receive a Commissioner’s Valour Award “for displaying exceptional bravery in a life-threatening situation” at a police graduation ceremony. </p> <p>“She has been rightly labelled a hero,” he said. “She was calm, decisive, and as a result she saved many lives.”</p> <p>“She gives us all an example of what we ask of our police, many of whom are young, to walk into terrible situations as an ordinary part of their job.”</p> <p>The special award is a commendation for officers who display exceptional bravery in life-threatening situations, and is reserved for the most decorated officers.</p> <p>Inspector Scott was the first officer on scene on April 13th, confronting the 40-year-old Cauchi alone before shooting him dead with a bullet to the chest.</p> <p>While waiting for back-up officers to arrive, Scott performed CPR on Cauchi and some of his victims. </p> <p>The award for Ms Scott was part of a larger ceremony to welcome 169 new probationary constables into the NSW Police at the Goulburn Police Academy.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

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"We are with you": Hero cop embraced at Bondi candlelight vigil

<p>The victims of the Bondi Junction stabbing attack have been honoured at a candlelight vigil, with police officer Amy Scott, who ended the terror by shooting Joel Cauchi, stepping out for the first time. </p> <p>Hundred of tearful mourners fathered at Bondi on Sunday night, where Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton, NSW Minister Chris Minns also joined in the sombre event to pay their respects to those who died in the Bondi Junction Westfield one week ago. </p> <p>The community gathered to farewell Ashlee Good, 38, Dawn Singleton, 25, Jade Young, 47, Pikria Darchia, 55, Yixuan Cheng, 27, and Faraz Tahir, 30, who were all fatally stabbed by 40-year-old Joel Cauchi. </p> <p>Cauchi was shot dead by police officer Amy Scott, who greeted and embraced emotional mourners at the vigil. </p> <p>Scott's actions were praised by the Prime Minister and the NSW Premier, who recognised her bravery in protecting the crowds of innocent people at the shopping centre.</p> <p>Speaking to the crowd, Mr Minns condemned Cauchi’s actions and the fear he instilled in the city’s residents. </p> <p>“Every Australian woman deserves to feel safe in her community. This is your state and your city,” he told the emotional crowd.</p> <p>“This is your home you have every right to live your life as you choose – free from fear and violence.”</p> <p>“We will not be a state where a woman is forced to change their behaviour because of the feelings or anger of other people.”</p> <p>The NSW Premier reminded mourners that millions of Australians shared their grief over the violent incident and were “in (their) corner” in the months to come. </p> <p>“Grief can be a terrible burden, but it doesn’t have to be a lonely one,” he said.</p> <p>Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reinforced that all of Australia was grieving for “all that has been stolen from us”, including “all the possibility and potential, all the kindness and humanity, all the love and laughter of the six lives snatched away” last Saturday.</p> <p>He said the vigil was being held for those killed in the attack and for everyone affected, including the dozen people injured and the “survivors carrying the invisible scars of trauma and of fear.”</p> <p>“We think of everyone still trying to come to terms with a hole in their life where a loved one should be,” Mr Albanese said.</p> <p>“Every Australian is thinking of you. We are with you. "</p> <p>"As a community, as a country today, tomorrow and always made those we have lost rest in eternal peace forever in our hearts.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

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"Just doing her job": Hero cop Amy Scott breaks silence after Bondi stabbing

<p>The hero police officer who shot Joel Cauchi after his killing spree has spoken out after the devastating incident. </p> <p>NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott was confronted by the knife-wielding 40-year-old after he had fatally stabbed six people and injured several others at Bondi Junction Westfield on Saturday afternoon. </p> <p>Witnesses of the incident recall hearing the officer shout for Cauchi to "put it down" before the knifeman charged at her, prompting her to fire her weapon and shoot him dead. </p> <p>“Amy is content with what she had to do," Police Association of NSW boss Kevin Morton said. </p> <p>“I spoke to her last night and again this morning and she said, ‘It was a night with not a lot of sleep’.”</p> <p>Mr Morton said the officer, who he has known personally for years, was playing down the praise she had received after being dubbed a "hero" for her actions. </p> <p>“She knows she has been tagged a hero but to her she was doing her job. I didn’t ask her about the exact incident, because she is yet to be formally interviewed,” he said.</p> <p>“Everyone will be keeping an eye on her obviously, there will be a lot of support from everyone,’’ he said</p> <p>She also drew praise from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and NSW Premier Chris Minns, as well as NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb.</p> <p>“She showed enormous courage and bravery,” Ms Webb said.</p> <p>Witnesses backed up the officer's actions at the shopping centre, as Bondi man Jason Dixon witnessed Inspector Scott's response firsthand. </p> <p>“All she said was ‘Put it down’. Just once. Then she shot him in the chest and he went down,” Mr Dixon told <em>The Sunday Telegraph</em>. </p> <p>“Then when he fell on the ground she was giving him CPR,” Mr Dixon said.</p> <p>“She had to shoot him, because he just kept coming,” Mr Dixon said. “He had a knife and he wasn’t going to stop.</p> <p>“He was advancing at her and he was running, coming to get someone else,” Mr Dixon said.</p> <p>“She shot him once in the heart or the chest,” he said. “I’m glad she got him, because if she didn’t he would have stabbed her too.”</p> <p>Inspector Scott will be formally interviewed by police later this week as part of the major investigation into the stabbing. </p> <p><em>Image credits: news.com.au / X (Twitter)</em></p> <div class="media image side-by-side" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 24px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; width: 1209.375px; max-width: 100%; font-family: Charter, Georgia, serif; font-size: 18px;"> </div>

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Marcia Hines returns as Australian Idol fans cry foul over upset win

<p>The <em>Australian Idol </em>2024 grand finale left viewers stunned and divided as Dylan Wright emerged victorious, leaving many fans feeling that Amy Reeves had been unjustly denied the crown.</p> <p>The electrifying finale aired on Monday evening, showcasing the talents of Denvah Baker-Moller, Dylan Wright and Amy Reeves as they vied for the coveted title. However, it was Wright who clinched the top spot, much to the disappointment of numerous fans who had rallied behind Reeves.</p> <p>Throughout the season, Wright had consistently impressed both judges and audiences alike with his remarkable performances. His emotional reaction upon winning the <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">recording contract with Sony Music Entertainment Australia and a $100,000 cash prize </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">was palpable: “I’m about to cry!" he told the cheering crowd. "So, thanks!”</span></p> <p>The finale kicked off with hosts Ricki Lee and Scott Tweedie addressing the absence of judge Marcia Hines, who <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/marcia-hines-rushed-to-hospital" target="_blank" rel="noopener">had been hospitalised</a> due to health issues potentially related to her Type 1 diabetes. The void left by Hines was temporarily filled by guest judge Guy Sebastian, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/guy-sebastian-reveals-what-happened-when-marcia-hines-collapsed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who stepped in</a> to ensure the show's continuity.</p> <p>Despite her absence, Hines' spirit remained present as she conveyed her apologies via Instagram, assuring fans of her eagerness to return. “I feel fine,” she said on Monday night's show in response to Ricki Lee and Scott Tweedie<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">. “I want to thank everybody who reached out towards me, you know. I do appreciate it. And you guys need to know – I couldn’t have missed this for the world. I couldn’t have.”</span></p> <p>Hines admitted to having had stitches after collapsing backstage, and briefly lifted her hair to show the stitches on her forehead. “It is all good," she explained. "I’m good. I go back to the hospital tonight,” she added jokingly.</p> <p>As the finalists delivered their last performances, Reeves' rendition of Jessie J's "Bang Bang" stood out, earning praise from judge Kyle Sandilands and igniting a wave of support from viewers. However, despite her standout performance, it was Wright who ultimately clinched the title after a tense battle with Reeves.</p> <p>The decision sparked a flurry of reactions on social media, with many expressing disbelief and frustration over Reeves' loss. Some fans proclaimed Reeves as the most deserving contestant in <em>Idol</em> history. “Call the police!" they wrote. "A robbery has taken place on #AustralianIdol. Amy has been absolutely shafted. Easily the best performer in idol history.”</p> <p>Amidst the chorus of disappointment, there were voices of congratulations for Wright, acknowledging his talent and triumph in the competition. Despite the divided opinions, one thing remained certain – the passion and fervour of <em>Australian Idol</em> fans, who eagerly await the next chapter in the musical journeys of all the finalists.</p> <p><em>Images: Channel Seven</em></p>

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Adam Goodes opens up about major family loss

<p>Dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes has opened up about his late mother in a candid interview on the <em>Get Real with Rio</em> WeAre8 series.</p> <p>Speaking to former English professional footballer Rio Ferdinand, host of the show, Goodes revealed the heartbreaking news that his mother had passed away of a heart attack in February 2022.</p> <p>“She was 62, man,” Goodes said.</p> <p>He went on to share that his mother - Lisa May Goodes - had had “a really tough life”, having been the single parent to Goodes and his two younger brothers for “most of her life”. And that while she “did an incredible job … she had a lot of trauma from her childhood”.</p> <p>“She was taken away when she was five,” he explained, “put into a white family, like a lot of her siblings were, and she didn’t know at the time that she was one of 10 [children].</p> <p>“That’s the reason why I wasn’t connected to my Aboriginality [early on] because of that disconnect when she was five.”</p> <p>Goodes admitted that he had often considered what his family’s life might have looked like had his mother not experienced systemic racism and its associated practices during her early years, when she was a child of the Stolen Generation. </p> <p>And now, with children of his own and a third on the way with wife Natalie, his perspective has widened, with Goodes confessing that his own experiences have influenced how he looks at his mum’s past. </p> <p>“It just breaks my heart to think that she was living in fear her whole life that someone could knock on the door and take her kids away at any moment if she wasn’t doing the right thing by us kids,” he said. </p> <p>“So if I could go back and change anything, I would just love to have gone back to my mum’s life, and in that moment, change the fact that she was taken [away from her family]. And how just that one sliding door moment might have changed the world and life that I had.</p> <p>“And if that meant I may never have played professional sport, if it meant I might not even be alive today, just that moment that meant my mum was still connected to her family and didn’t have to live the life that she did, and how tough it was for her.</p> <p>“I’d love to be able to do that just for the old girl.”</p> <p>He then revealed that every move he makes now is weighed against the time he can spend with his family, given how he had “sacrificed having children” until he retired from the AFL. </p> <p>“That’s really important to me because I sacrificed having children when I was playing,” Goodes said. “I had my first kid when I was 39, I’d been retired for four years, I was ready to dedicate my time and energy to something else.</p> <p>“My family, even though I didn’t think of it at the time, the sacrifice I made during my football career, they’re now benefitting because of that. Not only from the success but from the financial benefits of the sacrifices that I made - being able to buy my mum a first house that she’s ever owned.</p> <p>“I’m grateful I did make those decisions at those times. It wasn’t easy to do that.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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The Block couple lists stunning “dream home”

<p dir="ltr"><em>The Block</em> contestants Dylan and Jenny-Heath Adams are selling their newly built home located at 100 Palm Beach Ave, Palm Beach, Queensland.</p> <p dir="ltr">The five-bedroom and three-bathroom home will be up for auction on April 29, and the couple have said that they have always planned on selling it despite it being their “dream home”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I think people honestly thought this was our dream home, but we’re going to build heaps of dream homes,” said Jenny.</p> <p dir="ltr">The stunning Hamptons-style abode boasts 6m-high cathedral ceilings with nine skylights allowing plenty of natural light in.</p> <p dir="ltr">The coastal home also includes beautiful timber floors, a spacious open living and dining area, a small breakfast bar, and a Hamptons-inspired kitchen complete with a stone island bench.</p> <p dir="ltr">While the interior is impressive, the exterior is equally stunning with a generous al fresco area that’s perfect for hosting events or family gatherings, a magnesium pool and outdoor shower so you can cool down in summer, and a firepit to keep you warm and snug in winter.</p> <p dir="ltr">The low-maintenance lawns are perfect for avid plant mums (and dads) or for families with kids who love to play outdoors.</p> <p dir="ltr">The property is also fitted with an energy-saving Red Earth battery system.</p> <p dir="ltr">This is another milestone for the couple who got <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/the-block-stars-lavish-gold-coast-wedding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">married</a>, built two houses, and sold one in the past year.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: realestate.com.au</em></p>

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Kamahl demands apology over racial tweet

<p>Singer Kamahl has demanded that radio host Philip Adams issue him a public apology over the racial tweet he made in December where Adams dubbed Kamahl an “honorary white” over his relationship with the late cricketer Donald Bradman. </p> <p>Adams claims to have contacted Kamahl, who says he has been “humiliated” by the incident, but the Malaysian-born singer claims the apology never made it to him. </p> <p>“My understanding is that Mr Adams has written to Kamahl apologising for that,” ABC boss David Anderson said of the situation. “Privately written to him, apologising for that.” </p> <p>As reported by <em>The Australian</em>, Kamahl had plenty to say in response to Anderson. </p> <p>“I resent the fact that you have used the incident on public record as a defence of how you and your management have effectively dealt with this issue,” he wrote. “You stated on the public record that Adams had in fact reached out to me to apologise personally for his highly inappropriate comment.</p> <p>“Mr Anderson, let me clarify, the only action that Adams has taken to date in dealing with this issue is to block me on Twitter and double down on his initial slur in which he referred to me as an ‘honorary white’.” </p> <p>“Bradman refused to meet Mandela?” Adams posted in a now deleted tweet. </p> <p>“Why do you think Sir Donald Bradman refused to meet Mandela?” Kamahl responded. “Why do you think the greatest ever 'spotsman' welcomed me at his home from August 1988 every year, till he left us in 2001?”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Why do you think Sir Donald Bradman refused to meet Mandela ? Why do you think the greatest ever 'spotsman' welcomed me at his home from August 1988 every year, till he left us in 2001? <br />He also left me letters he wrote every year. <br />Why Phillip ?<a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialKamahl?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OfficialKamahl</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PhillipAdams_1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PhillipAdams_1</a></p> <p>— Kamahl AM (@OfficialKamahl) <a href="https://twitter.com/OfficialKamahl/status/1607369967628095489?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>“Clearly, Kamahl, he made you an Honorary White. Whereas one of the most towering political figures of the 20th century was deemed unworthy of Bradman's approval," Adams fired back. </p> <p>Kamahl went on to tell Adams that  responded he “may be white, but oh your soul is black!”</p> <p>The term ‘honorary white’ is said to have originated during South Africa’s Apartheid regime in the 1960s to grant the rights and the privileges of white people to those who would otherwise be considered ‘non-white’ at the time. </p> <p>Many share Kamahl’s belief that Adams’ apology should be as public as his initial words. </p> <p>As reporter Peter Ford said on <em>6PR Breakfast</em>, “you get the feeling that they told him to write this apology and send it to get him off our backs and it’d all go away, and I don’t think that’s good enough.” </p> <p>Kamahl and his followers have been vocal on Twitter about his desire for an appropriate apology, and the impact of Adams’ words, but only time will tell if Adams is to step up and offer one. </p> <p><em>Images: Twitter </em></p>

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Is Kyle too cruel even for Australian Idol?

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

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

<p dir="ltr"><em>Australian Idol </em>is yet to hit the screens but it’s already facing a major problem with its lack of diversity.</p> <p dir="ltr">Radio shock jock <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/music/he-s-a-real-crooner-kyle-reveals-judging-line-up-for-return-of-australian-idol" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyle Sandilands announced</a> that he will be joined by US singers Meghan Trainor and Harry Connick Jr and Australian pop star Amy Shark as judges on the talent show.</p> <p dir="ltr">The show’s social media accounts also shared the news but many people asked about the lack of diversity with the judges.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Where is the diversity?” queried former ABC News reporter Mark Kearney.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The OG Australian Idol had at the heart of its panel Marcia Hines. This one has … a foul shock jock with a history of racism, misogyny and homophobia? Yucky.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Co-founder of Media Diversity AU Antoinette Lattouf sarcastically said there was a bit of diversity because one of the judges has a hyphen in their name.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CjBmkvnhDq_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CjBmkvnhDq_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Australian Idol (@australianidol)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“This is an epic and exciting opportunity to get judged by six white people. (To be fair there is some diversity, one has a hyphen in their name.)” she tweeted.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Not sure why anyone is surprised about the Australian Idol judging panel - the other talent shows on our screens are just as bad. If they want diversity they always just have Mel B on,” someone else commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I LoVe tHiS rEpReSenTatiOn oF oUr MuLtiCuLtuRaL cOunTrY,” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Australian Idol</em> first hit the screen 10 years ago and will come back on Channel 7 in 2023.</p> <p dir="ltr">“(We) start filming the auditions next week. It’ll be me. The other Australian I’ve chosen, Amy Shark will be the other Australian. She’s excellent. She’s a nice girl but she’s been busy, she writes songs, she works hard, she’ll be fabulous,” Sandilands said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Meghan Trainor … and from American Idol … Harry Connick Jr. Yes grannies, get your panties wet now. Harry Connick Jr. is on Australian Idol. He’s a real crooner.”</p> <p dir="ltr">It will take back its old format in which contestants from around Australia will audition before a top 12 is chosen for live shows.</p> <p dir="ltr">Past seasons have come out with incredible stars including Guy Sebastian, Jessica Mauboy and Casey Donovan.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

TV

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Modern Family star Sarah Hyland says “I do”

<p dir="ltr"><em>Modern Family</em> star Sarah Hyland has finally tied the knot with her fiancé after three years of being engaged. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sarah and Wells Adams said “I do” in front of 150 guests on August 20 at the Sunstone Winery near Santa Barbara, California.</p> <p dir="ltr">Guests included some of the <em>Modern Family</em> cast including Sofia Vergara, Ariel Winter, Nolan Gould and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who officiated the ceremony.</p> <p dir="ltr">The newlyweds, who have been engaged since 2019, were due to get married in 2020 but due to the pandemic were forced to reschedule their wedding. </p> <p dir="ltr">Wells, who was the bartender on <em>Bachelor in Paradise</em>, even joked that they’d end up at a courthouse if they couldn’t finally have the wedding they wanted. </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/Chk03tnPpcd/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Chk03tnPpcd/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sarah Hyland (@sarahhyland)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“We were supposed to get married obviously last year, that didn't happen,” he previously told People.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We were supposed to get married this year, that didn't happen.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So now we are hoping next year, or we're gonna go to Vegas, or the courthouse, I don't know - well, we're not going to do those last two things, but I don't know. 2022 has got to be our year, right?!' </p> <p dir="ltr">Back in July, Sarah said that she didn’t expect married life to be any different.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I don't think a lot is going to change,” she said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We are practical. We own a house together. We have our dogs together, and we've been celebrating this journey of life supporting one another for almost five years now.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram/Twitter</em></p>

Relationships

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Heartbroken father of shot girl speaks out

<p dir="ltr">The heartbroken father of one of the women who was showered with gunshots while sitting in a car has spoken out about his “beloved angel”. </p> <p dir="ltr">Lametta Fadlallah, 48, and Amy Al-Hazzouri, 39, were gunned down as they sat in a car on Hendy Avenue, Panania in Sydney’s inner south-west about 10 pm on Saturday.</p> <p dir="ltr">It is believed that Ms Fadlallah had some information about underground figures and was targetted to be kept quiet. </p> <p dir="ltr">Unfortunately, Ms Al-Hazzouri was in the wrong place at the wrong time and succumbed to her wounds, dying a short time later. </p> <p dir="ltr">Her grieving father, Khaled, broke down as he described her as an “angel, friendly and beautiful”.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Beautiful, beautiful," he told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/double-sydney-murder-family-of-innocent-hairdresser-caught-up-in-panania-execution-speaks-out/12288bff-40fa-4e60-8441-be817c69fe33?ocid=Social-9NewsS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nine News</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Anyone who used to be upset, depressed, anything would go to Amy and she would give them the support, the power and energy.</p> <p dir="ltr">"They would go to Amy, Amy was everything to them, that's the kind of person she was."</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Al-Hazzouri said that he wished that it was him that died instead of his daughter. </p> <p dir="ltr">Her sister, Manal Raunegger, launched a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/amy-hazouri-transfer-her-body-to-lebanon?utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1&amp;utm_medium=copy_link&amp;utm_source=customer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> in hopes of raising enough money to help transport Amy to Lebanon to be laid to rest. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Amy, you left us too soon my darling. May Allah have mercy on you, the heart of your sister. I can’t believe it, you’re done, you won’t tell me again,” her post read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Amy Hazouri was my beautiful sister, who was an innocent party who was murdered in southwest Sydney on Saturday 13th August 2022.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Amy was the sole provider for our family in Lebanon that is currently struggling with the economic crisis in Lebanon. We require urgent funds to carry out funeral services and transfer her body to Lebanon to lay at rest.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Our mother is not well and cannot travel to Australia to see her daughter. We are asking family, friends and the community to donate what they can and share this page around as we require urgent funds during this time as we cannot afford this service.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Every dollar and support is appreciated. May her soul rest in peace.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Police are investigating the shooting which they have described as an “assassination”. </p> <p dir="ltr">Four torched cars were found nearby in Presland Ave in Revesby, Devlin Drive in Wattle Grove and Elizabeth Crescent in Yagoona, with police hoping to find any links relating to the shooting. </p> <p dir="ltr">NSW Police Force Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty described the shooting as a "organised, methodical murder".</p> <p dir="ltr">"This is an appalling attack on two women who have lost their lives in a planned murder, an assassination really, that's happened in a public street in Sydney," he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's not acceptable by any standards. It's unprecedented, really and we're determined to get the answers for the family.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Nine/Supplied</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Two Sydney women "assassinated" on public street

<p dir="ltr">An investigation is underway after two women were shot and killed in what police have described as an assassination. </p> <p dir="ltr">Lametta Fadlallah, 48, and Amy Al-Hazzouri, 39, were targetted in their car which was parked on Hendy Avenue, Panania in Sydney’s inner south-west about 10pm on Saturday.</p> <p dir="ltr">A 16-year-old girl and 20-year-old man were also inside the car at the time but were not injured.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Fadlallah died at the scene while Ms Al-Hazzouri was rushed to Liverpool Hospital where she died a short time later. </p> <p dir="ltr">Police are currently investigating whether Ms Fadlallah was killed because had information about Sydney's underworld.</p> <p dir="ltr">The mother-of-two, who was known to police, had been in a relationship with a founding member of a street gang before moving on to a Kings Cross standover man, Halal Safi, who has since died. </p> <p dir="ltr">Police believe Ms Al-Hazzouri was in the wrong place at the wrong time during the time of the attack. </p> <p dir="ltr">Four torched cars were found nearby in Presland Ave in Revesby, Devlin Drive in Wattle Grove and Elizabeth Crescent in Yagoona, with police hoping to find any links relating to the shooting. </p> <p dir="ltr">NSW Police Force Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty described the shooting as a "organised, methodical murder".</p> <p dir="ltr">"This is an appalling attack on two women who have lost their lives in a planned murder, an assassination really, that's happened in a public street in Sydney," he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's not acceptable by any standards. It's unprecedented, really and we're determined to get the answers for the family.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He went on to say that the attackers “threw the book out” when targeting the women. </p> <p dir="ltr">"There used to be an unwritten law with the criminal element that you don't touch family," Superintendent Doherty continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You don't touch women. It looks like that rule book has been thrown out the window.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It shows how low they've gotten at this point, that anyone associated with targets, they don't discriminate if you're male or female."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

News

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Amy Grant hospitalised

<p dir="ltr">Singer Amy Grant has been hospitalised following a bike accident, suffering cuts and abrasions.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 61-year-old was cycling with a friend in Nashville, Tennessee, when she fell off her bicycle. </p> <p dir="ltr">Grant was taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where she was treated for her injuries and stayed overnight as a precaution, a representative told People.</p> <p dir="ltr">“[She] will be staying another night for observation and treatment," the rep added.</p> <p dir="ltr">Following the accident, Grant’s team shared an update on Instagram, thanking fans for their “prayers and well wishes”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-fae830db-7fff-0f05-0751-8a89002db29b"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Thank you to all those offering prayers and well wishes for Amy after her bike crash yesterday,” the post read.</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/CgkinQdPfhP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CgkinQdPfhP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Amy Grant (@amygrantofficial)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“She is in hospital receiving treatment but in stable condition. She is expected to go home later this week where she will continue to heal. Your kind thoughts and heartfelt prayers are felt and received. Amy was wearing her helmet and we would remind you all to do the same!”</p> <p dir="ltr">The accident comes two years after the singer underwent open-heart surgery to correct a partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR) - a rare heart defect she was born with but only discovered during a routine check-up.</p> <p dir="ltr">When asked about her operation and health journey, Grant said she had “no idea” she had it.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I think women tend to put their health on the back burner," she told <em><a href="https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Good Morning America</a></em> last year</p> <p dir="ltr">"It's more like, 'Oh my children, my grandchildren, my work, my spouse.' All of those things and we need the gift of each other. So even if you go, 'Oh, I got nothing on the radar,' just get somebody else to check it out."</p> <p dir="ltr">Once she recovers from her accident, Grant will be in for a busy year, with a tour scheduled to start from next month. After performing a string of shows in Tennessee and other US states, Grant will be returning home for Christmas-themed shows with her husband of 22 years, singer-songwriter Vince Gill, in December.</p> <p dir="ltr">At the end of the year, Grant will also be recognised by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts with a Kennedy Center Honor - a prestigious accolade with previous recipients including George Clooney, Gladys Knight, and U2.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-6e82426b-7fff-66cc-9386-6b00710399aa"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @amygrantofficial (Instagram)</em></p>

Caring

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Sink your teeth into Adam Liaw’s new podcast

<p dir="ltr"><em>Masterchef </em>winner, celebrity chef, and writer Adam Liaw has added another string to his bow with the launch of his first podcast, <em>How Taste Changed the World</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The seven-part series, launched with Audible, sees Liaw explore the science and history behind our five tastes - salty, sweet, bitter, sour and umami - and how they have impacted everything from economics and agriculture to why we pair red wine with meat.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m very excited to be launching my first podcast,” Liaw told OverSixty.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Taste has been the driving force behind human civilization since before it even began, and the food we choose to eat has more meaning that we can even imagine.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Each 30-minute episode is an immersive and thought-provoking deep-dive into each of the tastes, as well as what even counts as a taste and what the future looks like.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-a3113fe2-7fff-5fe7-d87e-95f4a08c4330"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Liaw doesn’t tackle these topics alone either, enlisting the help of experts and sharing his own anecdotes and stories, with snippets from Liaw’s kids thrown in.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/05/adam-liaw-podcast.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Adam Liaw tackles the five tastes in his new podcast. Image: Supplied</em></p> <p dir="ltr">In another first for the Malaysian-Australian chef, Liaw will be taking the stage on Wednesday, June 1, for Vivid Sydney’s Ideas Exchange’s 2022 series, <em>Audible Live: Stories Made to be Heard</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Liaw’s will be the first in a series of three talks, where he will discuss his podcast, calling upon the interviews featured in each of the episodes to explain how vital salt is to our biology and how it turned food into a commodity that has underpinned the global economy for thousands of years, as well as how our taste buds helped establish democracy and how our hankering for sweet things has been used to sell us soft drinks.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Vivid Sydney’s Idea Exchange is the perfect forum for big ideas, and it doesn’t get much bigger than how our own biology has shaped the world around us!” Liaw said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e88d060c-7fff-7b52-3af2-30ffcab8095d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Tickets for Liaw’s talk are available <a href="https://tickets.vividsydney.com/event/audible-live-adam-liaw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K5Prbfh0VnE" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Adam Liaw’s Audible Original podcast, How Tastes Changed the World, launches on Tuesday 10 May and is only available on Audible. The podcast is free for Audible members and can be found at <a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__http:/audible.com.au/taste__;!!CN7PONKNpoI9!-mXF9S_F_DMqMCTDde2SaXD57CpMgwUTRkGnVv1CH7Cm624ZM0--rRnzo7njnX7eT8xFmcpa4foNnTLeBvzisMaawQ$" target="_blank" rel="noopener">audible.com.au/taste</a>. On 1 June, Adam will be taking part in Vivid Sydney’s Ideas Exchange with Audible Live: Stories Made to be Heard, during which he’ll discuss the podcast in further detail.</em></p> <p dir="ltr"><em><span id="docs-internal-guid-7b4a421b-7fff-c76a-4343-1d52c22385f5"></span></em></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Supplied</em></p>

Technology

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Dear Evan Hansen is an inspiring and entertaining film

<p>When <em>Dear Evan Hansen</em> was released on Broadway over five years ago it became a generation defining Broadway phenomenon. Now we have the film version with Ben Platt reprising the main role and he does this with breathtaking results.</p> <p>Some critics have complained it's not realistic for Platt to play Evan Hansen in the film version because Platt’s now 27 years old and it’s difficult for him to play an anxious, isolated high schooler. But does it matter that he’s a bit older now?</p> <p>Well, from an audience's point of view, it doesn’t and when Platt starts to sing those amazing songs, we can see why he won an Emmy and a Grammy for the Broadway production. As well, we have the song-writing team from <em>La La Land</em> and <em>The Greatest Showman</em> writing the songs and everything works. </p> <p>Plus, the serious nature of this film – the fact it deals with teenage suicide and how hard it is for some people to simply get by – makes it an important film and one which could help a lot of people. This makes <em>Dear Evan Hansen</em> an important and inspiring film.</p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CjA50VxlxAw" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><strong>The storyline</strong></p> <p>The gist of the story is that Evan Hansen is a high school loner, awkward and inept with his only friend being the equally nerdy Jared (Nik Dodani).</p> <p>He shows up on the first day of school with a cast after breaking his arm, and he’s been instructed by his therapist to write “Dear Evan Hansen” letters to himself in order to work out his issues connecting with other people.</p> <p>Fellow student Connor Murphy (Colton Ryan) has a run-in with Evan and grabs one of said letters from a printer. A few days later, Connor’s mother Cynthia and stepfather Larry (Amy Addams, Danny Pino) show up at Evan’s school with the letter saying that Connor committed suicide, and they’ve determined that the letter “to Evan” was his suicide note.</p> <p>Instead of telling them the truth, Evan concocts an elaborate lie about being friends with Connor in order to sooth his parents’ misgivings about his death. In order to maintain that illusion, Evan continues to lie to them as well as to Connor’s sister, Zoe (Kaitlyn Dever from <em>Book Smart</em>), and his lie just snowballs.</p> <p>Pretty soon, the school’s social justice activist Alana (Amandla Stenberg) has up the Connor Project so that others who feel alone can feel seen and heard, and Evan has become hugely popular at school.</p> <p>But this doesn’t last forever and Hansen has to face up to his lie later on.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5d05305e536f427786bcdaecf7d7a755" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 359.29432013769366px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844257/evan-hansen-2-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/5d05305e536f427786bcdaecf7d7a755" /></p> <p><strong>The singing really does work</strong></p> <p>Although a lot of the focus of the singing is on Platt and his quite beautiful voice, each of the other primary cast have some amazing singing moments, whether it’s Stenberg doing a song about feeling anonymous like Connor or the song, <em>Requiem</em>, which shows off the amazing singing prowess of Devo, Pino, and even Adams.</p> <p>Julianne Moore, who plays Evan’s hardworking single mother, even gets an absolutely epic number towards the end which will get the waterworks flowing if nothing beforehand has done that job.</p> <p><strong>The showstopper is <em>You Will be Found</em></strong></p> <p>The movie’s absolutely showstopper is the number <em>You Will be Found</em> and it’s another great example of how the songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul of <em>La La Land</em> fame translate so well to the screen. In fact, this song alone shows you why many people became obsessed with the Broadway version of <em>Dear Evan Hansen</em>.</p> <p>The film is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Stephen Chbosky (<em>The Perks of Being A Wallflower</em>, <em>Wonder</em>).and he shows here he has a strong grasp on social media, cyber bullying, viral videos, and even cancel culture and how it destroys people, including families.</p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6a5aa0b50b9b4978b0a9de506110c641" /><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="/nothing.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/93c5188b8e734808ba1159d8b2176137" /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.6550348953141px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844259/evan-hansen-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/93c5188b8e734808ba1159d8b2176137" /></p> <p><strong><em>Dear Evan Hansen</em></strong><strong> will be in cinemas by December 9</strong></p> <p>The film brings out many emotions and one of the reasons is because as we watch it, we can relate to so much of what Hansen is going through. The characters and the story feel very real, which is as much a testament to Chbosky as a filmmaker, but also his cast and the people behind the original musical.</p> <p>There’s a good reason why <em>Dear Evan Hansen </em>was such a success on Broadway, and a great deal of that is retained by the movie.</p> <p><em>Dear Evan Hansen</em> will be showing in cinemas by December 9 and there’ve been no announcements as to whether it will stream.</p> <p><em>Images: UPI</em></p> <p><em> </em></p> <p><em> </em></p>

Movies

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Football legend dies after 39 years in a coma

<p><span>Jean-Pierre Adams has died at age 73.</span><br /><br /><span>Adams spent 39 years in a coma after suffering an injury and requiring surgery.</span><br /><br /><span>He was administered a near-fatal dose of anaesthetic ahead of the operation, which resulted in brain damage.</span><br /><br /><span>His wife, Bernadette Adams cared for him in their home located in the French city of Nîmes.</span><br /><br /><span>The small south town is also where his budding football career began, in 1970.</span><br /><br /><span>He played for Nîmes Olympique until 1973, before he moved to Nice and played there until 1977.</span><br /><br /><span>He joined French giants Paris Saint-Germain and played from 1977 to 1979.</span><br /><br /><span>PSG released a heartbreaking statement for him, labelling him one of the club's "glorious elders".</span><br /><br /><span>"His joie de vivre, his charisma and his experience command respect. Paris Saint-Germain offers its condolences to his family and loved ones," the club said in a statement on Monday.</span><br /><br /><span>Adams played 22 internationals for France, from 1972 to 1976.</span><br /><br /><span>French Football Federation president Noël Le Graët said Adams "remained present in our memories in such a special and sad way since his dramatic accident".</span><br /><br /><span>"Jean-Pierre Adams was an example by his life course and his career as a respected and feared player, whether with his successive clubs Nîmes, Nice and PSG in the French championship or in the French team," Le Graët said in a statement.</span><br /><br /><span>"He formed a duo of legendary defenders with Marius Trésor which all fans of the Blues and football remember.</span><br /><br /><span>"Jean-Pierre Adams has participated in the history of the French team, in its influence, in its values. Today the French team is in mourning, the Federation is in mourning.</span><br /><br /><span>"We think of his wife, his family and all his relatives to whom we send our deep friendship and our most sincere condolences."</span></p>

Caring

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Adam Goodes to release first picture book

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Former footy player Adam Goodes is set to release his first picture book this year.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Titled </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.booktopia.com.au/somebody-s-land-welcome-to-our-country-adam-goodes/book/9781760526726.html?irclickid=2MXT8RXVdxyLRd8ztDxgm11DUkByTbxdtyxlxo0&amp;bk_source=1426251&amp;bk_source_id=1426251&amp;irgwc=1&amp;utm_campaign=Good%20Reading%20Magazine&amp;utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_source=Impact" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Somebody’s Land</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Goodes co-authored the book with journalist and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Speaker of NSW Parliament Ellie Laing, illustrated by Barkinjill artist David Hardy.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Goodes said fatherhood inspired his debut book.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I love reading to my daughter Adelaide,” he said. “I hope the series gives readers the opportunity to learn something new and have more conversations because of it. This book is a reflection of me. I’m incredibly hopeful. I choose to be positive, to help us heal as a nation.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The first in a five-part book series called </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Welcome to Country</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> published by Allen &amp; Unwin Children’s Books, the picture books aim to educate young readers between four to eight-years-old about </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">terra nullius</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and Indigenous sovereignty.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Somebody’s Land</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> will be available in November 2021, and can now be pre-ordered.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Booktopia / Twitter</span></em></p>

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