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Man arrested for climbing Eiffel Tower before closing ceremony

<p>A British man has been arrested after climbing the Eiffel Tower just hours before the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics was due to commence. </p> <p>Shocked onlookers were horrified when they spotted the shirtless man scaling the 330m structure with no harness, as he stood on top of the blue Olympic ring before continuing his dangerous ascent.</p> <p>Incredible footage of the dangerous stunt, which was posted to X, shows him reaching halfway up the giant landmark with just a bag of chalk to help him, as he was not supported by any ropes or harnesses. </p> <p>Other videos shows the free climber being taken away in handcuffs by French police as tourists looked on from the viewing platform.</p> <p>The Paris Prosecutor’s office confirmed to <em>The Sun</em> the man was British and has been charged with endangering others and intrusion into a historic or cultural site.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">someone was trying to climb up Eiffel Tower after the Olympics, he was detained by police shortly after 💀<a href="https://t.co/m1oRWsKYeX">pic.twitter.com/m1oRWsKYeX</a></p> <p>— ryan 🤿 (@scubaryan_) <a href="https://twitter.com/scubaryan_/status/1822685874691444924?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>A Paris police spokesman said: “At 2.45pm, an individual was seen climbing the Eiffel Tower. The police immediately intervened and arrested the individual.”</p> <p>According to spectators, the man could be heard saying “bloody warm, innit” as he was led away by police. </p> <p>Security officials quickly cordoned off the Eiffel Tower as they evacuated the site at around 3pm, as those inside were briefly locked up on the second floor, before they were allowed to leave around 30 minutes later once the man had been escorted from the area.</p> <p>Specialist climbing police were sent up the tower after it was cleared to check for any suspicious or unusual activity.</p> <p>Tourists queuing up for the landmark were left unaware of the ongoing situation and were left frustrated after they were told to leave.</p> <p>One social media user posted on X: “Just waited in line for so long to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower but someone is trying to climb it so they just shut the whole thing down. Super.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: X (Twitter)</em></p>

Legal

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"I don't want to talk about it": John Cleese shuts down Waleed Aly

<p>John Cleese has butted heads with Waleed Aly in an awkward interview on <em>The Project</em>, with the Monty Python star refusing to answer a question and mocking Waleed's name. </p> <p>The 83-year-old comedic legend appeared on the show to promote his new Australian tour, <em>An Evening with the Late John Cleese</em>, when Waleed asked him what had brought him Down Under for the show. </p> <p>Cleese simply quipped, "Money."</p> <p>The interview turned sour when Waleed began to ask Cleese about his iconic 1970s sitcom <em>Fawlty Towers</em>, before he was shut down. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">.<a href="https://twitter.com/JohnCleese?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JohnCleese</a> is 83 years old, but he doesn't fear death; in fact, he says he's already dead. <a href="https://t.co/2uHTp1w1oX">pic.twitter.com/2uHTp1w1oX</a></p> <p>— The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1681961238731825152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 20, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>“We can’t let you go without talking about <em>Fawlty Towers</em> – at least I can’t, because I think it’s one of the greatest shows …” Aly began, before Cleese interjected.</p> <p>“I don’t want to talk about <em>Fawlty Towers</em>,” he said. </p> <p>“Yeah but, you know what – it’s not all about you, is it? I mean, I can ask you about <em>Fawlty Towers</em>?” Aly asked.</p> <p>“You can talk about <em>Fawlty Towers</em>,” Cleese told him, before turning his back and facing away from his hosts to take a sip of water, which earned him a round of applause from the panel.</p> <p>After making his point, Cleese turned back to the hosts, and asked: “What kind of a name is Waleed, anyway? Is it an anagram?”</p> <p>“No. It’s just Arabic. I take it your Arabic’s not great?” Waleed replied. </p> <p>“No. I tried to learn it once. There’s about four h’s and two k’s or something.”</p> <p>“Do you know what John is in Arabic? Yahya. I bet you can’t say that either,” said Aly.</p> <p>Cleese remarked that it was a “more interesting” topic to discuss than <em>Fawlty Towers</em>, but Aly persisted, asking whether he could see the show’s imprint in any recent comedy series.</p> <p>Despite his reluctance to talk about the show, Cleese conceded that it was, in fact, “a very interesting question.” </p> <p>As the interview wrapped, Cleese joked that as his original family surname is actually Cheese, he could be known as “Yahya Cheese.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: The Project</em></p> <div class="AV62af35d851923c62777207b4" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px auto; width: 712.1875px; background-color: white; height: 1px;"> </div>

TV

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Tasmanian tower on the edge of the world finds new owner

<p>A mediaeval Tasmanian house that appears to teeter on the edge of the world now has a new owner, who must really enjoy the solitude.</p> <p>Marketed recently for $3.5 million, "The Keep" in Tasmania's far northeastern region has to be one of the world's most stunning and remote properties.</p> <p>Constructed in the image of a Scottish fortified tower, the amazing structure at 535 New England Road in Goulds Country sits atop a 650-metre pinnacle, and its lonesome presence has made it a favourite of tourists and travel photographers alike.</p> <p>From its incredible vantage point, the property takes in 360-degree Bass Strait, forest and valley views, on the very edge of Tasmania's wild coastline.</p> <p>The only neighbours are the lights of the Eddystone Lighthouse at night, and myrtle, sassafras and tree ferns in the surrounding Blue Tier Forest Reserve.</p> <p>Built in 2009, The Keep has only just allowed tourists to see inside for the past two years – and since opening, has been at 90% occupancy, according to the listing. The owners who bought the property in 2019 transformed it from a private residence to guest accomodation - adding one of the greatest attractions, an outdoor granite bath.</p> <p><em>Images: Domain</em></p>

Real Estate

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How the Eiffel Tower grew six metres this year

<p dir="ltr">The Eiffel Tower has grown a whopping six metres in just one day, after a new communications antenna was attached to the top by a team of engineers.</p> <p dir="ltr">The digital radio antenna was taken to the top of the Iron Lady by helicopter and fixed on, taking the looming structure from 324 metres to 330 metres tall, as reported by the <em><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/the-eiffel-tower-grows-even-higher-thanks-to-new-antenna/VPMOIA7FBPLYDS2S6S63BE3H7Y/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Herald</a></em>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-96312ded-7fff-7b9e-5a5b-77cbc3a8d53b"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Though it may seem like a minor event to tourists, Jean-François Martins, the Eiffel Tower company’s president, said it was a historic moment in the tower’s 133-year history.</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/CbIesarMOXL/?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/CbIesarMOXL/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Tour Eiffel (@toureiffelofficielle)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“It’s a historical moment this morning because the Eiffel Tower is getting higher, which is not so common,” Mr Martins told the Associated Press.</p> <p dir="ltr">“From the invention of the radio at the beginning of the 20th century to right now, decades after decades, the Eiffel Tower has been a partner for all the radio technology.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-eb85e943-7fff-9532-fd9e-955519d87e29"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">But when the Eiffel Tower was first inaugurated in 1889 - when it was just 312 metres high - it wasn’t a hub for tourists or meant to be a permanent attraction.</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/CbLDZ0uoP_Q/?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/CbLDZ0uoP_Q/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Tour Eiffel (@toureiffelofficielle)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Originally built as a main attraction at the 1889 Paris World’s Fair, the structure caused controversy in the art world and was meant to be taken down after 20 years.</p> <p dir="ltr">As Parisians began to welcome its bold design, its creator, Gustave Eiffel, saved it from deconstruction by making it an enormous antenna for wireless broadcasting.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the Eiffel Tower’s <a href="https://www.toureiffel.paris/en/the-monument/eiffel-tower-and-science" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, the structure’s creator intended for it to be a hub for science, with barometers, anemometers, lightning conductors and even a meteorology office added to it on the day it was inaugurated.</p> <p dir="ltr">Now, it also broadcasts 45 TV channels and 32 radio stations across the region, thanks to its various emitters and installations.</p> <p dir="ltr">Visitors can also see the names of 72 French scientists engraved on the tower, including the chemist Henry Louis Le Chatelier (the namesake of a principle of thermodynamics) and Léon Foucault (who was credited with naming the gyroscope and demonstrating how the Earth rotates).</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f75a0536-7fff-afc0-3b45-08076a8c7c19"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @toureiffelofficielle (Instagram) </em></p>

Technology

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Meet water tower mural artist Joel Fergie

<p>Known as the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/art/meet-water-tower-mural-artist-joel-fergie">Banksy of the bush</a>, Zookeeper is an artist who travels around outback Australia painting giant murals. Unlike Banksy, the Zookeeper doesn't hide his identity.</p><p>Joel Fergie aka "Zookeeper" is based Sunshine Coast. His large-scale artworks span inner-city laneways to remote silos and water towers across central Australia.</p><p>Some of his biggest works can be seen on painted tanks and silos in Cloncurry, Mackay, Hughenden, Thallon as well as interstate.</p><p>Joel says he got the name Zookeeper from his childhood love of wildlife. "As a kid I was obsessed with animals and I was a huge David Attenborough fan and as I learnt to paint, animals became a big part of that," he said.</p><p>The 32-year-old artist, who studied fine art at QUT and graduated in 2011, said art was a big part of his life growing up. </p><p>"I wasn't born great at painting; it was something that I had to put a lot of time and practice into and gradually over time I got better.</p><p>"I started by doing my bedroom wall and then under our house, then a few friends asked me to do their café and then a I did a soccer club and the more I did the more opportunities arose."</p><p>The biggest job that Joel has done was seven silos at Sea Lake in north-west Victoria which took him over three weeks. When tackling the big jobs, Zookeeper collaborates with his mate and fellow artist Drapl aka Travis Vinson.</p><p>"We meet in 2010 and we had heard of each other and ever since then, when there's a big job that requires many hands, we collaborate," he said.</p><p>"The big jobs can take weeks and weeks of planning and we can use over 500 litres of paint."</p><p>Most of Zookeeper's and Drapl's work comes from community grants or funds raised by the community, and over the past decade he believes he has painted more than 1,000 murals.</p><p>"My favourite part of painting in the outback is the openness of people. There's fewer people, so they have more time for you," he said.</p><p>Joel's last big mural was a water tower in Middlemount which he finished in December and last week he finished a retaining wall in the Pioneer Valley community at the Marian State School which was only 20 metres by 2 metres.</p><p> </p><p>Image: ABC</p>

Art

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See inside the $100 million apartments at Crown Casino Tower

<p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">Rich property owners have been spending millions to snap up apartments in Sydney’s newest skyscraper, the Crown Casino tower, where residents are treated like royalty.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">Officially called One Barangaroo, the 71-storey tower has earned the title of Sydney’s tallest residential building after its completion in 2021.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">Selling agent Knight Frank has said that 90 percent of the building’s 82 units have already been sold, with many residents already fully moved-in.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">James Packer, the Crown’s largest shareholder, has even scored himself an apartment, spending $72.229 million for it.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">According to marketing material for the apartments, “the design and amenities of the residences are matched only by the effortless luxury of our impeccable hotel service, available day and night to every resident”.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">Residents can also enjoy sweeping views of the CBD, a pool deck, multiple gyms, and various restaurants, bars and cafes - where residents get priority reservations - as well as housekeeping and valet services.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">Other services <a style="background: transparent;margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;vertical-align: baseline" href="https://onebarangaroo.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">include</a> an on-site luxury spa with various beauty treatments on offer, as well as “mindfulness training” and access to full-time personal trainers.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">According to Knight Frank, the pool deck area is one of the most popular spots within the development, with residents able to relax or invite friends, family, or grandchildren over.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">Erin van Tuil, Knight Frank’s marketing agent, said part of the appeal was that the homes were a “branded residence” under the Crown name.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">Hotel-branded apartments are also becoming an increasingly popular concept elsewhere in the world, and Ms van Tuil said it can offer a different service than regular apartment complexes.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">“A hotel concierge offers a different service than what you can find in serviced apartments. For example if you want to organise a sommelier or private chef they can do that for you - a normal concierge wouldn’t,” she <a style="background: transparent;margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;vertical-align: baseline" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10459507/Get-glimpse-life-inside-James-Packers-Sydney-Harbour-Crown-Casino-tower.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">explained</a>.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">Though almost all of the residences have already sold, a two-storey penthouse still remains available for anyone looking to spend $100 million.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">The six-bedroom apartment includes three private balconies - including one with a plunge pool - as well as three private bars and a butler’s kitchen that is separate from the main kitchen.</p><p dir="ltr" style="margin: 0px 0px 5px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff"><em style="margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;vertical-align: baseline">Images: One Barangaroo</em></p>

Real Estate

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World’s tallest athlete towering in Tokyo

<p>The world’s tallest athlete Morteza Mehrzad, who competes sitting down, is 246cm tall and he’s part of the Iranian men’s sitting volleyball team which is on track for back-to-back gold medals at the Paralympics.</p> <p>The middle-eastern nation has dominated the sport for decades — winning six of the past eight gold medals in the men’s game — but it’s the addition of Mehrzad which has made the team even more unbeatable.</p> <p>The 33-year-old is the second tallest man alive and the tallest Paralympian in history.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.12648221343875px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843638/tallest-athlete-2-um.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e7faee5aa18846fc80928421dc4af12c" /></p> <p>In a sport where players with a variety of ailments sit down and try to get the ball over the net which is approximately 1.15m off the floor, it’s very easy for Mehrzad.</p> <p>Iran will meet the sport’s other powerhouse Bosnia Herzegovina in the semi-finals on Thursday night in a rematch of the gold medal game in Rio four years ago.</p> <p>On that occasion, Mehrzad made the difference and Iran won the medal.</p> <p><strong>Iran’s coach asked Mehrzad to join</strong></p> <p>Iran’s coach Hadi Rezaeigarkani saw Mehrzad on a TV program about physical disorders and got in contact with him, asking him to join the team.</p> <p>He took up the sport nine years ago and made his international debut in 2016 and immediately started winning awards. He’s only improved, continuing to dominate at the Paralympics.</p> <p>Even sitting down, when Mehrzad raises his right arm, it reaches a height of 1.93 metres. When spiking — the term used to describe a forceful attacking shot to get the ball over the net — he can get his dominant hand up to 2.3m in the air.</p> <p><strong>It’s not all good news for the Iranian sports star</strong></p> <p>While it’s easy to see why Mehrzad would be happy with his progress, it isn’t all good news for the Iranian superstar.</p> <p>He suffers from acromegaly - a medical condition which arises from the brain’s pituitary gland producing too much growth hormone after the body’s growth plates have closed. By the age of 16 he was already over 1.9m tall.</p> <p>Mehrzad rarely stands up though because he seriously injured his pelvis in a bike accident as a teenager, meaning he now spends significant amounts of time either on crutches or in a wheelchair.</p> <p>His right leg has stopped growing and it’s about 15cm shorter than his left. The sad reality is that while he’s helping his teammates to win and bringing recognition to his country in Tokyo at the moment, his condition does not bode well for his long term future.</p> <p>A spokesperson for his team said: “His health is not going well. His health is currently declining because he’s getting taller. I think he’s still growing. The first time we saw him he could walk better but now he has to walk with crutches.”</p> <p>But now is a time for Mehrzad and his team to focus on the positives. Iran has won six gold medals and two silvers across the past eight Paralympics, and with Mehrzad’s help, it looks likely they’ll be heading home from these Games with some more medals as well.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

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Would you climb a 47-metre tower for a free car lease? In Norway, you can

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At 47 metres high, the tallest free-standing climbing tower in the world has opened in Norway, and car company Ford’s new campaign has brought it additional attention.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After opening in June this year, professional climbers were invited to try and reach the top of the tower, with the fastest climber taking home a free two-year lease on a Ford Explorer PHEV.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The company even crane-lifted their newest model onto the top of the tower, sitting on top of a special platform that supports the weight of the plug-in hybrid car.</span></p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CR8cy0XgSIy/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CR8cy0XgSIy/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Ford Norge (@fordnorge)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ford’s Explore New Heights challenge saw 14 climbers compete after successfully completing a qualifying test.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sharing the footage to their Instagram page, Ford eventually found a winner.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the clip, many of the climbers can be seen losing their grip and combating the jumps and obstacles designed by champion climber Martin Mobråten.</span></p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSG0pIUAPUZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSG0pIUAPUZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Ford Norge (@fordnorge)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Eventually, Leo Ketil B</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">ø</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">e, 21, managed to score the free lease with a time of three minutes and 33 seconds.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Any who made it to the top alongside Leo were rewarded with breathtaking views across the Skagerrak, a strait running between Norway, Sweden, and Denmark.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Visit Norway</span></em></p>

International Travel

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Tragic detail in death of Aussie couple in Miami tower collapse

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An Australian couple has been identified among the 28 bodies pulled from the rubble of a collapsed apartment building in Miami, Florida.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tzvi, 68, and Itty Ainsworth, 66, were found following the collapse of the Champlain Towers South building on June 24.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a tragic turn of events, it has been revealed the couple were celebrating the birth of their new grandchild just one day before the disaster occurred.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The sad news about the couple was shared on social media on Tuesday, July 2.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It is with immense sadness this morning that we report Tzvi and Itty Ainsworth, a beloved couple who lived in Australia for nearly 20 years, are among the people confirmed killed in the Florida building collapse disaster,” the Australian Jewish News posted.</span></p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ9ilajhF-O/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQ9ilajhF-O/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by The Australian Jewish News (@jewishnews_au)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The AJN’s thoughts and prayers are with their family at this time.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to NBC, Mr and Mrs Ainsworth moved from Australia to Surfside within the past several years.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since the tower first went down, no one has been pulled out alive. The death toll has reached 28 and 117 people are still missing.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The reason for the collapse has not been confirmed.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Facebook</span></em></p>

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"I can't breathe!": Dramatic tower arrest of man delivering food to Melbourne towers

<p>A man working with a youth charity was arrested outside a locked-down public housing tower in Flemington, Melbourne just before 10 pm on Tuesday night.</p> <p>The man was trying to deliver food to residents and dramatic footage of the arrest shows police swarming the man.</p> <p>He yells "I can't breathe".</p> <p>Australasian Mercy Secondary School Association Youth Connect arrived just after 9 pm with groceries for residents. Volunteers claim that they waited around for about half an hour before deliveries were able to begin and the fight broke out shortly after.</p> <p>Counsellor Tigist Kebede filmed the incident and is heard yelling for the man to be let go as he scuffles with the police.</p> <p>“Please, please don’t choke him, please … he’s just trying to deliver food,” she says.</p> <p>Moments later, three officers appear to tackle him to the ground.</p> <p>At one point in the clip, Tigist approaches the man to check on him.</p> <p>“I’m good,” he says. “These guys are sick bro, I didn’t touch him … why? How?”</p> <p>A Victoria Police spokeswoman told NCA NewsWire said that there were two men involved in the fight on Tuesday night after an unknown man allegedly became verbally aggressive towards police about 9:50 pm.</p> <p>“The unknown man ran off from the scene, while the other man, a 28-year-old from Altona North who was refusing the direction of police, was arrested,” she said.</p> <p>“The Altona North man has been released pending further inquiries with police still to follow up the identity of the unknown man.”</p> <p>Tigist shared the footage to her social media pages, telling followers it was the "scariest thing I've ever seen".</p> <p>“I was so afraid this was going to be another viral black death,” she wrote in a statement posted to Instagram.</p> <p>“We were lucky. That’s it.”</p> <p>Tigist said it was only by luck that the man did not die during the argument.</p> <p>“We shouldn’t have to rely on luck,” she said.</p> <p>“What happens when we’re not so fortunate? Does someone die? Does someone get injured?</p> <p>“Why are we exposed to violence and trauma for providing an essential service we were approved to do?”</p> <p><em>Photo credits: </em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/i-cant-breathe-dramatic-tower-arrest-of-man-delivering-food-to-residents-in-lockdown/news-story/d7bccb2b56a7097c0df33a386b7df7a5" target="_blank" class="_e75a791d-denali-editor-page-rtflink"><em>The Coloured Therapist</em></a></p>

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"Dying of starvation": Public housing residents break down in tears after nine towers are forced into lockdown

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Public housing residents in Melbourne have broken down in tears as they claim that food supplies are dangerously low and people could die from starvation. </p> <p>Nine towers in Flemington and North Melbourne have been locked down in an effort to slow the spread of coronavirus with 3,000 people unable to leave their apartments for any reason for at least five days.</p> <p>The Melbourne government has said that it has distributed 3,000 meals, 1,000 food hampers and 250 personal care packs to residents and the charity FareShare has provided more than 3,000 prepared meals and 4,500 pastries.</p> <p>Debbie Harrison, who is caring for her 83-year-old mother Ivy at a housing unit in North Melbourne has said that they have only been given four sausage rolls to eat in 48 hours.</p> <p>"They are just going to go in the bin, we're not touching them," Ms Harrison told <a rel="noopener" href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/north-melbourne-public-housing-residents-trapped-without-food-in-coronavirus-lockdown/461251f2-bd6b-4d94-b8e9-4b7d2ba61f6a" target="_blank" class="_e75a791d-denali-editor-page-rtflink">A Current Affair</a>.</p> <p>"Yesterday, I was fine. Today, it's just not fair."</p> <p>Her mother is more worried about her children and great-grandchildren.</p> <p>"I want things to be what they used to be, I've never known anything like this in my 83 years, never," she said. </p> <p>Other residents say they have been left in the dark when it comes to supplies and testing.</p> <p>"There's been no communication, they don't tell you anything," resident Brian told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/victoria/you-couldn-t-eat-it-food-for-tower-residents-left-in-corridors-as-deliveries-delayed-20200706-p559h6.html" target="_blank" class="_e75a791d-denali-editor-page-rtflink">The Sydney Morning Herald</a>. </p> <p>Meals have been delivered but have been left in the corridors and eventually have turned rotten.</p> <p>"I can't eat it because I'm no gluten or anything like that, but the other people - you couldn't eat it, no way," he said. </p> <p>Fresh groceries have been donated by Coles and delivered by firefighters and police officers, which is a relief to residents.</p> <p>"It's a relief, even if people aren't being told about it. But there's still a lot of uncertainty and still a low of people worried," he said.</p> <p>Victorian Council of Social Services CEO Emma King said that she is concerned that culturally appropriate meals were not being provided by the government.</p> <p>"We need to make sure we're hearing directly from the residents on the estate around what they need and making sure we deliver on that," she told AAP.</p> <p>She also noted that residents were given copies of the public health orders or "detention directives" but the wording has sparked confusion over the term "lockdown" which could last as long as 14 days.</p> <p>"Any of us, to have police on your doorstep, handing a detention notice we can't understand, it would be really frightening," she said.</p> <p>"It is a very fine, precarious balance. We need to save lives first and foremost but we need to make sure people get the support that they need and they aren't terrified through the process."</p> </div> </div> </div>

Caring

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You can now stay overnight in a flight control tower

<p>There’s staying next to the airport during a layover, and then there’s actually staying at the airport.</p> <p>The opportunity has presented itself in the shape of a former flight control tower at Stockholm’s Arlanda International – Sweden’s biggest airport, and the third-largest in Scandinavia – which has been turned into a swanky holiday let.</p> <p>Next to one of the airport’s two main runways, it had been sitting unused for 15 years. The tower offers a panoramic view of planes taking off and landing, as well as, presumably, those cute little carts that lug around all our baggage.</p> <p>It’s got 35 square metres of space, a kitchen and bathroom, room for four guests, and interiors designed by Cilla Ramnek, a Swedish artist, designer and pattern-aficionado. She described it as “by far among the most fun environment I have ever worked with.”</p> <p>The unconventional hotel option is cosily decorated with rugs, flowers, and sweet Scandi-style furniture. It was dreamed up by holiday rental booking company HomeAway, who were also responsible for a temporary holiday apartment in the Eiffel Tower installed to coincide with France’s hosting of the 2016 UEFA European Championship. </p> <p>There’s a competition open until the end of July to stay there with four lucky winners – which is only open to residents of Sweden, Denmark, Norway or Finland – but don’t worry.</p> <p>Stockholm also has a Boeing 747 airliner converted into a hostel right next to the airport, for all your plane-themed Scandinavian accommodation needs.</p> <p>And besides, there’s no mention of how soundproofed the walls are.</p> <p><em>Written by Nicole Frost. First appeared on <a href="http://www.domain.com.au" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Domain.com.au</strong></span></a>. Image credit: HomeAway / Domain </em></p>

Accommodation

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How to skip the line at the Eiffel Tower (and other famous landmarks)

<p>Don’t let your experience be ruined by a line! Here’s how to avoid them.</p> <p><strong>Buy your tickets online</strong></p> <p>Don’t make the mistake of just turning up and joining the line. Go to the official website (toureiffel.paris) up to two months in advance, choose your half hour time slot between 9am and 930pm, and book your ticket for just €15. Beware of other third party sites that will try to sell you these same tickets at a big markup.</p> <p><strong>Join a tour</strong></p> <p>Even if you’re not a tour kind of person, now is a good time to get onboard. Many private tour companies will let you skip the queue as part of your package. Plus you’ll get the added bonus of an expert guide to give you all the inside info on the tower itself.</p> <p><strong>Get a Paris Passlib</strong></p> <p>The Paris Convention and Visitor Bureau has recently launched a special tourist pass that covers entry to lots of the city’s best attractions for one flat fee. You can book a one-, three- or five-day Paris Passlib and get entry to museums and galleries, plus a bus tour and one-hour boat ride. For an extra €15 you can add a fast track Eiffel Tower ticket.</p> <p><strong>Have a meal</strong></p> <p>Did you know there are two restaurants inside the Eiffel Tower? The casual 58 Tour Eiffel is on the first level and the formal Le Jules Verne is on the second level, and both have separate entrance lines from the main tower. A set lunch at 58 Tour Eiffel starts from €42.50 per person and includes a starter, main course and dessert served ‘picnic style’ in a basket, plus a beer or wine – all with a side of stunning views. If you want to splash out, head to Le Jules Verne for an unforgettable lunch or dinner that will set you back around €200.</p> <p><strong>Take the stairs</strong></p> <p>Feeling fit? There’s hardly ever a line for the stairs at the Eiffel Tower so you can make your way up to the first and second level under your own steam. It’s 330 steps to the first level and 670 to the second, and then you can buy a ticket to the top from the short lines there. A stair ticket only costs €7 and attendants never check tickets on the way down, so you can catch a ride back to earth on the elevators.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Last Fri, I was 1 of 700 ppl lucky to zip line at 90km/h, gliding along the 800m-long wire fr the iconic Eiffel Tower <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/smashperrier?src=hash">#smashperrier</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Paris?src=hash">#Paris</a> <a href="https://t.co/PLC85alSIg">pic.twitter.com/PLC85alSIg</a></p> — Hanis Zainul (@nizzkee) <a href="https://twitter.com/nizzkee/status/875552747659165697">June 16, 2017</a></blockquote> <p style="text-align: center;"> </p> <p><strong>And for other attractions?</strong></p> <p>A lot of these tips will work for popular spots like the Louvre, Musee D’Orsay and Notre Dame. Buy a special Paris Passlib with fast track entry, join a guided tour or hire a private guide, or look for alternative entrances that aren’t as popular. Good luck!</p>

Travel Tips

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Grenfell Tower survivors to move into luxury block

<p>After a week of living in community centres, hotels and vacant properties, the survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire will be rehoused permanently in a £2 billion luxury complex in Kensington.</p> <p>The government revealed yesterday that it would acquire 68 units, ranging in size from one to three bedrooms, to house the 250 Grenfell residents who lost everything in London’s worst fire in decades.</p> <p>The luxury units are only two kilometres south of Grenfell Tower, the 1974 building that went up in flames on the morning of June 14, killing at least 79 people.</p> <p>The units, which are on the market for between £1.5million and £8.5 million, have large spacious rooms and balconies, with access to pools, saunas and gyms.</p> <p>It is a stark contrast to the Grenfell Tower where families were crowded into subdivided apartments.</p> <p>The apartments are "all newly built social housing" located in the same Kensington and Chelsea borough, Communities Secretary Sajid Javid said on Wednesday.</p> <p>It was paid for by the City of London Corporation, the wealthy local authority responsible for the capital's financial Square Mile.</p> <p>The announcement was made just before British Prime Minister Theresa May apologised for the chaotic failures by local and national governments responding to the fire.</p> <p>"The residents of Grenfell Tower have been through some of the most harrowing and traumatic experiences imaginable, and it is our duty to support them," Javid said.</p> <p>"Our priority is to get everyone who has lost their home permanently rehoused locally as soon as possible, so that they can begin to rebuild their lives."</p> <p>While the housing situation is a relief for many of Grenfell survivors, some of the survivors still have concerns and want questions answered.</p> <p>"It's all very well in theory, but we need to read the small print," said Alan Crawley, whose mother survived the fire.</p> <p>"Putting a group of traumatised people who have lost loved ones and all their possessions in the corner of a shiny new building, isn't going to solve the problem in itself. The government should answer the resident's questions first before making these vague statements."</p>

Insurance

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Adele has tea with Grenfell Tower firefighters

<p>She’s proven herself to be one of the humblest stars in the music world, and on Monday, the always-down-to-earth Adele made a touching gesture to thank the firefighters who worked tirelessly to save lives during the Grenfell Tower inferno.</p> <p>“She just turned up at the station and knocked on the window and said she has some cakes for us,” station manager Ben King told the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-40339241" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">BBC</span></strong></a>. “So we opened the door to her and then she took her sunglasses off and said, ‘Hi, I’m Adele’. Everyone was so shocked.</p> <p>“She came in, came up to the mess and had a cup of tea with the watch and then she joined us for the minute’s silence.”</p> <p>In a post on Facebook, firefighter Rob Petty described the singer as a “lovely girl, genuinely grounded and interested and humbled.”</p> <p>The “Hello” singer was one of the first famous figures to visit victims at the site of the blaze, comforting survivors at a vigil held the day after the fire.</p> <p>To see the sweet photos from her visit to Chelsea Fire Station, flick through the gallery above.</p> <p><em>Image credit: London Fire Brigade/Facebook.</em></p>

Insurance

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London tower inferno: what we know so far

<p>Early yesterday morning in London, residents of North Kensington’s Grenfell Tower awoke to what authorities are referring to as the worst residential fire in decades. Flames engulfed the 24-storey building, which is home to between 400 and 600 people.</p> <p>Now, nearly 24 hours later, parts of the tower are still ablaze and the death toll stands at 12 people – though this number is sadly expected to rise. 68 others have been taken to hospitals around the city, 18 of whom remain critical.</p> <p>Stories are emerging of incredible acts of heroism as well as horrifying acts of desperation. Witnesses have described a <a href="http://www.news.com.au/world/europe/witnesses-describe-horror-of-grenfell-tower-building-inferno-in-north-kensington/news-story/14c9e6a667f386d2e2bfcb826fec78d6" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">baby being thrown out of a window</span></strong></a> to safety, while one resident — a mother of two — who documented the fire via a live video on Facebook while trapped in her apartment <a href="http://www.news.com.au/world/europe/mother-posts-harrowing-videos-before-flames-engulf-tower/news-story/488ca5e1321541ceeebedfcfbc92d04e" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">has not been heard from</span></strong></a> since.</p> <p>As the community comes to terms with the horrifying inferno and the lives it has claimed, questions are now being raised as to whether the blaze could have been avoided. The Grenfell Action Group has slammed management for its failure to provide adequate fire training, advice and supplies. One long-time resident described the fire as a “mass murder”, claiming he and his neighbours had complained about the tower’s safety for years.</p> <p>The building had recently undergone an $11 million refurbishment to modernise its exterior, and Rydon construction, the group behind the renovations, has stated that all the new cladding and windows “met all required building control, fire regulation, and health and safety standards.”</p> <p>In what has been a horror few weeks for the UK, and London in particular, once again, the community has rallied around those affected by the tragic events. The Kensington and Chelsea council has been inundated with donations of food and supplies, and celebrities have also come out with offers of food and shelter.</p> <p>Jamie Oliver took to Instagram to invite those affected to his nearby Jamie’s Italian restaurant, where they’ll receive free shelter, food and drink. Lily Allen also offered to take victims into her own home and provide them with beds and tea.</p> <p>Others, including former <em>Top Gear</em> host Jeremy Clarkson, New Zealand supermodel Rachel Hunter, singer Rita Ora and many more have also offered their love and support.</p> <p><em>Video c<span>redit: Twitter/Natalie_Oxford via Storyful.</span></em></p>

Insurance

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Butler shares steamy secrets of high-end hotels

<p>It’s incredible to think there are people out there with the means to stay in a hotel room priced at $25,000 a night, but that’s the going rate for people wanting to stay in the Chairman’s Villa at Crown Towers.</p> <p>It’s incredible to think that there are people out there with the means (and inclination) to stay in a hotel room priced at $25,000 a night, but that’s the going rate for people booking a night in the Chairman’s Villa at Melbourne’s Crown Towers.</p> <p>But what happens in the rooms of this five-star hotel?</p> <p>Crispin Hannibelsz, who works as a butler at the exclusive establishment, has shared details about life in the penthouse in an exclusive interview with News.com.au.</p> <p>Here’s a few of his classic stories:</p> <p><strong>1. Abalone</strong></p> <p>“Once I had a guest that required a specific abalone from Perth. So we had to get a private plane to go and pick it up to be delivered ASAP.”</p> <p><strong>2. Rouge wombat</strong></p> <p>“A family requested to see Australian wildlife during their stay but wouldn’t leave their room.</p> <p>We contacted a registered wildlife handler and arranged to have a wombat and koala brought into the hotel. Trying to keep the wombat from eating the $10,000 couch was an interesting task.”</p> <p><strong>3. In-room shopping mall</strong></p> <p>“A celebrity band requested we arrange an in-room shopping experience from a wide selection of luxury retailers. We had to contact each retailer separately and convince them to bring a rack of their latest lines into Crown and be shown in a room full of their competitors. This wasn’t easy however managed to get over 15 retailers into a Crown Villa together and the guests completed their shopping without having to leave their hotel floor.”</p> <p><strong>4. Medieval thrones</strong></p> <p>“During the stay of a well-known celebrity couple we were requested to arrange a surprise medieval-themed birthday party. We had to go with them to costume shops, try on costumes for the guests and staff, sourced thrones for guests to sit at, medieval themed cutlery and goblets ... the whole lot.”</p> <p><strong>5. Surprise over-size private jet</strong></p> <p>“A guest requested to land his private jet — an Airbus A380 — at Essendon Airport. Due to the</p> <p>"size of the aircraft, the runway at Essendon was too small. With little notice to arrange an alternative, we contacted Melbourne Airport and negotiated to rent a private hangar for the landing and sought special permission from airport security to allow his driver to meet the plane.”</p> <p><strong>6. Outsourced marriage proposal</strong></p> <p>“A guest requested an Amazing Race style proposal all around Melbourne, finishing in a</p> <p>hotel room with a diamond ring on the bed. The guest gave us some places that were special to them as a couple and why, then we had to think up some clues and contact each venue to place envelopes in appropriate locations; the guest delivered the ring to our team and we placed it on the bed and kept the last clue with us. When the woman made it to us we escorted her up to find the ring before her partner came in to surprise her.”</p> <p>Source: News.com.au. </p>

International Travel

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John Cleese’s exciting news

<p>For the first time in almost 40 years, legendary British actor John Cleese is set to return to the sitcom world, starring in the BBC’s new comedy series <em>Edith</em>. It will be the <em>Monty Python </em>comic’s first sitcom role since his famous role as Basil Fawlty in <em>Fawlty Towers</em>.</p> <p>The new series, written by Oscar-nominated screenplay writer Charles McKeown, will also star Jason Watkins, Jessica Hynes, Anne Reid, Rosie Cavaliero, James Cosmo and Peter Egan.</p> <p>“If you had carte blanche on your fantasy BBC One comedy cast then you’d not be far off the <em>Edith</em> line-up,” Shane Allen, controller of comedy commissioning at the BBC, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/latestnews/2017/edith" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">remarked</span></strong></a>. “It’s also a huge pleasure to welcome John Cleese back to the land of BBC sitcom – his last one did all right.”</p> <p>Despite appearing in dozens of TV shows since <em>Fawlty Towers</em>, Edith will mark Cleese’s first starring sitcom role in nearly four decades. “These are the most enjoyable scripts I’ve been sent in the last 100 years,” the actor joked. “It will also be particularly nice to work with Alison [Steadman] again since we joined forces in <em>Clockwise</em> all that time ago.”</p> <p>Cleese will star as Phil, the ex-boyfriend of the eponymous Edith, played by Steadman. “Phil dreams of marrying Edith […] But after months of turning him down, on the happy day Edith finally says ‘yes’, there's a knock on the door – and there on the step, with a large suitcase, is her 50-year-old son Roger (Jason Watkins),” the BBC synopsis reads. “He announces that he's left his wife, his kids and his good job at the bank, and come home in an attempt to find his lost happiness again. And in a blink, to Edith's dismay and Phil's fury, all dreams are on hold.”</p> <p>No word yet on when it will air here, but we’re definitely looking forward to seeing Cleese back on our screens. Do you agree? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.</p>

TV

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DIY cubic planter tower

<p>Cool cacti and symmetric succulents are good choices for small pots and as easy-care indoor plants. They need little water and their chunky structural shapes are striking.</p> <p><strong>What you need:</strong></p> <ul> <li>9 pots – the ones used here come from EziBuy and are made of an artificial polymer cement</li> <li>Concrete primer (or similar)</li> <li>Masking tape</li> <li>Paint brush and small roller set</li> <li>Test pots in your choosen colours – we used Resene 'Black', 'White', 'Copper Fire', 'Bullion' and 'Silver Aluminium' and the relevant undercoats for each of the metallics.</li> <li>Concrete sealer (available in flat, satin or gloss)</li> <li>6 plastic pots of a suitable size for your plants</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method:</strong></p> <p><strong>Step 1:</strong> Mask the painted areas in your chosen design. </p> <p><strong>Step 2:</strong> The correct undercoat will depend on the composition of your pots (eg: For cement-based pots, use a concrete primer) </p> <p>Apply the undercoat using a small roller or brush, allow to dry. </p> <p><strong>Step 3:</strong> Top coat with your chosen colours. I used masking tape to create the striped effect.</p> <p><strong>Step 4:</strong> Allow to dry, carefully remove the masking tape. Coat with sealer to provide a more durable finish. </p> <p><em>Written by Rosie Hughes. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a></em>. <strong>Image credit: Rosie Hughes/Stuff.co.nz.</strong></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2017/01/diy-sprays-to-protect-your-roses-from-aphids/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>3 DIY sprays to protect your roses from aphids</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/12/how-overflowing-waste-affects-you-and-the-environment/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>How overflowing waste affects you and the environment</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/home-garden/2016/12/organic-gardening-myths/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>5 myths about organic gardening</strong></em></span></a></p>

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