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Kevin Costner reveals heartwarming interaction with Prince William

<p>Kevin Costner has revealed that Prince William left a strong impression on him after the royal organised a meet-up with him several years ago. </p> <p>"I happened to be in England, and I got this message that the Prince would love to talk, and I said, 'What?'... and then I went, 'Okay'," the Hollywood actor told <em>People</em> magazine. </p> <p>"We met in this room, and it was just us. He walked up, and we shook hands. ..." </p> <p>What came out of the royals mouth next left the actor feeling delighted, as he revealed that his late mother, Princess Diana, had a crush on Costner. </p> <p>"The first line out of his mouth was, 'You know, my mom kind of fancied you'."</p> <p>He described Prince William as "quite a young man," and that the interaction had left him with  "fond memories of who he was, how I was approached and what we talked about."</p> <p>Costner also revealed that he had talks with the late Princess about being involved in the sequel to his iconic film <em>The Bodyguard</em>. </p> <p>"There was a moment that that was really flying down the tracks, very quietly, because it's how I operate," he said. </p> <p>The three-time Golden Globe winner shared that Sarah Ferguson was the one who introduced him to the Diana. </p> <p>"It was so sweet. Sarah was the one that set this up. Sarah was very cool... when she could have been going, 'Well, I'm a princess too. What about me? ' She didn't do that at all. Diana and I began to talk," he praised the Duchess of York. </p> <p><em>Images: Marina Takimoto/ZUMA Press Wire/ Shutterstock editorial/ Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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"What an honour": Kevin Costner pays tribute to fallen Yellowstone costar

<p>Kevin Costner has paid tribute to his <em>Yellowstone</em> costar Dabney Coleman, who has passed away at the age of 92. </p> <p>Coleman, who played the role of  John Dutton, Sr. in the Paramount drama, died on Thursday at his home in Santa Monica, according to his daughter Quincy Coleman, who broke the news in a statement to <em>The Associated Press</em>.</p> <p>She said he "took his last earthly breath peacefully and exquisitely."</p> <p>“My father crafted his time here on earth with a curious mind, a generous heart, and a soul on fire with passion, desire and humour that tickled the funny bone of humanity. As he lived, he moved through this final act of his life with elegance, excellence and mastery,” she said.</p> <p>Yellowstone shared the news on Instagram with the message, "We're saddened by the passing of the Dabney Coleman, a legendary actor and member of the <em>Yellowstone</em> family."</p> <p>Kevin Costner stars as John Dutton, the son of Dabney's character on the show, paid tribute to the late actor as he shared a powerful flashback scene from the season 2 finale to his Instagram. </p> <p>Along with a photo from the moving TV moment, Costner wrote, "One of the most heart wrenching scenes I've been a part of. What an honor to have gotten to work with Dabney Coleman. May he rest in peace."</p> <p>Fans left thoughtful comments about Dabney's performance as John Dutton, Sr. on the show, with one person writing, "Most touching scene of the whole show when he played that part! He will be greatly missed." </p> <p>Dabney earned his first acting credit in an episode of <em>Naked City</em> in 1961, before he went on to appear in countless TV spots over the course of his career, including <em>The Donna Reed Show</em>, <em>I Dream of Jeannie</em>, <em>Columbo</em>, <em>Law & Order: SVU</em>, <em>Recess The Guardian</em>, <em>Boardwalk Empire</em>, and <em>Ray Donovan</em> before landing his role on <em>Yellowstone</em>. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Caring

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Kevin Bacon returns to Footloose roots for a special cause

<p>Kevin Bacon has taken a step back in time to return to the Utah high school where the 1984 movie <em>Footloose</em> was filmed. </p> <p>Students at Payson High School launched the #BacontoPayson social media campaign several months ago in an attempt to get the Hollywood legend to attend the school's final prom. </p> <p>The high schoolers recreated movie scenes and choreographed videos in the hopes of capturing Bacon's attention, willing him to return to the school before the campus relocates at the end of the school year. </p> <p>The online campaign worked, as the 65-year-old actor returned to Payson on Saturday where he addressed the students and praised their valiant efforts to get him back to the iconic school, but not before striding onto the stage while the iconic song <em>Footloose</em> blared through the grounds. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6CNgyNJOrk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C6CNgyNJOrk/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by SixDegrees.org (@sixdegreesofkb)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"When I first heard about this Bacon to Payson thing, I was like, 'Wow, this is crazy.' But you were all just tireless," Bacon said in his speech on the school's football field on Saturday, according to <em><a title="" href="https://www.abc4.com/news/wasatch-front/kevin-bacon-returns-to-payson-high-on-prom-night-for-40th-anniversary-of-footloose/" target="" rel="">ABC7</a></em>. "You talked me into it."</p> <p>As part of Payson High School's effort to get Bacon back on campus, they pledged to create 5000 essential resource kits to help his <a href="https://www.sixdegrees.org/footloose" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sixdegrees.org</a> foundation, which benefits underserved and under-resourced communities.</p> <p>The organisation has a goal of packing and distributing up to 40,000 kits as part of its "Footloose40" initiative, which marks the 40th anniversary of the film's release. </p> <p>In his speech on Saturday, Bacon thanked the students for "turning what could be just a movie star coming back to get a pat on the back into something really positive."</p> <p>Bacon was awarded with an honorary Payson High School diploma, posed for photos with students and even swung by his locker during his visit during his visit.</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok / Paramount Pictures</em></p>

Movies

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"Kevin Kline and I killed a man in Denmark": John Cleese's startling admission

<p>John Cleese has made a startling admission on his new video series, <em>The Dinosaur Hour</em>, where he hosts intimate chats from a twelfth-century castle.</p> <p>The <em>Monty Python</em> actor claimed that he inadvertently killed someone at a screening of his 1988 comedy film <em>A Fish Called Wanda, </em>which co-starred Kevin Kline and Jamie Lee Curtis. </p> <p>“We killed a man … Kevin Kline and I killed a man in Denmark,” Cleese said, according to the <em>Daily Mail</em>. </p> <p>“He was a dentist, he had a huge laugh. A famous laugh. Very popular. It was in Aarhus, not a big town, but everybody knew him," he added. </p> <p>“And he went to see Wanda and he started laughing about two minutes in and never stopped.</p> <p>“They carried him out dead, he’d had a heart attack.”</p> <p>Cleese is known for his shock factor during TV appearances and interviews. </p> <p>In July, the <em>The Fawlty Towers </em>actor <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/i-don-t-want-to-talk-about-it-john-cleese-shuts-down-waleed-aly" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shut down </a>Waleed Aly's question about the iconic sitcom before poking fun at the <em>The Project</em> star's name. </p> <p>“We can’t let you go without talking about Fawlty Towers – at least I can’t, because I think it’s one of the greatest shows …” the broadcaster began, before Cleese shut him down. </p> <p>“I don’t want to talk about Fawlty Towers,” he said.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Movies

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Kevin Spacey hospitalised

<p>Kevin Spacey's recent health scare made headlines as he was rushed to the hospital during a film festival in Uzbekistan.</p> <p>The 64-year-old<em> House of Cards</em> star was attending the festival when he experienced a frightening moment of numbness in his left arm, lasting approximately eight seconds. Concerns arose that he might have suffered a heart attack, prompting immediate medical attention.</p> <p>Spacey's health incident occurred in the historic city of Samarkand while he was exploring the Afrasiyab Museum. Without delay, he was transported to the Innova Diagnostic Clinic, where he received prompt and professional medical care from the clinic's dedicated staff.</p> <p>Following a series of medical tests, including an MRI, the actor received reassuring news from doctors. Fortunately, it was not a heart attack, and he was given a clean bill of health. With his health concerns behind him, Spacey resumed his participation in the Tashkent International Film Festival.</p> <p>Addressing the festival's audience, the Oscar-winning actor candidly shared details of his unexpected health scare during the closing ceremony. "I was looking at these extraordinary murals on the walls, and I suddenly felt my entire left arm go numb for about eight seconds," he revealed. "I shook it off, but I immediately told the people I was with, and we went immediately to the medical centre."</p> <p>During his afternoon at the clinic, Spacey underwent a battery of tests, all of which yielded reassuring results. Expressing gratitude that the situation was not more severe, he commended the medical expertise available in Samarkand. "Human life is very fragile and short, so everyone should live together and support each other," he urged the audience.</p> <p>In addition to addressing his health scare, Spacey applauded the film festival for being a haven of "peace, progress, and enlightenment". He had hosted a master class at the event the previous day and emphasised the importance of creating an environment conducive to nurturing new ideas.</p> <p>"The workshops that have taken place have allowed professionals to help young aspiring filmmakers learn and grow," Spacey noted. Drawing from his own experiences growing up in similar programs, he recognised the significance of such opportunities. "It's extraordinary that the Central Asian region is coming together, working together, and giving this opportunity to so many people," he stated. "You should be proud of the work that you're doing, and I'm honoured to stand here with you today and support you."</p> <p>Spacey concluded by teasing a self-proclaimed "comeback" and asserting that his "best roles were ahead of him".</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Kevin Costner’s wife files for divorce

<p dir="ltr">Kevin Costner’s wife, Christine Baumgartner, has filed for divorce after 18 years of marriage, citing “irreconcilable differences”, according to <em>TMZ</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The designer filed for divorce on Monday, however an inside source has revealed that Costner reportedly did not want to split from his wife.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It was not anything that he wanted or sought, and if he could change the situation, he would," the insider told <em>People Magazine</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">After the divorce was filed, <em>The Bodyguard</em> actor’s rep shared a statement announcing the split.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action," the statement read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We ask that his, Christine’s and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">According to<em> Page Six</em>, Baumgartner asked for joint custody of their three kids: Cayden, 15, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 12, in her filing.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>The Dances with Wolves </em>actor filed his response on Tuesday, also asking for joint custody of their three children.</p> <p dir="ltr">The couple began dating in 1999 and dated on and off in the early 2000’s before finally tying the knot in September 2004.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p dir="ltr"> </p>

Relationships

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AFL veteran backs $10 million dream home

<p>AFL legend Kevin Sheedy has backed a stunning resort-style property in Melbourne’s southeast.</p> <p>The owners of the breathtaking, resort-style property, Bill and Dianne Hartley built their “dream home” about 15 years ago through Mr Hartley’s commercial building company, and it has everything a family could ask for.</p> <p>The 24-26 Glen Moidart Drive home in Berwick is sure to wow potential buyers with a six-car garage, mod grass tennis court, 1.2 hectares of beautiful gardens and a large pool area modelled by a resort the pair visited in Port Douglas.</p> <p>“This was our dream home, we spent a lot on the tennis court, pool, gardens and interiors,” Mr Hartley said. “Quite easily we could have fit 20 families inside.”</p> <p>Obrien Real Estate Keysborough’s John Rombotis said potential buyers could bump into AFL veteran Kevin Sheedy, who knew the vendors and had become an ambassador for the home where he would attend some of the private inspections.</p> <p>“He’s helping out with the home, and with qualified buyers he’s been out on two occasions,” According to Mr Rombotis.</p> <p>An ex-footy player with Fitzroy, Port Adelaide and Richmond, Mr Rombotis said his mentor was the latest in a succession of footy icons to help vendors from some of Melbourne’s most elite addresses to connect with a new owner.</p> <p>Recently, champion for North Melbourne Wayne Carry was seen in videos and had attended the auction of 1301/188 Macaulay Rd, North Melbourne, with Mr Rombotis paying thanks to King's involvement in reference to the conclusion of the auction.</p> <p>The estate is decked out with a tiled foyer and a bronze statue water feature which sits behind a Jarrah hardwood and ironwork staircase.</p> <p>It also included a private external entrance, making it a perfect home for those working from home. The ground floor has multiple family living and dining rooms, and the main bedroom features a walk-in-robe, a separate dressing room, and two ensuites, one with a spa bath and a vanity table.</p> <p>The home also includes a large entertaining wing with a pool room, built-in barbecue, bar, gym and sauna, all looking out onto the beautiful, manicured gardens and pool area.</p> <p>The second floor is ideal for a teenage retreat, with four bedrooms, all accompanied by an ensuite and two with a shared balcony, a terrace, a rumpus room, and a home theatre room.</p> <p>The resort-style home also includes a cellar beneath the ground floor, while Mr Hartley has also built a two-bedroom cottage as a guest house above the garage. The separated cottage comes with a small kitchen, a dining area, a bathroom and a balcony.</p> <p>“That was going to be a carer’s cottage if we got too old,” Mr Hartley said.</p> <p>The couple have decided to renovate a smaller home in Sandhurst where they plan to live after the sale is concluded.</p> <p>“We’re on the north side of Berwick and on this side it’s more acreage type properties, you’ve got virtually no neighbours but you’re only two minutes away from town,” Mr Hartley continued.</p> <p>“It’s been a really good house, it’s a very sad thought to be leaving it but it’s too big for us now.”</p> <p>OBrien Keysborough corporate director Darren Hutchins mentioned that while the garage had space for six cars, there was likely enough room to fit up to 15 cars if the driveway leading up to it was taken into consideration.</p> <p>“They’ve spared no expense, the house quality wise is absolutely stunning,” Mr Hutchins said. “Ideally it’s a house that would suit a family, maybe even a couple of families … but you wouldn’t need to go on holidays as you’d have your own private resort.”</p> <p>The price guide for the 24-26 Glen Moidart property has an eyewatering price tag of $9.7m-$10.5m and is only available for inspection via private appointments.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Realestate.com.au</em></p>

Real Estate

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Kevin Spacey found not guilty of battery

<p dir="ltr"><em>Content warning: This article mentions child sexual abuse (CSA).</em></p> <p dir="ltr">A New York jury has found that Kevin Spacey isn’t liable for battery in a sexual abuse lawsuit brought against him by actor Anthony Rapp.</p> <p dir="ltr">The civil suit related to allegations from 1986, where Spacey allegedly picked Rapp up and briefly laid on top of him in a bed after a party.</p> <p dir="ltr">After deliberating for about an hour, the jury concluded that Rapp didn’t prove that Spacey “touched a sexual or intimate part” of him and the judge dismissed the case.</p> <p dir="ltr">Rapp, who was 14 at the time of the alleged incident, first publicly accused Spacey of sexual abuse in 2017.</p> <p dir="ltr">He alleged that Spacey, then 26, invited Rapp over to his home in Manhattan, where Spacey picked Rapp up, laid him down on a bed, grabbed his buttocks and pressed his groin into his hip.</p> <p dir="ltr">Rapp sued Spacy for $US 40 million ($AU 63 million) in damages, and his claim of assault was dismissed by the judge before the trial started.</p> <p dir="ltr">The actor’s claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress was also dismissed after Rapp’s attorneys rested his case, meaning the jury only had to decide whether Spacey is ‘liable’ to damages for the claim of battery.</p> <p dir="ltr">Under New York law, battery is defined as touching another person without their consent and in a way that a reasonable person would find offensive.</p> <p dir="ltr">Rapp’s attorney Richard Steigman suggested in his closing statement that Spacey twisted his testimony during the trial to suit his defence, noting that Spacey apologised to Rapp when he first made the allegations.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Don't listen to what I said in real time. I'm defending a lawsuit now. Listen to me now. I've got it straightened out," Steigman said, mocking Spacey’s testimony that he regrets giving the statement in 2017 and was coerced by publicists to do it.</p> <p dir="ltr">Steigman also said Spacey’s testimony was rehearsed in comparison to Rapp’s and dismissed claims that Rapp came forward to out Spacey as gay.</p> <p dir="ltr">"When you're rehearsed, and a world class actor and you're following the script and following the testimony of someone else, you can take that stand and be perfectly polished," Steigman said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"When you're merely coming to court coming forward and telling the truth of your experience, especially one like this that's a little bit complicated."</p> <p dir="ltr">"The point of the story is not that Kevin Spacey is gay. It's that he sexually abused him when he was 14. That's what he's sharing with people, he's sharing his experience - nothing more, nothing less. Where's the proof that he said to any media outlet, you know, Kevin Spacey is gay, you really should run with this?"</p> <p dir="ltr">Jennifer Keller, Spacey’s attorney, said in her closing statement that Rapp “hitched his wagon” to the #MeToo movement when he came forward.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This isn't a team sport where you're either on the Me Too side, or you're on the other side," Keller told the jury.</p> <p dir="ltr">"This is a very different place. Our system requires evidence, proof, objective support for accusations provided to an impartial jury. However polarised as society may be today, it really should not have a place here."</p> <p dir="ltr">She also suggested that Rapp’s allegations were false and details taken from a scene from Broadway show Precious Sons, which Rapp performed with Ed Harris in 1986 at the time of the alleged incident.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We're here because Mr. Rapp has falsely alleged abuse that never occurred at a party that was never held in a room that did not exist," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Keller concluded her remarks by asking the jury not to compromise their judgement by finding Spacey liable but only awarding Rapp a single dollar in damages.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You're here to be judges of the facts. Did it happen? It didn't happen. One penny is too much for something that did not happen,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And for Mr. Spacey this is not about the money. For Mr. Spacey, this is about the truth that day and he was falsely accused.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-70f1c0e0-7fff-c076-c863-5ae18e13d7f1"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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Kevin Spacey speaks after fresh sex offence charges

<p>Kevin Spacey has finally broken his silence after being charged with four counts of sexual assault.</p> <p>There had been suggestions he could have been extradited from the US to the UK if he didn’t willingly appear in a London court, however in a statement given to US television program Good Morning America, the two-time Oscar winner said he would “voluntarily appear” in the UK to face the charges.</p> <p>Spacey said he was “confident” he could prove his innocence, after being charged on May 26 with four counts of sexual assault, as well as a charge of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.</p> <p>All of the counts are alleged to have happened between 2005 and 2013.</p> <p>Four of the alleged offences are said to have taken place in London, while the other is alleged to have happened in Gloucestershire, in the south-west of England.</p> <p>Police opened an investigation into Spacey’s alleged crimes in 2017 and he was interviewed under caution by the police in 2019.</p> <p>In the statement to Good Morning America, Spacey said he “appreciated” that the CPS has pointed out he was entitled to a fair trial.</p> <p>“While I am disappointed with their decision to move forward, I will voluntarily appear in the UK as soon as can be arranged and defend myself against these charges, which I am confident will prove my innocence.” he said.</p> <p>The alleged offences date from when Spacey was artistic director of London’s Old Vic Theatre, in the city’s south, between 2004 and 2015.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

News

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Kevin Spacey charged with four counts of sexual assault

<p>Kevin Spacey has been charged with four counts of sexual assault.</p> <p>The former Hollywood megastar, 62, was charged by London’s Metropolitan Police and is due to appear in court. All of the counts are alleged to have happened between 2005 and 2013.</p> <p>Four of the alleged offences are said to have taken place in London, while the other is alleged to have happened in Gloucestershire, in the south-west of England.</p> <p>Robert Ainslie, head of the UK Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) special crime division, said: “The CPS has authorised criminal charges against Kevin Spacey, 62, for four counts of sexual assault against three men.</p> <p>“He has also been charged with causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent. The charges follow a review of the evidence gathered by the Metropolitan Police in its investigation.</p> <p>“The Crown Prosecution Service reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr Spacey are active and that he has the right to a fair trial.”</p> <p>Police opened an investigation into the House of Cards star in 2017, following this Spacey was interviewed under caution by the police in 2019.</p> <p>His House of Cards character, Frank Underwood, had to be killed off after he was booted from the series as allegations emerged. Shortly after Spacey was ordered to pay the studio that created the show $US43.7million ($A61.62m) last year over breach of contract following sexual harassment claims.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Legal

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Man sues company for celebrating his birthday

<p dir="ltr">A man has been awarded $US450,000 ($A611,000) after his colleagues threw a birthday party, despite him asking not to due to his anxiety disorder.</p> <p dir="ltr">Kevin Berling was working as a lab technician at Gravity Diagnostics in Kentucky when his fellow employees threw a celebration for his birthday on August 7, 2019.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 29-year-old suffered a panic attack following the celebrations and was eventually fired from his job. </p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Berling then filed a compensation lawsuit, seeking damages and compensation for lost income.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Managers started giving him a hard time for his response to the birthday celebrations,” his lawyer Tony Bucher told local TV news outlet WKRC.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They actually accused him of stealing his co-workers’ joy.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Berling specifically told his boss in 2018 that he did not want any celebrations for his birthday at work due to his anxiety. </p> <p dir="ltr">His employer claims to have “forgot” about the request which resulted in a panic attack on that fateful day in 2019.</p> <p dir="ltr">It took Mr Berling almost an hour to recover from the awful ordeal in his car, which was then questioned the following day.</p> <p dir="ltr">Following the interrogation, Mr Berling suffered another panic attack. </p> <p dir="ltr">A week later, he was fired from his job with his manager being “worried about him being angry and possibly becoming violent”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Berling was awarded a $US450,000 ($A611,000) judgment against the company by a unanimous jury.</p> <p dir="ltr">The settlement included $US120,000 ($A163,000) in lost wages and benefits, $US30,000 ($A40,000) in future wages, and $US300,000 ($A408,000) for “past, present and future mental pain and suffering, mental anguish, embarrassment, humiliation, mortification, and loss of self-esteem”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Kevin Rudd sounds alarm over Chinese invasion

<p dir="ltr">Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has spoken out about the chance of Taiwan being invaded by China and detailed several ways Australia can avoid “sleepwalking into war”, as reported by <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/military/former-pm-kevin-rudds-chilling-china-warning/news-story/feadbf7e68e90a4c3789a59802eb59af" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Appearing on ABC’s <em>7.30 </em>on Wednesday night, Mr Rudd said few in the West realised how much Chinese leader Xi Jinping wanted to gain control of Taiwan.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s right up there next to Xi Jinping’s desire for the party to remain in power and for him to be the predominant leader within the Communist Party of China,” he said.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-374d4e77-7fff-21ab-e2d0-138f8ec508ae"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Rudd said there were only two things preventing China from invading Taiwan: questions of militaristic dominance and the risk of being slapped with similar sanctions to Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMrKRudd%2Fvideos%2F804940963809595%2F&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="429" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">“There has been a little too much excited commentary in the West about how China will seize on this strategic opportunity to move on Taiwan. I don’t think that’s the case,” Mr Rudd said.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, the former PM did note that the dynamic could shift if the balance of both military and economic power “continues to change in China’s favour”.</p> <p dir="ltr">He added that an invasion of Taiwan would likely be amphibious, unlike Russia’s land-based “blitzkrieg” invasion of Ukraine, and that war game modelling conducted by the US suggests that China would come out on top by just a thin margin.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In most of the war gaming which has been done so far - and these are desktop exercises by and large - if you look at what various US officials have said off the record and partly reported in the American media, the Chinese at this stage win most of the time,” Mr Rudd said.</p> <p dir="ltr">He said recent events meant the situation was being watched very closely by all parties, and that a potential invasion would depend on what the Taiwanese and US does next.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Taiwanese, for the first time in a very long time, I think, are now readdressing their national defence idea needs and I think they will be looking very carefully at the fight which the Ukrainians have put up against Russia,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I think it really does depend … on how much more the Taiwanese and the Americans do.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Rudd said Australia’s role should be to encourage the US and other allies towards deterring any invasion, and that working with allies in Japan, South Korea and India was crucial to avoid “sleepwalking into war”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-5e2d1395-7fff-51cf-8223-dca3ce5c7818"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Kevin Rudd (Facebook)</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Donations POUR in for man wrongly convicted for murder

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After US man Kevin Strickland </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/no-compensation-after-43-years-of-wrongful-imprisonment" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">was released</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> from jail 43 years after his wrongful conviction in a triple murder, a flood of donations have swept in to help him rebuild his life.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-kevin-strickland-after-wrongful-conviction" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">fundraiser</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> set up for him in June had received over $USD 400,000 ($AUD 560,000) at the time of his release, and donations keep coming.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many supporters were outraged that the 62-year-old wouldn’t receive any compensation for his time in prison from the state of Missouri.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Today, Kevin Strickland is finally home, 43 years after being ripped away from his life and family. It took not just a village, but a movement--all of you-- to bring him home.</p> — Tricia Rojo Bushnell (@tcita) <a href="https://twitter.com/tcita/status/1463362164920623104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Because he wasn’t exonerated through the use of DNA evidence, Mr Strickland doesn’t qualify for wrongful imprisonment payments.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Within three days of his release, donors had contributed another $600,000 to his fundraiser, totalling $USD 1.016 million ($AUD 1.42 million) .</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The organisers thanked donors on Tuesday, confirming that all the money raised would be received by Mr Strickland.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Thank you all for your support! All funds go directly to Mr Strickland, who the state of Missouri won’t provide a dime to for the 43 years they stole from him,” they wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Strickland has maintained his innocence since he was sentenced to 50 years in prison in 1979. He has said that he was at home watching television at the time of the three deaths, which happened when he was 18 years old.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The fundraiser, set up by the Midwest Innocence Project, has been collecting donations for Mr Strickland since June, when the organisation began campaigning for his release.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They have said he would need help paying for basic living costs once he was free.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I can’t begin to say all the things I am thankful for,” Mr Strickland </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/travel/americas/almost-us1-million-raised-for-man-wrongly-convicted-of-1979-triple-homicide-c-4711022" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> as he left prison.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: GoFundMe</span></em></p>

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No compensation after 43 years of wrongful imprisonment

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">US man has been freed after being imprisoned for more than four decades over crimes he didn’t commit.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kevin Strickland was convicted of one count of first-degree murder and two counts of second degree murder in relation to a triple homicide in 1978.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The then 18-year-old was accused of killing Larry Ingram, 21, John Walker, 20, and Sherrie Black 22, at a home in Kansas City. He maintains that he was at home watching television at the time of the murders.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He received a 50-year life sentence with no parole as an eighteen-year-old, and has always maintained that he wasn’t involved.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m still in disbelief,” the 62-year-old </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/sunrise/on-the-show/man-walks-free-after-spending-four-decades-behind-bars-for-crime-he-didnt-commit-c-4692536" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> moments after his release on Wednesday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Thank you (to the judge) for reviewing all the no evidence against me to begin with. I really appreciate him taking his time to listen and understand what really happened in 1978 and how I was an easy mark and the police took advantage of me.”</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845887/kevin-strickland1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/273081ddd4ee44d68dcb6e42f689fdbc" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kevin Strickland was the first witness to testify at the hearing that secured his freedom. Image: KCTV5</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Strickland learned of the court’s decision to free him from prison while watching a soap opera, when the news scrolled across the television screen. He said fellow inmates began screaming.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m not necessarily angry. It’s a lot. I think I’ve created emotions that you all don’t know about just yet,” he told reporters while leaving the Western Missouri prison.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Joy, sorrow, fear. I am trying to figure out how to put them together.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All of Mr Strickland’s charges were dismissed after his legal team presented evidence to exonerate him.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During the proceedings, family members of the sole surviving witness, Cynthia Douglas, said she was pressured by police to name Strickland as one of the men she saw on the night of the murders.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cynthia passed away in 2015, but her mother and daughter appeared before the court to testify.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We were talking, she said, ‘Mother, I picked the wrong guy. The officer told me that was the guy,” </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.kctv5.com/news/local_news/kevin-strickland-first-to-testify-at-long-awaited-hearing/article_5ecc3214-40f1-11ec-b53b-1f9e37137c18.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Senoria Douglas, Cyntha’s mother.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845888/kevin-strickland2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/46cf4c1eccd248cab801dbdad9f03e58" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cyntha Douglas’ mother, Seroria, spoke about how her daughter told her she ‘picked the wrong guy’. Image: KCTV5</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sherrie Jordan, Cynthia’s daughter, said: “She started saying (that) Kevin Strickland was the wrong guy. And she was trying to get him out, by going through the right procedures.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Judge James Welsh, a retired court of appeals judge, made the ruling to free Mr Strickland after a Jackson county prosecutor requested an evidentiary hearing, saying evidence used to convict him had since been recanted or disproven.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Under these unique circumstances, the Court’s confidence in Strickland’s convictions is so undermined that it cannot stand, and the judgement of conviction must be set aside,” Welsh </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/nov/24/kevin-strickland-freed-42-years-wrongful-conviction" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">wrote</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> when ordering Mr Strickland’s immediate release.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since securing his freedom, one of the first things Mr Strickland did was visit his mother’s grave.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“That was the first step. I didn’t have a chance to visit her in the last years … I revisited those tears that I did when they told me I was guilty of a crime I didn’t commit,” he told </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2021/11/24/kevin-strickland-prison-release-newday-vpx.cnn" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">CNN</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> on Wednesday.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, Mr Strickland will not receive any compensation from the State of Missouri for his time spent in prison, and a </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-kevin-strickland-after-wrongful-conviction" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">GoFundMe</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> set up to help him restart his life has received more than $400,000 in donations.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Midwest Innocence Project</span></em></p>

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Kevin Bacon shares playful insight into his laundry

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kevin Bacon made an interesting discovery about his wife Kyra Sedgwick while doing their laundry and took to social media to share it with fans.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 63-year-old shared a photo on Instagram of a lacy G-string belonging to his wife, which has been monogrammed with a cheeky message.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Sometimes doing laundry can be full of surprises,” the actor captioned the photo, with the underwear showing the words “I [heart] KB” bejewelled in rhinestones.</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/CUAu6WRpP--/?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/CUAu6WRpP--/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Kevin Bacon (@kevinbacon)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sedgwick playfully responded in the comments, writing: “Thanks for airing my dirty laundry </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">😉❤️”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fans reacted with their own jokes and comments, with many noticing Bacon’s face reflected in the washing machine dial.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I have that same pair,” one person joked.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another asked, “where do I get these”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The pair recently celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary, with the Footloose star sharing a sweet post on Instagram to mark the occasion.</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/CTaPu97JdAa/?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/CTaPu97JdAa/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Kevin Bacon (@kevinbacon)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Here’s to dancing through life with you @kyrasedgwickofficial,” he wrote alongside a black and white photo.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Happy anniversary. You are the reason.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bacon and Sedgwick married in 1988 and share two children: 28-year-old actress Sosie and 31-year-old musician Travis.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: kevinbacon / Instagram</span></em></p>

Relationships

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Kevin Rudd disputes story he wanted to assault diplomat

<p>Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has denied an allegation that he had to be stopped from punching a Chinese negotiator during a failed climate change summit.</p> <p>The claims were made by British PM Gordon Brown in an article that references the failed 2009 Copenhagen Climate Change summit.</p> <p>“I look back on the Copenhagen climate change summit in 2009, when the UK and Europe’s enthusiasm for a deal failed to overcome both the reluctance of the US to make legally binding commitments, and the deep suspicion of China, India and the emerging economies of any obligations that they believed might threaten their development,” he wrote.</p> <p>‘So determined were they to avoid binding commitments that they rejected Europe’s offer to unilaterally bind itself to a 50% cut in its emissions.</p> <p>“So bitter were the divisions that the Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd, who bravely stood out for an ambitious deal, had to be physically restrained from punching the Chinese negotiator.”</p> <p>Rudd quickly denied the claims, while getting a jab in at Tony Abbott.</p> <p>“No. It didn’t happen,” he said.</p> <p>“I’ve always made a point of leaving the shirtfronting to Tony Abbott.</p> <p>“The bottom line is that I was vigorously prosecuting Australia’s climate interests at a time when China was aggressively resisting. I make no apologies for doing so.”</p> <p>It's not the first time Rudd has been known to lose his temper, as a 2012 video was leaked of Rudd swearing about a script in Mandarin.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DeF41_coSX8"></iframe></div> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>“You can tell these d***heads in the embassy to just give me simple sentences. I’ve said this before,” Mr Rudd says.</p> <p>“Tell that bloody interpreter. This f***ing language just complicates it so much, you know. How can anyone do this.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

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Kevin Rudd caught up in Epstein donation scandal

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been forced to address revelations that his think tank received $US650,000 in donations from sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.</p> <p>Epstein donated to the INternational Peace Institution, where Rudd is the chairman.</p> <p>Rudd has said he was "blindsided" by the information and also said that the "revelations were deeply disturbing".</p> <p>He has also convened a special meeting of the organisation's board to "ensure an equivalent sum was donated to sex assault victims".</p> <p>However, Rudd has insisted he had no dealings with Epstein.</p> <p>“I have no recollection whatsoever of ever meeting Epstein,” he said</p> <p>“I first learned of contributions from Epstein’s foundations to the IPI in November 2019 through reporting by the Norwegian press.”</p> <p>“Subsequent searches by IPI staff, made at the request of the Board, have identified donations totalling $650,000 that were received between October 2011 and May 2019.”</p> <p>“The source of these donations had not previously been disclosed to the board, nor to me as chair.”</p> <p>The story was broken by Norweigian business paper <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dn.no/politikk/jeffrey-epstein/kevin-rudd/international-peace-institute/think-tank-board-chair-kevin-rudd-breaks-silence-on-jeffrey-epstein-connections-i-am-deeply-disappointed/2-1-901840" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink"><em>DN</em></a>, who also revealed that the International Peace Insitute President, Norwegian diplomat Terj Rod-Larsen had a personal loan with Epstein to the sum of $US130,000.</p> <p>Rudd confirmed he was not aware of the loan and that “any significant engagement with someone as odious as Epstein must be taken ­seriously and investigated thoroughly.”</p> <p>The former PM added that he was “deeply disappointed that the board has had to learn about so much of this through the media.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

Money & Banking

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Kevin Rudd slams university for “bending the knee” to China

<p>Kevin Rudd has accused the University of Queensland of “bending the knee” to China after a student was suspended over his campus activism against the Chinese government.</p> <p>Last week, the university handed student activist Drew Pavlou a two-year suspension after he was alleged to have breached UQ’s student charter and integrity and harassment policies.</p> <p>The allegations, outlined in a confidential 186-page document, were reportedly linked to his on-campus activism supporting Hong Kong and criticising the Chinese Communist Party.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Expelled yesterday, out the front of the Chinese consulate today. I’m with my Hong Konger and Tibetan brothers and sisters forever <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FreeHongKong?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FreeHongKong</a> <a href="https://t.co/hhN18ejOgg">pic.twitter.com/hhN18ejOgg</a></p> — Drew Pavlou 柏乐志 (@DrewPavlou) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrewPavlou/status/1266609366599229440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>The 20-year-old philosophy student also organised a rally at the university’s Brisbane campus that ended in a physical <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/jul/24/china-hong-kong-students-clash-university-queensland">clash between pro-Hong Kong and pro-China students</a> in July last year.</p> <p>Rudd said he was becoming “increasingly concerned” at Chancellor Peter Varghese’s “mismanagement” of the Pavlou case.</p> <p>“Varghese has allowed this case to escalate into a major debate around the world as to whether the university stands for academic freedom or not. It should have been nipped in the bud much earlier,” the former prime minister told <em><a href="https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/kevin-rudd-accuses-uq-of-appearing-to-bend-the-knee-to-beijing/ar-BB14Vi61?li=AAgfYrC">Brisbane Times</a></em>.</p> <p>“Varghese has boasted he has the experience to handle the complexity of the university’s China relationship given his background as a senior Australian diplomat.</p> <p>“Instead, the university is now seen around Australia and the world as bending the knee to Beijing, rather than just dealing with a badly behaved undergraduate.</p> <p>“It’s time for Varghese to act now to restore Drew Pavlou’s right to complete his degree –  while requiring Pavlou to adhere to the same social media protocols as the rest of us.”</p> <p>Rudd said although Pavlou had been a regular critic of his, UQ’s response to the student’s case was “excessive”.</p> <p>“Effectively terminating a young man’s academic career is completely disproportionate,” he said.</p> <p>“Drew Pavlou is hardly the first brash young activist to protest against their university.”</p> <p>In a statement, Varghese said he was concerned about the “severity of the penalty” against Pavlou and would discuss the issue in a meeting with UQ’s senate this week.</p> <p>UQ has faced scrutiny for its ties with the Chinese government, which has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/may/29/university-of-queensland-student-suspended-for-two-years-after-speaking-out-on-china-ties">co-funded four courses</a> offered at the university.</p> <p>About 20 per cent of UQ’s revenue comes from Chinese students, the <em><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-02/anti-china-uq-student-drew-pavlou-lawyer-claims-fabrication/12307518">ABC</a> </em>reported.</p> <p>A petition in support of Pavlou has been signed by nearly 40,000 people.</p>

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Kevin Rudd warns of return of the “yellow peril”

<p><span>Kevin Rudd has warned of a “return to the days of the yellow peril”, and slammed the Coalition’s management of the relationship with China as self-serving.</span></p> <p><span>Speaking in Canberra on Tuesday, the former prime minister blasted the Abbott and Turnbull governments for using a hard-line approach on the Chinese government.</span></p> <p><span>Rudd said Malcolm Turnbull’s 2017 speech declaring that Australia will “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/dec/09/china-says-turnbulls-remarks-have-poisoned-the-atmosphere-of-relations">stand up</a>” against Chinese interference was actually motivated by domestic and internal politics, at a time when Turnbull’s leadership was under threat.</span></p> <p><span>“Managing the China relationship has always been difficult, it was difficult when I was prime minister, so it is for prime minister Morrison today,” Rudd said. </span></p> <p><span>He said while there should be vigilance against threats to Australia’s democracy, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/nov/26/kevin-rudd-lashes-coalition-over-increasingly-strained-relationship-with-china">it should not translate into racial profiling</a>.</span></p> <p><span>“I will be the first to the barricades if the most recent national security legislation becomes a political vehicle for Hansonism and a return to the days of the yellow peril,” he said.</span></p> <p><span>Rudd also slammed Abbott’s cutting of the foreign aid program towards the South Pacific, saying it would allow China to expand its influence in the region.</span></p> <p><span>“Abbott also collapsed Australia’s aid effort into the South Pacific, virtually cutting it in half from our period in office, and in doing so the Liberal government opened the door to the region for China,” Rudd said.</span></p> <p><span>“This was an utterly reckless act with long-term national security consequences for Australia.”</span></p> <p><span>On the same day, Rudd told ABC’s <em><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/7.30/kevin-rudd-discusses-australias-relationship-with/11740904">7.30</a> </em>that while Australia should not be “naïve” about China’s interests in relation to Australia, he favoured a “balanced” approach.</span></p> <p><span>When asked about <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/international-travel/insidious-former-asio-boss-warns-about-china-s-interference-in-australia">warnings from former ASIO chief Duncan Lewis</a>, Rudd said it was “kind of crazy to overreact and to get into reds under the bed land, to get into yellow peril land”.</span></p> <p><span>The former politician said while Labor supported the foreign interference legislation, it “should not result in some sort of anti-Chinese domestic political witch-hunt”.</span></p>

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Kevin the Kookaburra's killer receives maximum penalty

<p>The man who tore the head off a kookaburra at a Perth pub has been fined the maximum penalty of $2,500.</p> <p>WA Police and RSPCA WA began an investigation following accounts from patrons at the Parkerville Tavern, who said they witnessed Daniel Welfare rip the head off Kevin the kookaburra after the bird took food from his plate.</p> <p>The $2,500 fine is the maximum penalty for the offence of “unlawful take of fauna”.</p> <p>According to the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Welfare was the first person to be fined the maximum amount for the offence since new laws came into force on January 1.</p> <p>“Even though kookaburras are not native to Western Australia, they are classified as fauna under the Act, which means people must not take or disturb them without lawful authority,” a spokesperson said.</p> <p>The kookaburra had been well-known to pub staff and regulars prior to the attack, with a notice featuring a photo of Kevin on display at the tavern.</p> <p>“Meet one of the locals (he’s still out there). He has a love for the Parky Steak Sandwich and fish. He is loathed to buy his own and whenever possible, will sneak up and steal yours,” the sign warns.</p> <p>“Please be mindful of your precious steak sandwich and meals in the garden and in the meantime, we shall continue our negotiations with this chap in the hope that he learns some table manners.”</p> <p>A customer told <em><a href="https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/wildlife/kookaburras-head-ripped-off-in-barbaric-attack-at-parkerville-tavern-ng-b881364437z">PerthNow</a> </em>that Welfare “grabbed” Kevin after the bird flew down onto his plate.</p> <p>“I went ‘Oh my god, he’s got him’ and then he sort of just hesitated for a moment, like seconds, and then put his hands under the table and just ripped his head off,” the customer said.</p> <p>“The thing that got me is he just threw the bird on the floor, he just ditched it.”</p> <p>Investigations with the RSPCA and the Department of Primary Industries and Development are still ongoing.</p>

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