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99-year-old woman declared accessory to over 10,000 murders

<p>A court in Germany has upheld the conviction of a 99-year-old woman who, during the Second World War, was the secretary to the SS commander at a Nazi concentration camp. </p> <p>The Federal Justice Court on Tuesday rejected the appeal of Irmgard Furchner, who was convicted of being an accessory to more than 10,000 murders and was given a two-year suspended sentence in December 2022. </p> <p>Furchner was accused of being a key part of the apparatus that helped the camp near Danzig, now the Polish city of Gdansk, function, and was subsequently convicted of being an accessory to murder in 10,505 cases and an accessory to attempted murder in five cases.</p> <p>At a federal court hearing in Leipzig in July, Furchner's lawyers cast doubt on whether she really was an accessory to crimes committed by the commander and other senior camp officials between 1943 and 1945, and on whether she had truly been aware of what was going on at Stutthof.</p> <p>The court said that judges were convinced that Furchner “knew and, through her work as a stenographer in the commandant’s office of the Stutthof concentration camp from June 1st 1943, to April 1st 1945, deliberately supported the fact that 10,505 prisoners were cruelly killed by gassings, by hostile conditions in the camp,” by transportation to the Auschwitz death camp and by being sent on death marches at the end of the war.</p> <p>Germany's main Jewish leader welcomed the ruling. “For Holocaust survivors, it is enormously important for a late form of justice to be attempted,” Josef Schuster, the head of the Central Council of Jews, said in statement.</p> <p>“The legal system sent an important message today: even nearly 80 years after the Holocaust, no line can be drawn under Nazi crimes,” he added.</p> <p>During the original court proceedings, prosecutors said that Furchner’s trial may be the last of its kind, however, a special federal prosecutors’ office in Ludwigsburg tasked with investigating Nazi-era war crimes says three more cases are pending with prosecutors or courts in various parts of Germany.</p> <p>With any suspects now at a very advanced age, questions increasingly arise over suspects’ fitness to stand trial.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Sky News</em></p>

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WHO declares new global health emergency

<p>The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the spread of mpox a global public health emergency, after sounding the alarm following the dramatic rise of cases in Africa. </p> <p>Concerned about the increase in infections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has subsequently spread to at least 10 neighbouring countries, the WHO quickly convened a meeting of experts to study the outbreak.</p> <p>“Today, the emergency committee met and advised me that in its view, the situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a <a href="https://www.who.int/news/item/14-08-2024-who-director-general-declares-mpox-outbreak-a-public-health-emergency-of-international-concern" target="_self">press conference</a> on Wednesday. </p> <p>A PHEIC is the highest level of alarm under the International Health Regulations, which are legally binding in 196 countries.</p> <p>“The detection and rapid spread of a new clade of mpox in eastern DRC, its detection in neighbouring countries that had not previously reported mpox, and the potential for further spread within Africa and beyond is very worrying,” said Dr Tedros.</p> <p>“It’s clear that a coordinated international response is essential to stop these outbreaks and save lives. This is something that should concern us all.”</p> <p>Since January 2022, 38,465 cases and 1456 deaths have been reported in Africa due to mpox, with cases surging 160 per cent and deaths 19 per cent in recent months compared to 2023. </p> <p>Dr Tedros said the more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths reported so far this year in DR Congo had already exceeded last year’s total.</p> <p>“The emergence last year and rapid spread of clade 1b in DRC, which appears to be spreading mainly through sexual networks, and its detection in countries neighbouring DRC is especially concerning,” he said, citing Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda.</p> <p>Maria Van Kerkhove, the WHO’s epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention director, insisted, “We can stop transmission of mpox with a concerted effort.”</p> <p>However, she said experts needed a “much better understanding of the epidemiology” and the transmission patterns of the virus, which would help make sure the limited number of vaccines could be deployed to best effect.</p> <p>Two vaccines for mpox are recommended by WHO immunisation experts.</p> <p>Formerly called monkeypox, the virus was first discovered in humans in 1970 in what is now the DRC.</p> <p>Mpox is an infectious disease caused by a virus transmitted to humans by infected animals but can also be passed from human to human through close physical contact.</p> <p>The disease causes fever, muscular aches and large boil-like skin lesions.</p> <p>A PHEIC has only been declared seven times previously since 2009, over H1N1 swine flu, poliovirus, Ebola, Zika virus, Ebola again, Covid-19 and mpox.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Manuel Romano/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Caring

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Police officially declare woman's lawnmower death "suspicious"

<p>Frances Crawford, 49, was found dead on an Upper Lockyer property in Queensland shortly before 4am on Tuesday, with paramedics initially reporting the incident as a "mower rollover".</p> <p>But on Thursday Queensland police provided an update on the investigation, and are now treating her death as suspicious – with Frances' husband the focus of the investigation. </p> <p>“A 49-year-old woman was located with critical injuries and passed away at the scene,” police said.</p> <p>“Further investigations have led police to deem the death as suspicious and investigations are underway into the circumstances.”</p> <p>Police are still waiting on the results of forensics testing. </p> <p>Crawford was a dedicated psychologist at Quality Life Psychology Services in the Toowoomba suburb of Kearneys Spring. </p> <p>Her colleagues have expressed their shock over her untimely death and paid tribute to their team member. </p> <p>“We remember Frances Crawford as a very skilled psychologist and valued and respected team member in the Quality Life Psychology Services family,” the clinic said in a statement.</p> <p>“Frances was a true professional and was highly regarded by her clients and colleagues.</p> <p>“At this time, we are all still stunned and coming to terms at the news of her untimely demise, and we extend to her immediate and church families our most sincere condolences.</p> <p>“Frances will be sorely missed by all.”</p> <p>Her grieving family also paid tribute in a statement shared on Thursday afternoon. </p> <p>“Frances had a loving heart and she always saw the best in others,” they wrote. </p> <p>“She cared deeply about the people around her and put their needs before her own.”</p> <p>Her family said her “gentle grace and compassionate nature” will be missed by all who knew her, especially her church and work families.</p> <p>“God was at the centre of Frances’ life,” they wrote.</p> <p>“She loved Jesus, and it is a great comfort to her family and friends that she is now at peace in heaven.”</p> <p>“A wonderful wife and mother to three fantastic children, a treasured daughter, sister and niece, a loyal and valued friend, and a professional psychologist whose caring nature and years of training allowed her to look after so many others during their time of need,” they said.</p> <p>“Frances gave fully and freely of herself, a beautiful soul inside and out.</p> <p>“She was a truly special person whose passing is a tragedy and the ripples of which are only just beginning to be felt.”</p> <p><em>Images: Crawford Family/ 7NEWS</em></p>

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Laura Tingle under fire after declaring Australia "a racist country"

<p>One of the ABC's most senior journalists Laura Tingle has caused outrage after declaring Australia is "a racist country". </p> <p>The political reporter made the claims while speaking on a panel at the Sydney Writer's Festival on Sunday at an event hosted by former ABC TV <em>Insiders</em> host and Labor staffer Barrie Cassidy. </p> <p>Her comments were in response to the Opposition Leader Peter Dutton's pledge to slash permanent migration to just 140,000 a year, as well as the ABC's coverage of the war in Gaza. </p> <div> <div>“We are a racist country, let’s face it," she said. We always have been, and it’s very depressing.”</div> </div> <p>“The Opposition Leader has opened the doors to migrants being blamed not just for housing shortages but for all these other problems, too,” she added.</p> <p>On Sunday, Tingle said that after listening to Dutton's pledge, she “had this sudden flash of people turning up to try and rent a property or at an auction and they look a bit different – whatever you define different as – [and] that basically (Dutton) has given them licence to be abused, and in any circumstance where people feel like they’re missing out”.</p> <p>Her comments have prompted outrage among senators, with Indigenous Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price saying she is "really disappointed" by Tingle's comments.</p> <p>“This continued narrative … is being pushed within our country that does not provide any sense of pride for our children,” she said.</p> <p>“It absolutely creates division. We had enough of it during the [Indigenous Voice] referendum and leading journalists, well, supposedly leading journalists, like Laura Tingle should know better than to use that sort of rhetoric.”</p> <p>Price said the comments reflected Tingle’s opinion, rather than being a reflection of the whole country, as she also accused Tingle of political bias against Dutton, saying it reflected poorly on the ABC.</p> <p>“Laura has demonstrated her bias and I think [ABC chair] Kim Williams needs to explain why having someone so blatantly partisan sitting in the top political commentator position is acceptable.”</p> <p>Elsewhere, Albanese government minister Tanya Plibersek also took issue with Tingle’s comments.</p> <p>“I think it’s a fantastic multicultural country but we have to protect against incidents of racism which occur in our community as they do in every community,” Plibersek told Seven’s <em>Sunrise</em> on Monday.</p> <p>Following Tingle's comments, ABC board members have had emergency discussions over their colleague, after the Coalition on Monday demanded the public broadcaster explain Tingle’s weekend claims.</p> <p><em>Image credits: LUKAS COCH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

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Being declared dead when you’re still alive – why these very rare events occur

<p>An 82-year-old woman who was recently pronounced dead at a New York nursing home was later <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2023/02/07/us/new-york-woman-found-alive-funeral-home/index.html">discovered to be alive</a> by funeral home staff. This follows a similar incident in Iowa where a 66-year-old woman with early-onset dementia was declared dead by a nurse, only to be found <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/05/us/iowa-presumed-dead-body-bag-alzheimers.html">gasping for air</a> when funeral home staff unzipped the body bag.</p> <p>Fortunately, these events are very rare. But fear of them is visceral, which might explain an <a href="https://www.usni.org/press/books/naval-ceremonies-customs-and-traditions-6th-edition">old naval custom</a>. When sewing the canvas shroud for a dead sailor, the sailmaker would take the last stitch through the nose of the deceased. Having a sailcloth needle through the nose was presumed to be a potent enough stimulus to wake any sailor who was actually still alive.</p> <p>Confirmation of death these days is thankfully a lot less brutal. </p> <p>An absence of heart and breath sounds over a period of time, the presence of fixed, dilated pupils, and a failure to respond to any stimulus should mean that the person is deceased. All doctors are taught how to do this and all are aware of their duties.</p> <p>Unfortunately, there have been instances where death has been confirmed by this process, yet the patient has shown signs of life afterwards. </p> <p>Over the years, I have seen this happen. One day in a hospital, a colleague pronounced an elderly woman dead, but a short while later, she started breathing again and her pulse was briefly restored. </p> <p>In another unforgettable incident, the medical emergency team was summoned with the words: “Cardiac arrest. Mortuary. This is not a joke!” A woman had taken an overdose of barbiturates prescribed for her epilepsy. She had been seen by a general practitioner who certified that she was dead. </p> <p>But on arrival at the mortuary, one of her legs was seen to be twitching. Excruciating embarrassment all round. And if I recall correctly, she recovered.</p> <p>Failure to perform the confirmation-of-death procedure properly explains some instances of people being incorrectly declared dead. A cursory examination while distracted could easily lead to a failure to hear heart sounds and spot shallow, infrequent breaths. It pays to be thorough. However, some drugs we give patients can make the task harder. </p> <h2>Drugs, toxins and cold water</h2> <p>Sedating drugs are thought in some way to protect the brain from damage and this is made use of in anaesthesia for major surgical procedures, particularly if it is necessary to stop the circulation for a time. </p> <p>Less usefully, and with the potential to cause alarm, an overdose of sedatives reduces responsiveness and depresses the breathing and circulation, leading to the impression of death while protecting the brain from hypoxia (oxygen starvation). Later on, as the drug is cleared from the body, the person may wake up. </p> <p><a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/man-wakes-up-funeral-open-casket-mourners-family-members-watson-franklin-mandujano-doroteo-peru-tingo-maria-a8021851.html">Diazepam</a> (brand name Valium), <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/woman-mistakenly-pronounced-dead-breathing-body-bag-funeral/story?id=96871056">alprazolam</a> (brand name Xanax) have both caused people to mistakenly be declared dead.</p> <p>Certain toxins may have a similar effect. Voodoo practitioners called Bokors apparently <a href="https://sites.duke.edu/ginalisgh323/zombification-process/">administered powders to victims</a> to make them seem dead. These powders reportedly contained small doses of tetrodotoxin from puffer fish to paralyse the victim, who was then presumably abducted before burial and enslaved. Could neurological damage from the “zombification” process account for the popular image of the zombie?</p> <p>Immersion in cold water can also lead to the illusion of death because of its effect on slowing the heart rate. Survival after <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S073646791930424X?casa_token=fWpL51aDu6wAAAAA:Mr0x81LUUog0hT-HSRneimKcRlYW6DHK4nUBODKqOao_L82J8bLIMHszMNwR9qVd69GkuCh8zqsb">considerable periods of time</a> in the water is well documented.</p> <p>In emergency medicine, it has long been taught that a drowned patient is not proven dead until they have been warmed up. Good neurological recovery has been reported after periods of cold water immersion of <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/aor.13818?casa_token=ukJcJCgH-n4AAAAA%3Annr3Tgd4LuJ8Ky-l_1UGB_IxLHuU-odWkM1DKgJEhXw3IYXP8_DrpfNxr2eIL8KJJ3PSRX_JUltjpfsLTg">up to 70 minutes</a></p> <p>Fainting might also deceive the certifying doctor. Activation of the vagus nerve (the longest cranial nerve in the body) occurs during fainting, slowing the heart and reducing blood pressure. </p> <p>This might account for <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/dead-teen-wakes-screaming-inside-6315389">a very sad case</a> reported from Honduras. A pregnant teenager was thought to have died from shock after hearing gunfire in her neighbourhood. She was heard screaming within her tomb a day after her funeral. It is quite possible that she had woken up after a prolonged faint.</p> <p>Many cases seem to originate outside of Europe. Geographical variation in medical confirmation of death procedure may explain this. Perhaps errors arise when people are less likely to be able to afford the costs of a doctor. </p> <p>Whatever the cause, these cases appear in the media because they are sensational and attract lurid attention, but ultimately they are very rare.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/being-declared-dead-when-youre-still-alive-why-these-very-rare-events-occur-199524" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

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Channel 10 declares January 26th a day "not for celebration"

<p>A top boss at Network Ten has told staff they should work on the January 26th public holiday, rather than take the day off. </p> <p>In an email sent by the station's chief content officer, Beverley McGarvey, the day off was not referred to as Australia Day, and was encouraging senior staffers to work on the national day off. </p> <p>Ms McGarvey, who is the executive vice president of Paramount Australia and New Zealand, told staff it was "not a day of celebration". </p> <p>"At Paramount ANZ we aim to create a safe place to work where cultural differences are appreciated, understood and respected," she wrote in the email, The Australian's Media Diary column reported.</p> <p>"For our First Nations people, we as an organisation acknowledge that January 26 is not a day of celebration. We recognise that there has been a turbulent history, particularly around that date and the recognition of that date being Australia Day."</p> <p>Ms McGarvey said staff could choose to work through the national holiday if they didn't feel comfortable celebrating it and could take another day of leave instead.</p> <p>"We recognise that January 26 evokes different emotions for our employees across the business, and we are receptive to employees who do not feel comfortable taking this day as a public holiday," the email read.</p> <p>The network's boss was adamant that those who did wish to celebrate Australia Day "reflect and respect the different perspectives and viewpoints of all Australians".</p> <p>Controversy has surrounded the celebration of Australia Day in recent years, with many calling for the date to be changed in respect of Indigenous Australians, with various councils around the country boycotting the holiday, saying it doesn't align with their views.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Network Ten</em></p>

TV

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Fisherman declared a hero after Tanzanian crash efforts

<p dir="ltr">After a plane crashed in Tanzania’s Lake Victoria on November 6, one fisherman who nearly lost his life trying to save the trapped pilots has spoken about his efforts.</p> <p dir="ltr">The passenger plane was carrying 43 people when the pilots attempted to land at Bukoba airport after encountering problems and enduring bad weather.</p> <p dir="ltr">Majaliwa Jackson, who was officially declared a hero and awarded 1 million Tanzanian shillings ($AU 665), told the <em><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-63540823" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a></em> from hospital of the panic he felt when he saw the passenger plane approaching from the wrong direction before crashing into the lake.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Jackson told the outlet that he rushed to the scene with three other fishermen, helping to open the rear door by smashing it with a rowing oar and allowing passengers seated towards the back of the plane to be rescued.</p> <p dir="ltr">After moving to the front of the plane and diving into the water, Mr Jackson said he and one of the other pilots communicated by making signs through the cockpit window.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He directed me to break the window screen. I emerged from the water and asked airport security, who had arrived, if they have any tools that we can use to smash the screen,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"They gave me an axe, but I was stopped by a man with a public announcement speaker from going down and smashing the screen. He said they were already in communication with the pilots and there was no water leakage in the cockpit.”</p> <p dir="ltr">But, when he dived back in and waved goodbye to the pilot after he was stopped from smashing the screen, the pilot then indicated he wanted to be rescued.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Jackson then attempted to pull the cockpit emergency door off by tying a rope from it to other boats, but he was knocked unconscious when the rope broke and struck him in the face.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The next thing I knew I was here at the hospital,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">In addition to his monetary reward, Mr Jackson was offered a job with the firefighting and rescue brigade, as well as training in rescue operations to sharpen his skills.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pilots were among 19 confirmed fatalities from the crash.</p> <p dir="ltr">Emergency crews used ropes to pull the plane, which had been completely submerged, closer to shore.</p> <p dir="ltr">Airline Precision Air previously said that 26 passengers had been rescued and taken to hospital, but has since said there were only 24 survivors.</p> <p dir="ltr">Kagera police commander William Mwampaghale said that the crash occurred at around 8.50am local time on Sunday.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When the aircraft was about 100m mid-air, it encountered problems and bad weather. It was raining and the plane plunged into the water,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Tanzania’s Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa has said an extensive investigation would be conducted to determine the cause of the crash, and that the government would cover the costs of funerals for the 19 victims.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-03395493-7fff-e56c-87e9-b77dca5d94f1"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

International Travel

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Cats declared an “invasive alien species” in Poland

<p dir="ltr">A scientific institute in Poland has categorised domestic cats as an “invasive alien species”, joining a menagerie of animals on their invasive species list.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Polish Academy of Sciences has deemed the house cat (Felis catus) as an “alien” species as it was domesticated in the Middle East, and “invasive” due to the “negative influence of domestic cats on native biodiversity”, according to a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">Cats join a long list of animals and plants deemed an “invasive alien species” by the institute, including Japanese knotweed, racoons, clearwing moths and mandarin ducks.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Academy states that cats pose “an unpredictable risk to local wildlife”, citing <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989418303196?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a study</a> that shows cats kill 41.1 million mammals and 8.9 million birds each year, eating an additional 583.4 million mammals and 135.7 birds.</p> <p dir="ltr">Wojciech Solarz, a biologist at the state-run institute, told <a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-poland-wildlife-cats-birds-b942a55135832d085375de73c9cc2e23?user_email=d892765ed707c6b27af3429c2e8ec0607119ec5a15758542d760a9bac7b882a8&amp;utm_source=Sailthru&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_campaign=July27_MorningWire&amp;utm_term=Morning%20Wire%20Subscribers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AP</a> that the criteria to be declared an alien invasive species “are 100 percent met by the cat”.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, cat owners and lovers have expressed outrage at the decision, arguing it could incite abuse or mistreatment of cats, with concerned commenters declaring it “simply stupid and harmful” on the Academy’s Facebook page.</p> <p dir="ltr">AP has also reported that some media reports have incorrectly given the impression that the Academy was calling for cats to be euthanized.</p> <p dir="ltr">Solarz told the outlet he hadn’t expected such a response, adding that no other entry on their database of invasive and alien species had resulted in such an emotional response.</p> <p dir="ltr">He suggested that the negative feedback may be due to a misunderstanding that the Academy was implying that people harm their cats.</p> <p dir="ltr">In actuality, the Academy has only recommended that cat owners limit the amount of time their pets spend outdoors during bird breeding season.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-3485969e-7fff-54f6-de1d-11099865d6bb"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Surprise twist in traveller who failed to declare sandwich ingredients

<p dir="ltr">The Aussie<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/traveller-slapped-2-664-fine-for-sandwich" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> traveller who was fined $2,664</a> for bringing in a Subway sandwich and not declaring two ingredients has been given an amazing surprise. </p> <p dir="ltr">Jessica Lee was heading back from Singapore to Perth and purchased a footlong sandwich but only ate half and decided to keep the other for the flight. </p> <p dir="ltr">While on the way back to Australia, Jessica did not eat the sandwich and failed to declare chicken and lettuce when she arrived back in Australia.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 19-year-old was slapped with a hefty $2,664 fine and shared the news on TikTok urging others not to make the same mistake she did. </p> <p dir="ltr">In an update, Jessica announced that she was gifted a $2,664 Subway gift card from the restaurant as well as a box of merchandise. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Subway makes my fine worth every single cent,” Jessica said in the new TikTok video.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Looking at positives over negatives always pays off.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She then proceeded to read the letter the restaurant sent her, thanking her for eating from them.</p> <p dir="ltr">“To say thank you for eating fresh, we’ve uploaded a sub card with $2,664 just for you,” the letter read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We hope this covers all your chicken and lettuce needs.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Love your Subway fans.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Natural disaster declared for NSW

<p dir="ltr">The Australian Government has declared a natural disaster for parts of New South Wales. </p> <p dir="ltr">Torrential rain has continued to batter the state as tens of thousands of residents have evacuated flood prone areas, others have been left stranded waiting to be rescued by the SES, and 21 people are stuck in a cargo ship following an engine failure. </p> <p dir="ltr">The SES said there were 5,300 calls for help, 252 people were rescued overnight and a further 45,000 people have been forced to flee their homes. </p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the rain expecting to ease today, SES Assistant Commissioner Sean Kearns there’s concern for certain areas. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Our biggest concern today is ongoing riverine flooding along the Hawkesbury, Nepean and the Georges rivers, with our focus areas being McGraths Hill, Pitt Town, Woronora, Liverpool and Milperra," he said. </p> <p dir="ltr">A natural disaster has been declared in 23 Local Government Areas which have been left submerged by rising waters.</p> <p dir="ltr">The residents in the 23 LGAs affected by the severe storms and flooding since June 27, will now be eligible for disaster relief payments funded by the NSW government and the Commonwealth.</p> <p dir="ltr">The LGAs include Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Camden, Canterbury Bankstown, Campbelltown, Central Coast, Cessnock, Fairfield, Georges River, Hawkesbury, Hornsby, Kiama, Lithgow, Liverpool, Northern Beaches, Penrith, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Sutherland, The Hills, Wingecarribee, Wollondilly and Wollongong.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We have seen some of these impacted communities being hit by floods for a third and fourth time in 18 months, which is extremely distressing to the residents of these communities,” Minister for Emergency Management, Senator Watt said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Australian and New South Wales governments have worked very cooperatively through this latest flood emergency, to ensure defence and other resources were deployed early and fast.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Similarly, we’re now working hard together to make sure that impacted communities get the financial and other assistance they need as soon as possible.”</p> <p dir="ltr">It comes as a delicate rescue operation continues for bulk carrier ship Portland Bay after it lost power on Monday leaving 21 crew members stranded. </p> <p dir="ltr">The ship then began drifting towards the coast of the Royal National Park, south of Sydney but the crew managed to drop two anchors in the wild 5.5m swells. </p> <p dir="ltr">John Finch, chief operating officer at Port Authority, said the main objective was to move the ship to deeper waters. </p> <p dir="ltr">"The priority is getting this vessel and its crew into safer waters and away from land and the potential of grounding," he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"All tugs have now arrived and connected to the ship so the operation has commenced to raise its anchors and move this ship safely out to sea in a slow and controlled manner.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The conditions make the towage operation quite difficult. In eight-metre swell, the vessel is going to be rising and falling and rolling. That's going to put a lot of stress on the equipment and the tug lines." </p> <p dir="ltr">The port authority has managed to move the ship about 20 nautical miles offshore and out of immediate danger.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: SES/Nine News</em></p>

News

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Pauline Hanson declared Mother of the Year

<p>One Nation senator Pauline Hanson has been declared Mother of the Year, despite not knowing she was nominated for the award. </p> <p>Hanson, who is a mother of four children and a stepdaughter, was chosen by the Christian organisation Family Voice as a “worthy recipient, given her commitment to family and the community and indeed Australia as a member of federal parliament”.</p> <p>The politician ad grandmother of six said she was "very honoured" to receive the award, and said she is looking forward to spending time with her family on Mother's Day after working hard on the campaign trail. </p> <p>“You’re never over being a mother until the day that you die,” she said. “The children may be adults but they come to you for guidance and ­advice and support they need throughout their lives.”</p> <p>Pauline said the award came as a great shock, as the 67-year-old had no idea she was in the running. </p> <p>“I had no idea, I didn’t even know I was nominated,” she said. “Until they contacted my office and said they had this competition and they wanted you to nominate and they told me there was overwhelming support for me."</p> <p>“It’s out of the box. As a politician people look at you for the policies and what you stand so this is something completely different. Very few politicians get awards of this sort outside of their political career. So it’s a great honour.”</p> <p>Last year's winner of the coveted award was Sydney woman Leila Abdallah, who lost three of her children after a drunk and drugged driver hit them on a street in Sydney‘s west.</p> <p>NSW director of Family Voice Australia Greg Bondar said the criteria for nominees was to “exemplify in her life and conduct the power of a mother’s inner strength to deal with the successes and challenges in life”.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

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'My best man declared his love at my wedding - now we're married'

<p>The groom's best man - at his wedding - allegedly 'stole' the bride from the groom.</p> <p>Desiree White, aged 32, divorced her husband to marry her lifelong friend, who happened to be the best man at their wedding, named Bryant. He confessed his undying love for her while toasting her nuptials to his former best-friend.</p> <p>“He said, ‘I remember the first moment I saw Desiree, I loved her. I fell in love with her. I knew she had to be mine. I thought she was the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen in my life,’” Desiree, from Illinois, said of Bryant’s best man’s speech during her 2010 ceremony.</p> <p>“He said, ‘She’s the best person I’ve ever met. I’ve never met anyone like her. Then I found out she already had a boyfriend and I thought I needed to find out a way to get her, but then I met [White’s ex-husband] and we became friends,’” she recalled.</p> <p>The identity of Desiree’s former spouse is unknown, but she and her ex sat side-by-side, slack-jawed, as Bryant poured out his heart in front of them and their 200 wedding guests.</p> <p>“[Bryant] then just said, ‘Love you both — congratulations.’ It ended there,” she added, noting that her ears “turned red” with embarrassment after his admission.</p> <p>After, a wave of awkwardness then overcame the room, she remembered, saying, “Everyone was kind of laughing — and then it got quiet.”</p> <p>And she was admittedly “confused” by Bryant’s confession, most notably due to the staunchly platonic nature of their friendship.</p> <p>“Bryant and I met each other in class at high school,” she said.</p> <p>“I had a boyfriend at the time and, because of that, I really wasn’t going to talk to other people.”</p> <p>After showing him a picture of her then-boyfriend, Bryant immediately recognised the kid as someone who shared the same lunch period as him. The three formed a tight buddies bond shortly thereafter.</p> <p>“Bryant and my ex-husband became best friends and, because they were guys, they did a lot together. They did everything together,” Desiree said, insisting she did not have any romantic feelings for her now-husband during their formative years.</p> <p>“I set Bryant up [on dates with other women] so many times,” she said.</p> <p>“I’ve been on double dates with him and I always tell people I wouldn’t have ever dated the person he was then.</p> <p>“He had a lot of growing up to do. I didn’t really look at him in that way.”</p> <p>Desiree claims to have vividly remembered the look of affection that Bryant wore when he saw her adorned in her dress on the morning of her wedding.</p> <p>“On the wedding day, I walked into the living room, right when I was done getting ready with my wedding dress on and my hair done. Bryant came into my parents’ house and froze and stared at me,” she recounted.</p> <p>“I said, ‘Hey, what’s up?’ He said I looked beautiful. I’d never had a moment of him looking at me like that.”</p> <p>She ended up proceeding on to her wedding and got married. Bryant, in turn, reportedly got drunk and then publicly professed his love for her - but it didn’t stop at his best man’s speech.</p> <p>Later that evening, Desiree shared a dance with him while her new husband danced with her maid of honour. She recalled that while boogying with Bryant, he said, “Why didn’t you ever give me a chance? I would have always taken care of you.”</p> <p>“I asked him what he meant and he said, ‘Nothing. I love you, I love [White’s ex-husband],’ ” she recounted. “Then he got quiet.”</p> <p>Following her big day of festivities, she hoped she’d “misinterpreted” Bryant’s declaration of love and tried sweep it “under the carpet”.</p> <p>“I’m sure it was because he was really drunk and lonely,” she recalled thinking to herself at the time.</p> <p>However, less than a year later, when her marriage began to crumble because her then-husband had adopted “a totally different lifestyle,” Desiree’s relationship with Bryant took a sudden romantic turn.</p> <p>“When [my ex and I] broke up and divorced, I went through a depression and was really secluded myself. I just didn’t want to make an effort for anything,” she said, noting Bryant showered her with emotional support during the separation.</p> <p>“He’d ask me to eat with him or hang out and watch a show. He was trying to be there for me.”</p> <p>Then, to her surprise: “Bryant and I just kissed one day when we were hanging out.”</p> <p>“It was out of nowhere. When he kissed me, I didn’t stop it, then I kissed him back,” she said.</p> <p>Almost immediately, the friends became lovers. And, within a year, she became pregnant with their first son, Sawyer, who’s now 9, and the couple got married in 2012.</p> <p>“[Bryant] said, ‘I always wanted to marry you and this isn’t because of the baby, but let’s start this family right’,” she explained.</p> <p>“We were always friends but when we were together [romantically], it was like nothing was hard to do anymore knowing we had each other.”</p> <p>Now a mother to her and Bryant’s four boys, Desiree said she’s living the dream.</p> <p>“We love being parents. Twenty-year-old Desiree wouldn’t think she could be a mum-of-four kids,” she proclaimed.</p> <p>Desiree first shared her story on TikTok where it quickly went viral, many declaring the story was hard to believe.</p> <p>“This is for real,” she told one commenter. “It’s my real life.”</p>

Relationships

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Groom moved to tears by step-daughter's emotional declaration

<p>A 12-year-old girl has found a way to make her mother's wedding all the more special. </p> <p>Just moments before her mother, Tia, was set to marry her soon-to-be husband Frank, 12-year-old Aryanna stepped onto the altar for a touching declaration. </p> <p>While all the guests knew what Aryanna had in store, the groom was the only one who was in the dark about what the girl was planning. </p> <p>When handing him an envelope, Aryanna said, “I’ve waited 2,555 days for this moment. Frank, will you be my dad?”</p> <p>Tyson teared up after hearing the question, immediately saying yes before embracing Aryanna into a hug.</p> <p>The significance of the 2,555 days is because that's the length of time Aryanna felt Tyson was already her father, having spent that number of days with her mum, Tia. </p> <p>In a video that was shared after the nuptials, the officiant of the ceremony said, “It was always a joke that Aryanna was going to get Frank’s last name before Tia.”</p> <p>Tyson also shared his feelings on the moment in a confessional style video after the wedding, explaining, “When she came up to the altar, I thought I knew what was about to happen and then as she started talking obviously I knew.”</p> <p>“It was an amazing feeling. When she started reading her note and it all clicked, I just pretty much became speechless,” Tyson said, before reflecting on what the future holds.</p> <p>“The most I’m looking forward to is just her being her. Her being the social butterfly and becoming into a woman and who she is and just being herself: a strong, independent woman, is what I love most and just being a successful person.”</p> <p>Tia, Frank and Aryanna are now waiting on a court date to make their new family official. </p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VLqObqwVNPg" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><em>Image credits: NBC</em></p>

Relationships

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Omicron doctor declares no reason for panic

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">One of the first doctors to identify the Omicron variant of COVID-19 has said there is too much “hype” around it and criticised government decisions to close borders and reimpose travel restrictions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dr Angelique Coetzee, the chair of the South African Medical Association was one of the first doctors who suspected that a new kind of coronavirus had emerged.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She has criticised travel restrictions and said they served no purpose as those with the new variant weren’t experiencing severe symptoms.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Looking at the mildness of the symptoms that we are seeing, currently there’s no reason for panicking as we don’t see severely ill patients,” Dr Coetzee </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/coronavirus-omicron-updates-doctor-says-symptoms-mild/78a27c87-9857-45fc-af3d-ae9e6aee41ef"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The hype that’s been created currently out there in the media and worldwide, doesn’t correlate with the clinical picture.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cases of people with the Omicron variant have been recorded in the UK, Germany, Belgium and Italy, as well as Israel, Botswana and Hong Kong.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Two cases were recorded in Australia over the weekend, after genomic testing confirmed that the two international arrivals to Sydney who tested positive to COVID-19 had the new variant.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">They were among 14 people arriving from southern Africa, with the remaining 12 now undertaking 14 days of hotel quarantine.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">About 260 passengers and air crew have been identified as close contacts and directed to isolate.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Around the country, there are fears the new variant could alter reopening plans. In Queensland, businesses have called for the government to stick with the easing of restrictions in mid-December, while Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has said the state won’t return to “square one” in terms of lockdowns and restrictions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has said the state will continue with its current roadmap, with restrictions to ease on December 15.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“At the moment we’re sticking to that (reopening) plan,” he told </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/coronavirus/dominic-perrottet-says-nsw-government-is-sticking-with-plans-to-ease-restrictions-on-december-15-amid-omicron-fears/news-story/1903551bc8855ebff3ee1352a332e85c" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sky News Australia</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think this is just another example COVID is going to be with us for some time and the best thing we can do as a state is keep that vaccination level as high as possible.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The emergence of the Omicron variant comes as the World Health Organisation has called out wealthy countries for hoarding COVID-19 vaccines and administering third doses while other countries struggle to vaccinate their own populations.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As of Sunday, </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2021/11/covid-19-vaccine-rollout-update-28-november-2021.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">86.7 percent</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of Australians over the age of 16 have been fully vaccinated, whereas only about </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-59442129" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">24 percent</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> of South Africa’s population have had both jabs.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

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Perrottet declares lockdowns "a thing of the past"

<p dir="ltr">New NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has declared lockdowns a thing of the past, as residents take full advantage of stay-at-home orders being lifted on ‘Freedom Day’, after 106 days in lockdown, almost 63,000 COVID-19 cases and 431 deaths.</p> <p dir="ltr">This means that cafes, restaurants, gyms, pools, non-essential retail, hairdressers and beauticians are now open to those who are fully vaccinated, and people will be allowed to travel outside their 5km radius or LGA.</p> <p dir="ltr">About the lifting of lockdown restrictions, Perrottet told Sunrise on Monday, “It is a major step and there’s going to be challenges as we go through this period. I think we are the first state in the country that’s got this system in place as we open up, so I just ask everybody to be patient, treat everyone with kindness and respect, you will have a lot of young people pulling beers, serving tables.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There will be challenges here as we work through it, but I think everybody across the state is pretty excited for what’s been a long 100 days.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Perrottet said the ending of lockdown was the result of the “efforts of everyone across NSW”, with the state hitting 70% double-dose vaccinated last week, and 90% single-dose over the weekend.</p> <p>“We set out from the start with vaccination being key to us opening up, and to be on track with everybody making those efforts to get the second dose for the 90 per cent of people who’ve already gone down that path, then I don’t believe we need to go backwards,” Perrottet said.</p> <p>“We followed the federal government’s national plan and that means at times there may be the need for targeted restrictions on certain places, there may be cases with a school or certain local areas that we might need to target some restrictions if case numbers increase at certain times, but in terms of statewide lockdowns I think they will be a thing of the past.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Many are anxious about restrictions easing, including hospitality workers who will be required to check people’s vaccination statuses until December 1st when the same rules will apply regardless of whether someone has been vaccinated or not.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lucy, a 34-year-old bartender,<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/nsw-leads-country-out-of-pandemic-as-lockdown-ends-for-vaccinated-residents-c-4200596" target="_blank">told AAP</a>, “a lot of people are angry about having to get vaccinated and I worry they will try to make a point at the door.” Her workplace is not hiring a security guard to conduct vaccination status checks in order to cut costs after months without trading.</p> <p dir="ltr">Others with concerns include frontline healthcare workers like<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/nsw-paramedic-reacts-to-freedom-day-she-says-scariest-part-of-covid-pandemic-still-to-come-c-4200578" target="_blank">Alex</a>, who started working as a paramedic last month. She told AAP, “This is the scariest part of the pandemic so far. Everyone’s so f***ing terrified, all of us in the southwest.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Look at London - hundreds of people are dying a week and they’re just going about it like there’s no problem. I don’t think Australia is ready for that.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Around<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-11/freedom-day-nsw-economy-life-post-covid-lockdown/100523102" target="_blank">90% of the UK population</a><span> </span>over the age of 16 has received one dose of the vaccine, and about 80% have received both – NSW is expected to reach similar numbers within the next two weeks. Despite this, cases in the UK are currently at over 40,000 per day, largely driven by a spread amongst unvaccinated children. The relatively low rates of hospitalisation and deaths, however, suggest that the vaccine is doing its job.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images</em></p>

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AI declares National Gallery’s Samson and Delilah almost certainly a fake

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A painting previously attributed to Peter Paul Rubens, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Samson and Delilah</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, has long been suspected of not actually being an authentic work by the Baroque artist, and <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/national-gallery-london-rubens-samson-and-delilah-ai-authentication-1234604957/" target="_blank">new research</a> has provided more proof for the claim.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The work, which currently hangs in London’s National Gallery, was recently authenticated using artificial intelligence (AI) by Swiss-based tech company Art Recognition.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The company concluded that the painting has a 91 percent probability of being fake, according to a report in the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Guardian</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Rubens did paint a scene of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Samson and Delilah</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, depicting the moment when Delilah cut Samson’s hair, it disappeared after his death in 1640.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The suspicious painting re-emerged in 1929, when it was attributed to Rubens by Ludwig Bruchard, an expert on the artist.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, following Bruchard’s death it was revealed that he provided certificates of authenticity for money, with 60 works authenticated by him since being identified as fakes.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since the London gallery purchased the work for a then-record of £2.5 million in 1980, several critics have questioned its authenticity.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Euphrosyne Doxiadis is one of said sceptics, who has claimed in several papers that the National Gallery’s painting differed from studies that Ruben made for the work.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The most recent findings using AI technology adds further doubt to the painting’s authenticity.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Art Recognition used a database of fake and authentic Ruben paintings to teach an AI bot to identify minute details found in authentic Rubens works.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Then, the bot analysed the National Gallery’s </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Samson and Delilah</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> by dividing the canvas into a grid and examining it square by square.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We repeated the experiments to be really sure that we were not making a mistake and the result was always the same,” Carina Popovici, the leading scientist behind the analysis, told the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Guardian</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Every patch, every single square, came out as fake, with more than 90 percent probability.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, it is unclear whether the bot takes into account varieties in style that might result from the help of studio assistants.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: National Gallery of London</span></em></p>

Art

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New cluster declared as UK virus strain spreads

<p>Queensland health authorities are pleading with residents who visited a wide-ranging list of venues to come forward for testing as a cluster of the UK variant of coronavirus is declared.</p> <p>Hotel Grand Chancellor, which has been used to house international arrivals was marked as a hotspot for the first time on Wednesday, as experts linked all six cases to the building.</p> <p>Dr Jeanette Young, Queensland Health's chief health officer has announced that anyone who has been at that hotel since December 30 must get tested immediately.</p> <p>She revealed the hotel will no longer be quarantining international arrivals and all 129 quarantined-occupants are being taken to another hotel as a precautionary measure.</p> <p>“The safest thing to do, is to move all the guests out of the hotel to other hotels, immediately,” Dr Young said.</p> <p>“That has now started. So all those 129 remaining people in that hotel will move. they will get tested.</p> <p>“So far it‘s floor seven … and that’s where it has spread.</p> <p>“We can’t work out exactly what happened and we are struggling to see how it got out.</p> <p>“Police are leading the investigation.”</p> <p><strong>Venues:</strong></p> <p><em>Anyone who has been at the following venues at the following times and dates, must get tested even if they are not showing symptoms.</em></p> <ul class="ul1"> <li class="li1"><strong>Hotel Grand Chancellor</strong>, Brisbane City: Any time since December 30</li> <li class="li1"><strong>Woolworths</strong><span> </span>Calamvale North: January 3, 11am-noon</li> <li class="li1"><strong>Bunnings Warehouse</strong>, Acacia Ridge: January 5, 2pm-2.40pm</li> <li class="li1"><strong>Nextra Newsagent</strong>, Sunnybank Hills: January 5, 8am-8.15am</li> <li class="li1"><strong>Coles</strong><span> </span>Sunnybank Hills Shoppingtown: January 5, 7.30am-8am</li> <li class="li1"><strong>Sunnybank Cellars<span> </span></strong>(formerly Lucky Star Bottler), Sunnybank: January 6, 2.05pm-2.15pm</li> </ul> <p>Currently, six people have been diagnosed with the UK strain of coronavirus at Hotel Grand Chancellor, including a cleaner who passed the virus onto her partner.</p> <p>Western Australia is also enforcing strict rules to combat the virus, with the state now making masks mandatory in all of its domestic airports.</p> <p>Those who fail to adhere to the new rule will face an enormous fine of $50,000.</p> <p>Premier Mark McGowan made the announcement yesterday, which applies to everyone over the age of 12.</p> <p>Travellers are permitted to take off their masks while seated, to eat, drink and take medication.</p>

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Radio station apologises for mistakenly declaring death of Queen Elizabeth

<p>A French radio station has deeply apologised for posting an obituary stating that Queen Elizabeth II had died.</p> <p>RFI stressed out royal fans with the news, stating that she had passed away at 94.</p> <p>The obituary had been prepared in draft form so it's ready in the event of the Queen's death, which is a common practice in the media.</p> <p>Other stars who had passed away included Clint Eastwood, 90, Sophia Loren, 86 and Brigitte Bardot, 86.</p> <p>The obituaries were quickly pulled down.</p> <p>It read: "A technical problem has resulted in the publication of numerous obituaries on our French site.</p> <p>"We are working to rectify this serious bug, and we apologise to all concerned as well as those who follow us and put their trust in us."</p> <p>Jessica Phelan, a journalist for Italian news site <em>The Local Italy</em> took a screenshot of the fake obituaries before they were taken down.</p> <p>She shared a photo of the obituaries on Twitter along with the caption: "Solidarity with former colleagues @RFI, which just accidentally published stacks of draft obits for people who are very much not dead—inc Queen Elizabeth, Raul Castro, Brigitte Bardot &amp; more—complete with dates they were last updated &amp; alternative leads if they die of Covid-19."</p> <p>Luckily for royal fans, the Queen is alive and well whilst navigating the coronavirus pandemic.</p> <p>She's currently in lockdown with Prince Philip at Windsor Castle with essential staff after the UK goes into lockdown for a second time.</p>

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