Travel Trouble

Anthony Albanese avoids cyclone namesake

A tropical cyclone heading for North Queensland won't be called 'Anthony' as previously planned to help "avoid any confusion" ahead of the upcoming election. The Bureau of Meteorology shuffled the name to avoid any confusion with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, announcing that next cyclone will be titled "Alfred". Following Tropical Cyclone Zelia in Western Australia, the next name on the list was planned to be the prime minister's first name "Anthony". "When a name matches a prominent person of the time, we reorder to the next name starting with that same letter to avoid any confusion, " a bureau spokesperson said. However, the bureau plans to retain the long tradition of alternating alphabetically with male and female names, and the next cyclone will be titled "Alfred". The name could potentially go to the low-pressure system in the Coral Sea off North Queensland, if it grows to tropical cyclone level over the weekend. The bureau has been christening tropical cyclones in Australia with human names since 1963, with some of the most destructive cyclones in Australian history have been named Tracy, Larry, Ada, Glenda, Mahina and Debbie. Initially, the cyclones were only given female names with the first official names being Audrey and Bessie in 1964, before the bureau broadened its options to include male names in 1975. Authorities decided to name tropical cyclones to raise public awareness of the powerful weather systems and to help the bureau easily communicate information and warnings for those impacted by severe storm systems. Image credits: Today/LUKAS COCH/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial

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"Blatant stupidity" sees P-plater slapped with $3,279 fine

A young P-plater has copped a hefty fine for going more than 70 kilometres over the legal speed limit on a quiet Aussie road. Police said the 19-year-old "decided to put his foot down, harshly accelerating" when he passed police in Guildford West at 11pm on Sunday night. The teenager's car was clocked on radar doing 123 km/h in the signposted 50km/h zone, with his act of "blatant stupidity" costing the teen $3,279. "He provided no reason for his speed, and returned negative results to both alcohol and drug tests," NSW Police said in an online statement. He was issued with two infringement notices for exceeding the speed limit by more than 45km/h and not displaying his P plates, totalling $3,279 worth of fines and 8 demerit points. "His licence was immediately suspended on the spot for 6 months, where he’ll then face a further suspension period due to exceeding his demerit point limit," police said. The vehicle’s registration was also cancelled for three months. Dozens responded to police's post, with one man branding the P-plater's recklessness "brazen stupidity". Image credits: NSW Police

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Incredible footage emerges of plane crashing and flipping upside down

Terrified passengers have recalled the moment they were left "hanging upside down like bats" after a plane crashed and flipped during an icy landing. The Delta Airlines plane was landing at Toronto Pearson Airport during snowy conditions, when the plane touched down and immediately caught fire. Skidding along the runway, the plane then flipped upside down with 80 people onboard before coming to a halt. Video obtained by CNN shows the plane landing hard on the runway, with the plane's rear landing gear buckling upon impact with the snow and erupting into a fireball. <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/DGN-pIIOR-G/?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/DGN-pIIOR-G/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by CNN (@cnn)</a> </div> </blockquote> According to passengers John Nelson and Peter Koukov, the rollover left travellers hanging aloft until they could be freed. "We were upside down hanging like bats," Koukov said. The man was able to unbuckle himself and stand upright on the ceiling of the plane, but some people needed help getting down from their seats. Officials said on Monday 21 people were taken to hospitals with injuries, including a child in good condition. All but two of them had been released from hospital on Tuesday morning. US man Pete Carlson was on board and told CBC News that it was "really amazing" he and his fellow passengers were alive. "Everything just kind of went sideways," Carlson recalled. "One minute you're landing, kind of waiting to see your friends and your people, and the next minute you're physically upside down." Koukov, a professional skier from Colorado, told the New York Times that the flight was completely normal up until the final descent. "The second that the wheels hit the ground, then everything happened," he said. "The next thing I know, we're sideways." "We ended up completely upside-down. I unbuckled pretty fast and kind of lowered myself to the floor, which was the ceiling. People were panicking." Image credits: Instagram

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New Zealand's tourism campaign targeted at Aussies ridiculed

New Zealand's new tourism campaign aimed at getting Aussies to travel across the ditch has been slammed for its simple three-word slogan. New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced the campaign, which cost $500,000, on Sunday, saying, “My message to Australians is it’s time to swap the thongs for the jandals, the Hunter Valley for the Hawke’s Bay and get the bloody hell over here.” The number of Aussies visiting New Zealand have not bounced back to pre-pandemic levels, sitting at 88 per cent of what they were in 2019. While the investment into the campaign was largely welcomed, some people were not thrilled about the slogan that reads, "Everyone must go". Labour’s tourism spokesperson Cushla Tangaere-Manuel told Radio NZ that “it makes New Zealand sound like we’re in a clearance bin at a sale”. “We’ve had the digital nomad announcement, now we’ve got this – and the attitude of anyone, anytime, anywhere, is concerning,” she said. Meanwhile, Green Party tourism spokesperson Celia Wade-Brown quipped: “I think ‘Everyone Must Go’ might refer to the need for toilets in some of our high-tourist spots. I mean, the queues are ridiculous.” Radio listeners also called up the public broadcaster to criticise the campaign and offer their own hilarious ideas to entice Aussies across the pond. “No crocs, no snakes, no killer spiders, no cane toads, no 50C heat, no red dirt – see you soon,” one person suggested. Other Kiwis across social media claim the slogan better describes the exodus of their own residents, after a record number of people – 72,000 – left the country in 2024, according to Stats NZ. “Everyone is going … to Australia,” one person wrote on the PM’s Instagram announcement, while another added, “Everyone is going, you don’t have to say it." “I think our Aussie mates are getting enough of a Kiwi experience in their own neighbourhood, hiring our nurses, teachers, police, engineers and doctors,” wrote a third. Image credits: NZ Tourism

Travel Trouble

Insane moment a whale briefly swallows kayaker

A huge humpback whale has briefly swallowed an unsuspecting kayaker and then spat him out off the coast of southern Chile. Luckily, the kayaker, Adrian Simancas came out unscathed despite being fully enclosed inside the whale's mouth for a few seconds. Adrian and his father Dell were kayaking in the seas off the town of Punta Arenas, when the whale surfaced and scooped him up in his mouth, with Dell capturing the insane moment on video. "I felt like I was being lifted, but it was clearly too strong to be a wave," he told <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-14/whale-swallows-and-spits-out-kayaker-in-chile/104935882" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ABC</a>. "When I turned, I felt something blue and white passing close to my face, like on one side and above. I didn't understand what was happening." "I went under and thought I had been swallowed. I thought I was done for, that I was dead. It was like three strange seconds down there," he said. <iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rzy8-3qp4so?si=gbb1xXz_IAx90s8B" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> "When I came up and started floating, I was scared that something might happen to my father too, that we wouldn't reach the shore in time, or that I would get hypothermia," Adrian added. Adrian's father Dell said it was sheer luck that he captured the moment on camera. "I turned on the camera and heard a wave crash behind me, loudly. When I turned, I didn't see anything," Dell said. "So that was the only moment of real fear because I didn't see Adrian for about three seconds. Then he suddenly shot out without the packraft, and a second later, the packraft emerged, and then I saw the fin of something." Image credits: YouTube

Travel Trouble

Travellers slammed for "abhorrent" koala-coaxing video

Two travel influencer have been slammed for posting a step-by-step video on how to coax wild koalas out of trees to pat and take selfies with them. The NSW-based travellers advertised their DIY six-step video as a "foolproof process" to avoid paying for professional photos with koalas at expensive wildlife parks, with the nation’s largest rescue group calling the video “abhorrent” and warned anyone copying their behaviour risked severe injury. The video, which has since been deleted, attracted attention from the Department of Environment and WIRES, warning people that trying to touch or attract wild koalas can greatly impact the animals, and could result in injuries to those trying to pat the creatures. After watching the video, the Conservation Regulator, which sits within the Department of Environment, said told <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/travelling-aussie-influencers-delete-video-of-abhorrent-koala-trick-after-backlash-021934239.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo News</a>, “We need to let wildlife be wild. Disrupting the natural behaviour of wildlife can contribute to them losing their fear of humans or becoming dependent on humans for food. It can also be dangerous for koalas to be down on the ground where they are at risk of injury.” Dr Tania Bishop, the head vet at WIRES animal rescue service, was also troubled by the influencer couple's video, asking, "Why would you post something like that?" Bishop still carries scars from a koala bite in the muscle of her right hand, and she’s seen members of the public also wounded. “What looks like them reaching up for help is actually them preparing to do a big swipe. They see us as natural predators, they’re frightened of us, and that’s what worries me when I see videos like this,” she said. There’s one particular moment in the clip, when Bishop believes the woman risked being scalped by the koala, as she said, “When she’s taking a selfie, if that koala was frightened of her being in its way and in its territory,... there’s every reason it could have dug her teeth or claws into her head.” Queensland-based wildlife biologist Ellie Sursara said the video is part of a larger problem on social media, calling out the influx of dangerous travel content now available that can put people at risk. “It’s symptomatic of the climate right now for wildlife and travel Instagram content, and whether or not the boundaries are being pushed purposefully for the views, and I think they are,” Susara said. “There’s a real lack of accountability for that kind of content. They’re not often reported or even looked at properly by Meta, so they’re just floating out there. And there are a lot of creators who gain lots of followers from videos like this, so it makes sense there are copycats.” The couple behind the stunt told Yahoo News they "were just playing around". In Victoria, where the video was filmed, interfering with a koala without a permit can carry a fine of up to $46,154 and/or two years in jail. Image credits: Instagram

Travel Trouble

200 unexploded WWII bombs found underneath playground

Almost 200 unexploded bombs dating back to World War II have been unearthed from beneath a children's playground in the north of England. The discovery was made in Scotts Play Park in Wooler, Northumberland, with 176 bombs recovered and fears that more could be discovered. The first of the devices, which still contain a charge, were found in January and was followed by much larger finds in the following weeks. It is believed the area was used as a Home Guard training ground during the war, and the explosives were buried at the end of Second World War in 1945. After two bombs were recovered by the British Army, the local parish council was then advised that a full survey of the area was required. “I never thought as a parish councillor I’d be dealing with bomb disposal,” Conservative councillor Mark Mather said, as reported by the <a title="www.bbc.com" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy0821yqr4wo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC.</a> “It’s quite something to think the children have been playing on bombs and it’s been a really challenging situation. “We’ve only cleared about a third of all the park and we could still find another pit with more bombs in.” The bombs were first discovered in January after the parish council received a grant to build a fully inclusive playground to be added to the existing area. While digging foundations at the site on January 14th, the first bomb was found, with another 150 explosives being found in the following two days. Experts from the local Barracks confirmed the first device was a training bomb and the UK’s Ministry of Defence said a full site survey was needed. “They are called practice bombs so they’re not live,” Mather said. “But they do still carry a charge and were found with the fuse and contents intact so they could be hazardous." “The story we’re getting from locals is that Wooler was a centre for Home Guard training and officers came here from all over the country. After the war it looked like they just buried all the ordnance in one of the pits.” Image credits: Wooler Parish Council

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One dead, five injured after rock star's private jet crashes on runway

A private jet owned by Vince Neil, the lead singer of legendary rock band Motley Crue, has crashed on the runway at Scottsdale Municipal Airport in Arizona, leaving one person dead and several others injured. The Learjet 35A veered off the runway upon landing at approximately 2:45pm local time on Monday, colliding with a parked Gulfstream G200 business jet. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash. Neil, 64, was not on board at the time of the accident. However, his girlfriend, Rain Andreani, and her friend, Ashley, were both passengers. Both women were hospitalised, with Andreani reportedly suffering five broken ribs. Their pet dogs, also on board, were unharmed. A statement from Neil’s legal representatives confirmed the details of the incident, and said that their “thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved, and (Neil) is grateful for the critical aid of all first responders assisting today.” Scottsdale Fire Department officials said five people were involved in the crash, with two critically injured and another in stable condition. One passenger remained trapped in the wreckage as rescue crews worked to extract them. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is leading an investigation into the crash. Airport officials stated that a failure in one of the Learjet’s landing gears may have contributed to the accident, and the airport remains temporarily closed while authorities assess the scene. Images circulating on social media show the wreckage of both aircraft on the tarmac, with emergency responders at the site. Further details, including the identity of the deceased, remain undisclosed as investigations continue. Images: Instagram | TikTok

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Desperate search for missing young mother

A young mother has disappeared in rural Queensland, prompting her worried friends and family to issue a public plea for information. Tayla Spies, 28, was travelling between Surat and Roma, in the state’s southwest, when she went missing on Sunday. She was last seen about 11:30am about 30km north of Surat in a white Toyota Hilux dual cab ute. Tayla was wearing a white shirt emblazoned with purple writing and also had a white Mimco shoulder bag when she was last seen. She is known to frequent areas such as Roma, Surat, Dalby, Toowoomba, Condamine, Meandarra, and Cecil Plains. Worried family and friends have pleaded for help from the public to locate her. “If anyone of my friends have seen my sister or heard from her in the past week, please get in touch with the Roma Police or myself,’ her sister Rebecca wrote on social media. “Or even if you see a Toyota Hilux that matches this description around the area." “Every little bit of information will help us.” Image credits: Instagram

Travel Trouble

“What is wrong with people?”: Baggage claims photo reignites age-old debate

A single photo of an airport’s baggage claim area has kicked off a heated debate about travel etiquette. A frustrated traveller snapped the image of a crowded luggage carousel at Melbourne Airport and posted it to Reddit, reigniting the age-old debate about one of people’s most annoying habits when going on holiday. "I returned to Melbourne last night on an international full flight, and the lack of self-awareness from some people was astounding," the post read, accompanied by the photo of a crowded baggage claim carousel. "Despite the clear signs instructing passengers to stay behind the yellow line at baggage collection, many ignored them, standing right in front of it," she continued. "As someone who is on the shorter side, I already struggle to see over a 6ft grown man. After taking this photo, two more people stood directly in front of me.” "At that point, I firmly said in a loud voice, 'Stand behind the yellow line; it's there for a reason'. Thankfully, they moved." "Seriously, what is wrong with people? There's plenty of space around – why stand right in front of me? Rude AF!" The post quickly received hundreds of comments, with plenty of people equally baffled by the act and wondering why the selfish act takes over so many people in airports. "Those two are probably the first to stand up and get their carry-on bags out of the overhead compartments as soon as the wheels touch down," one person commented. "You really triggered them with this one. Imagine asking people to be considerate," another said. But others didn't see an issue at all, with one person writing, "I just say 'excuse me' and reach between people to grab my bag. Most people get out of your way." Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

More trouble for Queensland as floods worsen

Two people have died due to floods in Queensland, with one woman passing away when an SES boat capsized on Sunday and another woman's body was found in a paddock near Ingham on Tuesday. The town, home to 4,500 people, has been dealt with another blow following peak flooding on Sunday and Monday, as they are now left without drinking water. A generator arrived in the town on Tuesday, but due to IT issues, it will take a while before the systems return. “This is a water failure advice message from the Hinchinbrook Shire Local Disaster Management Group,” an alert issued at 6am on Wednesday said. “The water system has failed and residents will not have water. A timeframe for repairs is unknown however restoration is under way as a priority.” More torrential rain is expected in the coming days in the areas of Queensland that have been hit with deadly flooding. Ingham is expected to be hit by more than 200mm of rain from Wednesday to Saturday. Forecasts for Townsville have been upgraded to expected rainfall of up to 100mm on Wednesday, up to 80mm on Thursday and up to 90mm on Friday. “It has been an incredibly difficult weekend and couple of days through this week for these communities and we do have devastating news yesterday that a second person has lost their life," Emergency management minister Jenny McAllister told the Today show. “We’re, of course, really thinking about their friends and their family. This will be really tough for them, but it’ll be really tough for the community of Ingham." McAllister told the Today show that the government will continue to provide support to those communities impacted by the flooding, with assistance being sent and a Disaster Recovery Allowance set up for those who've lost income. They are also working with Woolworths to ensure the communities could get food supplies as soon as possible, as highways remain closed. “We’re really looking to throw everything we can at supporting these communities have been isolated for quite some time now," she said. "I’m hoping to get to Ingham myself today and that’ll be a chance to talk a little more with locals, see how they’re travelling. They have really been through an incredibly difficult time." Image: Nine

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Young woman dies suddenly after international holiday

Christine Visnjic, 24, from western Sydney was eagerly making plans for the year ahead, and had just returned from her dream trip to Japan. On January 10, a month after her overseas trip, the young woman woke up with a sharp pain in her leg and found it swollen and red. Christine was ushered into her father's car so he could driver her to nearby Westmead Hospital to get it checked out, but started vomiting and suffered seizures during the journey. “Westmead Hospital is only about 2km from us, but about 500 meters down the road she told my dad to stop the car to vomit. So he stopped the car, he opened the door, she shifted herself to lean over the side, and then she experienced a seizure," her brother, Jason, told Yahoo News. She fell unconscious not long after, and two nurses who happened to be following in another car came to her aid. An ambulance was called and she was rushed to hospital, but three days later, scans showed Christine was brain dead after she had suffered a bilateral stroke, disrupting blood flow to both sides of her brain. “There was a blood clot in her leg that broke off and travelled up to her lung, then to her heart and then to her brain,” Jason said. With no family history of blood clots, it is believed that the clot was a result of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a condition that in rare cases can arise from long-haul plane travel. However, the exact cause is still unknown. “I was talking to a doctor and I asked him ‘how often do you see this?’ and he said to me ‘a case like this, we do know about it in literature…in my career of 44 years in the ICU, this is the second time’ and he started crying,” Jason said. "It's unbelievable, just unbelievable," he told Yahoo News. "Who would’ve thought - 24 years old and getting a blood clot that becomes so fatal." Christine's family had to make the heartbreaking decision of turning off her life support. “We embraced her and watched her pass. For about 20 minutes her heart was independent and we just slowly saw it all go away — and she doesn’t even know,” Jason said. He hopes that his sister's death will "at least echo a message to all the young women and men out there" to be on alert for health issues and cherish life. "Don’t just go chasing work. There are many lessons to take away. Luckily for her, Christine still managed to enjoy her life till her prime, both at career and social level." Christine's family and friends have since created a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/headstone-in-honor-of-christine-visnjic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> to raise funds for her headstone, where they have described her as a "young, beautiful, healthy girl, full of energy and love for others, whose life was tragically cut short." Image: Instagram

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Bus crashes into suburban Sydney home

A bus carrying multiple passengers has crashed into a home in south-west Sydney. Emergency services were called to Aplin Road in Bonnyrigg heights on Tuesday morning following reports a bus had smashed into a house. Fortunately nobody was in the house at the time of the crash, according to NSW police. Six people were treated for minor injuries, with the bus driver, a man in his 50s, taken to Liverpool Hospital with minor injuries. The crash caused significant damage to the home, with a part of the roof caving in, however, NSW Fire and Rescue has confirmed that the structure of the home is safe. An investigation into the crash is still ongoing, with a tow truck extracting the bus from the house since the accident. Image: Nine News

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Olympic couple identified in horror plane crash

Two world champion figure skaters are among dozens of casualties killed after a passenger plane carrying 64 people collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter in the US. The mid-air crash happened about 9pm US Eastern Time on Wednesday (1pm Thursday AEDT), when the aircrafts collided and crashed into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport in Washington DC. As officials confirmed that rescue efforts had shifted to a recovery operation, two of the first victims identified were Russian Olympians and married couple Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov. Their son, Maxim Naumov, 23, is also feared to have been on board. Shishkova, 52, and Naumov, 55, won the pairs title at the 1994 world championships and competed at the Winter Olympics twice. It is believed the family were returning home after Maxim had been competing at the US figure skating championships in Wichita, Kansas. Russia’s Mash news outlet published a list of 13 skaters, many of them the children of Russian emigres to the US, who it said were believed to have been on the plane. Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed their death to reporter, saying, "Unfortunately, we see that this sad information is being confirmed. There were other fellow citizens there. Bad news today from Washington." "We are sorry and send condolences to the families and friends who lost those of our fellow citizens who died in the plane crash." The bodies of three US soldiers have also been recovered from the river as the recovery operations remains ongoing. American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said at this stage it wasn't known why the two aircrafts collided. "I want to express my sincere condolences for the accident that happened at DCA last night," he said. "We're absolutely heartbroken for the family and loved ones of the passengers and crew members, and also for those that were on the military aircraft." According to Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff for Army aviation, the helicopter crew "very experienced" and had flown the nighttime route countless times before. US President Donald Trump addressed the devastating crash in the White House, located about five kilometres away from the fatal crash site. "As one nation, we grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us so suddenly," Trump said. "We'll find out how this disaster occurred and will ensure that nothing like this ever happens again." Image credits: Instagram

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"Un-Australian": Aussies called out over "selfish" summer habit

Australians have been called out for taking part in a "selfish" summer trend that has left many people fuming. The trend began as many erupted over the increase use of beach cabanas and "reserving" spaces on the sand, which then led to similar behaviour at campsites and carparks. Eager Aussies would set up a cabana or rope off a campsite and leave their belongings behind, only to return a matter of hours later and still have their spot reserved. One of Australia's leading etiquette experts, Jo Hayes, spoke to <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/aussies-called-out-over-selfish-summer-trend-taking-over-car-parks-and-campsites-un-australian-055035070.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo News</a> on the matter, and said the "poor" trend is "reflective of a general societal decline". She argued such acts are "bad form" and even branded them "un-Australian". It turns out the "reservations" aren't exclusive to beaches or campsites, as one woman was recently photographed standing in the middle of a car park at Balmoral Beach in Sydney, in a bid to deter others from seizing the spot, arguing her "husband was coming soon". Hayes said the "only people who have the right to do such reserving" are the local council/regulators in charge of that area, adding, "It's not fair." "There are ways that one can reserve the best, desired spots, that align with common decency and proper etiquette," Hayes said. "This is the way things were done in previous generations. Get to the venue early, claim your spot and set up your gear, then stay there — you must have at least one person staying with the claimed spot." "If you've taken the time to get there ahead of others — all power to you. Well done. But you don't have the right to lay down a blanket, or cordon off an area with your own self-made sign, and then choof off." Hayes said that when in doubt, apply the golden rule of thumb: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. "The average Joe doesn't have the right to 'reserve' a spot and leave," she reiterated. "If a group wants to have an event at a council park, they can contact local council to officially reserve the spot. Council puts up a sign stating that the area is reserved for an event. One can't just put up their own sign." Image credits: Facebook

Travel Trouble

Woman restrained and gagged on plane for "disruptive" behaviour

A woman has been restrained and gagged on an international flight over her disruptive and abusive behaviour. Footage of the shocking moment the woman was restrained by cabin crew has been obtained by <a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/incidents/woman-restrained-with-duct-tape-after-outburst-during-fiji-airways-flight/news-story/e088405a65c3d6ca889a0612e746702e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>, showing the flight attendants trying to contain the 69-year-old woman's actions. Police claim the woman was “intoxicated and causing a nuisance”, on the flight from San Francisco to Nadi, leading her to be arrested by Fiji police when the plane landed. A fellow passenger who filmed the altercation said airline staff were “forced to resort to restraining and taping the mouth” of the woman, whose comments were allegedly “racist and vulgar” in nature. The passenger explained that the situation unfolded about halfway into the 11-hour flight towards Nadi, after the woman started to “raise her voice” within the cabin. “It became known to crew and nearby passengers early into the incident that the woman was travelling with her husband, though they were sitting in different areas of the plane,” the witness, who was seated several rows away from the woman, claimed. <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/DFL_vyMIQkH/?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/DFL_vyMIQkH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by news.com.au (@newscomauhq)</a> </div> </blockquote> “The husband requested to be seated elsewhere when the woman started to raise her voice, and the altercation between the woman and crew started when the crew refused to tell the woman where he had been moved to.” The witness told news.com.au the woman “caused great distress to all nearby passengers and crew by screaming and yelling abuse” as well as “threatening and throwing objects such as cups at crew members”. “She had also slapped the hands of a flight attendant,” the witness claimed. In the footage, crew can be seen trying to tape the woman’s mouth shut when she refused to stop yelling abuse. “The other passengers were particularly upset by her overtly racist comments towards the Fijian crew members, with many calling out to the woman to be quiet and behave,” the witness recalled. “Parents with children onboard were clearly upset with the excessive vulgar language and swearing with many seen blocking the ears of their children.” “The crew forcibly moved the woman to the back of the plane but this didn’t stop the (passenger’s) abusive behaviour, which continued throughout the remainder of the flight,” the witness said. News.com.au has confirmed the woman was charged by police in Fiji where she remains in custody awaiting a court appearance, while the airline also confirmed the incident is now the subject of a “legal investigation”. Image credits: news.com.au / Shutterstock

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"A bit wonky": Miriam Margolyes rip into Australia

Beloved British comedian and actress Miriam Margolyes has ripped into Australia, suggesting that the country has gone downhill in recent years. The 83-year-old has spent a lot of time Down Under as her partner of 50 years is Australian, and has always professed her love for the country. However, during a candid chat with Kyle and Jackie O, Margolyes - who is an Australian citizen - said that Aussies have grown less polite in comparison to other countries. Jackie O asked Margolyes about how polite modern Australians are, to which she replied, “Oh, f**k darling, terrible.” “I love Australia, I think it’s a fabulous country,” she continued. “But I think it’s going a bit wonky at the moment, like the rest of the world. But no, I do care about it. And I am an Australian citizen. “I became a citizen because my partner is Australian, and I wanted to be ever closer to Australia.” The Harry Potter star, who is busy promoting her latest ABC series about New Zealand, went on to share that she’s grown to prefer it to Australia, admitting, “But now I think my allegiance has slipped slightly and gone to New Zealand.” Elsewhere in the interview, Miriam and Kyle clashed as Sandilands brought up Donald Trump, to which Margolyes insisted she didn't want to discuss American politics. “Oh, don’t tell me you’re one of these fools that don’t understand he’s going to bring greatness,” ranted Sandilands. “You’re not. Oh, you’ve been you’ve been twisted by the Whoopi Goldberg’s of the world. What a shame.” In an attempt to skip over any tension, Margolyes replied, “I wouldn’t mind being twisted by Whoopi Goldberg!” Image credits: Steve Meddle/ITV/Shutterstock

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"Horrifying": Cruise passengers left reeling over "KKK cruise"

Passengers onboard a P&O Australia cruise have been left reeling after staff members emerged in costumes resembling the Ku Klux Klan during a themed event. According to the cruise liner, the disturbing incident occurred onboard the Pacific Explorer during a Christmas-themed voyage, when a staff fun day went wrong. One passenger captured the "horrifying" moment the crew donned what she described as "offensive KKK costumes". The crew were believed to be part of the ship's housekeeping staff, with one member pictured holding up a housekeeping sign. Dressed in white cloaks and white masks with pointed tops and eye-holes cut out - the same as those worn by the KKK - the crew members competed in a Christmas-themed 'sports battle day'. Passenger Terri told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14306781/P-O-cruise-klu-klux-klan.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a> that many were excited about the onboard event day, which was highly publicised throughout the ship in the days before. However, everything allegedly went "quiet" when the costumed staff emerged, as Terri instructed her husband to "get the camera" and document the shocking moment. "I (requested) a please explain and have received no response," Terri said. "This is not tolerated in this current environment and education is desperately needed." Terri also shared the video on of the moment on social media, recounting the incident. "There was a lot excitement then it all went quiet… the lack of judgement was astounding," she said. "Everyone was there, everyone gathered, it was advertised, there was a lot of noise and it went dead quiet, just silent." "A lady sitting in front of me, her jaw dropped she was like 'what the hell', everyone was like OMG - they were calling it the 'KKK cruise'." "They’d gone the whole way through this ship dressed as the KKK and paraded through the Lido deck in front of basically every passenger but it was only then when senior crew saw them and they took their hats off." "I spoke ... to one of the (housekeeping) staff - they were all male - and he told me 'we didn't think we didn’t anything wrong'. They didn't say they weren't dressed as the Ku Klux Klan when I asked them but I truly believe it was an innocent mistake." Terri said she expected senior ship crew to offer an apology or explanation but none was given. After the controversy, A P&O Cruises Australia spokesperson clarified that the crew were dressed as "upside-down snow cones" and not as the Ku Klux Klan. "We regret if a recent incident on a Pacific Explorer cruise offended any guests," the spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. "Several crew members dressed up as snow cones for a Christmas family event, not understanding how their costumes could be misconstrued. They were only in public view for a short time before management acted quickly and had them remove the costumes. The crew members were horrified and extremely apologetic when they learned of the distress their outfits could cause." Image credits: Facebook / Daily Mail Australia

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"Unfair" Australia Day ban sparks outrage

A camping area in Bundeena has been slammed for making the "unfair" decision to ban boats and jet skis from Australia Day celebrations, with locals claiming they were left in the dark about the decision. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service will ban people from releasing their boats and jet skis from the access point at Bonnie Vale over the long weekend - the most popular time of the year to use the facility. The access point will be shut from 9pm on Friday, January 24 to 7am on Tuesday, January 28. Local Andrew Petty said he paid more than $300 for a camping holiday with his family and intended to take his kids fishing, but their plans have been derailed because of the ban. "We have one of the most beautiful waterways for all to use," he said. "We pay our boating licence, registration, fishing licence, national park entry fee, camping fee, and are denied access to the only ramp on that side of the Port Hacking." Petty added that he would have to drive more than an hour away to find another ramp to launch his boat, and believed he was paying the price for irresponsible jet ski users. "Maritime don't have the resources to prevent jet ski hooning so their alternative is to just force close the ramp and hire in traffic cops to police ramp access," he said. He believed that the ban was "unfair" because a lot of the traffic comes from jet ski users coming from the other side of Port Hacking. Another local called the move "another example of a government agency creating a problem instead of looking for more practical solutions." Locals also argued that the boat ramp offered a safe access point for leaving the isolated area in an emergency. The Port Hacking River is known for jet ski infringements in NSW and authorities claim they cause significant traffic congestion on nearby roads when the Royal National Park is full. They also said they hoped the closure would also improve safety for swimmers. "Public safety is always our number one priority and this temporary closure ensures Bonnie Vale remains a safer and more enjoyable space for all visitors over the long weekend," NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Royal area manager Brendon Neilly said. NSW Maritime officer Jay Ruming added that the state had recorded 1,700 jet-ski infringements in the past 12 months. "Our data tells us that jet skis are heavily over-represented in serious injury incidents. People involved in an accident on a jet ski have a 50 per cent likelihood they'll suffer a serious injury," he said. Image: Facebook

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Airline forced to apologise over controversial tourism ad

An airline has copped major backlash over a controversial tourism campaign that promotes their return flights to Paris. Pakistan International Airlines posted a photo of a plane flying at the Eiffel Tower on X as part of its campaign to mark the first flight from Islamabad to Paris after a safety ban was lifted. “Paris, we’re coming today,” the ad reads. The campaign has been viewed more than 21 million times, but after receiving thousands of negative comments, the airline was forced to issue an apology. Many social media users drew comparisons with the Al-Qaeda attacks on New York’s Twin Towers on September 11th 2001 when two planes were hijacked and flown into the skyscrapers, killing nearly 3,000 people. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://t.co/qUoNCyL385">pic.twitter.com/qUoNCyL385</a> — PIA (@Official_PIA) <a href="https://twitter.com/Official_PIA/status/1877555588533485884?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2025</a></blockquote> “This advertisement is sickening to see. Please do better with your imagery,” an irate user wrote. “Do you not see the airplane heading for the Eiffel Tower? Do you not know what it will be perceived as?” Another wrote, “Who tf made this graphic to further ruin Pakistan’s image in the world,” while others questioned how the graphic was approved, adding, “Who thought this ad was a good idea?” “Is this (an) advertisement or threat?” another user asked. After being online for a week, the airline issued an apology saying it was “blown out of proportion”. “Unfortunately, this was blown out of proportion with connations and perceptions that were not intended,” PIA spokesman Abdullah Khan told AFP. “It might have triggered some negative emotion, for which we truly apologise.” Despite the controversy, the ad remains on the airline's official X account. Image credits: Pakistan International Airlines

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