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AstraZeneca admits to Covid vaccine's deadly side effect

<p>AstraZeneca has admitted that their Covid vaccine carries a very rare but deadly side effect, as "dozens" of class-action lawsuits pile up. </p> <p>The UK pharmaceutical giant could be facing damages of up to $38 million, as lawyers representing complainants whose loved ones who were injured or killed from the jab called the vaccine "defective". </p> <p>Those who received the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine could be susceptible to a rare and potentially blood clotting disorder called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome, or TTS, in which patients suffer from blood clots as well as a low blood platelet count. </p> <p>While the side effect is rare, recent research from RMIT University and Monash University found Australia’s Covid-19 vaccination rollout likely prevented the death of 17,760 people aged over 50 in New South Wales between August 2021 and July 2022, with some researchers suggesting that AstraZeneca alone helped saved as many as six million lives worldwide, according to the <a title="nypost.com" href="https://nypost.com/2024/04/29/world-news/astrazeneca-cops-to-rare-deadly-side-effect-of-covid-jab-as-lawsuits-mount/"><em>New York Post</em>.</a></p> <p>AstraZeneca, which is contesting the claims, acknowledged in a February legal document that its vaccine can “in very rare cases,” cause the clotting condition, while also acknowledging that the potential complication was listed as a side effect of the vaccine since its release.</p> <p>So far, 51 cases have been filed in London’s High Court, estimated to be worth around $190 million (GBP100 million) total, according to the UK newspaper<a title="www.telegraph.co.uk" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/04/28/astrazeneca-admits-covid-vaccine-causes-rare-side-effect/"> <em>The Telegraph</em></a>.</p> <p>However, thanks to a deal struck between AstraZeneca and the UK government during the worst of the pandemic, the drugmaker has been pre-emptively indemnified against future lawsuits – which means any successful claims for payouts will be born by taxpayers.</p> <p>One of the claimants is father-of-two Jamie Scott, who was left with a permanent brain injury after suffering a clot following receiving the vaccine in April 2021. </p> <p>His wife, Kate, told <a title="www.telegraph.co.uk" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/04/28/astrazeneca-admits-covid-vaccine-causes-rare-side-effect/"><em>The Telegraph</em> </a>she’s hopeful the company’s admission will accelerate the outcome of their case.</p> <p>“We need an apology, fair compensation for our family and other families who have been affected. We have the truth on our side, and we are not going to give up.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Legal

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Mum sparks fury for admitting to tanning newborn

<p>A young mother split the internet in half when she shared the shocking news on social media that she was self-tanning her four-month-old son. </p> <p>In a clip posted to her TikTok, the 21-year-old could be seen holding her baby, with the text “when everyone is telling me to stop self-tanning my baby but the loving tan employees have families to feed” across the screen.</p> <p>The video hit viral heights, gaining over 1 million views along with its varied - and passionate - response. </p> <p>Many were quick to voice their outrage at the young mum and her “selfish” move, calling into question the health risks that such a tanning process might pose to Kylen Suttner’s son, Suede. </p> <p>“Gosh, those chemicals can hurt a little one's skin,” one dismayed user wrote. “Their skin is so sensitive when they're babies.”</p> <p>“Disgusting!” another declared. “So horrible.”</p> <p>One was concerned that Suede was going to “grow up thinking he isn’t good enough naturally, especially to the one person who would love him unconditionally”.</p> <p>“Why does a baby need a fake tan... so unnecessary,” someone else said. </p> <p>Meanwhile, another just wanted to know “is this a joke, I can't tell?"</p> <div><iframe title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7206061715535105326&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40kylensuttner%2Fvideo%2F7206061715535105326&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2F87e23b7fac564434b6df488f764e493f%3Fx-expires%3D1684490400%26x-signature%3DdBQQZLY5FaqakQuevOWiYIisLiM%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>Others seemed of the opinion that it was, with some even replying to similar questioning comments to share that the baby reportedly had jaundice, and this was his mother’s way of making light of the situation. </p> <p>And it turns out that that was exactly the case. </p> <p>As criticism continued online, heating up as the story blew up across news outlets, Kylen made the confirmation with The Post that it had all been a joke. </p> <p>“He had jaundice and looked really tan when he was born,” she explained to the outlet. “Everyone commented on his colour, so I decided to make a joke about it. </p> <p>“I would never actually use self tanner on my baby.</p> <p>“I feel like most people understood it was a joke. But the few who didn’t were appalled that I would self tan my baby.”</p> <p>For those who understood the truth of the situation, it was an opportunity to get in on the fun with Kylen, with many making the announcement that this would be “me as a mum” too. </p> <p>“I love this,” one said. “I wish I had his skin colour.”</p> <p>“You gotta keep the tan up,” came one joke, referencing a popular Family Guy meme, “it’s a lifestyle Brian”.</p> <p>“So funny to me that people think you’re being Fr [for real],” another shared.</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

Body

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"This doesn’t feel right, does it?": Photographer admits Sony prize-winning photo was AI generated

<p>A German photographer is refusing an award for his prize-winning shot after admitting to being a “cheeky monkey”, revealing the image was generated using artificial intelligence.</p> <p>The artist, Boris Eldagsen, shared on his website that he would not be accepting the prestigious award for the creative open category, which he won at <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/entertainment/art/winners-of-sony-world-photography-awards-revealed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2023’s Sony world photography awards</a>.</p> <p>The winning photograph showcased a black and white image of two women from different generations.</p> <p>Eldagsen, who studied photography and visual arts at the Art Academy of Mainz, conceptual art and intermedia at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, and fine art at the Sarojini Naidu School of Arts and Communication in Hyderabad released a statement on his website, admitting he “applied as a cheeky monkey” to find out if competitions would be prepared for AI images to enter. “They are not,” he revealed.</p> <p>“We, the photo world, need an open discussion,” Eldagsen said.</p> <p>“A discussion about what we want to consider photography and what not. Is the umbrella of photography large enough to invite AI images to enter – or would this be a mistake?</p> <p>“With my refusal of the award I hope to speed up this debate.”</p> <p>Eldagsen said this was an “historic moment” as it was the fist AI image to have won a prestigious international photography competition, adding “How many of you knew or suspected that it was AI generated? Something about this doesn’t feel right, does it?</p> <p>“AI images and photography should not compete with each other in an award like this. They are different entities. AI is not photography. Therefore I will not accept the award.”</p> <p>The photographer suggested donating the prize to a photo festival in Odesa, Ukraine.</p> <p>It comes as a heated debate over the use and safety concerns of AI continue, with some going as far as to issue apocalyptic warnings that the technology may be close to causing irreparable damage to the human experience.</p> <p>Google’s chief executive, Sundar Pirchai said, “It can be very harmful if deployed wrongly and we don’t have all the answers there yet – and the technology is moving fast. So, does that keep me up at night? Absolutely.”</p> <p>A spokesperson for the World Photography Organisation admitted that the prize-winning photographer had confirmed the “co-creation” of the image using AI to them prior to winning the award.</p> <p>“The creative category of the open competition welcomes various experimental approaches to image making from cyanotypes and rayographs to cutting-edge digital practices. As such, following our correspondence with Boris and the warranties he provided, we felt that his entry fulfilled the criteria for this category, and we were supportive of his participation.</p> <p>“Additionally, we were looking forward to engaging in a more in-depth discussion on this topic and welcomed Boris’ wish for dialogue by preparing questions for a dedicated Q&amp;A with him for our website.</p> <p>“As he has now decided to decline his award we have suspended our activities with him and in keeping with his wishes have removed him from the competition. Given his actions and subsequent statement noting his deliberate attempts at misleading us, and therefore invalidating the warranties he provided, we no longer feel we are able to engage in a meaningful and constructive dialogue with him.</p> <p>“We recognise the importance of this subject and its impact on image-making today. We look forward to further exploring this topic via our various channels and programmes and welcome the conversation around it. While elements of AI practices are relevant in artistic contexts of image-making, the awards always have been and will continue to be a platform for championing the excellence and skill of photographers and artists working in the medium.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Sony World Photography Awards</em></p>

Technology

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Royal photographer admits to faking iconic shot

<p>Jason Bell, the photographer responsible for the official family portraits from Prince George’s 2013 christening, has revealed the truth about the shots - and admitted to faking one significant detail. </p> <p>In the documentary <em>Portrait of the Queen</em>, Bell admitted to feeling pressure over getting the shot just right. It was, after all, the first time that four generations of direct heirs had been captured together in over a century - since Queen Victoria’s reign specifically. </p> <p>The iconic picture sees the Queen and her four heirs - Prince Charles (now King Charles), Prince William, and Prince George - gathered around the chair upon which the Queen sits in the Morning Room at Clarence House, with sunlight streaming in around them. </p> <p>The catch? The light wasn’t real. </p> <p>“A christening picture is a happy picture,” Bell explained, “and when I think about happy, I think about - sort of - summer, and sun, and light, and bright. </p> <p>“So I think in a way, that was my first creative decision going into it. I want[ed] it to feel like a beautiful, warm, summer-y afternoon.</p> <p>“Obviously, the problem with that was I was actually doing the shoot in October in London and, you know, I’m a longtime Londoner, and I know that you can’t rely on London weather.</p> <p>“So, what I did was I put big heavy lights around all of the windows and the window behind them outside in the street. And, you know, to get enough light coming through the windows to really feel like a sort of summer afternoon, you know, you need quite a lot of light.”</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/03/Portrait_of_the_Queen_Sharmill.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p>As well as the big creative decisions necessary on the day, Bell had to plan well ahead, and explained how “it’s always important to research around the project and you know, see what people have done before – who goes where. Where does the Queen go? Where does Prince George go?</p> <p>“You’re thinking about the sort of lineage, if you like, and the structure of the picture wants to reflect [that].”</p> <p>Bell also admitted that he drew inspiration from a portrait of Queen Victoria and her heirs in 1894 - in that picture, Queen Victoria was holding her youngest direct heir, who would go on to become King Edward VIII. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CisbmEIu2vP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CisbmEIu2vP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jason Bell (@jasonbellphoto)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>And with the opportunity may have been daunting, and the stakes for his career high, Bell noted that one detail in particular stood out to him, confessing that he was “quite drawn” to it. </p> <p>“The personal element of it, you know, is the same as it is in any other family,” he said, “and that’s kind of interesting watching, you know, them be[ing] a family together if you like.”</p> <p><em>Images: @jasonbellphoto / Instagram, </em><em>Portrait of the Queen / Sharmill</em></p>

Art

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“I’ve tasted the faintest bitter edge of racism”: Ash Barty admits to being racially abused

<p dir="ltr">Ash Barty has confessed that she’s been on the receiving end of “bitter racism” after finding out about her Indigenous heritage. </p> <p dir="ltr">In her autobiography, <em>My Dream Time</em>, which will be published on November 2, Barty opens up about the moment she found out about her family’s past. </p> <p dir="ltr">The former tennis player said it was a difficult moment when her father searched for the truth and eventually told Barty and her sister which then led to “vile racism”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve seen glimpses and tasted the faintest bitter edge of racism” she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’d win a Deadly Award but get vilified on line. I’d become a Tennis Australia First Nations Ambassador and then find some muppet calling my heritage into question.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The three-time Grand Slam winner said there was still a lot of work and educated needed to address the importance of Indigenous Australians. </p> <p dir="ltr">“There was no need for us to talk about that in the moment but it was certainly something that confused me a little bit as to why someone would criticise something that is so personal to me,” she told NewsCorp.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Looking back now it’s all about the education and giving people the tools to understand others and appreciate what came before us.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Barty went on to reveal that her trip to Central Australia where she worked with First Nations children was when she was convinced of a connection with them. </p> <p dir="ltr">“If anything it has just reassured to me that the path I want to go down in the future is to try and help First Nations youth around the country.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Eventually, Barty found out of her Indigenous heritage when her father Rob traced back his roots. </p> <p dir="ltr">At 13 he was told by a cousin that there was Indigenous heritage in the family but his parents denied it, claiming their connection was only to Māoris in New Zealand. </p> <p dir="ltr">Rob did not accept that and went on to trace back his family history where he found out that his great grandmother was an Indigenous Australian who married a white man. </p> <p dir="ltr">Barty’s dad sat her and her sister down when she was just seven and told them the truth. </p> <p dir="ltr">The family then went on to record their names with the Ngarigu Nation. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It was not a conversation his parents could have with him,” she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“To his parents, Aboriginal ancestry was something to be ashamed of and not something he should be curious about.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Prince Harry admits to "significant tensions" with Palace staff

<p>Prince Harry has laid bare "significant tensions" with one of Queen Elizabeth's top aides as his case against police protection has gone to court. </p> <p>The Duke of Sussex is suing the UK Home Office due to its refusal to spend taxpayers’ money on his bodyguards after he quit royal life in January 2020. </p> <p>The Sun reports that Prince Harry's lawyers asked Mr Justice Swift at a hearing in London to allow a full judicial review of the Home Office’s decision.</p> <p>They revealed Harry believes the Queen’s private secretary, Sir Edward Young, “should not have been involved” in the February 2020 decision, adding there were “significant tensions” between the pair.</p> <p>The Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (known as Ravec) - of which the Queen’s private secretary was involved - ruled that Prince Harry would no longer be given the “same degree” of personal protective security when visiting the UK, despite offering to pay for it himself.</p> <p>The duke’s legal team want to argue the security arrangements set out in a letter from Ravec, and their application when he visited the UK in June 2021, were invalid due to “procedural unfairness”.</p> <p>Shaeed Fatima QC, the lawyer for the duke, told the court, “He didn’t know at that stage that the Royal Household was involved at all... he was told it was an independent decision.”</p> <p>She also said there were “significant tensions” between Harry and Sir Edward Young, at that time which influenced the decision. </p> <p>Ms Fatima said he was denied the opportunity to make representations directly to Ravec and was “materially prejudiced” because “among other things, his offer to pay (for security) was not conveyed to Ravec before the decision was made”.</p> <p>Harry has now hinted at a second lawsuit, with the court filing adding, “[Prince Harry] has engaged in pre-action correspondence for a proposed second judicial review claim in relation to these matters, and intends to issue that claim shortly.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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Texas police admit wrongdoing following school shooting

<p dir="ltr">Texas police have admitted that key elements in their response to the shooting at the elementary school which saw 21 people die were wrong.</p> <p dir="ltr">Gunman Salvador Rolando Ramos, 18, was armed with a gun when he stormed Robb Elementary School on May 24 and shot dead 19 children and two teachers.</p> <p dir="ltr">Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw admitted on Friday that the tactical decisions made during the response to the events leading up to the shooting were wrong.</p> <p dir="ltr">“From the benefit of hindsight where I’m sitting now, of course it was not the right decision. It was the wrong decision. There’s no excuse for that,” he said. “A decision was made that this was a barricaded subject situation, there was time to retrieve the keys and wait for a tactical team with the equipment to go ahead and breach the door and take on the subject at that point.</p> <p dir="ltr">“That was the decision, that was the thought process at that particular point in time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">According to audio evidence from the time of the shooting, Ramos fired almost 100 shots inside classrooms 111 and 112 about 11.30am.</p> <p dir="ltr">Two minutes later, three officers entered the school from the same back door Ramos came in from.</p> <p dir="ltr">About 12.03pm, there were at least 19 officers standing in the hallways but it was only at 12.50 pm that police used a key from the janitor to open the classroom doors.</p> <p dir="ltr">It was then they shot Ramos dead.</p> <p dir="ltr">Texas Governor Greg Abbott slammed the police for their response telling them to “get to the very seconds of exactly what happened with 100 per cent accuracy and explain it to the public and most importantly to the victims who have been devastated,”</p> <p dir="ltr">“There will be ongoing investigations that detail exactly who knew what when, who was in charge and what strategy (was used), why was it that particular strategy was employed, why were other strategies not employed?” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Bottom line would be, why did they not choose the strategy that would have been best to get in there to eliminate the killer and to rescue the children.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

News

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Man admits to wife’s murder after 13 YEARS of denial

<p dir="ltr"><em>Content warning: This story contains mentions of domestic violence and assault.</em></p> <p dir="ltr">A New Zealand man who has denied murdering his wife for almost 13 years has stunned the victim’s family and the Parole Board by admitting he deliberately shot her at close range.</p> <p dir="ltr">Helen Meads was working in the stables at the property she shared with her husband Greg on September 23, 2009, when she was shot by him.</p> <p dir="ltr">She had been chatting with a friend on the phone and had said goodbye just seconds before she died.</p> <p dir="ltr">It was also four days after she told Mr Meads she wanted to end their 12-year marriage that had been punctuated by acts of domestic violence.</p> <p dir="ltr">When he confronted her and took her life, their three children and her parents were left devastated.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Meads pleaded not guilty to murder, saying he had accidentally pulled the trigger and that a conviction of manslaughter would be more appropriate.</p> <p dir="ltr">The jury rejected his claim and convicted him of murder, for which he received a life sentence with a minimum of 11 years before he would be eligible for parole.</p> <p dir="ltr">When he came up for parole last year, the Board refused to release him early as they felt Mr Meads - who still claimed he wasn’t guilty - was still a risk to the public.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Meads appeared before the Parole Board again on Tuesday, as reported by the <em><a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/it-was-a-deliberate-act-i-killed-helen-after-13-years-of-untruths-and-lies-matamata-horse-breeder-admits-murdering-wife/T2AJE2JUV5V76QHRODR2234MOA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Herald</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">After talking in circles and being told to speak directly by board members, he finally had a clear answer.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I killed Helen, I was the person who pulled the trigger and I am fully responsible for her death,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Yes it was a deliberate act, I raised the gun and I pulled the trigger.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Meads also admitted to physically assaulting Helen and being abusive during their marriage.</p> <p dir="ltr">He initially claimed that the change to his story came after he had “quite a lot of time to go through the incident” on his own and with his psychiatrist.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What brought about this change?” Parole Board chairman Sir Ron Young probed.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You’ve told untruths for 13 years, why should we rely on what you’re telling us now when for the past 13 years it’s been a lie?</p> <p dir="ltr">“You didn’t wake up this morning and go ‘oh, that’s right, I pulled the trigger’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Meads claimed he had “probably avoided” revisiting the moment until the night before the hearing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have come to terms with the fact that when I had my hand on the gun it was a voluntary act and I’ve pulled the trigger,” he suggested.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s not an accident, I admit that now. It is a change.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I think it was deliberate that I grabbed the trigger and that was the end of Helen’s life.”</p> <p dir="ltr">When pressed by the board, Mr Meads conceded he hadn’t discussed the matter in depth with his psychiatrist and that he had decided to take responsibility within the past 12-24 hours.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sir Ron said it was “worrying” that his admission was so sudden and “expressed concern about the genuineness” of it.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But if it is [genuine], good on you,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It is a very serious charge, but assuming it is genuine, it’s a positive change.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After speaking with Mr Mead for half an hour, during which time he shared his safety plan that failed to mention how he would cope around firearms, the board said it was clear he wasn’t ready to be released.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sir Ron said Mr Mead’s new admission signified that he had much more work to do with his psychiatrist and on his safety plan.</p> <p dir="ltr">He was refused parole and will not appear before the board again until April 2023.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: New Zealand Herald</em></p>

Legal

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Sir Rod Stewart and son admit to battery charges

<p><em>Image: Getty</em></p> <p>Sir Rod Stewart and his son Sean have both pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour count of “simple battery” after the pair were accused of assaulting a security guard back in 2019.</p> <p>Rod Stewart, 76, and his son 41, were accused of assault after they were refused access to a private event on New Year’s Eve in Florida according to the BBC.</p> <p>Sean allegedly shoved the security guard and Sir Rod struck his chest “with a closed fist”, the police report said.</p> <p>The father-son duo both entered guilty pleas to battery and will avoid court or a jail term.</p> <p>The likely consequence would be a fine or probation, Sir Rob's lawyer Guy Fronstin told the publication.</p> <p>"No-one was injured in the incident and a jury did not find Sir Rod Stewart guilty of the accusation," Fronstin said in a statement.</p> <p>"Instead, Sir Rod Stewart decided to enter a plea to avoid the inconvenience and unnecessary burden on the court and the public that a high-profile proceeding would cause."</p> <p>The altercation occurred with the guard Jessie Dixon at the luxury Breakers Palm Beach Hotel in Florida in late 2019.</p> <p>Sir Rod told police that after he and his son were denied access to the party, the guard become argumentative, causing his family to become "agitated".</p> <p>The rock star reportedly apologised for his role in the incident, the police report said.</p>

Legal

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Dave Grohl admits he wants to play drums for ABBA

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has admitted he would love to play drums for the iconic Swedish pop group ABBA. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After listening to their comeback single </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">I Still Have Faith In You</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, he admits he </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">"wept like a baby" after being a fan of the band since their genesis. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While appearing on BBC Breakfast, Grohl said, "Oh my god, I'm such a big ABBA fan. When I saw that they were coming back and they had a record, I shot that link to 100 people I knew, then listened to the new song and wept like a baby. I cried like a baby. Oh man!"</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">“Yes, I would play with ABBA” 👀 <br /><br />Dave Grohl + ABBA = the supergroup we’ve all been waiting for?! 😮😍 <br /><br />The Foo Fighters frontman tells <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BBCBreakfast?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BBCBreakfast</a> he ‘wept like a baby’ listening to ABBA’s new song for the first time.<a href="https://t.co/VEaGalQYNt">https://t.co/VEaGalQYNt</a> <a href="https://t.co/7mMGsgWRuL">pic.twitter.com/7mMGsgWRuL</a></p> — BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCBreakfast/status/1443461356343209991?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The rockstar said he became emotional at the new tune, saying, "It almost sounded like time hadn't passed. Plus it was such a beautiful, romantic, melancholy, bitter-sweet retrospective. Ugh, it's amazing. ABBA can do no wrong."</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When asked if he would be willing to perform with the global hitmakers, he said, "Listen, I will get up and play drums at the opening of an envelope.” </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Show me a drum set and I will sit down to it. So yes, I would play with ABBA."</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In 2018, Grohl sported an ABBA t-shirt when appearing on </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jimmy Kimmel Live </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">to profess his love for the band and his excitement over their highly-anticipated return. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When Jimmy asked if he is a fan, Grohl replied, "Who doesn't love ABBA?! Everybody loves ABBA!"</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>

Music

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Noel Gallagher admits to forgetting classic Oasis lyrics on stage

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oasis frontman Noel Gallagher has admitted he often forgets lyrics to his classic songs while performing on stage. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He confessed that sometimes he has to “make s*** up” when he forgets the lyrics mid-song in front of his adoring fans. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Noel said he stumbles over the words in the band's biggest hits, including Don’t Look Back in Anger, which spent several weeks atop the charts after its release in 1996.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">During a conversation with </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Sun</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> newspaper, he said, </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Brain freeze, I get it. I get them when I’m doing gigs to 70,000 people.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“As the next line is coming I think, ‘Seriously, what is the next line to this song?’ You’re thinking, ‘I genuinely don’t know what it is’.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Somehow it falls out of the sky. But sometimes I just have to make s*** up,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The rockstar also branded musicians who regularly cover hits by Bob Dylan as dull. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Noel, who is currently compiling a covers project of his own making, said, “Everybody does Bob Dylan covers albums — it’s boring.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The rocker is working on a unique covers album, after he said he wouldn’t care if he never wrote an original song again.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He insists he would “be happy with what he’s done” with his extensive catalogue that has won over fans all around the world. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His covers album will have a unique spin on hits by Burt Bacharach and The Smiths that Noel recorded in his own home studio. </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credit: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Music

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Kate Middleton admitted to the Queen her parenting struggles

<p dir="ltr">A royal expert has claimed Duchess Kate opened up about her parenting struggles to the Queen, following the birth of Prince George.</p> <p dir="ltr">Katie Nicholl who is a royal correspondent has claimed that both Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge struggled greatly following the birth of their first son, and found it difficult to manage parenting along with their royal duties.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the documentary True Royalty: Kate Middleton: Heir We Go Again, Nicholl said, "Kate was having a conversation with the Queen in which she confided that she had found being with George on her own, and not having a full-time nanny or a maternity nurse, very hard."</p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843159/kate-4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/955db3bf04fd4c869e2d65cbd2255f3f" /></p> <p dir="ltr">Nicholl said the parents wanted to be "hands-on" and give Prince George a normal upbringing, however things did not go according to plan.</p> <p dir="ltr">"They did it until September and then they recruited a nanny," said Nicholl.</p> <p dir="ltr">The couple recruited Maria Borallo, who now cares for Prince George, 8, Princess Charlotte, 6, and Prince Louis, 3.</p> <p dir="ltr">William and Kate have Maria in the house for support, but Nicholl says Kate's mum, Carole, is also a stronghold for the royal couple and a great support.</p> <p dir="ltr">"One of the things that allows William and Kate to be so ordinary is the presence of the Middletons in their lives.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843158/kate-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/051f0d13111c49e6b2c2b3a34544526f" /></p> <p dir="ltr">"Carole is a regular through those golden gates at Kensington Palace, she whizzes through in her Land Rover. There is no security because everybody knows her," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since having children, Kate has spent a lot of her time supporting children and their families including those struggling with addiction, poverty, or homelessness.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Duchess announced the launch of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood back in June, which aims to "transform" the lives of parents and children for "generations to come".</p> <p dir="ltr">"My own journey into understanding the importance of early childhood actually started with adults, and not with children," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It was about prevention. I wanted to understand what more we could do to help prevent some of today's toughest social challenges, and what more we could do to help with the rising rates of poor mental health."</p> <p><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Mum who gave birth while flying admits she had “no idea” of pregnancy

<p>Lavinia Tiana Mounga was on a Delta flight from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Honolulu, in Hawaii, when she went into labour mid-way through a six-hour flight.</p> <p>Thankfully, there was a family medicine doctor, a physician’s assistant and three neonatal intensive care unit nurses on the flight.</p> <p>Together they spent three hours in the air before the plane landed and emergency medical service crew met them at the tarmac to transport the family to the hospital.</p> <p>The baby boy was named Raymond Kaimana Wade Kobe Lavaki Mounga and has been described a "miracle" by family.</p> <p>Raymond’s dad, Ethan Magalei, is yet to meet him in person.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841052/mum-birth-pregnancy-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/afecd9f83ba749b4b15ca37c04d14920" /></p> <p>"Life. It’s a crazy thing. It’s strange knowing that millions of people on the internet know about a birth that took place on a Delta flight from Salt Lake City, Utah to Honolulu, HI. A birth I could not be there for but still blessed to see videos of," he wrote to Facebook on Sunday.</p> <p>He thanked the medical professionals who helped deliver his son and admitted he and his partner were unaware they had a baby on the way.</p> <p>"The birth came as a shock to us both as we had NO idea that she was pregnant," part of his post read.</p> <p>Raymond has remained in hospital as he was born premature at just 26 or 27 weeks, according to one of the nurses who delivered him.</p> <p>Raymond’s aunty has launched a fundraiser for the family as they will be staying in Honolulu until it is safe to fly back to Utah.</p> <p>"Our miracle baby nephew was born with three hours left on our flight and was such a strong trooper. Our sister did not know she was pregnant so she was just as shocked as the rest of us when our nephew was born," the page read.</p> <p>"Lavinia and baby will be staying in Hawaii longer while baby gets healthy enough to fly back home to Utah. Any donation is much appreciated to help our sister during her stay here.</p> <p>"We love our little baby... and can’t wait til we are able to bring him back home to Utah."</p>

Travel Trouble

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Harry and Meghan admit secret wedding claim was a lie

<p>Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have confirmed that their "secret wedding" revealed in the shocking Oprah interview did not happen how it was described.</p> <p>The couple's publicised marriage certificate proved the claim was untrue and the couple confirmed this in a statement to<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/marriage-certificate-proves-harry-and-meghan-did-not-marry-in-their-backyard-as-they-told-oprah?ref=scroll" target="_blank"><em>The Daily Beast</em></a>.</p> <p>“The couple exchanged personal vows a few days before their official/legal wedding on May 19," the statement reads.</p> <p>Royal fans were frustrated to find out the pair lied, especially as Markle had said in the interview footage that the Archbishop of Canterbury was present at the vows.</p> <p>“You know, three days before our wedding, we got married. No one knows that. The vows that we have framed in our room are just the two of us in our backyard with the Archbishop of Canterbury,” Markle explained.</p> <p>Prince Harry agreed, saying, “just the three of us”.</p> <p>Stephen Borton, former chief clerk at the Faculty Office, told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/14411884/meghan-markle-prince-harry-wedding-certificate-three-days/" target="_blank"><em>The Sun</em></a><span> </span>that Markle was "obviously confused".</p> <p>“I’m sorry, but Meghan is obviously confused and clearly misinformed," he said.</p> <p>“They did not marry three days earlier in front of the Archbishop of Canterbury.</p> <p>“The Special Licence I helped draw up enabled them to marry at St George’s Chapel in Windsor and what happened there on May 19, 2018 and was seen by millions around the world was the official wedding as recognised by the Church of England and the law.</p> <p>“What I suspect they did was exchange some simple vows they had perhaps written themselves, and which is fashionable, and said that in front of the Archbishop – or, and more likely, it was a simple rehearsal.”</p> <p>The Archbishop of Canterbury has not commented publicly on the event, which has left others questioning whether it happened.</p> <p>Rev Mark Edwards, a C of E priest from Newcastle, also told<span> </span><em>The Sun</em>: “When I called Lambeth Palace to ask about this I was told Justin doesn’t do private weddings. Meghan doesn’t understand.</p> <p>“But the fact that the Archbishop has not commented publicly needs to be addressed,” he added.</p>

Relationships

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Wuhan doctors admit they were told to lie about severity of COVID-19

<p><span>Chinese doctors in Wuhan have been secretly filmed admitting to knowing how serious coronavirus was at the start of the outbreak, but were ordered to lie by authorities.</span><br /><br /><span>There is growing evidence the Chinese Communist Party misled the global community in the early stages of the pandemic, a new documentary by UK broadcaster ITV called Outbreak: <em>The Virus That Shook The World,</em> has claimed.</span><br /><br /><span>China informed the World Health Organisation (WHO) of the first 27 cases of COVID-19 on December 31, 2019.</span><br /><br /><span>However they did not report any deaths until mid-January.</span><br /><br /><span>But senior doctors in Wuhan were secretly filmed by a citizen journalist, and said they knew about the deaths as early as December.</span><br /><br /><span>“We all felt there shouldn’t have been any doubt about human-to-human transmission,” one doctor said in the footage.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839576/wuhan-covid-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/839cf6b95524475189c53af0e096ed0a" /><br /><br /><span>“Actually, at the end of December or beginning of January, the relative of someone I know died of this virus. Many of those living with him were also infected including people I know.”</span><br /><br /><span>Another doctor said: “We knew the virus transmitted from human to human, but when we attended a hospital meeting we were told not to speak out. Provincial government leaders told the hospitals not to tell the truth.”</span><br /><br /><span>The doctors claimed that authorities knew the January Lunar New Year celebrations would accelerate the spread of the virus.</span><br /><br /><span>However they allowed the festivities to go ahead anyway in order to “present a harmonious and prosperous society”.</span><br /><br /><span>“They shouldn’t have allowed any gatherings,” one said.</span><br /><br /><span>“The provincial and local governments knew the threat but they continued to allow crowds.”</span><br /><br /><span>WHO infamously tweeted on January 14 about the virus: “Preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear evidence of human-to-human transmission.”</span><br /><br /><span>Taiwanese experts interviewed by the program backed up the Wuhan doctors’ testimony.</span><br /><br /><span>Dr Yin-Ching Chuang from the country’s Infectious Diseases Prevention and Treatment Network said his team struggled to get an answer on whether the virus was spread through hand-to-hand transmission.</span><br /><br /><span>After they were granted permission to travel to China, the truth finally emerged in a meeting.</span><br /><br /><span>“We asked a lot of questions, very unwillingly they finally came out and said limited human-to-human transmission can’t be ruled out,” he said.</span><br /><br /><span>“What was the scale of infection? How big was this epidemic? How many patients were affected? We didn’t know. Only they knew this. Why didn’t China inform other countries of this human-to-human matter earlier?”</span><br /><br /><span>Nationals backbencher Matt Canavan has since accused Beijing of having “something to hide” and said it vindicated the Morrison Government’s calls for transparency.</span><br /><br /><span>“That’s why the federal government’s always been consistent in calling for a proper, transparent inquiry (on the origins of COVID-19),” he told Today.</span><br /><br /><span>“The question has to be asked – if China has nothing to hide here, why they are going to these sort of lengths to hide things?”</span><br /><br /><span>The prevailing theory as to how coronavirus began, is that it originated in bats and jumped to humans during a “wet market” that sold and butchered exotic animals.</span><br /><br /><span>China, however, has begun pushing the theory that the virus originated overseas and arrived in Wuhan through imported frozen food products.</span><br /><br /><span>The countries being accused include Europe, South America and even Australia.</span></p>

Legal

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Jacinda Ardern admits mistake after group selfie

<p><span>Jacinda Ardern has admitted she “made a mistake” after she took a selfie with fans, breaching social distancing measures.</span><br /><br /><span>The New Zealand Prime Minister went to Massey University at Palmerston North on Thursday while on the campaign trail.</span><br /><br /><span>Excited students followed her around campus and as she left, the PM was met by a group who wanted to take a photo with her.</span><br /><br /><span>The prime minister reportedly asked the crowd to step back at first, but eventually joined them for the selfie.</span><br /><br /><span>Ardern has admitted her mistake on Monday while announcing the easing of coronavirus restrictions.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7837997/jacinda-ardern-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/bcb974e3cf7f40b796fef5218d838935" /></p> <p><em>Image: Twitter</em><br /><br /><span>"All the way through on the campaign trail and even before during alert level settings, I work really hard not to shake people's hands," she said.</span><br /><br /><span>"I sanitise. I wear my mask in Auckland, and I work hard to try to keep my social distance.</span><br /><br /><span>"In that particular photo I did make a mistake. I should have stepped further forward. I should have asked them to step apart from each other, and I acknowledge that."</span><br /><br /><span>New Zealand is set for an election on October 17, which presents a unique challenge for candidates and voters during the COVID pandemic.</span><br /><br /><span>Ardern spoke about the challenges on Monday.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Have I woken up in an alternate reality?<br /><br />Ardern: “I’ve acknowledged it was the wrong thing, I shouldn’t have taken a selfie...I’m sorry for it...I need to take responsibility for it...I should have not done it”<a href="https://twitter.com/TheAMShowNZ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheAMShowNZ</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/jacindaardern?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jacindaardern</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nzpol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nzpol</a> <a href="https://t.co/QL0hSZZmfu">pic.twitter.com/QL0hSZZmfu</a></p> — The Orwellian 🇳🇿 (@TheOrwellianNZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheOrwellianNZ/status/1308146584517894144?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2020</a></blockquote> <p><br /><br /><span>She says the country's social distancing restrictions are decided based on health advice and not on campaign needs.</span><br /><br /><span>"None of our decision-making around these alert levels, actually are based on the politics or the campaign," she said.</span><br /><br /><span>Restrictions in New Zealand have now eased, however Auckland still faces tougher rules than the rest of the country.</span><br /><br /><span>"We are in a strong position to make our next move down our alert settings," Ardern said.</span><br /><br /><span>"Auckland needs more time."</span></p>

Body

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Michael Buble admits he’s received “a lot” of death threats following controversy

<p><span>Michael Buble has admitted he and his wife were targeted by disgruntled fans after a video showing the singer nudging his partner with his elbow sparked a major controversy.</span><br /><br /><span>The Canadian star appeared alongside Luisana Lopilato on Instagram to chat to fans back in April.</span><br /><br /><span>However many supporters became concerned when he appeared to interrupt and grab her.</span><br /><br /><span>The singer's representative put out a statement calling the controversy "a failed effort of cyber bullying".</span><br /><br /><span>Speaking on Argentinian TV show Intrusos, Luisana revealed that while the couple received support over stories surrounding the event, there were a lot of hateful comments too.</span><br /><br /><span>"We received a lot of love from people but you wouldn't believe the amount of people who sent me photos with weapons saying they were going to kill Mike when he reached Argentina, photos of knives from people laughing and saying they were going to cut off his fingers, leave a bomb for us or give him a beating," she said.</span><br /><br /><span>"It made me afraid and I still feel a little bit frightened."</span><br /><br /><span>Luisana went on to add: "It's not nice to receive death threats. There were a lot of threats. The positive messages we received outnumbered them but I am worried for my family. I suffered a lot with what happened."</span><br /><br /><span>"It caused Mike a lot of pain too. He loves Argentina and he loves being with me in Argentina when I'm working.</span><br /><br /><span>"He loves the friends he has in Argentina. Can you imagine what it feels like to receive a photo from Argentina of a youngster holding a weapon and the warning: 'This is what you're going to get when you come here!'"</span><br /><br /><span>Buble says he is the victim of a “fake news” campaign.</span><br /><br /><span>"Mike is a gentleman who is always concerned with trying to make me even more happy than I already am,” Luisana said.</span></p>

Beauty & Style

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Soccer player admits to killing ‘coronavirus’-stricken son

<p>A Turkish soccer player has admitted to smothering his five-year-old son to death while the child was being treated in hospital for symptoms linked to COVID-19.</p> <p>Cevher Toktas told police he killed his son Kasim at Dortcelik Children’s Hospital in Bursa because he never loved the boy “even when he was born”.</p> <p>The child was admitted to the hospital with a cough and high fever on April 23, and placed in isolation with his father.</p> <p>Later that day Toktas called for doctors, claiming his son’s condition had taken a turn for the worse. The child was rushed to the intensive care unit, where he died less than two hours later.</p> <p>Kasim’s death was originally not ruled as suspicious, although he tested negative for COVID-19.</p> <p>But Toktas turned himself in to the police on May 4 and confessed to having smothered his son, 10 days after the youngster’s funeral.</p> <p>According to local media, the 32-year-old said he yelled for doctors after committing the crime “to help to draw any suspicions away from me”.</p> <p>Toktas allegedly told investigators he killed Kasim because he “never loved him, even when he was born, and I can’t state why, I have no mental issues”.</p> <p>The soccer player was taken into custody. No trial date has been set yet.</p> <p>Turkish authorities have ordered Kasim’s body to be exhumed for a post-mortem.</p>

News

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Piers Morgan admits he took Meghan Markle criticism “too far”

<p>Good Morning Britain host Piers Morgan has confessed that he may have “taken things a bit too far” in his criticism of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex over the last two years.</p> <p>The controversial British figure has taken aim at Meghan Markle on a number of occasions, even going as far of “ditching” her family.</p> <p>He tweeted in January: “People say I'm too critical of Meghan Markle — but she ditched her family, ditched her Dad, ditched most of her old friends, split Harry from William and has now split him from the Royal Family. I rest my case.”</p> <p>Morgan even stirred up a feud with actress Jameela Jamil over the duchess after voicing his vicious opinions on the royals.</p> <p>He has since backtracked on his comments, admitting that his regular criticism of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex weren't "wise".</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B7FPg17HFTV/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B7FPg17HFTV/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by AllNewsInc (@allnewsinc)</a> on Jan 8, 2020 at 6:20pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"It's probably not wise, if you're a columnist, to make things too personal," he admitted to The Sunday Times.</p> <p>"Have I taken things a bit too far? Probably. Do I think that will govern and temper how I talk about them going forward? Absolutely."</p> <p>Morgan has been accused of holding a personal grudge against the duchess, whom he allegedly had a friendly relationship with before she joined the royal family.</p> <p>He claimed she "ghosted" him and abandoned their friendship after meeting Prince Harry.</p> <p>The presenter also confessed that "boredom" has played a role in his attitude towards the royals.</p> <p>"It's times of relative peace, calm, quiet and dare I say boredom that might occasionally bring out the worst in me," he admitted. "Having squabbles with people who are never going to change their mind in a million years about stuff that no longer seems remotely important."</p>

TV

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Terrible or understandable? Mother admits she regrets picking “bland” baby name

<p><span>Picking a baby name is not an easy task, especially since the perfect moniker can take months to resonate and stick with a set of nervous soon-to-be parents.</span><br /><br /><span>Rushing into making a decision can often result in a very regretful conscience - a feeling one displeased mother admits she knows all too well.</span><br /><br /><span>She took to mumsnet to share her own story of true regret over choosing a “bland” name for her daughter who is now four-years-old.</span><br /><br /><span>Her and her husband named their precious little girl Lily, which is a name the father really liked, but the mum was never quite so keen on.</span><br /><br /><span>She said: "I obviously wouldn't change it now but I can't seem to get over regretting what we called daughter, who is now four.</span><br /><br /><span>"Husband is a teacher and very picky about names. Her name is Lily. I did used to love it, but had reservations about popularity."</span><br /><br /><span>The regretful mum says her husband "assured" her that the name wasn't a very popular one when the baby was born and that he hardly taught any girls named Lily.</span><br /><br /><span>It might have been unknown years ago, however the mother says she feels like she hears it everywhere she goes nowadays. </span><br /><br /><span>"She is one of three at nursery and I have waves of being ok with it but right now I feel I am obsessing over it, which I realise is pointless and in the grand scheme of things I know very trivial," continues the parent.</span><br /><br /><span>"Perhaps it's a combination of lockdown meaning there is more time to dwell on things.</span><br /><br /><span>"I just find her name really bland now and regret not being more firm with other options (I generally like more unusual, but classic names)."</span><br /><br /><span>Other Mumsnet users took to reassuring the woman who they felt might be overreacting.</span><br /><br /><span>One person said: "Lily is lovely. You can never predict what names will be popular in a certain class/group.</span><br /><br /><span>“Sometimes you end up with one Oliver and three Horatios or something! She's not always going to be in a big group of Lilys."</span><br /><br /><span>Another added: "Names always come in fashions. It is a pretty name and not at all like the 'unusual' ones that children really hate.</span><br /><br /><span>“Please don't regret this name, you only have to look at the baby names posts on here to see what parents are saddling their children with, learn to love it, she is her name."</span><br /><br /><span>A third wrote: "In the nicest possible way, you really need to find a way to let this go. You can't change a four-year-old's name.</span><br /><br /><span>“So the only way forward is acceptance. Maybe you are obsessing because of all the other things in life we have lost control of, but you can't do anything about this.</span><br /><br /><span>“You need to find distractions to take the heat out of this."</span></p>

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