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Schoolgirl reveals how she survived Texas massacre

<p dir="ltr">An 11-year-old girl has recalled the moment she survived the horrific Texas school shooting which saw her classmates and teacher shot dead.</p> <p dir="ltr">Miah Cerrillo, a fourth grader at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas spoke to lawmakers in a pre-recorded interview at the House of Representatives committee on Wednesday.</p> <p dir="ltr">She explained how she smeared her dead classmate’s blood on her and played dead to avoid being shot by 18-year-old Salvador Ramos on May 24. </p> <p dir="ltr">"He... told my teacher 'good night' and then shot her in the head. And then he shot some of my classmates and the whiteboard," Miah said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Miah then grabbed her dead teacher’s mobile phone and dialled 911 - which has since seen police’s response <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/texas-police-admit-wrongdoing-following-school-shooting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heavily criticised</a> for not doing anything while they were being attacked. </p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NOOIN48HnxE" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">The fourth grader fears that another mass shooting would occur at her school and called for “more security”. </p> <p dir="ltr">Gunman Salvador 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 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"><em>Images: YouTube</em></p>

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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>

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Salvador Dali exhibition heads to New Zealand

<p dir="ltr">The works of surrealist artist Salvador Dali are the subject of a new multimedia exhibition headed for Auckland and Christchurch that promises to wow art connoisseurs and first-timers alike.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9847cd07-7fff-bb62-5654-0c315ef447f7">Inside Dali comes from the same team behind last year’s Van Gogh Alive exhibition which has appeared in capital cities across New Zealand and Australia over the past year, per <em><a href="https://concreteplayground.com/auckland/arts-entertainment/a-breathtaking-multimedia-exhibition-of-salvadore-dalis-work-is-coming-to-new-zealand-this-year-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Concrete Playground</a></em>.</span></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/Cb_QyP0P_cQ/?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/Cb_QyP0P_cQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Inside Dalí NZ (@insidedalinz)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The exhibition, which comes directly from its current home in Florence, promises to take visitors on a chronological trip through Dali’s life through floor-to-ceiling moving images, real-life objects, and interviews.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-cbe122c3-7fff-d3fa-5a2e-627878e5106a"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">There are five rooms to explore, including the celebration of Dante’s Inferno in the Divine Comedy Room with 100 colourful wooden engravings of the epic poem, and a surreal 360-degree mirror room where you’ll be surrounded by moving imagery of his masterpieces.</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/Cb8fMVkLClF/?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/Cb8fMVkLClF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Inside Dalí NZ (@insidedalinz)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The exhibit is expected to <a href="https://blog.ticketmaster.co.nz/arts-attractions/inside-dali-new-zealand-3011" target="_blank" rel="noopener">open</a> first in Auckland from May 28 until June 30, before it takes up residence at the Air Force Museum of New Zealand in Christchurch from July 11.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-783a0a79-7fff-f03a-ff4e-376cdf0b7264"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Ticketmaster</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Floating down Northern Territory’s magical Daly River

<p><img width="110" height="149" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/40571/anne-in-text.jpg" alt="Anne In Text" style="float: left;"/></p> <p><em><strong>Anne Sinclair, 68, was born in England but spent most of her youth in Darwin, Northern Territory. Now in a position to travel and explore the world, Anne looks forward to sharing her personal experience and encourages others to step out and have fun. </strong></em></p> <p>The Daly River is absolutely renowned for its large Barramundi and is one of the Top End’s most popular waterways, for recreational fishing and boating.</p> <p>It is not too long after the wet season has directed the many feeder rivers to pour and flood into the Daly – that, this magic starts to happen. This Daly River has tidal influence which amazingly sees the introduction of both freshwater, and saltwater crocodiles.</p> <p>For me, there can never be enough warning signs about the potential harm if these animals are not respected, in their natural habitat. You just need to be responsible and vigilant!</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="497" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/40570/1_497x280.jpg" alt="1 (202)"/></p> <p>The ‘Barra Classic’ and the ‘Barra Nationals’ are two major fishing competitions held each year – encouraging competition fishing on the Daly River. Fishing Charters and Boat Hire are readily available at parks and resorts positioned on this riverbank.  The area is also known for its scenic surrounds, and diverse wildlife. The bird life includes kingfishers, sea eagles, brahminy kite, whistling kite and all manner of ducks. Millions of migratory birds visit here each year. So picturesque - as the freshwater mangrove and paper bark trees stand side by side with Pandanus palms – growing on the river banks; as Pandanus like to populate in the damp soils.</p> <p>Organised tours invite you to visit the Ngangikurrunggurr people – a small community famous for their weaving. The tours are available to visit Peppinmentari Art where you may shop for artefacts and souvenirs, and learn more of this traditional culture.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="496" height="280" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/40568/2_496x280.jpg" alt="2 (193)"/></p> <p>The wider area is referred to as the Douglas Daly Region. Some places of interest and beauty include the Butterfly Gorge Nature Park. These mineral pools are shaded by paperbark trees up to fifty metres tall. Robin Falls is another beauty! Just off the Stuart Highway near Adelaide River Township, the Falls are easily reached by a short walk through scenic bush surrounds. A wide variety of flora and fauna unique to the Top End and this Daly region, offers fantastic viewing – in support of Robin Falls cascading waters.</p> <p>Copper was first discovered in the Daly River area in 1882/3, with mining going on periodically over the next twenty six years. The machinery relics are still at the site today. The machinery is indicative of the early mining technology of the late 19th century. This site also embraces the graves of four deceased mine employees, with a little of their story. There is an amazing mine cavity still facing the sky and sunlight, remnants of the Northern Territory’s first commercial copper mining enterprise; and a little care should be taken if you like to get some of those really close photo opportunities.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="498" height="360" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/40567/3_498x360.jpg" alt="3 (164)"/></p> <p>There are Hot Mineral Springs and their Caravan Parks dotted throughout this region. The Douglas Daly region, also has cool crevice and spring waterholes too - offering a chance for a refreshing swim, if cool water is what you might prefer.</p> <p>There are Jesuit Ruins (recorded as being established in 1890’s {Peter Forrest – The Spirit of the Daly}) remains on the Daly River Mango Farm, which is located along the Daly River. This is one of the earliest examples of European settlement in the Top End. The ruins are accessed via a two kilometre scenic bush track. White settlement of the Daly dates back to the 1880’s.</p> <p>The Mission Church is still used at the Nauiyu Aboriginal Community which began as a Catholic Mission in the mid 1950’s. Nauiyu Community have postal, eftpos, workshop and health clinic facilities. The town also includes a child care centre, community school and local airstrip.</p> <p>The camping and accommodation facilities dotted along the Daly River banks are modern, clean, also quite varied; and most roads are sealed.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/40566/4_500x375.jpg" alt="4 (134)"/></p> <p>But, it all began much earlier. Peter Forrest – The Spirit of The Daly – writes of the beginnings of pastoral and mining settlement here. He submits that ‘ it is possible the first Europeans to pass near the Daly River region were Abel Tasman and his crew, who in 1644 sailed into or past Anson Bay during their voyage along the north coasts of Australia’.</p> <p>John McDouall Stuart then made a successful crossing from south to north, in 1862. Stuart’s amazing contribution made it possible for South Australia to not only have the vision but compounded their knowledge for advancements in Australia, creating our history. Through continued discovery it was soon realised the lands supporting the Daly River, were lush and fertile – the transportation of goods via the Daly River however, was not considered as suitable.</p> <p>While this amazing area of the Daly River has seen the copper mining industry come and go; cattle by pastoralists come and go; white and Chinese mining and farming activity come and go; floods come and go; tobacco farming come and go; peanuts farming come and go; worthy settlers have come and made their marks…one could wonder what form of challenges and enjoyment of barra fishing had taken place during this auspicious time.</p> <p>The Daly a beautiful place, just oozing history. Just oozing barramundi fishing opportunity – you just have to make sure you have the right spot on the Daly River, the right day and time, the right bait or lures – and away you go! Bucket list material! Everything is in your favour….come and make your mark - fish the Daly River when next in the Top End. We will be expecting you…</p> <p>Have you ever been to this beautiful part of the world?</p> <p><em>Image credits: Anne Sinclair</em></p>

International Travel