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“Never be forgotten”: Uncle of NRL star drowns while saving swimmers

<p>The man who died, Talitiga Taupau, was trying to save the lives of two others caught in a dangerous rip with him.</p> <p>The father-of-six entered the rip at Cronulla’s Shelly Beach on Saturday afternoon. One swimmer made it back to the beach, while Talitiga and one other were pulled unconscious from the water. </p> <p>Talitiga died at the scene, while the second unconscious man was revived and taken to St George Hospital in a critical condition after allegedly being underwater for three minutes. The swimmer who returned to shore was reported to be in a stable condition and receiving further treatment. </p> <p>Talitiga’s death brings the state’s summer drowning toll to 14 (with the count commencing on December 1). </p> <p>The 44-year-old has been identified as the uncle of Brisbane Broncos player Martin “Marty” Taupau. </p> <p>“It's really sad that this has happened but he will never be forgotten for his actions," Marty told 9News of his uncle’s passing. Marty was reportedly driving to Brisbane with his family for training with his team when he heard the news. </p> <p>“There’s just so much happening,” he added, “so much to process.” </p> <p>Talitiga and the second man were pulled from the water by nearby lifeguards. Joel Wiseman, director of lifesaving for Surf Life Saving NSW, stressed the strain on volunteer lifesavers across the state in the wake of the recent drownings, including the tragedy at Shelly Beach on the weekend. </p> <p>“We are experiencing one of our busiest summers ever with huge rescue numbers,” Wiseman stated, “and our volunteers have put in a massive effort to try to keep people safe along the coast.</p> <p>"Despite the growing drowning toll, volunteers and lifeguards should be very proud of what they've achieved so far this summer. There are a combination of factors making this summer so deadly, including people taking risks, alcohol consumption, and crowded beaches which can lead beachgoers to seek out unfamiliar and unpatrolled locations.</p> <p>"Rip currents remain the number one coastal hazard and the 14 coastal drowning deaths this summer have all occurred at unpatrolled locations."</p> <p>An investigation is underway into the latest drowning, with Sutherland Shire police set to prepare a report for the coroner. </p> <p>Talitiga Taupau is being remembered as a hero for his actions, with tributes flowing for his family.</p> <p>Marty Taupau posted one such tribute to his Instagram, sharing 9News’ segment on his uncle’s story with the caption “Manuia lau malaga uncle“ (Have a good trip uncle) and the hashtag “hero”. </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/reel/Cn_oTOwJwJ9/?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/reel/Cn_oTOwJwJ9/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 🧿 M A R T Y K A P O W 🧿 (@martykapow)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“Prayers and condolences to you and your family brother,” wrote Australian basketball star Dejan Vasiljevic. </p> <p>Fellow rugby league player Brad Takairangi commented, “much love my bro.” </p> <p>“So sorry for your loss @martykapow,” shared one supporter, echoing the sentiments of many who had come to the post to share their condolences for Marty and Talitiga’s loved ones, “sending sympathy and love to you and all your family.”</p> <p>As Marty told 9News, “I know I’ve got the right people and support networks around … I’ll be okay.” </p> <p><em>Images: 9News</em></p> <p> </p>

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Couple book non-stop cruises for two-and-a-half years

<p dir="ltr">A couple who missed out on the joys of cruising during lockdown are now bunkering down and cruising non-stop for two-and-a-half years.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jessica and Marty Ansen left Brisbane on Princess Cruises’ Coral Princess on June 16 for the beginning of their exciting adventure.</p> <p dir="ltr">They have previously sailed on 31 cruises with Princess with a whopping 1,173 days at sea and when the resumption of cruises they were ready to get started again. </p> <p dir="ltr">From now until August 2024, the loved up couple will be holidaying on the high seas and on a staggering 53 different cruise ships! </p> <p dir="ltr">“Cruising offers the ultimate holiday experience. You go onboard, you only unpack once, and you have all this amazing entertainment, exceptional food, great company and you can see the world. And, the crew deliver incredible service - that’s why we cruise,” they said. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Ansens booked their two years of back-to-back cruises (795 sea days) - including two round-the-world cruises in 2023 and 2024 – with Brisbane-based family-owned travel agency Clean Cruising.</p> <p dir="ltr">Martine Hero, the Senior Consultant at Clean Cruising, said the Ansens had always been passionate about cruising and were keen to be back on the water again. </p> <p dir="ltr">“For the last two years Marty frequently mentioned all he and Jessica wanted to do was to go cruising again,” he said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Since the announcement of the resumption of cruising we have had an influx of interest and bookings, including those of the Ansens. </p> <p dir="ltr">“This extended trip has been in the works for a long time, as have those of many other cruisers. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We want to thank our cruise fans for their patience as we get them back doing what they love most.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: The Today Show</em></p>

Cruising

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No more Justin Bieber: New rules for Marty Sheargold's return

<p>Marty Sheargold is back after quitting from his gig on<span> </span><em>Kate, Tim and Marty</em><span> </span>last year.</p> <p>Sheargold claimed he no longer found the show “challenging” and went on to become a full-time stand-up community along with setting up his own podcast.</p> <p>He said the podcast set up eventually “couldn’t work out how to make any money out of it.”</p> <p>The radio star returned to his radio star gig not too long after, this time with his own breakfast show on Triple M Melbourne.</p> <p>Four months in, Marty told <em>news.com.au</em>: “I’m really enjoying coming to work and that hasn’t always been the way, but it certainly is now,”</p> <p>“If you can’t get up and about for this kind of opportunity then you shouldn’t be looking for it in the first place.”</p> <p>Marty now hosts<span> </span><em>The Marty Sheargold Show</em><span> </span>by himself, but often has supporting co-hosts to provide banter and good entertainment for fans.</p> <p>“I love that idea of getting the whole team in the studio and that always takes time for people to find their own rhythm naturally, and I think that’s happening now which is great. And it’s great having young people around because you can vicariously live through their lives and still go to bed early,” Marty said.</p> <p>“We’re having genuine fun and I think that’s the most important thing in a team. Content will always look after itself but if you’ve got a great energy and attitude within the group then it’s just a joy to be a part of,” he added.</p> <p>Marty also admitted he loves his new audience at Triple M now.</p> <p>“I don’t have to talk about Justin Bieber anymore, which is good,” he revealed.</p> <p>He also made it clear he will never speak about reality programs on his show as its “lazy”.</p> <p>“When you look at the clock of these (breakfast radio) shows and you give someone from<span> </span><em>MAFS</em><span> </span>half an hour of your show, that’s because<span> </span><em>you</em><span> </span>don’t want to do half and hour of your show,” he said.</p> <p>“It’s awful radio and it should be outlawed. And as a listener you shouldn’t put up with it, you should find somebody that’s not doing that, because it’s patronising to treat the audience that way. Who could give a f**k about a bloke from<span> </span><em>MAFS</em>?”</p> <p>Marty revealed he has rejected a number of offers to appear on reality shows.</p> <p>“All of those reality ones I’ve said no to,” he told news.com.au.</p> <p>“They even wanted me to go and do the<span> </span><em>Dirty Dancing</em><span> </span>show in the US (Channel 7’s<span> </span><em>Real Dirty Dancing</em>). I’m like, ‘You don’t know me at all. Why would you ask me to do that?’ I was quite insulted.</p> <p>“I couldn’t think of anything worse and I made the right decision, it was an awful show.”</p> <p>Marty admitted he turned down a chance to feature on<span> </span><em>I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here</em>, saying: “It feels like end of career stuff, that stuff. It doesn’t feel like building a career.</p> <p>“You’re either starting or ending, it shouldn’t be in the middle of your career.”</p>

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Surprise! The original Back To The Future cast reunited

<p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__intro sics-component__story__paragraph">It's the power of Lloyd, not the Power of Love that's sent shockwaves through fans of<em><span> </span>Back To The Future</em>.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Doc Brown, aka Christopher Lloyd, has managed to reunite the stars of the '80s time-travel classic for a photo at the fan convention they were attending.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson and Thomas Wilson had all been taking part in the Fan Expo in Boston in the US when the reunion happened.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">"This was special," Lloyd captioned his post after getting Marty McFly, Biff Tannen, Lorraine Baines and Doc Brown together.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BmWLLMKHQYN/?utm_source=ig_embed" data-instgrm-version="9"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.09259259259259% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"> <div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5/p8/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BmWLLMKHQYN/?utm_source=ig_embed" target="_blank">This was special.</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/mrchristopherlloyd/?utm_source=ig_embed" target="_blank"> Christopher Lloyd</a> (@mrchristopherlloyd) on Aug 11, 2018 at 10:10am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">One fan commented, "This is awesome! My 11 year old son asked me today, 'Dad, do you think they will make a Back to the Future pt 4?' These movies mean so much to me and now him. Thanks!"</p> <div class="sics-component__ad-space sics-component__ad-space--storybody "> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Lea Thompson also posted the picture with the title "Four old friends get back from the future".</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">There's been much speculation over whether there would ever be a fourth installment of the <em>Back To The Future</em> series, but there's still been no announcement on whether the foursome will reunite one more time.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph"><span>Meanwhile </span><a href="https://metro.co.uk/2018/08/12/back-future-reunion-everything-7828665/"><em>Metro</em><span> </span>reported it probably won't happen</a>.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">"Basically, I think America is saying, 'Come on, they've wrecked every other franchise with bad sequels, why not this one?'" Wilson said, who played Biff. "C'mon, we would watch it until it sucks."</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Fox also poured doubts it would happen, saying that the actors have no say in whether another movie gets made, saying that co-creator Bob Gale is the "gatekeeper of the franchise".</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph"><em>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/106221083/fans-delighted-as-the-original-back-to-the-future-cast-reunited">Stuff.co.nz</a>. </em></p> </div>

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