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Arrest made for the alleged murder of Queensland psychologist

<p dir="ltr">Police have arrested a 47-year-old man in connection with the death of Queensland mother and psychologist Frances Crawford. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 49-year-old woman was found dead on an Upper Lockyer property in Queensland shortly before 4am on July 30th, with paramedics initially reporting the incident as a "mower rollover".</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite initial reports, police shared an update on their investigation on Friday to say they were treating her death as suspicious, alleging the woman was <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/police-share-major-update-on-woman-s-lawnmower-death">murdered</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr">Superintendent Marchesini said several lines of inquiry were being pursued by homicide detectives, and shared a plea to the public for information. </p> <p dir="ltr">One of the lines of inquiry being pursued involved the alleged relationship Frances' husband Robert had with “multiple women”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We believe there were women who were involved in relationships with Mr Crawford who may have information about Mrs Crawford that will assist with this investigation,” Superintendent Marchesini said at the time.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We are particularly interested in speaking with people who knew of Frances or Robert Crawford and their personal circumstances, including their marriage.”</p> <p dir="ltr">On Thursday, police released a statement to confirm that they had arrested Frances’ husband in connection to her death, while thanking the public for valuable information. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Investigations are continuing and there is no further information at this time,” they said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Detectives can confirm a number of people have provided information since our last public appeal, and thank those people for their bravery in coming forward.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Anyone with information that can assist with investigations is encouraged to come forward and contact police.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: 7News - Crawford Family </em></p> <p> </p>

Legal

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World’s longest treasure hunt ends as Golden Owl finally unearthed in France

<p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">After more than three decades of mystery and intrigue, the world’s longest-running treasure hunt has come to a thrilling conclusion with the discovery of the elusive Golden Owl. Valued at approximately $240,000, the treasure had captivated the imaginations of thousands since it was first buried in France in the early 1990s.</span></p> <p>The hunt began with the publication of the now-famous book, <em>On the Trail of the Golden Owl</em>, written by communications expert Régis Hauser under the pseudonym “Max Valentin” and illustrated by artist Michel Becker. The 1993 book challenged readers to solve a series of intricate riddles and clues, which, when deciphered, would reveal the owl’s secret location.</p> <p>Despite years of painstaking attempts to crack the mystery, the Golden Owl remained hidden for decades, surviving even its creator. Hauser passed away in 2009, leaving the prize still buried. Michel Becker, who took over the management of the hunt, delivered the long-awaited news on October 3 via an online announcement that sparked a frenzy among treasure hunters: “A potential winning solution is currently being verified.”</p> <p>Two hours later, he confirmed: “Don’t go digging! We confirm that the Golden Owl countermark was unearthed last night.”</p> <p>The treasure hunt’s <a href="https://goldenowlhunt.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">official website was also updated with the announcement</a>, bringing an end to a search that has been both thrilling and, for some, overwhelming.</p> <p><strong>The obsession and madness behind the search</strong></p> <p>For over 30 years, the Golden Owl hunt transcended being just a hobby for many treasure hunters and became an all-consuming obsession. While some enjoyed it as a leisurely pursuit, others were driven to extreme lengths – financially, emotionally and mentally. The search for the owl has been linked to personal crises, including financial ruin and broken marriages. At least one individual reportedly ended up in an asylum due to their fixation on solving the hunt’s riddles.</p> <p>The toll wasn’t limited to individuals. Searchers caused considerable disruption across France, digging unauthorised holes in public and private lands. In one eastern French village, the local mayor was forced to plead with hunters to stop digging around its chapel, while in other cases, searchers brought power tools to banks and even considered destroying structures in the hopes of unearthing the treasure.</p> <p><strong>The Golden Owl’s elusive clues</strong></p> <p><em>On the Trail of the Golden Owl</em> contained a complex series of 11 riddles, each paired with a painting by Becker. The riddles, combined with maps, colours and hidden details, challenged readers to work out the owl’s hidden location.</p> <p>Before his death, Hauser revealed three crucial elements to solving the puzzle:</p> <p>The use of maps: Hunters needed to work with maps to narrow down the search area and use a specific map to pinpoint the final zone.</p> <p>A “mega trick”: This was the key to using the sequence of riddles to locate the final area where the owl was hidden.</p> <p>A final hidden riddle: Once in the final zone, hunters had to uncover one last riddle to lead them to the exact spot of the treasure.</p> <p><strong>Joyous celebration among treasure hunters</strong></p> <p>The treasure-hunting community was overjoyed when the news broke, with many expressing their disbelief and excitement. “Finally – liberated!” exclaimed one fan on the hunt’s Discord forum. Another added, “I didn’t think I’d live to see the day.”</p> <p>As of now, the exact location of the owl’s discovery and the identity of the finder remain undisclosed. However, Becker hinted at the complexity involved in concluding this monumental hunt. “Tons of emotions to manage for all those who are responsible for managing the end of this episode and complex logistics to put in place,” he said in a statement on October 6.</p> <p>For now, the Golden Owl, a treasure that has held a generation of sleuths in its grasp, has been unearthed. Yet, the fascination with its story will undoubtedly linger for years to come.</p> <p><em>Images/Illustrations: Michel Becker</em></p>

International Travel

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Police share major update on woman's lawnmower death

<p>The death of Frances Crawford is now being treated as suspicious, more than two months after she tragically <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/police-officially-declare-woman-s-lawnmower-death-suspicious" target="_blank" rel="noopener">died</a>. </p> <p>The 49-year-old was found dead on an Upper Lockyer property in Queensland shortly before 4am on July 30th, with paramedics initially reporting the incident as a "mower rollover".</p> <p>However, as the investigation into her death continues, police have now alleged that she was murdered.</p> <p>“Investigations are underway by the Crime and Intelligence Command Homicide Group and Gatton Criminal Investigation Branch into the circumstances that lead to her death,” Regional Crime Coordinator Detective Superintendent George Marchesini said.</p> <p>Superintendent Marchesini said several lines of inquiry were being pursued by homicide detectives, while forensic testing and analysis of how Ms Crawford ended up in that location remain under investigation.</p> <p>One of the lines of inquiry being pursued involve the alleged relationship Frances' husband Robert had with “multiple women”.</p> <p>“We believe there were women who were involved in relationships with Mr Crawford who may have information about Mrs Crawford that will assist with this investigation,” Superintendent Marchesini said.</p> <p>“Mr Crawford may have met these women on dating applications, and through his personal and professional life.”</p> <p>nvestigators revealed Mr Crawford had connected with women in Italy, United States of America, Papua New Guinea, Guam, Afghanistan, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and every state in Australia bar South Australia and Tasmania.</p> <p>“We are particularly interested in speaking with people who knew of Frances or Robert Crawford and their personal circumstances, including their marriage,” Superintendent Marchesini continued.</p> <p>According to police, Mr Crawford was at the property on the night his wife died and has been assisting police since her death, and has not been charged.</p> <p>Superintendent Marchesini said a number of people had provided information since the last public appeal.</p> <p>“The past few months have been extremely challenging for Frances’s family and her children, who are desperate for answers, and it’s time for those with information, no matter how small, to come forward,” Superintendent Marchesini said.</p> <p>Anyone with information that can assist with investigations and who had connections with the address or Mrs Frances Crawford or Mr Robert Crawford, as a couple or outside of the marriage, is encouraged to come forward and contact police.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Crawford Family / 7News</em></p>

Legal

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Loch Ness monster back in headlines after "most exciting" photo in decades

<p>A recent potential Loch Ness monster sighting has generated immense excitement among monster enthusiasts, who claim these photographs are the most captivating seen in decades.</p> <p>The incident unfolded when Chie Kelly, 51, inadvertently captured images of an unidentified, sizeable creature gliding across the surface of Loch Ness five years ago in August.</p> <p>At the time, she hesitated to release the images, fearing public ridicule. However, her decision changed after the largest 'Nessie' search in over half a century took place last month – called The Quest Weekend.</p> <p>Kelly, accompanied by her family, was enjoying a meal at an inn nestled on the shores of the Scottish loch when she began snapping photos.</p> <p>According to the <a href="https://lochness.com/findings-revealed-from-the-quest-weekend/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lochness.com website</a>, Chie Kelly "had lunch in the Dores Inn and then started walking around. I was just taking pictures with my Canon camera of Scott and our daughter Alisa, who was then five, when about 200 metres from the shore, moving right to left at a steady speed was this creature.</p> <p>"It was spinning and rolling at times. We never saw a head or neck. After a couple of minutes, it just disappeared and we never saw it again.</p> <p>"At first I wondered if it was an otter or a pair of otters or a seal, but we never saw a head and it never came up again for air.</p> <p>"It was making this strange movement on the surface. We did not hear any sound. There were these strange shapes below the surface. I could not make out any colours – the water was dark. I could not accurately assess its length, but the two parts that were visible were less than two metres long together.</p> <p>"I don’t know what it was, but it was definitely a creature – an animal. At the time I did not want to face public ridicule by making the photographs public. But I met Steve Feltham at the weekend and showed him the images, and he said immediately that they were ‘very interesting’.”</p> <p>Feltham has dedicated more than 30 years to the search for Nessie since abandoning his job and selling his house in 1991. After looking at the images, he said, “These are the most exciting surface pictures I have seen. They are exactly the type of pictures I have been wanting to take for three decades.</p> <p>"It is rare to see something so clear on the surface. They are vindication for all the people who believe there is something unexplained in Loch Ness. They are remarkable. I have studied them and still do not know what it is. I persuaded them that these pictures were so important they should make them public. They warrant further investigation. It is not driftwood – it is a moving creature and totally unexplained.”</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/CrRewR8txip/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrRewR8txip/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Chie Tchié Kelly-Kano (@kelly.chie)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Reports of the Loch Ness monster have spanned ancient history, with stories dating back to an Irish missionary allegedly rescuing a swimmer from a creature in the loch during the 7th century.</p> <p>The completion of a road adjacent to the loch in 1933 led to a surge in monster sightings. Despite numerous searches over the years, a DNA survey conducted in 2018 failed to provide any evidence of a plesiosaur or other large animals residing in the lake.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram / Chie Kelly</em></p> <p> </p>

International Travel

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France’s pledge to Ukrainian artists

<p dir="ltr">In order to help struggling artists in Ukraine who have been impacted by the Russian invasion, the French government has announced a $1.5 million relief fund to help workers in the arts. </p> <p dir="ltr">According to a statement from the French Ministry of Culture, the initiative will also be available to “dissident” Russian artists fleeing the nation’s crackdown on free speech.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The emergency reception program will finance Ukrainian artists and cultural professionals and their families for a period of three months, via the Pause program, [consisting of] residencies within the network of public establishments of the ministry and through the Cité internationale des arts [an artist-in-residence building in Paris],” the ministry’s statement said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Two thirds of the funds will be dedicated to an emergency telephone service offered in both Russian and Ukrainian that will offer support to imperilled artists through networking with regional professionals and studio space opportunities.</p> <p dir="ltr">The remainder of the funds will be directed to help Ukrainian students to enrol at colleges and cultural organisations in France. </p> <p dir="ltr">Roselyne Bachelot-Narquin, the French minister of culture, said the ministry “wants Ukrainian artists to be supported so they can continue their creative work in France…This additional support will be in the form of research grants and funding for artistic projects, but also for organising exhibitions.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Russia’s unprompted attack on Ukraine began on February 24th, and has seen at least 2.6 million Ukrainians flee their war-torn home country. </p> <p dir="ltr">According to the French interior minister, Gèrald Darmanin, the French government has pledged to accept around 100,000 Ukrainian refugees.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Art

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Denzel Washington to star in R-rated Macbeth

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Academy Award winner Denzel Washington will be taking on the titular character of Macbeth in </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Tragedy of Macbeth</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a new adaptation of the famous Shakespearean tragedy.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://movieweb.com/the-tragedy-of-macbeth-teaser-a24/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">new teaser</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> sees Washington depict the fictional Scottish lord in stark black-and-white in an eerie and otherworldly version of medieval Scotland.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845673/_0-19-screenshot-1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6feccf71e63c402d99b87f90984344e9" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Frances McDormand will star alongside Washington in the new adaptation. Image: A24</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“In meticulously world-weary performances, a strikingly inward Denzel Washington is the man who would be king, and an effortlessly Machiavellian Frances McDormand is his Lady,” the New York Film Festival’s announcement of the film reads.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The film is directed by Joel Coen - one half of the Coen brothers - though this time he will be working solo. </span></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/CRoxy5pIXjd/?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> <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/CRoxy5pIXjd/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by A24 (@a24)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Famed actress Kathryn Hunter will also join the cast as a trio of ‘weird sisters’, alongside Brendan Gleeson as King Duncan, Corey Hawkins as Macduff, and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Queen’s Gambit </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">star Moses Ingram as Lady MacDuff.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Though it echoes the forbidding visual designs - and aspect ratios - of Laurence Olivier’s classic 1940’s Shakespeare adaptations, as well as the bloody medieval madness of Kurosawa’s </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Throne of Blood</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Coen’s tale of sound and fury is entirely his own,” the announcement reads.</span></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/CUDKPNFrkku/?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> <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/CUDKPNFrkku/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by A24 (@a24)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Coen previously shared his aspirations for the film, with hopes it will be a “boldly inventive visualisation of the Scottish Play” and “an anguished film that stares, mouth agape, at a sorrowful world undone by blind greed and thoughtless ambition”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The film made its debut at the 2021 New York Film Festival in September and is due to be released in select theatres on December 25. It will then be streaming on Apple TV+ on January 14, 2022.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">See the latest teaser trailer below.</span></p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bk6VArB6_us" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: A24</span></em></p>

Movies

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"I couldn't believe it": Drone footage at Loch Ness

<p><em>Image: Richard Mavor Youtube</em></p> <p>A British camper claims to have inadvertently captured drone footage of the fabled Loch Ness monster lurking on the water’s edge.</p> <p>As the lore goes, the legendary creature is rumoured to live in Scotland’s Loch Ness – the largest and second deepest body of fresh water in the British Isles.</p> <p>There have been several reported sightings in history dating back as far as AD 565, and sightings as recent as this year.</p> <p>In August, Richard Mavo, 54, had been filming his journey as he paddled through the area as part of the Great Glen Canoe Challenge, raising more than $28,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society.</p> <p>After sharing the lengthy video on his YouTube channel, Richard Outdoors, several eagle-eyed viewers noticed something strange about four minutes in.</p> <p>They say the thin figure, just beneath the water’s surface – with a long neck and a large body – matched the description of Nessie.</p> <p>“The last thing I want to do is make a Nessie claim,” Mavor told<span> </span><em>The Post</em>.</p> <p>“I’m the most sceptical of people but watching this I think yeah, there’s something a bit strange here.”</p> <p>Mavor said the group had just parked their canoes and he decided to get some drone vision of the beach, oblivious to what may been lurking nearby.</p> <p>“I couldn’t believe it,” he told<span> </span><em>The Daily Record.</em></p> <p>“I had to rewind the footage several times and have watched it several times since.”</p> <p>“There was no driftwood or anything like that so who knows. It could be a trick of the light but we can’t be sure. </p>

International Travel

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Watch award-winning Nomadland on Disney+

<p><em>Nomadland</em> won three Academy Awards this year - for Best Picture, Best Director (Chloé Zhao) and Best Actress (Frances McDormand).</p> <p>The director - Chloé Zhao - has made a film with heart and passion and by choosing Frances McDormand to play the lead role, she made sure all this passion was conveyed so well.</p> <p>The movie revolves around Fern (played by McDormand), who, following the economic collapse of a company town in rural Nevada, packs her van and sets off on the road exploring a life outside of conventional society as a modern-day nomad. McDormand produced the film as well, along with Peter Spears (<em>Call Me by Your Name</em>), Dan Janvey (<em>Beasts of the Southern Wild</em>), Mollye Asher (<em>The Rider</em>), and Zhao (<em>The Rider</em>).</p> <p><em>A</em>ademy Award nominee David Strathairn stars as well (<em>Good Night, and Good Luck</em>), along with actors Swankie, Bob Wells and Linda May, all of whom appeared in Jessica Bruder’s acclaimed book, which Zhao adapted for the screen.</p> <p>Zhao directed and edited the film, with Joshua James Richards (<em>God’s Own Country</em>) serving as the Director of Photography and Production Designer. The movie’s sound team was M. Wolf Snyder (<em>The Rider</em>), Sergio Diaz (<em>Roma</em>) and Zach Seivers (<em>Assassins</em>).</p> <p><strong>More on the awards</strong></p> <p>It was special to see Zhao make history by winning the award for Best Director because in the Academy’s 83-year history, she is only the second woman and the first woman of colour to ever receive this award.</p> <p>Frances McDormand won an Academy Award for Best Actress in the movie and this is her third time winning such an award. McDormand is a well-established actress known for her meaty roles – for example, <em>Fargo</em>, <em>Three Billboards Outside Ebbing and Missouri. </em></p> <p><strong> Where you can watch Nomadland</strong></p> <p>You can watch <em>Nomadland</em> on the streaming platform, Disney+, and on Star - the new entertainment brand, launched as part of the Disney+ platform earlier this year.</p> <p><em><strong>Nomadland</strong></em><strong> is streaming now on <a href="https://www.disneyplus.com/en-au">Disney+ on Star…</a></strong></p> <p><em>Photos: Disney+</em></p> <p> </p>

Movies

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Adorable first image of Tony Abbott's new grandson

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Frances Loch, Tony Abbott’s daughter, has shared adorable photos of her newborn just two weeks after his birth.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This guy…,” she captioned the most recent photo on Instagram.</span></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/CRzKUWGjf-j/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/CRzKUWGjf-j/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by FRANNY (@francesloch)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Frances, who is married to former Olympic rower Sam Loch, previously shared her “intense” experience while giving birth and how it was all “forgotten” when she met her newborn son.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Birth was intense and incredible. Every part that was difficult and uncomfortable was forgotten in the next moment and 100 times worth it because it was bringing him closer to us,” Loch wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I used my breath and all my strength. I trusted my body, my baby and my team (My ride or die Sam Loch and our amazing doula Kim). Not only was this beautiful nine-pounder born, but also a mother, father, and family.”</span></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/CRfIT8Ljq1U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/CRfIT8Ljq1U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by FRANNY (@francesloch)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Frances and Sam announced the birth of Ernest on July 19.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Tipping the scales at an even 9lb [4kg]. Brought into existence by his mum with nothing but breathing, coconut water and heart,” Sam wrote on Instagram.</span></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/CRNmd4QLCjK/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/CRNmd4QLCjK/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Sam Loch (@samloch)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The couple were engaged two weeks after meeting, and married three months later.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Frances is the second of Abbott’s three daughters.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She currently lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Frances Loch / Instagram</span></em></p>

Family & Pets

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Frances McDormand comes out on top

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Frances McDormand is officially the greatest living actress as determined by Oscar wins, even beating Meryl Streep.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With three Oscar wins at Best Actress, McDormand is ahead of the pack that includes Streep’s win for a supporting role.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Two-time winners of the Best Actress award include Jane Fonda, Maggie Smith, Glenda Jackson, Jodie Foster, Sally Field, and Hilary Swank.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The only one to beat McDormand was Katharine Hepburn, who claimed four prizes.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">McDormand won Best Actress in 1997 for </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fargo</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and for </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in 2018.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 2021 Oscars saw McDormand win the award for her role in </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nomadland</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chloe Zhao’s </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nomadland</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> also won Best Picture, and had been a strong contender for the award following wins at the Venice and Toronto film festivals more than six months ago.</span></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/CMKpOr2BnVT/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/CMKpOr2BnVT/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Nomadland (@nomadlandfilm)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nomadland </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">sees McDormand play a retired woman struggling to make ends meet following the 2008 crash, travelling through America’s west.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Zhao, who is Chinese-American, also took home the award for Best Director, becoming the second woman and first woman of colour to win.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Frances McDormand won two Oscars tonight, one for Best Actress (her third win in the category) and one for Best Picture as a producer on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Nomadland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Nomadland</a>. More here: <a href="https://t.co/QGwDlmpx6l">https://t.co/QGwDlmpx6l</a> <a href="https://t.co/POcXXH3azT">pic.twitter.com/POcXXH3azT</a></p> — IndieWire (@IndieWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndieWire/status/1386556898464333827?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">McDormand’s competition included actresses Viola Davis for </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and Carey Mulligan for </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Promising Young Woman</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following on from her win, the actress will soon appear opposite Denzel Washington in a </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Macbeth</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> film.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Quoting the play in her acceptance speech, she said, “I have no words. My voice is in my sword.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We know the sword is our work. And I like work. Thanks for knowing that, and thanks for this.”</span></p>

Movies

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Princess Diana’s twin! Charles Spencer shares rare photo

<p><span>Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, has shared a photo of his mother – showing just how much she looked like Diana.</span><br /><br /><span>Royal fans could not help but point out the uncanny resemblance of Princess Di and her mother, Frances Shand Kydd.</span><br /><br /><span>Charles Spencer, Diana's younger brother, took to Instagram to share a stunning portrait of his late mother to mark her birthday on January 20.</span><br /><br /><span>The resurfaced image depicts a young Frances, with a blonde wavy bob, rosy cheeks and blue eyes.</span></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/CKQuAVOFVAD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/CKQuAVOFVAD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Charles Spencer (@cspencer1508)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>"My mother - on this, her 85th birthday. She was born in Sandringham, Norfolk, on the very same day that King George V died - in the same parish," Charles wrote in the caption.</span><br /><br /><span>"She died 3 days after the 50th anniversary of her marriage to my father. This portrait is to be found in the Library at @althorphouse."</span><br /><br /><span>Charles is the 9th Earl Spencer and currently resides at Althorp House where the portrait is hung.</span><br /><br /><span>Fans were quick the point out how alike the mother and daughter looked.</span><br /><br /><span>"Looks just like the little one. The eyes are always the giveaway. Spencer genes are strong," one fan commented.</span><br /><br /><span>"So beautiful. You and Princess Diana look like her. ♥️" another said.</span><br /><br /><span>"'Beautiful, I can see where Diana got her stunning looks from," a third added.</span><br /><br /><span>Frances wed Earl Spencer Johnnie at just 18 years of age in 1954.</span><br /><br /><span>However the marriage did not last and the couple divorced in 1969.</span><br /><br /><span>She passed away at age 68 in her home in Scotland.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839594/diana-mother-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ad07461f5d46448e8d7010683ee524ea" /><br /><br /><span>Charles was candid about his relationship with his sister in the two-part ABC television event, The Story of Diana.</span><br /><br /><span>The 53-year-old discussed his state of mind following his sister's untimely passing, admitting he partly blamed himself.</span><br /><br /><span>"I was furious, I wasn't just angry," he said. "[I thought] what could I have done.</span><br /><br /><span>“But you always think, God, I wish I could've protected her. It was just…it was devastating."</span><br /><br /><span>He then added: "I always felt…intensely protective towards her."</span></p>

Relationships

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France under siege after beheading in church

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p><strong>WARNING: GRAPHIC STORY CONTENT</strong></p> <p>France was hit by two suspected terror attacks which have left three dead, including a woman who was beheaded by a knifeman allegedly shouting "Allahu Akbar".</p> <p>Two separate assailants are understood to have launched attacks in Nice and Avignon in the south of the country just hours apart.</p> <p>The woman, who was one of three killed, passed away shortly after 9 am local time.</p> <p><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/world/europe/nice-suspected-mass-stabber-kept-shouting-allahu-akbar-after-arrested-in-france/news-story/3640cb6f1a6d98047190a8656061ca94" target="_blank" class="editor-rtflink">Her last words</a>, according to a member of the French Senate, were: “Tell my children that I love them.”</p> <p>Police have identified the suspect in Nice as Brahim Aouissaoui, who is believed to have arrived in Europe only recently after being born in Tunisia.</p> <p>Almost at the same time, a security guard at the French Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia was stabbed and left with minor injuries.</p> <p>In Avignon, 250kms away from Nice, a man shouted "Allahu Akbar" while brandishing a knife, but was shot dead. No one else has been reported injured.</p> <p>It's currently unclear if the attacks are related, but local politicians are drawing links, with French Republican Eric Ciotti tweeting "Attack in Nice, attack in Avignon, attack on the French consulate in Saudi Arabia. It is not a coincidence, the Islamists want to annihilate us! We must destroy the Islamists!".</p> <p>French President Emmanuel Macron has visited the site of the attack as France raised its attack level to “urgent” and Prime Minister Jean Castex said the government’s response will be “relentless and immediate”.</p> <p>Nice mayor Christian Estrosi said: “The attacker kept shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ even after he had been shot and as he was given medical care.</p> <p>“Enough is enough. The suspected knife attacker was shot by police while being detained, he is on his way to hospital, he is alive.</p> <p>“I must say that Nice, like France, but perhaps more than other places in the country today, is paying too heavy a price by being once again the victim of islamofascism.”</p> <p>There have been heightened security fears in France over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed published by <em>Charlie Hedbo</em>, with a teacher in France being beheaded after he showed his pupils the cartoons as part of a class on free speech.</p> <p>In response to the beheading, French president Emmanuel Macron delivered a speech in defence of free speech and the offending cartoons were projected onto government buildings in France.</p> </div> </div> </div>

News

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France told to sell Mona Lisa to cover coronavirus losses

<p>France should offset its financial losses from the coronavirus pandemic by selling Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece Mona Lisa for at least €50 billion, a tech CEO has suggested.</p> <p>Stephane Distinguin, founder and CEO of tech company Fabernovel, told <em>Usbek &amp; Rica </em>magazine that the country should “sell the family jewellery” to help deal with the “unfathomable” crisis.</p> <p>“Day after day, we list the billions engulfed in this slump like children counting the fall of a stone into a well to measure its depth,” Distinguin said.</p> <p>“We are still counting, and this crisis seems unfathomable.</p> <p>“As an entrepreneur and a taxpayer, I know that these billions are not invented and that they will necessarily cost us. An obvious reflex is to sell off a valuable asset at the highest price possible, but one that is the least critical as possible to our future.”</p> <p>Distinguin said France has “a lot of paintings”, which are “easy to move and therefore to hand over”.</p> <p>He said: “In 2020, we have to get the money where it is. So sell family jewellery … The price is the crux of the matter and the main subject of controversy. The price has to be insane for the operation to make sense.”</p> <p>The 46-year-old also suggested that the 16th century Italian Renaissance painting could be “tokenised” with a form of cryptocurrency, allowing it to be shared between countries around the world.</p> <p>“It would be like a big global subscription,” he said. “Legally and technically, this solution would have many advantages: it would allow France and the Louvre to keep control of the painting.”</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/Issues/2020/04/14/weo-april-2020">International Monetary Fund</a> expected France’s GDP to contract by 7.2 per cent in 2020 as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. Many French tourism operators also <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tamarathiessen/2020/05/02/forget-french-travel-this-year-tourism-operators-warn/#4719c0b554bd">fear the country will remain off-limits to international visitors this year</a>.</p>

Art

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5 minutes with author Frances Whiting

<p><span>In <em>5 minutes with author</em>, <em>Over60</em> asks book writers about their literary habits and preferences. Next in this series is Frances Whiting, a novelist, feature writer and columnist based in Brisbane. She published two collections of her columns – <em>Oh to Be a Marching Girl</em> in 2003 and <em>That's a Home Run, Tiger!</em> in 2006 – before releasing her debut novel <em>Walking on Trampolines </em>in 2009. Her second novel, <em>The Best Kind of Beautiful </em>is out now.</span></p> <p><em><span>Over60</span></em><span> talked with Whiting about Ernest Hemingway, the detective series she could not get enough of, and the role of panic in her writing.</span></p> <p><strong><em><span>Over60</span></em><span>: What is your best writing tip?</span></strong></p> <p><span>Frances Whiting: I love that quote from Ernest Hemingway: “There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and open a vein.” It makes me laugh – and wince a little bit – because it’s true. The best writing tip I can give it just to put in the time. A large part of the process is committing to it. Just sitting down, taking a deep breath, and beginning…</span></p> <p><strong><span>What was the last book that made you laugh/cry?</span></strong></p> <p><span>I’ve just discovered Kate Saunders, who writes these lovely mystery series in the vein of Agatha Christie. The protagonist is a genteel lady detective Laetitia Rodd. She is such a delightful and witty character I look forward to reading more of her adventures. The book I read was <em>Laetitia Rodd and the Case of the Wandering Scholar</em>, and I enjoyed it immensely.</span></p> <p><strong><span>What does your writing routine look like?</span></strong></p> <p><span>Panic, most of the time, to be honest. I work full time, I have a teenager, a tweenager, a husband, a 95-year-old mother and a very large dog to take care of, so I squeeze it in between all that! Mostly very early in the morning when the house is quiet, I can get an hour or two in. </span></p> <p><strong><span>Do you deal with writer’s block? If so, how do you overcome it?</span></strong></p> <p><span>Walk. Walk. Walk. </span></p> <p><strong><span>What book do you think more people should read?</span></strong></p> <p><span>When it comes to books, I don’t think the word “should” belongs. Reading is so very personal, isn’t it? But if I wanted to recommend a book that beautifully illustrates the flow and rhythm of writing, I would gift someone any P. G. Wodehouse novel. </span></p> <p><strong><span>How have your other jobs, past and present, influenced your fiction writing?</span></strong></p> <p><span>All of them have in some way. From primary school teacher, waitress, go-go dancer (not really), nanny, event manager, journalist and lecturer, it’s all the stuff of life, isn’t it? Which is the stuff of books!</span></p> <p><strong><span>Which author, deceased or living, would you most like to have dinner with?</span></strong></p> <p><span>Mary Wesley, because books-wise she was a bit of a late bloomer, like me!</span></p> <p><strong><span>What cliché(s) do you wish novels would stop using?</span></strong></p> <p><span>I like to be surprised by books, and I really don’t like it when we can see what is coming a mile away. I hope my books are less obvious to the reader and that when the surprises come, they really are just that.</span></p>

Books

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Loch Ness monster: DNA analysis brings new theory to light

<p><span>The mystery creatures behind the thousand sightings of the fabled Loch Ness Monster may be giant eels, a group of scientists said.</span></p> <p><span>The legend of the giant sea monster has persisted throughout the decades, with some theorising that the creature could be a Jurassic-era reptile, a huge fish, circus elephants, or dinosaurs suspected of surviving extinction such as plesiosaur or elasmosaurus.</span></p> <p><span>Following an analysis of 250 water samples from Loch Ness in Scotland, a team of environmental DNA experts found no evidence for prehistoric reptiles, otters, seals, sharks, catifsh or huge fish such as sturgeons.</span></p> <p><span>However, they discovered a lot of genetic material from eels. </span></p> <p><span>“Is there a plesiosaur in Loch Ness? No. There is absolutely no evidence of any reptilian sequences,” said Professor Neil Gemmell, a geneticist from University of Otago and the study’s leader.</span></p> <p><span>“So I think we can be fairly sure that there is probably not a giant scaly reptile swimming around in Loch Ness.”</span></p> <p><span>Gemmell said the “very significant amount” of eel DNA suggests that the ray-finned fish might be the creature people have been seeing.</span></p> <p><span>“The sheer quantity of the material says that we can’t discount the possibility that there may be giant eels in Loch Ness. Therefore we can’t discount the possibility that what people see and believe is the Loch Ness Monster might be a giant eel.”</span></p> <p><span>The Loch Ness Monster has continued to remain as Scotland’s most enduring myths.</span></p> <p><span>The most famous picture of Nessie, taken by British surgeon Robert Wilson in 1934, was later revealed to be a hoax that used a wood putty model on a toy submarine. However, that does not stop people from attempting to track down the beast in the years since.</span></p> <p><span>Steve Feltham, the world record holder for the longest continuous Loch Ness Monster vigil, said he is not convinced the researchers have identified the monster.</span></p> <p><span>“A 12-year-old boy could tell you there are eels in Loch Ness,” he told <em><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-49495145">BBC</a>.</em> “I caught eels in the loch when I was a 12-year-old boy.”</span></p>

News

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Scott Morrison’s awkward moment at G7 summit in France

<p>Scott Morrison was left standing by himself as other world leaders mingled at the G7 Summit in France.</p> <p>In a photo opportunity, the Australian prime minister was spotted standing on his own and fumbling with his phone without getting much acknowledgment from other dignitaries, including US president Donald Trump, British prime minister Boris Johnson and German chancellor Angela Merkel.</p> <p>After the photo of the world leaders was taken, Morrison stayed at the back of the group while the others were joined by their partners.</p> <p>The Project<span> </span>highlighted the moment in a segment on Monday night. “Why is nobody hanging out with our prime minister?” host Pete Helliar asked.</p> <p>“Probably don’t like him,” Steve Price said.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">That feeling when you arrive late to a networking event and everyone’s already deep in conversation.....so you try and look busy with emails 😂 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/scomo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#scomo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/g7?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#g7</a> <a href="https://t.co/40zfhFDviH">pic.twitter.com/40zfhFDviH</a></p> — Michael Macolino (@michaelmacolino) <a href="https://twitter.com/michaelmacolino/status/1165923257796587520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Why is our Prime Minister the most socially awkward representative at the G7 Summit? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Auspol?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Auspol</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/G7Summit?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#G7Summit</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Scomo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Scomo</a> <a href="https://t.co/vU1LnVVKdk">pic.twitter.com/vU1LnVVKdk</a></p> — CARINA STATHIS (@carinastathis) <a href="https://twitter.com/carinastathis/status/1166137850800140289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>The rest of Morrison’s visit has been more successful, with the PM making a brief, friendly discussion on cricket with his British counterpart Johnson.</p> <p>Morrison congratulated Johnson on England’s win in the third Ashes test against Australia before moving on to diplomatic matters such as free trade and joint military mission near Iran. “Well, we’ve got two to go, we’re not taking anything for granted,” Johnson said.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Fantastic to meet with Australian PM <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottMorrisonMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ScottMorrisonMP</a> this morning. He seemed in very high spirits, despite the 🏏 yesterday. <a href="https://t.co/PcaB8OFOEf">pic.twitter.com/PcaB8OFOEf</a></p> — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1165903377819197441?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>In the 45th G7 summit, the leaders of the seven country members – France, Germany, Britain, Italy, the US, Canada and Japan – came together to discuss global economic, political, social and security issues. Australia joined the summit as an observer alongside India, Chile and South Africa.</p> <p>On Sunday, Morrison met with several world leaders. He said he discussed Australia’s decision last week to contribute troops, a surveillance plane and a Navy frigate to help in the US-led effort to protect shipping lanes from Iran during meetings with Merkel and Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.</p> <p>“[They had] a great respect for the way that Australia thinks through these issues and is very clear about how we pursue our national interests and do so in a way which is very, very well-targeted,” Morrison told reporters.</p> <p>He also spoke about the contribution during meetings with Johnson and Trump. When he sat down with the latter, Morrison reiterated Australia’s concerns about the escalating US-China trade dispute and its impact on the global economy. Trump announced a further increase in tariffs ahead of the France event.</p> <p>“These types of responses, I would say they’re fairly obvious in terms of how that would play out until this matter is resolved,” Morrison said. He said while both sides had raised legitimate grievances about the other, “you can’t just sort of brush these issues aside forever, they have to be dealt with”.</p>

International Travel

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Why you need to visit France before 2020

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">France are planning on introducing a new charge on plane tickets from next year. The country plans on using the revenue to fund environmentally friendly alternatives, according to the country’s transport minister Elisabeth Borne.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The “ecotax” will cost between 1.50 euros ($AUD 2.40) and 18 euros ($AUD 29) and will apply to most flights departing from France.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, industry group IATA is favouring a system that allows airlines to offset their emissions by paying for carbon reduction efforts elsewhere. They are calling the ticket charge system “misguided”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“National taxes will do nothing to assist the aviation industry in its sustainability efforts,” IATA spokesman Anthony Concil said, according to </span><a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advice/flights/france-to-slap-new-ecotax-on-plane-tickets-from-2020/news-story/660d5b3771308c35a386b9571502c2e4"><span style="font-weight: 400;">news.com.au</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This alone won’t do much, but it’s at least a recognition by the French government that more is required,” said Andrew Murphy, an air travel expert at Brussels-based group Transport and Environment.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Germany, Italy and some Nordic nations have ticket taxes. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Germany’s Environment Ministry said on Tuesday that it supported discussions on additional CO2-based pricing systems for air travel to reduce the industry’s contribution to man-made greenhouse gas emissions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“What’s more, the conditions for competition between air, road and rail travel need to be made fairer,” the ministry said in a statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This is something we in Europe need to achieve together.”</span></p>

Travel Trouble

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One year on: Home and Away star Cornelia Frances' son pays touching tribute

<p>The son of late <em>Home and Away</em> star Cornelia Frances has paid tribute to his mother to commemorate the first anniversary of her death.</p> <p>Last year, Frances passed away after a battle with cancer at the age of 77.</p> <p>Lawrence Eastland, the only son of the actress, honoured his late mother in an Instagram post on Wednesday.</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/Bx_3OCCARwX/" 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="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/Bx_3OCCARwX/" target="_blank">One year ago today I held your hands as you passed away, it was one of the biggest days of my life and not a single second has gone by with out me missing you insanely. I still feel you around me my dear beautiful mum! Lost but never forgotten. . . . . . . . #cornelia #corneliafrances #mum #RIP #oneyear #imissyou #love #mymum #restinpeace #😢 #neverforget #family</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/neonlolly/" target="_blank"> 😝 🍩 །ཨོཾ་མ་ཎི་པ ་དྨེ་ཧཱུྃ། 🍩 😝</a> (@neonlolly) on May 28, 2019 at 12:29am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“One year ago today I held your hands as you passed away, it was one of the biggest days of my life and not a single second has gone by with out me missing you insanely,” wrote Eastland.</p> <p>“I still feel you around me my dear beautiful mum! Lost but never forgotten.”</p> <p>In an interview with <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/celebrity/celeb-news/cornelia-frances-son-48906" target="_blank"><em>Woman’s Day</em></a> last year, Eastland said he was with Frances when she died. </p> <p>“I was by her side, holding her hand when she took her last breath. She slipped away in her sleep,” he shared.</p> <p>“It was serene. There was no pain. I feel relieved that Mum is finally at peace.”</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/BjTcQy8Aqh5/" 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="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/BjTcQy8Aqh5/" target="_blank">A very personal photo of my mum during one of her resting moments, she is so peaceful, soft and serene. I truly love this woman. THIS IS NOT A PICTURE OF MUM WHEN SHE HAD PASSED AWAY, IT WAS TAKEN A WEEK BEFORE SHE PAST. #fuckcancer #beautiful #cornelia #mum #iloveyou #whatawoman #peace #sleepytime #sleep #rest #divinefeminine #strong #inspiring #iloveyoumum</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/neonlolly/" target="_blank"> 😝 🍩 །ཨོཾ་མ་ཎི་པ ་དྨེ་ཧཱུྃ། 🍩 😝</a> (@neonlolly) on May 27, 2018 at 7:07pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Frances, who rose to popularity through her role as Sister Scott on <em>The Young Doctors</em>, was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2016.</p> <p>She underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatment, but the cancer spread. </p> <p>“Despite the pain, Mum never complained. She was so classy right up until the end,” said Eastland.</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/BgGnMA8l8X-/" 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="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/BgGnMA8l8X-/" target="_blank">What Mum? This is fun! #omg #corneliafrances #redhead #love #ohgod #thenthishappened #whatareyoulookingat #crazy #fuckcancer #justlove #bekind #loveisallyouneed #x #🤪</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/neonlolly/" target="_blank"> 😝 🍩 །ཨོཾ་མ་ཎི་པ ་དྨེ་ཧཱུྃ། 🍩 😝</a> (@neonlolly) on Mar 9, 2018 at 4:58am PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>His father and Frances’s former husband, Michael Eastland, died of cancer four years earlier.</p>

Caring

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Inside Princess Diana’s complicated relationship with her mother

<p>It’s no secret that Princess Diana and her mother had a complicated relationship.</p> <p>It is said that Diana’s relationships with different men after her marriage with Prince Charles ended, is the reason behind the feud with her mother Frances Shand Kydd.</p> <p>Diana was famously linked to many high profile men, including heart surgeon Hasnat Khan, businessman Gulu Lalvani and son of Egyptian billionaire Dodi Fayed.</p> <p>But after discovering details about one relationship in particular, Frances had decided to unleash on the late Princess.</p> <p>Speaking to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/princess-dianas-explosive-feud-mum-13090276" target="_blank"><em>The Mirror</em></a>, Diana’s former butler Paul Burrell recounted what happened the day an emotional Diana was on the receiving end of an abusive phone call from her mother.</p> <p>“I heard her call, ‘Paul come quick’,” he said.</p> <p>“She waved me over with her hand. I joined her on the floor cross-legged and stuck close beside her. I leant my ear as near to the phone as possible and listened to the conversation – albeit one-way.</p> <p>“It was the slurring voice of Ms Frances Shand Kydd. What I heard was a torrent of abuse, swearing and upsetting innuendo towards the Princess and towards the male company she was keeping.</p> <p>“It was a hate-filled personal attack on the men and their religious beliefs.”</p> <p>The exact words that were said were revealed in a documentary Burrell was featured in.</p> <p>“[She said] you’re nothing but a prostitute and a whore, that’s what I’ve brought up, a prostitute,” Burrell shared.</p> <p>Diana then reportedly told him: “Paul, I’ll never speak to my mother again as long as I live.”</p> <p>Prior to Diana’s tragic death, Frances had a few things to say to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1463517/Obituary-Frances-Shand-Kydd.html" target="_blank"><em>Hello! Magazine</em></a>.</p> <p>Speaking on the topic of Diana’s divorce and her battle with bulimia, Frances said it was “absolutely wonderful” that the late royal had lost her HRH title.</p> <p>Her interview haunted Diana and according to Burrell, Diana never spoke to her mother again.</p>

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