anna maria: May 2024

Saturday, May 18, 2024

Netflix rate increase

The cost of a premium subscription with Netflix, which includes unlimited ad-free movies and shows which can be watched in Ultra HD, was $A22.99 per month until mid-May.

The plan is now advertised at $A25.99

Children are evacuated after Russia’s latest offensive in the Kharkiv region. Ukraine’s troops withdrew from several areas in the country’s north-east amid mounting pressure as the president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, postponed all his foreign trips.

Photograph: George Ivanchenko/Anadolu/Getty

Barron Trump's Graduation

Donald and Melania Trump attend the graduation ceremony of their son Barron Trump in West Palm Beach, Florida

Photograph: Marco Bello/Reuters

President Putin's visit to China

Russian President Vladimir Putin tours an exhibition at the 8^th Russian-Chinese Expo in Harbin, China. Reuters

New Delhi, India

A polling officer holds a voting compartment as an elderly person casts his vote sitting in his home in New Delhi, India. AP

Taipei, Taiwan

Taiwan’s lawmakers exchange blows during voting for a reform bill in Parliament in Taipei.

Australian GG visit to Java

Mounted honour guard escorts the vehicle carrying Australia’s Governor-General David Hurley at the Presidential Palace in Bogor, West Java, before his meeting with President Joko Widodo. AFP

Flying Car HEXA in Tokyo

May 17, 2024:

A flight operator controls the flying car "HEXA" developed by LIFT Aircraft Inc at the Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo.

Philip Fong/AFP/Getty Images

Golfer Scottie Scheffler arrested

Arresting officer Bryan Gillis says golfer Scottie Scheffler disobeyed orders to stop his car and accelerated, dragging the officer to the ground.

Looks like 'Don't you know who I am?' didn't work. lol

Gina Rinehart's second portrait

A second portrait of billionaire Gina Rinehart that supporters want removed from the National Gallery of Australia has emerged, as the row over art censorship draws global attention.

The pencil drawing by award-winning artist Vincent Namatjira is displayed separately in the ‘Australia in black and white’ series.

Famous Australian artist Albert Namatjira was Vincent’s great, great grandfather.

https://tinyurl.com/yjshcn7j

Payne Hass arrested

The father of star Brisbane Bronco Payne Haas has been arrested in the Philippines, accused of smuggling more than 5 kilograms of methamphetamine into Indonesia late last year.

Indonesia’s national narcotics agency is seeking his extradition...........

https://tinyurl.com/2nxezkx5

Friday, May 17, 2024

Yellow card betting scandal

Macarthur FC captain Ulises Dávila has been charged with a number of offences, including two counts of corrupt behaviour involving a betting outcome.

A 27 year old player from Parramatta and a 32 year old player from West Hoxton have also been charged with offences, including participating in a criminal group.

All three have been granted bail to appear in court at a later date...........

https://tinyurl.com/3sh6n6uh

Criminal wants to stand for Libertarian Party at next election

Jordan Dittloff served over two years in prison for swindling customers out of nearly $280,000 and has only paid back a couple of his victims.

Yet, he now plans to stand as a candidate for the Libertarian Party at the next federal election, likely to be held early next year.

So we allow criminals to become candidates in an Australia election now?

Professor Mark Scott

University of Sydney boss Mark Scott says Jewish students will have to tough out “discomfort” with anti-Israel slogans, defending the response of Australian universities to pro-Palestine protest camps.

We'll remember you Mark Scott.

Michael Cohen heads back to court

Michael Cohen, heads to court for second day of cross-examination at Trump's criminal trial over charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, New York City, on 16 May 2024.

David Dee Delgado, Reuters

Vovchansk, Ukraine

A man hugs his daughter during the evacuation of the civilian population from the city near Kharkiv.

Photograph: Anadolu/Getty

Beijing, China

Russian president Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping, review a military honour guard during an official welcoming ceremony.

Putin is in China to seek greater support for his war effort in Ukraine.

Photograph: AFP/Getty

Fatima Payman rebuked

The Senate has condemned a pro-Palestinian chant “from the river to the sea” that Labor senator Fatima Payman repeated to accuse Israel of genocide. The vote was 56 votes in favour and 12 against.

Those voting against the motion including Greens senators and independent senator Lidia Thorpe.

Payman was not in the chamber.

Peter Dutton's Budget Reply Speech

Peter Dutton used his budget reply speech to announce that if elected, he will reduce annual permanent migration from 185,000 to 140,000. He also reaffirmed his commitment to nuclear power and promised a new federal offence for coercive behaviour online...................

https://tinyurl.com/m7stb532

Thursday, May 16, 2024

You can't camp on your own land

A single mum, her two children and a friend face homelessness because the local council is evicting them from their own bush block.

But her home is a camp-style set-up that doesn't adhere to council regulations, so they have been ordered to pack up and leave by the end of the week.

….."my kids are thriving because previously I was in a rental situation but the lease ended, and I was not able to afford anything in the local area to rent so we decided to move onto our land” she said….......

https://tinyurl.com/y678hddj

Tesler not to blame for hit-and-run

A Melbourne woman has been sentenced to nine months in jail after falsely blaming the autopilot feature in her Tesla for a hit-and-run that left a 26-year-old woman with permanent brain injuries.

Sakshi Agrawl struck a young nurse when she stepped out into the road to board a tram in Melbourne’s inner southeast.

She spent two years fighting the dangerous driving charges falsely blaming the car’s autopilot feature before entering a guilty plea last month.

The plea comes after a police investigation revealed the autopilot option was switched off just 30 seconds before the incident occurred and the vehicle sped up to 80 kilometres an hour afterwards.

https://tinyurl.com/bdcsemkr

Westminster Kennel Club dog show, New York

Sage, a miniature poodle, competes with handler Kaz Hosaka in the Best in Show competition during the 148^th Westminster Kennel Club Dog show, 14 May 2024 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre in New York.

Sage won the Best in Show group.

Slovak Prime Minister shot

Police arrest a man after Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot and injured following the cabinet’s away from home session in the town of Handlova, Slovakia.

Fico is in life-threatening condition, according to his Facebook profile. AP

Gina Rinehart's unflattering portrait

The mining billionaire Gina Rinehart has demanded the National Gallery of Australia remove her portrait from an exhibition by the award-winning artist Vincent Namatjira.

The image, arguably an unflattering picture of Australia’s richest woman, is one of many portraits unveiled at the Canberra gallery as part of the Archibald prize-winning artist's first major survey exhibition.

The National Gallery has rebuffed efforts to have the picture taken down and said in a statement that it welcomed public dialogue on its collection and displays.............

https://tinyurl.com/9xtcsh4b

No new cancer growth

Professor Scolyer, 57, was diagnosed with glioblastoma IDH wild-type last year and became "patient zero" in a pioneering immunotherapy approach developed by his own research on melanoma, which has produced remarkable results....................

https://tinyurl.com/34wtthyz

Australia to host AFC Women's Asian Cup

“We are profoundly honoured to host the 2026 edition of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup,” Football Australia CEO James Johnson said.

Matches will take place in NSW, Queensland and Western Australia after the Victorian government opted against bidding to host games.

Scott Morrison meets Donald Trump

Scott Morrison, who is in the US to spruik his new book “Plans for Your Good: A Prime Minister’s Testimony of God’s Faithfulness”, met with Mr Trump at his private New York residence just hours after he left court for his hush money trial.

"It was nice to catch up again, especially given the pile on he is currently dealing with in the US. Was also a good opportunity to discuss AUKUS, which received a warm reception" he said.

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Chris Dawson appeals his 2022 Supreme Court Judgment

Justice Harrison is accused of making several key errors when convicting Dawson, including ignoring a significant disadvantage he had in defending a 40-year-old murder case.

If the ex-teacher is successful on his appeal, he could be acquitted or the matter sent back for a retrial.

Gregory Lynn’s murder trial

The daughter of murdered woman Carol Clay, today gave evidence that her mother had been in a secret relationship with Mr Hill for about 14 years. They'd known each other from childhood and rekindled a romantic relationship later in life.

Mr Hill’s family did not know about the relationship and the pair would often go camping together.........

https://tinyurl.com/mtep45kj

Risky, not responsible budget: Alan Kohler

This is a risky, not responsible budget that could mean two rate hikes

It’s not just the $300 power bill relief for all, including Gina Rinehart or the 10 per cent lift in rent assistance, both of which were genuine surprises.

........The windfall gains in this budget over those five years total $12.6 billion. So not only is he not banking any of it, at $24.8 billion the projected extra spending is nearly double that.........

https://tinyurl.com/mr3t7ea3

Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Houses sit on the slopes of the Jalousie neighbourhood in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 13 May 2024

Kyiv, Ukraine

US Secretary of State Antony Blinkin performs “Rockin’ in the Free World” with members of The 1999 band at the Barman Dictat bar in Kyiv, Ukraine.

His visit sought to rally the spirits of Ukrainians facing a fierce new Russian offensive, assuring them that they are not alone and that billions of dollars in American military aid is on its way to the country. AP

Haifa, northern Israel

Palestinians living in Israel hold Palestinian flags as they take part in the annual Return March to mark the 76^th anniversary of the Nakba, the “catastrophe” of their mass dispossession in the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation, near Haifa, northern Israel.

Reuters/Ammar Awad

Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip

Palestinians displaced by the Israeli air and ground offensive walk along a beach at a makeshift camp.

Photograph: Abdel Kareem Hana/AP

Davenport, Tasmania

A man jumped out of his car just before it was hit by a train at Stony Rise Road at 6am this morning in Davenport, Tasmania.

Police said the driver jumped out before the train pushed his vehicle 60 metres along the track.

Couple rescued after 4 days bogged on the Nullarbor

A husband and wife have been rescued after four days bogged on a remote Nullarbor track while on a bushbashing expedition.

After 3 days of frantic efforts to get out, their jack broke and they had no choice but to set off their EPIRB.........

https://tinyurl.com/5n79u7ds

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Jerusalem, Israel

A visitor pays tribute to victims of terrorism on Memorial Day. The digital screen displays the portraits of more than 1,500 people killed in the Hamas massacre on 7 October.

Photograph: Nir Alon/Zuma/Rex/Shutterstock

Rome, Italy

Environmentalists disrupt a tennis doubles match in which Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin were facing Marcelo Arevalo and Maste Pavic

Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty

Yellow diamond up for auction

The Allnatt, a 101.29-carat yellow diamond, mounted as a brooch by Cartier, is displayed ahead of auction during a Sotheby’s media preview in Geneva, Switzerland.

Reuters

Michael Cohan arrives at court to testify against Donald Trump

Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen arrives at Manhattan Criminal Court for the trial of former US President Donald Trump in New York City, on 13 May 2024. Michael Cohen is about to testify about his role in the alleged cover up of payments to hide an affair.

Angela Weiss, AFP Via Getty Images

Australians are not the highest taxed people in the world

Australia's average income tax rate of 24.9 per cent was the fourth-highest of the developed world, behind Denmark, Iceland and Belgium, and well above the 15.4 per cent average for the 38 OECD countries, the report showed.

........."Excluding social security contributions from income tax might help to make it look like Australians pay a high amount of income tax relative to others in the OECD, but it is not an accurate way to compare countries," Mr Grudnoff said.

https://tinyurl.com/bdfry7v9

Traditional owners to get portion of gold mine profits

CEO Agnico Eagle Mines Ammar Al-Joundi (left), Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation chair Rebecca Phillips, general manager Cassandra Lewis and Vice President Australian operations Agnico Eagle, Ion Hann. Photograph: Stuart Walmsley/The Guardian

The operator of Victoria’s largest gold mine Agnico Eagle has struck an agreement with a First Nations traditional owner group yesterday to funnel a portion of its annual profits to the Dja Dja Wurrung people.........

https://tinyurl.com/55vw9mxy