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Lilie James: Murder At Elite School Horrifies Australia

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As Australia awoke on Thursday to the news that a body had been discovered inside the restroom of an upscale Sydney private school, shock swept the country.

After receiving a terrifying triple-zero emergency call, police arrived at St Andrew’s Cathedral School just before midnight.

They came to a “confronting scene”—21”-year-old water polo coach Lilie James, who was found dead with serious head injuries.

According to local media citing unknown sources, detectives suspect she was murdered—reportedly with a hammer—hours earlier.

According to reports, her colleague, 24-year-old hockey coach Paul Thijssen, entered the toilet after her. Thijssen, who had also called authorities, later emerged alone.

Though authorities have not commented publicly on a possible motivation, local media have claimed that Ms. James had recently concluded a relationship with Thijssen. They had barely known each other for five weeks.

Thijssen had gone after reporting the tip from Vaucluse, prompting police to begin a massive manhunt focused on the cliffside suburb.

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Lilie James: Murder At Elite School Horrifies Australia

They discovered things “associated with the homicide”—the murder weapon—in a bin, as well as Thijssen’s body on Friday morning.

Ms James was recalled as a lovely friend and an ardent sportswoman as friends and relatives mourned her loss.

Along with water polo, she enjoyed dancing and swimming, and she competed in both as a teenager. She had been studying sports business at university while working at the institution.

“She was vibrant, outgoing, and very much loved by her family and friends,” said Ms. James’ family.

“We are devastated and heartbroken.”

Ms. James was “stolen from us,” according to family friend Daniel Makovec, who launched a fundraising campaign for the family.

“We will be grieving this loss forever,” he said.

The head of St. Andrew’s Cathedral School expressed her sincere worry for those involved in a statement to parents.

“The horrors of evil do not, and will not, define our community; that is my oath,” Julie McGonigle declared.

Mr. Thijssen, a Dutch national, was a previous sports captain at the school before joining the faculty.

james

Lilie James: Murder At Elite School Horrifies Australia

Ms. James’s death was described as a “horrible, horrible crime” by New South Wales Premier Chris Minns, who also expressed his sympathies to her family.

“[It is] one of the worst that I’ve seen in my public life, and I can only imagine what [the] family is going through right now,” he added in a statement.

The case has sparked debate about how Australia has long struggled to address what is commonly referred to as the country’s “epidemic” of domestic violence.

According to the Counting Dead Women initiative, Ms. James is the 41st Australian woman to die this year as a result of gendered violence.

In the last ten days, men have reportedly murdered three women they knew: South Australian Krystal Marshall, an anonymous Canberra lady, and Ms. James. They were all inside their own houses or offices.

Tarang Chawla, a gender violence reform activist whose sister was murdered by her partner in 2015, said Ms James’ death is a “tragic reminder of the dark, insidious reality of men’s violence against women.”

“I look at the photos of Lilie and I remember my own 23-year-old sister Niki and how I felt after she was murdered,” he wrote in an Instagram post.

“Lilie, I’m sorry we failed you.”

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While the country mourns, crucial questions about how to keep women safe are being raised once more.

Since 2010, Australia has had a national plan to End violence against Women and Children, yet statistics reveal that violence rates remain persistently high.

Last year, a new 10-year plan was unveiled with measurable goals. It emphasises early intervention, improved police and court responses, greater emergency housing, and increased trauma assistance for victim-survivors.

However, Karen Bevan, CEO of Full Stop Australia, believes that “cultural attitudes towards gender equality and violence against women” are at the root of Australia’s domestic abuse epidemic.

According to a recent survey, while more than 90% of Australians acknowledge that violence against women is a national problem, only under half believe it is a problem in their local suburb or town.

According to the same poll, around four out of ten Australians believe men and women are equally likely to conduct domestic abuse.

Ms Bevan believes that addressing “myths and misconceptions” about how and why violence against women happens, as well as increasing “community understanding,” is critical.

Jodie Harrison, the NSW Minister for Domestic Violence Prevention, has also urged the community to be more vigilant in reporting “inappropriate behavior” in the aftermath of Ms. James’ death.

“That’s really the start of a lack of safety for women and children,” she told the Guardian Australia.

“It is up to each and every one of us. The government can support programmes, but those funds will be wasted until individuals take responsibility for themselves.”

However, proponents argue that more financing and tools to track success are also required.

“For all the violence elsewhere that we condemn, Australia has a problem that we urgently need to fix,” Mr Chawla told reporters.

SOURCE – (BBC)

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Trudeau Rocks to Taylor Swift While Montreal Burns

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Trudeau, Montreal

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under fire yet again after a video surfaced on X, showing him dancing at a Taylor Swift performance while anti-Nato protestors ransacked downtown Montreal.

Trudeau attended Taylor Swift’s concert in Toronto on Friday night. Before Taylor Swift approached the stage, X shared a viral video of him dancing and singing along to the song “You Don’t Own Me.”

The image of Trudeau dancing amid violent protests in Montreal generated widespread indignation online. Some social media users even compared Trudeau to the ancient Roman dictator Nero, known for “fiddling while Rome burned.”

Don Stewart, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing part of Toronto, called out the prime minister in a post on X.

“Lawless protesters run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest. The Prime Minister dances,” Stewart wrote. “This is the Canada built by the Liberal government.”

“Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved,” the MP added.

On Saturday, the day after Taylor Swift’s concert, Trudeau condemned the anti-NATO protests, calling them “appalling.”

Anti-NATO activists set off smoke bombs and marched through Montreal’s streets waving Palestinian flags. According to the Montreal Gazette, rioters set fire to automobiles and battled with police.

Pro-Palestinian protests

Protesters also tossed tiny explosives and metal objects at officers. At one point, the mob torched an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse the gathering, and three persons were arrested for attacking officers and impeding police operations.

Masked protesters were seen burning flares and bashing storefront windows in videos and photographs shared on social media. Pro-Palestinian protests have been taking place across Canada since the Israel-Gaza conflict began late last year.

Critics have lambasted Trudeau for doing nothing to stop the violent pro-Palestinian marches, with some claiming he has fueled anti-Israel sentiment in Canada.

On Friday, Trudeau stated that Canada would respect the orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu, even if it meant arresting the Israeli prime leader on Canadian soil.

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Calgary Zoo Admits Human Error in Death of Baby Gorilla

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Baby Gorilla, Calgary Zoo
The zookeeper's negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla

The Calgary Zoo has admitted in a public statement that a zookeeper’s negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla. Eyare, a newborn gorilla, died last week after being slammed in the head by a hydraulic door.

The accident occurred when a zoo worker attempted to separate Eyare from the rest of the gorilla tribe for a solitary training session.

The gorilla died from significant head injuries, according to the zoo’s statement.

“This tragedy has struck us all in the deepest way imaginable,” Colleen Baird, director of animal care at the Calgary Zoo, said during a news conference. “Eyare’s brief but meaningful existence gave so much joy to our community, and all will sorely miss her. We will do everything possible to prevent repeat accidents.”

According to Baird, the staff member involved was immediately removed from the workplace and will be reassigned to another area of the zoo. The Calgary Zoo stated that it would take preventive steps, such as specialist personnel training and animal behavioral training, to avoid a similar incident.

Calgary Zoo Questioned

It is not the first time an animal at the zoo has died from negligence at the Calgary Zoo. A capybara was accidentally crushed by a hydraulic door similar to the one that killed Eyare in 2019.

An otter died in 2016 after being entangled in an “unauthorized” pair of jeans that a zookeeper had dropped in its enclosure. In 2013, a penguin died in “a freak accident” after swallowing a stick.

Animal Justice, a Canadian group that promotes animal welfare, has called for an independent investigation of animal safety and oversight at the Alberta facility.

“The Calgary Zoo appears to have a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos, and in light of Eyare’s death there should be a systematic review of the zoo’s operations and practices, conducted transparently by the government or another outside party,” according to Camille Labchuk, the executive director of Animal Justice.

The Calgary Zoo refuted that it has more animal deaths than other zoos, emphasizing that it adheres to operating requirements and has maintained accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ independent Accreditation Commission since 1978.

“We love and care for more than 4,000 animals representing over 100 species that call our zoo home,” stated a Calgary Zoo representative.

“Human error-related deaths in animals are quite infrequent. We have lost two animals in the last ten years: a North American river otter in 2016 and ‘Eyare’ this week.

While rare, even one human-caused death is too many. These unfortunate instances have served as vital learning experiences, prompting us to examine and tighten protocols to provide the greatest level of care.”

Baird said at the news conference that using hydraulic doors is “common practice with accredited zoos,” adding that the facility will consider switching to alternate doors to improve safety.

The Calgary Zoo, which established the Wilder Institute in 2021, caters to nearly 4,000 creatures, including six more western lowland gorillas.

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Canada’s Lotto Max Jackpot Climbs to $80M

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Lotto Max in Canada has reached $80 million for only the second time in Canadian lottery history. Friday’s draw sought a winner for a $75 million pool, but the top reward remained unclaimed as of Saturday, increasing the jackpot.

Only once did the jackpot reach $80 million in September, when it broke the previous record. Before that, the prize was $75 million, a record.

The Lotto Max prize maximum was boosted earlier this year, enabling for jackpots of more than $70 million. The cap is now at $80 million.
While a greater fee may encourage more people to play, the odds of winning the lottery remain extremely low.

According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the odds for a $5 ticket are around one in 33,294,800.

While there was no jackpot winner in Friday’s draw, someone did match six of the seven winning numbers, plus a bonus, earning them a payout of more than $320,000.

Lotto Max History

Lotto Max is one of three national lottery games in Canada, overseen by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. The game was introduced on September 19, 2009, and its inaugural draw occurred on September 25, 2009. It replaced Lotto Super 7.

The odds of winning the Lotto Max are 1 in 33,294,800. This is correct to a point but misleading.

Let’s have a look at the rules:

  1. Players choose 7 numbers out of 50
  2. Numbers cannot be repeated
  3. Numbers are automatically sorted into ascending order
  4. Each play buys 3 lines
  5. Each play costs $5

Seeing that players choose 7 out of 50 non-repeating numbers, the equation for the total number of possible combinations (this is different from permutations where the order in which the numbers appear is significant) when playing the Lotto Max is 50! / (7! x 43!)

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