A seven-year-old girl has been killed after being stuck by a stone thrown by an elephant in Rabat Zoo.
The girl was reportedly sitting on her father’s shoulders around the elephant enclosure at the zoo in Morocco’s capital on Tuesday when the freak incident occurred, reports the BBC.
Witnesses have told media that they saw the elephant pick the stone up and hurl it at the girl as she and her father stood with their backs to the enclosure to pose for a picture being taken by the girl’s mother.
The girl, who has not been identified, was reportedly knocked unconscious as soon as the stone hit and died a few hours later in hospital.
A bystander who took a video after the girl was struck shows the elephant waving behind the fence, as well as a shot of the stone which struck the girl.
A spokesperson for the zoo has expressed condolences over the incident but the zoo has not gone so far as to claim any liability.
“Accidents of this type are rare, unforeseeable and unusual,” he said in a statement, reports Morocco World News.
“Accidents of this nature have happened in international zoos, most recently in Disney World Orlando and the Cincinnati Zoo in the United States.”
An elephant expert, Phyllis Lee, scientific director for scientific director, said an elephant lashing out at a human on purpose is highly unusual.
“It can happen when elephants are frustrated or bored. In my opinion, it’s unlikely the elephant was directly targeting the girl — but exhibiting frustration. You can’t predict what animals in captivity will do,” she told BBC.
Where do you buy a wedding band for the couple who has everything?
Why, on Etsy of course! Mila Kunis has just confessed she and Ashton Kutcher got their wedding bands off the popular online store.
What’s more, they got them for an absolute bargain too.
The Bad Moms star admitted she nearly had a heart attack over how much her simple design was going to cost at a traditional jewellery store.
Mila isn’t too proud to be frugal!
Her simple, platinum Etsy band.
“I wanted the thinnest possible platinum band. I mean, you can’t see it, but it’s super, super thin,” the mother of one said, showing the dainty ring to the camera before admitting that the cost of a Tiffany band had her miffed.
“I was like, ‘They’re how much? This is astronomical! So, I went on Etsy and I was like, ‘$90?’ I was like, ‘Buy now!’ “
Mila has been spilling gossip left, right and centre lately! Check out her bombshell confession about Ashton’s… erm… manhood in the video below. Post continues!
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We wonder what Ashton thinks about Mila spilling all their secrets?
Although hers only cost $90, she says Ashton’s was more expensive… but not that much more!
“Ashton’s was $100, so technically his wedding band was a little bit more expensive,” the expectant mother said.
Mila’s revelation comes just after her Bad Moms co-star Kristen Bell released pictures of her own frugal wedding.
She revealed the news while promoting her movie on Conan.
“Now, listen: I’ve been talking to you for years and I’ve always loved the fact that you’re frugal,” host Conan O’Brien told her. “You’re very up front about that.”
Mila joked, “That’s a nice way of saying ‘cheap’ but yes.”
Mila and Conan go way back, which is probably why she let him get away with implying she was cheap!
Purchasing a cheaper band was “not a big deal,” the 32-year-old actress added.
“My engagement ring is beautiful, but I don’t ever wear it,” she said.
“This ring, I’m like, ‘It’s $90!’ It’s great. That person on Etsy had no clue whose ring they were making, but they were wonderful and very nice and polite and generous.”
After years of back-to-back movies, red carpet premieres, autograph signings and grueling schedules, Matt Damon has confessed he’s taking a break from acting.
The Jason Bourne star says the past few years has really taken its toll on him and his family and it’s just time to take a step back.
He made the announcement while appearing on Today in the US to promote the latest flick in the Bourne franchise.
The 45-year-old indicated his family had been “good sports” about his crazy schedule, but it was time to give them back some of the time they’d devoted to him.
Watch the announcement that’s sure to make a lot of Matt Damon fans sad below. Post continues!
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Between signing autographs, filming movies, and attending premieres, Matt hasn’t had much time for his family.
“I took a bunch of roles in a row,” he explained during the interview.
“I’ve done four straight movies in a row and I have one more to go,” he said.
We bet Luciana is thrilled to be getting her husband back.
He explained that he’s had his family – including wife Luciana Barroso, his three daughters Isabella, 10, Gia, 8, Stella, 6, and stepdaughter Alexia, 18 – in tow while he’s filmed all over the world.
Watch Matt Damon pull a brilliant prank on unsuspecting passers by as part of the promotional trail for Jason Bourne. Post continues.
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And after years of “dragging them all over the world,” he’s ready to give them a well-deserved break.
But for now he’s still got one more movie to go before his hiatus.
For our sake, we hope he doesn’t like not working so much he decides to never come back!
Carbon monoxide is a highly toxic gas. It’s colourless, odourless and tasteless – hence the nickname – which makes it almost impossible to detect yourself. Scary when you consider that once you breathe the gas in, it mixes with your blood cells and prevents them carrying oxygen. Exposure to high levels of it can be fatal – the lack of oxygen essentially stops your body’s central nervous system and heart from functioning – but even low level exposure over a prolonged period can lead to memory loss and depression.
Faulty gas heaters are dangerous
If your gas heater has been on the blink or hasn’t been serviced in two years, get the blankets out until you can get it checked. Why? A faulty heater is one of the biggest risk factors when it comes to carbon monoxide poisoning. Leaking fumes from a faulty heater were behind the tragic deaths of young Victorian boys, Chase and Tyler Robinson, who were just six and eight when they died after inhaling deadly carbon monoxide fumes in 2010.
Service your stuff regularly
Heaters aren’t the only household appliance that you should get serviced regularly – faulty or not. Carbon monoxide is found in fumes where fuel is burned. Things like wood stoves, gas ovens, gas cooktops, dryers, fireplaces, exhaust fumes and furnaces can all produce carbon monoxide. The solution? A carbon monoxide detector (more on these later) is a good idea. You should also call out the experts at the start of winter when you rely on heaters, dryers and fireplaces the most and get them to check your appliances and vents to ensure they’re safe to use.
Carbon monoxide poisoning looks a lot like flu
Common symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning aren’t too dissimilar to flu. They include a constant feeling of tiredness, headaches, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and feeling overly weak. Now, having one (or all) of the above might not mean you have been poisoned, but it’s worth knowing the signs just in case. And, if you’re concerned that you may have been exposed to carbon monoxide, mention it to your GP straight away.
There’s a simple safeguard against it
Carbon monoxide is known as a “silent killer” for a reason. You won’t be able to see or smell any toxic fumes. But you can still protect your family from it with a simple, affordable alarm that can detect early exposure within your home. An alarm can warn you about any carbon monoxide fumes being emitted from heaters, cookers, blocked chimneys and nearby vehicles taking away the worry. Try Quell Carbon Monoxide Digital Display Alarm, $39.
Swapping textbooks and paintbrushes for meat cleavers and sixteen-page recipes, Elena Duggan had no idea that leaving her much-loved life as a high school art teacher would lead to such big success in the foodie world.
And while it wasn’t always smooth sailing for this year’s Masterchef Australia 2016 winner, there were many important life lessons we picked up from Elena along the way.
Family and friends first – always
Many viewers were probably left gasping at their television screens as Elena stepped away from her kitchen bench in the final crucial minutes of the grand finale to help her only competition, Matt Sinclair, with his reinvention of Heston Blumenthal’s coconut panna cotta and verjus ‘egg’ dessert.
This act of kindness served as a gentle reminder that while there may be glory (and money) at stake, friendships should always come first.
Trust your gut instinct
It can be extremely difficult to tune out the opinions of others, especially when this advice is coming from talented, experienced chefs. But Elena showed us that sometimes you have to look past what other people are telling you to do and focus on what you think is best.
Her memorable quail, grapes and goat’s cheese dish left judges and viewers alike salivating, with George Calombaris dubbing it ‘food heaven’ and awarding Elena Dish Of The Day for her grape-themed cook in Nappa Valley. However, had she listened to the advice of judge Gary Mehigan and left the lavender out from the goat’s cheese element, she wouldn’t have produced the winning dish that saw her shoot straight through to the semi finals. Good call, Elena!
Sure, this one might seem a little cliché, but Elena is living proof that it’s never too late to turn the game around. She was no stranger to the elimination rounds, ending up in the bottom three a few times after producing a couple of dodgy dishes (green savoury pancakes, we’re looking at you), but continued to push through and fight for her spot in the Masterchef Australia 2016 kitchen.
And even in the final minutes of the competition, many chefs would have thrown off their oven mits and stormed out of the building as they were still three points behind a highly talented cook with only one dish to go. But Elena persevered against unlikely odds, and her drive and determination saw her soaring to first place (and taking out the top prize).
Return to your roots
It’s something we saw a lot in the competition – contestants trying to experiment with new and inventive flavours and cooking styles that often didn’t go to plan. However, when the finalists were given the chance to cook with any ingredients they desired in the grand finale, Elena embraced the hearty, wholesome cooking she knows and loves.
While the calibre of cooks was noticeably higher this season, with fine-dining presentation becoming the norm, the Masterchef Australia 2016 winner decided to dish up something a little more homely. Her pressure-cooked lamb was served with a sticky lamb jus, creamy macadamia and onion puree and pickled vegetables – a winning flavour combination that saw her awarded a perfect score of 10 out of 10 from each judge.
There weren’t many episodes where we didn’t see a tear or two from Elena, but that was always coupled with an infectious laugh, a beaming smile and a comforting hug for her fellow contestants. Two particularly powerful moments were when the final contestants received letters from their loved ones at home, and when her parents, partner and sister arrived at the grand final – there wasn’t a dry eye in the room over here, either.
Throughout the competition, viewers around the nation fell in love with her genuine, deeply passionate personality that kept her pushing herself until the very end.
Congratulations, Elena! We can’t wait to see what you do next.
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Prince George stole the show when his official birthday portraits were released last week, but the oak garden tree swing he stood on-- engraved with his parents' names-- came a close second.
Prince George certainly stole the show when his official birthday portraits were released last week, but the personalised oak garden tree swing he stood on– engraved with his parents’ names– came a close second.
Royal lovers have been searching far and wide for where they can get a similar swing to the one used by the royal family. And now the business at the heart of the search has been uncovered.
The swing was created by The Oak & Rope Company and given to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011 as a wedding present.
Jeanette Aurdal Nieman, designer and managing director, said it was a welcome surprise to see the swing featured in the portraits. She also confirmed to Hello! Magazine that her business is currently enjoying a surge in sales as fans flock to get a similar design.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are not the only celebrities the company have produced seats for. “Royal patrons and famous bottoms are sitting on our swings and benches,” Jeanette says.
You can order the swing with the engraving of your choice here. It’ll set you back a cool $AU450 though, including international shipping.
He may have been a little bit camera shy during the first few months of his precious life, but now, seven months on from entering the world, baby Saint is ready for his close-up and eager to show off his cuteness!
While attending a family gathering, Kim Kardashian took to Snapchat to share what could perhaps be the most adorable clip yet of her second child.
The tiny tot can be seen giggling in his pram as the famous family celebrated the birthday of the sister’s grandmother, Mary Jo Campbell, in a lavish bash in San Diego, California.
See the cute clip in the video player below! Post continues…
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The entire Kardashian Klan stepped out for the special day, dressed to the nines in their finest skin tight and leather frocks.
Even soon-to-be Kardashian Blac Chyna made an appearance, despite the absence of her baby daddy and fiance, Rob Kardashian, who she has been seemingly fighting with over the last week.
The expectant-mum arrived solo to the soiree, matching the dress code in a baby blue mini that hugged every curve, including her burgeoning baby bump.
The whole family stepped out for the Kardash bash.
Two new members will soon join the Kardashian klan – Blac Chyna and her unborn baby!
And evidently Kim can’t wait to welcome her new niece or nephew, as she once again took to Snapchat to show off the pair’s mended bond by rubbing Chyna’s growing belly.
The former pals, who fell out after Chyna’s ex Tyga started dating Kim’s 18-year-old half-sister, Kylie Jenner, have clearly put their differences aside as the two prepare to become sisters-in-law.
Watch the old friends bond in the video player below!
The sister of Thomas and Stuart Kelly has written a sombre tribute to her brothers whose death’s have devastated her family.
Madeleine Kelly posted a nostalgic childhood photograph of her bothers and herself on Facebook with a few grief-stricken words.
Ms Kelly wrote: “My beautiful brothers. I’ll cherish our memories forever”.
Thomas Kelly was killed by a random and cowardly one-punch attack in Kings Cross in 2012. Stuart Kelly took his own life this week – the catalyst for his heartbreaking act was reportedly the bullying he received for his family’s efforts to campaign for tougher laws against drunken violence in NSW.
Stuart Kelly.
One-punch victim Thomas Kelly.
In a move of solidarity John Christie, the brother of one punch victim Daniel Christie, posted to Facebook about Stuart’s passing. Mr Christie said the 18-year-old’s death was another tragedy the Kelly family didn’t deserve go through.
“For those of you who are quick to ‘spray’ vitriol about how these lockout laws are diminishing your nights out, please stop and be mindful about the effects your comment(s) can be making,” John Christie posted.
“RIP Stuart Kelly. I know how it feels to be caught in the same strange position. To be a proverbial ‘buoy’, awash in a sea of motives and agendas.”
One-punch victim Daniel Christie.
Yesterday Ralph Kelly, who this week joins his wife in burying their second teenage son in just four years, expressed his grief about his loss.
“The most painful goodbyes are the ones that are never said and never explained,” he posted on Facebook.
Two sales representatives are probably kicking themselves today after a woman they body-shamed refused to be embarrassed and used their words as fuel to spread more love in the world instead.
Harriet Rae was shopping at a pharmacy in Cornwall when two staff members looked her up and down and made rude comments about her appearance.
While most on the receiving end would have averted their gaze and pretended not to hear, Harriet looked the girls straight in the eye and gave them a “massive cheesy smile” instead.
In a now-viral Facebook post, Harriet described how the sales girls were immediately taken aback, obviously not expecting to be greeted with kindness rather than disdain after shaming another.
“It’s obviously not the first time you’ve had a giggle and a made comments about another girl but when you do it normally, the person you talk about probably looks away and you actually make them feel really sad inside,” Harriet said.
“But today, by the looks on your faces, you really weren’t prepared for the massive cheesy smile I gave you!”
Harriet’s message, that women should boost eachother up rather than tear each other down, has clearly resonated around the world. The post has currently been shared nearly 55,000 times.
Representatives from Superdrug, the store where the incident occurred, have apologised to Harriet and promised her that her experience will be used to better train staff in customer relations going forward. For her part, Harriet is refusing to give the description of the girls who have shamed her as she does not want to publicly embarrass them. We are guessing they’ve probably got the memo, anyway.
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