Aiden needs abetting
'So sad. No more Vera,' laments Robert Hosking of Paddington. 'But it was the penultimate episode that caught my attention, when her longtime associate gets a nasty bashing by the baddy. All I could think was: 'Oh my God, they killed Kenny!''
'When I moved to Sydney in the '70s, I used to see a bearded man wheeling a mysterious wooden box on wheels around the Hyde Park area,' writes Donald Hawes of Peel. 'There was even a wooden ramp built over the park steps near Museum Station, just wide enough for his vehicle. It was only when his death was announced that I discovered that he was a knife sharpener (C8) and local identity.'
John Boddington of Dalton remembers a similar local identity: 'His name was Harold Wright ('The Sharpening King') and his extraordinary sharpening wagon is now in the National Museum. I have a strong suspicion that Heath Robinson had a hand in the design. I can recall seeing Harold's wagon as a small boy a long time ago and longing to have a bash at turning all the stuff on.'
'While I try to keep my Ukrainian stories light-hearted, Doug McLaughlin's memories of subs bombing Sydney in WWII (C8) have certainly triggered some recent trauma,' admits Chris Keane. 'A few days ago I was at home in Seattle when my phone started blowing up with messages from 'my' kids in Ukraine. Their previously unscathed city was being actively targeted with Russian missiles and drones. Over the course of a fraught hour I was inundated with messages like 'I'm really scared', 'it's very close, the ground is shaking and everyone is crying' and 'in case I don't see you again, thanks for everything'. Of course, right now as I write, I've started crying again. Perhaps Doug can provide more details about when the nightmares will dissipate?'
The lobster discussion (C8) goes offshore with former New York knife fancier Ellen Kassel of Collaroy again on point: 'Honeymoon – sailing down Maine. Lobster, lobster, lobster. Day three of honeymoon – big bad rash all over! Didn't know which new thing in my life was causing it. Thankfully, it was the lobsters.'

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The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Russian drones slam into two Ukrainian cities
Russian drones have slammed into two Ukrainian cities, killing at least one person in night-time attacks, authorities say, as a Kremlin official says he expects an announcement on dates for a fresh round of direct peace talks. Russia's drone assault targeted the southern Ukraine port city of Odesa and the northeastern city of Kharkiv, hitting apartment blocks, officials said on Friday. The barrage of more than 20 drones injured almost two dozen civilians, including girls aged 17 and 12, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. "Russia continues its tactics of targeted terror against our people," Zelenskiy said on messaging app Telegram, urging the United States and the European Union to crank up economic pressure on Russia. Russia has shown no signs of relenting in its attacks, more than three years after it invaded its neighbour. It is pressing a summer offensive on parts of the roughly 1000km front line and has kept up long-range strikes that have hit civilian areas. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the date for the next round peace talks was expected to be agreed upon next week. Kyiv officials have not recently spoken about resuming talks with Russia, last held when delegations met in Istanbul on June 2, though Ukraine continues to offer a ceasefire and support US-led diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting. The two rounds of brief talks yielded only agreements on the exchange of prisoners and wounded soldiers. Ukraine and Russia's defence ministry announced the latest swap on Friday, although they did not specify how many troops were involved. Zelenskiy said most of those returning home had been in captivity for more than two years. A fire caused by Russia's night-time strike on Odesa engulfed a four-storey residential building, which partly collapsed and injured three emergency workers. A separate fire spread across the upper floors of a high-rise, leading to the evacuation of about 600 residents. In Kharkiv, at least eight drones hit civilian infrastructure, injuring four people, including two children, according to Ukraine's Emergency Service. Russia launched 80 Shahed and decoy drones overnight, Ukraine's air force said, claiming that air defenses shot down or jammed 70 of them. Russian drones have slammed into two Ukrainian cities, killing at least one person in night-time attacks, authorities say, as a Kremlin official says he expects an announcement on dates for a fresh round of direct peace talks. Russia's drone assault targeted the southern Ukraine port city of Odesa and the northeastern city of Kharkiv, hitting apartment blocks, officials said on Friday. The barrage of more than 20 drones injured almost two dozen civilians, including girls aged 17 and 12, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. "Russia continues its tactics of targeted terror against our people," Zelenskiy said on messaging app Telegram, urging the United States and the European Union to crank up economic pressure on Russia. Russia has shown no signs of relenting in its attacks, more than three years after it invaded its neighbour. It is pressing a summer offensive on parts of the roughly 1000km front line and has kept up long-range strikes that have hit civilian areas. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the date for the next round peace talks was expected to be agreed upon next week. Kyiv officials have not recently spoken about resuming talks with Russia, last held when delegations met in Istanbul on June 2, though Ukraine continues to offer a ceasefire and support US-led diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting. The two rounds of brief talks yielded only agreements on the exchange of prisoners and wounded soldiers. Ukraine and Russia's defence ministry announced the latest swap on Friday, although they did not specify how many troops were involved. Zelenskiy said most of those returning home had been in captivity for more than two years. A fire caused by Russia's night-time strike on Odesa engulfed a four-storey residential building, which partly collapsed and injured three emergency workers. A separate fire spread across the upper floors of a high-rise, leading to the evacuation of about 600 residents. In Kharkiv, at least eight drones hit civilian infrastructure, injuring four people, including two children, according to Ukraine's Emergency Service. Russia launched 80 Shahed and decoy drones overnight, Ukraine's air force said, claiming that air defenses shot down or jammed 70 of them. Russian drones have slammed into two Ukrainian cities, killing at least one person in night-time attacks, authorities say, as a Kremlin official says he expects an announcement on dates for a fresh round of direct peace talks. Russia's drone assault targeted the southern Ukraine port city of Odesa and the northeastern city of Kharkiv, hitting apartment blocks, officials said on Friday. The barrage of more than 20 drones injured almost two dozen civilians, including girls aged 17 and 12, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. "Russia continues its tactics of targeted terror against our people," Zelenskiy said on messaging app Telegram, urging the United States and the European Union to crank up economic pressure on Russia. Russia has shown no signs of relenting in its attacks, more than three years after it invaded its neighbour. It is pressing a summer offensive on parts of the roughly 1000km front line and has kept up long-range strikes that have hit civilian areas. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the date for the next round peace talks was expected to be agreed upon next week. Kyiv officials have not recently spoken about resuming talks with Russia, last held when delegations met in Istanbul on June 2, though Ukraine continues to offer a ceasefire and support US-led diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting. The two rounds of brief talks yielded only agreements on the exchange of prisoners and wounded soldiers. Ukraine and Russia's defence ministry announced the latest swap on Friday, although they did not specify how many troops were involved. Zelenskiy said most of those returning home had been in captivity for more than two years. A fire caused by Russia's night-time strike on Odesa engulfed a four-storey residential building, which partly collapsed and injured three emergency workers. A separate fire spread across the upper floors of a high-rise, leading to the evacuation of about 600 residents. In Kharkiv, at least eight drones hit civilian infrastructure, injuring four people, including two children, according to Ukraine's Emergency Service. Russia launched 80 Shahed and decoy drones overnight, Ukraine's air force said, claiming that air defenses shot down or jammed 70 of them. Russian drones have slammed into two Ukrainian cities, killing at least one person in night-time attacks, authorities say, as a Kremlin official says he expects an announcement on dates for a fresh round of direct peace talks. Russia's drone assault targeted the southern Ukraine port city of Odesa and the northeastern city of Kharkiv, hitting apartment blocks, officials said on Friday. The barrage of more than 20 drones injured almost two dozen civilians, including girls aged 17 and 12, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. "Russia continues its tactics of targeted terror against our people," Zelenskiy said on messaging app Telegram, urging the United States and the European Union to crank up economic pressure on Russia. Russia has shown no signs of relenting in its attacks, more than three years after it invaded its neighbour. It is pressing a summer offensive on parts of the roughly 1000km front line and has kept up long-range strikes that have hit civilian areas. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the date for the next round peace talks was expected to be agreed upon next week. Kyiv officials have not recently spoken about resuming talks with Russia, last held when delegations met in Istanbul on June 2, though Ukraine continues to offer a ceasefire and support US-led diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting. The two rounds of brief talks yielded only agreements on the exchange of prisoners and wounded soldiers. Ukraine and Russia's defence ministry announced the latest swap on Friday, although they did not specify how many troops were involved. Zelenskiy said most of those returning home had been in captivity for more than two years. A fire caused by Russia's night-time strike on Odesa engulfed a four-storey residential building, which partly collapsed and injured three emergency workers. A separate fire spread across the upper floors of a high-rise, leading to the evacuation of about 600 residents. In Kharkiv, at least eight drones hit civilian infrastructure, injuring four people, including two children, according to Ukraine's Emergency Service. Russia launched 80 Shahed and decoy drones overnight, Ukraine's air force said, claiming that air defenses shot down or jammed 70 of them.


Perth Now
a day ago
- Perth Now
Russian drones slam into two Ukrainian cities
Russian drones have slammed into two Ukrainian cities, killing at least one person in night-time attacks, authorities say, as a Kremlin official says he expects an announcement on dates for a fresh round of direct peace talks. Russia's drone assault targeted the southern Ukraine port city of Odesa and the northeastern city of Kharkiv, hitting apartment blocks, officials said on Friday. The barrage of more than 20 drones injured almost two dozen civilians, including girls aged 17 and 12, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. "Russia continues its tactics of targeted terror against our people," Zelenskiy said on messaging app Telegram, urging the United States and the European Union to crank up economic pressure on Russia. Russia has shown no signs of relenting in its attacks, more than three years after it invaded its neighbour. It is pressing a summer offensive on parts of the roughly 1000km front line and has kept up long-range strikes that have hit civilian areas. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the date for the next round peace talks was expected to be agreed upon next week. Kyiv officials have not recently spoken about resuming talks with Russia, last held when delegations met in Istanbul on June 2, though Ukraine continues to offer a ceasefire and support US-led diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting. The two rounds of brief talks yielded only agreements on the exchange of prisoners and wounded soldiers. Ukraine and Russia's defence ministry announced the latest swap on Friday, although they did not specify how many troops were involved. Zelenskiy said most of those returning home had been in captivity for more than two years. A fire caused by Russia's night-time strike on Odesa engulfed a four-storey residential building, which partly collapsed and injured three emergency workers. A separate fire spread across the upper floors of a high-rise, leading to the evacuation of about 600 residents. In Kharkiv, at least eight drones hit civilian infrastructure, injuring four people, including two children, according to Ukraine's Emergency Service. Russia launched 80 Shahed and decoy drones overnight, Ukraine's air force said, claiming that air defenses shot down or jammed 70 of them.


Canberra Times
a day ago
- Canberra Times
Situation at Iran's Bushehr nuclear plant is 'normal'
The Israeli military said at one point on Thursday that it had struck the Russian-built Bushehr facility, but later said the comment had been made by mistake.