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Treasuring the Queen's final official photo

<p>Just days before her death, Queen Elizabeth was seen in what was her final official engagement. </p> <p>The monarch met with Britain's new prime minister, Liz Truss, at a ceremony inside the green-carpeted room at Balmoral Castle in Scotland. </p> <p>Due to the Queen's ongoing health issues, the appointment of the new PM broke with tradition by taking place in Scotland, rather than in Buckingham Palace. </p> <p>The monarch was supported by her walking cane as she invited Truss, Her Majesty's 15th prime minister in her 70-year-reign, to form a new government.</p> <p>During the Queen's final official act before her death, she looked lively and happy as she smiled for photos and shook the hand of the new prime minister. </p> <p>Despite her positive demeanour, people were quick to spot the large bruise on the Queen's hand, <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/worrying-photo-sparks-fresh-concerns-for-queen-elizabeth-s-health" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reigniting concerns</a> about the monarch's health. </p> <p>ITV's royal editor Chris Ship said the bruising was a sign of changing times in the Queen's advancing years.</p> <p>"I'm no medic but it could be some form of cannula that the Queen's had, we are guessing," Ship told Today.</p> <p>"Buckingham Palace never tells us about her ongoing medical conditions. She's 96 years old. A frail lady, let's be clear. And queen of advancing age."</p> <p>Just days later, <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-at-96" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Queen Elizabeth II passed away peacefully</a> at the age of 96. </p> <p dir="ltr">The monarch was under medical supervision due to her deteriorating health but unfortunately died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8th at 8:30pm local time (3:30am AEDT).</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon,” The Royal Family tweeted.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The King and The Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The public was notified of her death through the traditional form of a formal message placed on an easel on the railings outside the Palace.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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"Beaten and pinned down": Christian church members dragged into street after raid by Chinese officials

<p>Shocking video footage from inside a Christian church in China shows officials raiding and violently dragging members out of the church mid-service.</p> <p>ChinaAid, a Christian watchdog group on persecution posted the story from the church in Xiamen, a Fujian province.</p> <p>In a video taken at the church, officers and attendees of Xinguang Church shout as attendees try and block the officials from entering.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UkHgvKcpsaM"></iframe></div> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Officials then drag a person to the door and the men who were guarding the door were “beaten and pinned down”, according to a statement from<span> </span><em>ChinaAid</em>.</p> <p>"The state security police came banging at the door, then they kicked it down and dragged those in the way outside the doorway,"<span> </span><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/xiamen-church-05042020155239.html" target="_blank">Radio Free Asia</a><span> </span>quoted Pastor Yang Xibo.</p> <p>Officers also confiscated phones and used “brutal force” against some Christian women as well.</p> <p>As the church’s meeting place is located at a private residence, police broke down barriers and dragged three people out.</p> <p>Church members had received no warnings, which an eyewitness confirmed.</p> <p>"They didn't say anything or show any documentation, but they just nailed a man and a woman to the ground, pinning them by the chest and legs using their knees. "</p> <p>No warrants were reportedly shown, and the church has since been banned.</p> <p>Gina Goh, International Christian Concern’s regional manager for Southeast Asia has said that China is resuming its crackdown on Christianity since the threat posed by COVID-19 has been reduced.</p> <p>"In recent weeks, we have seen an increased number of church demolitions and cross removals on state-sanctioned churches across China, as house church gatherings continue to face interruption and harassment.</p> <p>“It is deplorable that the local authorities not only conducted this raid without proper procedure, but deployed excessive use of force against church members and bystanders," she said.</p> <p>"ICC calls on the international community and the US government to condemn China's constant human rights abuses."</p> <p><em>Photo credits:<span> </span><a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.chinaaid.org/2020/05/breaking-violence-erupts-when-officials.html" target="_blank">ChinaAid</a><span> </span> </em></p> </div> </div> </div>

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Chernobyl to become an official tourist attraction

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chernobyl has become a hot new destination for tourists after the surging popularity of the show of the same name.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The destination is infamous for an explosion in 1986 at its atomic plant, which sent clouds of nuclear material across Europe. The blast itself killed 30 people immediately and caused environmental repercussions for years to come.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, the town has carried negative connotations until the popular show, done by HBO, told the story of what happened before and after the explosion.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Ukrainian government has decided to take advantage of the fame and has taken it to the next level by approving upgrades to Chernobyl to make it more tourist friendly.</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/B01h6HBAYyO/" 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/B01h6HBAYyO/" target="_blank">First trip of 2019 booked: Serbia. Almost a year after Ukraine, which shows I really need to sort my life out and get out more 🗺 . . . . . #kiev #ukraine #travel #travelgram #instatravel #throwback #latergram #yearlatergram #chernobyl #pripyat</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/elizabethkatkin/" target="_blank"> Elizabeth Atkin</a> (@elizabethkatkin) on Aug 6, 2019 at 1:44pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">President Volodymyr Zelensky gave the green light for the upgrades, which include new walking trails around the power plant and better phone reception according to </span><a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/travel/2019/07/11/chernobyl-tourism-visit-upgrades/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The New Daily</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Chernobyl has been a negative part of Ukraine’s brand,” </span><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48943814"><span style="font-weight: 400;">BBC</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> reported Mr Zelensky saying.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The time has come to change this.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We will create a green corridor for tourists. Chernobyl is a unique place on the planet where nature [has been] reborn after a huge man-made disaster.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We have to show this place to the world: to scientists, ecologists, historians [and] tourists.”</span></p>

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