Disabled passenger 'stranded on plane for two hours' after landing says he'll 'never fly through Manchester Airport again'

Holding hands in public – it’s such a simple human gesture, capable of telegraphing so much and yet this elementary gesture of friendship, love, affection, support and so many other basic human needs is off-limits, in public at least, to the majority of queer people in Australia and especially for gay men.A study conducted by ANZ in honour of their 11-year association with Mardi Gras back in 2017 showed that “members of Australia’s LGBTQI community are three times more likely to feel uncomfortable holding hands in public than other Australians” and that while 94% of respondents agreed that everyone should feel comfortable holding hands in public, only 43% of the LGBTQI community actually felt comfortable and confident enough to do so.And let’s face it, we’re not talking about the horrors of seeing two people eating each other’s faces on a train platform or dry humping in a library, this is two people engaging in the most innocuous forms of Public Displays of Affection possible and yet the sight of two men holding hands is enough to make this 42-year-old gay man blush with the romanticism and braveness of it all, having never walked down the street holding another man’s hand.Will this ever change? Will this simple gesture of love and affection ever truly be an accepted declaration between two men on the streets of rural or suburban Australia? Hopefully one day, Australians of all persuasions will feel safe to perform that most simple act of human connection – basic skin-on-skin contact with another human being of our choosing.© Star Observer 2022 | For the latest in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTIQ) news in Australia, be sure to visit

Billi Mucklow has shared a series of gorgeous snaps from her honeymoon with her new husband Andy Carroll.The former TOWIE star and professional footballer married in the first week of June at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hampshire. Shortly after their nuptials, the couple jetted off to the sunny destination of Mexico and have been documenting their getaway ever since.

Emiliano Granada In what promises to be an incredibly busy Annecy, Brinca Animation Studio will premiere its animated feature “Home is Somewhere Else” at the French animation meet’s Contrechamp section, its major sidebar.Co-directed by Carlos Hagerman and Jorge Villalobos, the Mexican animated feature reflects on the lives of the many undocumented Hispanic immigrants arriving in the U.S.; less interested in simply stating the immense difficulty that this means for them and keener on observing with care the emotional consequences that it entails. Built around the voices of real characters and their families, the toon’s varied styles become deeply intimate.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentPart of what it describes as a bold and rapid expansion of its long-form animation department, London-based Oscar winning Passion Pictures has appointed Nicki Cortese as head of development for animated features and series.Cortese joins Pixar veteran David Park, a production manager on “Coco” and animation department manager on “Toy Story 3,” who was himself hired as Passion head of production for long-form animation in 2021, as well as executive producer Debbie Crosscup.Joining Passion ahead of Annecy, Cortese served as head of development for Elisabeth Murdoch’s Locksmith Animation, where she worked on Disney’s “Ron’s Gone Wrong” as well as the just-announced Netflix feature “That Christmas,” based on children’s books by “Four Weddings and a Funeral’s ”Richard Curtis. Cortese had a first-look deal with Brian Robbins’ studio, Awesomeness Films, and, prior to that, oversaw the “Divergent”franchise at Red Wagon.

Naman Ramachandran Ahead of World Refugee Day on June 20, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency has released “Uprooted,” a powerful short film featuring and made by Ukrainian refugees now living in Germany. The film shows loud noises – a door slamming, the sirens of an ambulance, the bangs of a firework display – and how they can trigger terrifying memories of war.

Princess Andre looked so grown up on Sunday as she was captured in a fun video alongside her dad Peter as the pair were in the car.MORE: Peter Andre's son Junior reveals tearful reunion with sick grandmother after two yearsIn the video, which was shared to Peter's Instagram page, the 14-year-old could be seen dancing to the song Let's Get it Pumpin' by Mary J Blige as she filmed herself and her dad who was driving in the sunshine.A post shared by Peter Andre (@peterandre)WATCH: Peter Andre's daughter Princess is so grown up in new videoPrincess was the image of her parents in the sun-kissed clip and her infamous blonde ringlets looked as spectacular as ever.SEE: Peter Andre's daughter Princess models sparkling ring just like Emily's - photoREAD: Peter Andre's jaw-dropping birthday surprise from his children and wife Emily is fit for a royalDad Peter looked very relaxed as he drove and kept it cool as he donned a baseball cap and white T-shirt. Princess and Peter are so close Peter also shared the video to his Instagram.

Martin Dale ContributorThe Annecy Intl. Animation Festival is returning to a full-fledged in-person event in 2022, expecting more than 10,000 attendees, from more than 90 countries June 13-18.“The world’s animation community will be back in Annecy — the key meeting place for the industry and artists,” says fest director Mickaël Marin, beaming.The Annecy team has striven to maintain connections and momentum within the animation community during the pandemic, through the 2020 online edition and 2021 hybrid fest, complemented by yearround masterclasses, professional meetings, seminars and dedicated trips, including recent trips to Nigeria, Israel and Brazil.The fest also collaborates with events such as Ventana Sur in Argentina and the Animation Day in Cannes.

If you've ever caught the train back to Manchester from London Euston you'll know the routine. Standing around on the concourse, neck craned, peering up at the departures board, as you wait for the last-minute announcement of your platform followed by a mad dash to your seat.

We've all had times when things have felt overwhelming. The pressures of every day life can sometimes seem intense - and there can be a temptation to try and shrug your worries away.

McDonald’s is once again offering exclusive deals to customers who order via their mobile app. And today (Monday 13) customers can get a free hot drink when they buy a particular breakfast item.

This autumn, audiences can get stuck into an inspiring mix of bold, contemporary plays, cast-iron classics and ‘Betty! - A Sort of Musical’ at the Royal Exchange Theatre.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has once again reiterated that the club might be forced to sell one of its key players this summer amid Manchester United's interest in Frenkie de Jong.

Dame Laura Kenny has admitted she is scared to try for another baby after suffering the trauma of two baby losses within three months. Following a devastating miscarriage, the five-time Olympic gold medalist was rushed in for emergency surgery in January where she had a fallopian tube removed after discovering her second pregnancy was ectopic.The 30-year-old says she has never seen her husband, cyclist Sir Jason Kenny, as stressed as when she was taken away to the operating table, and doesn’t want to put him or their four-year-old son Albie through any more worry. Speaking exclusively to OK!, Laura said: “I’m not going to sit here and pretend I’m not scared to go through it again – because I am.

Big Brother star Chanelle Hayes has made the decision to put her wedding dress shopping on hold as she prepares to undergo more surgery. 34-year-old Chanelle - who said "yes" to businessman fiancé Dan Bingham after he proposed earlier this year - has exclusively told OK! that he insecurities regarding her figure have prevented her from wanting to find the perfect dress just yet.

Big Bang’s T.O.P will soon be launching his very own wine label.Today (June 13), the Big Bang rapper unveiled new product images of his upcoming wine label, T’SPOT. The official brand logo features art by Kyoto-based artist Kohei Nawa, who T.O.P also tagged in his post.“Here it is- T’SPOT.

LCD Soundsystem have announced two more locations for their residency series, with the band set to perform multiple gigs in Oakland and San Francisco in August.James Murphy and co. will kick off the Bay Area run at Oakland’s Fox Theater on August 16, playing three more shows at the venue across consecutive evenings.

Soompi.All five ex-KARA members had also tagged their late former bandmate, Goo Hara, in each of their posts.A post shared by 박규리 (@gyuri_88)While the group had previously gathered last year, this marks the first time Heo Young-ji, who joined KARA after the departure of Nicole and Jiyoung, has joined them to celebrate the occasion.The only former KARA members absent from the meet-up were Sunghee, who had left the act shortly after their debut, and the late Goo Hara, who passed away in 2019.KARA first debuted as a quartet on March 29, 2007 with the single ‘Break it’ from their first album, ‘The Blooming’.

SEVENTEEN member Dino has released a brand-new self-written solo track titled ‘High-Five’Yesterday (June 12) at Midnight KST, the SEVENTEEN singer surprised fans with an upbeat self-penned solo song called ‘High-Five’, which was released on the boyband’s official YouTube channel.“To the rhythm, give me a high-five / You know that, It’s like our own world, high-five / It’s not hard, oh,” Dino sings on the cheerful chorus, per Genius. In addition to writing its lyrics, the idol had co-composed the track with PRISMFILTER’s Hey Farmer, who had worked on the songs ‘Pang!’ and ‘2 Minus 1’ from the group’s 2021 mini-album ‘Attaca’.‘High-Five’ is Dino’s first solo release of 2022, and follows his November 2021 solo track ‘Last Order’.

Paula Abdul is celebrating Gay Pride Month!

Strictly Come Dancing stars Ola and James Jordan.MORE: Exclusive: Ola and James Jordan are bursting with pride at Ella's first sports dayThe couple, who have been married for 18 years, tried for a baby for three years before conceiving their daughter Ella, now aged two, through IVF in 2019. The couple opened up to HELLO! about their battle to fall pregnant, with Ola revealing how one of her toughest moments was whilst filming Dancing with the Stars, on which she was a judge.James and Ola Jordan star on HELLO!'s Digital Cover with daughter Ella"I remember sitting at the judges' desk and thinking, 'I don't want this.

Gordon Cox Theater EditorBroadway celebrated its first full season after the COVID lockdown with the 75th annual Tony Awards, hosted by a newly minted Oscar winner and spotlighting stage work that included a media-darling frontrunner (“A Strange Loop”), a historical pop confection (“Six”), a King of Pop bio-musical (“MJ”) and an epic look at the roots of American capitalism (“The Lehman Trilogy”). Much of the ceremony played out as expected, but as ably hosted by “Hamilton” alum Ariana DeBose, the night still provided plenty of moments for theater fans to remember.(1) Early wins for “Six and “MJ” prepped the audience for a night of surprises — which didn’t quite materialize.A number of Tony predictions (including ours) suggested “Six” had a shot at the award for Best Score, so that win, in itself, wasn’t much of a surprise.

Isla Fisher is hitting the red carpet!

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentNickelodeon is launching its Intergalactic Shorts Program 2.0 which opens its search for new and diverse creators from across the globe, Ramsey Naito, president of Nickelodeon Animation and Paramount Animation, announced Monday.The Intergalactic Shorts Program 2.0 will focus on new voices and nurturing their vision for original comedy-drive content with an eye to representation, Naito added.The 2.0 Program will be overseen by Nickelodeon executives Daniel Wineman and Chris Rose.News of the new 2.0 Program comes as Nickelodeon gears up to bow “Rock, Paper, Scissors,”  the first finalised short and series greenlit from the 2019 inaugural program.“Rock, Paper, Scissors” will make its worldwide short debut at France’s Annecy Intl. Animation Film Festival during a Nickelodeon Animation presentation on Thursday, June 16.

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentAfter a virtual edition in 2020 and a hybrid outing last year, this week’s Annecy International Animation Film Festival looks set be back with a bang, fully and only onsite.It also says a lot about the animation industry’s robust fundamentals. This and nine other takes on this week’s huge French animation reunion, which runs June 13—18:Annecy’s Biggest Fest EverFrance’s Annecy Festival, the biggest event in the animation world, looks set for its largest edition ever. Accreditation numbers were heading towards a final 13,000, artistic director Marcel Jean told Variety mid-week.

J-Hope of BTS recently opened up about the group’s state of mind while preparing for their Grammys 2022 performance in April.In a new interview with Weverse Magazine, the rapper and main dancer discussed BTS’ “whirlwind” performance of their 2021 hit ‘Butter’ at the Grammys. Both J-Hope and vocalist Jungkook had tested positive for COVID-19 in the week prior to the show, leaving the boyband barely any time to rehearse together.“After testing positive for COVID-19, it was only going to be possible to have exactly one day before the performance,” said the idol, looking back on the experience.

Robbie Williams has announced a greatest hits tour to mark 25 years since started his solo career.The former Take That star will be hitting the road for a series of dates which include two nights at The O2 in London in October. Further shows will take place in Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Dublin.Fans who pre-order his forthcoming new album ‘XXV’ here, by 3pm BST tomorrow (June 14) will receive access to a pre-sale on Wednesday (June 15) from 9am for up to 48 hours.Tickets will then go on general sale at 9am on Friday (June 17).

Apink members Chorong and Bomi will soon be releasing music together as the group’s first-ever sub-unit.On June 13, Apink’s agency IST Entertainment revealed that two members from the girl group – Chorong and Bomi – will be forming the K-pop act’s first-ever sub-unit. Named ChoBom, the duo will release their first project sometime next month, according to Korea JoongAng Daily.“Apink has had one-time combinations of members for some tracks or concert performances, but this is its first time forming an official subunit to release an actual album,” said IST Entertainment, per Korea JoongAng Daily.News of the forthcoming sub-unit arrives four months after Apink unveiled their special album ‘Horn’, which was led by the title track ‘Dilemma’.

A major Scots road has been left closed for hours after a serious car crash.

A woman has shared how she has had to try antidepressants and is moving into an Airbnb after her neighbours' dogs won't stop barking.

Lizzo has been criticised for using an ableist slur in her new single ‘Grrrls’, where in the opening verse, she sings: “Hold my bag, bitch, hold my bag / Do you see this shit? I’ma sp*z.”While used colloquially in the United States with a similar meaning to ‘freak out’ or ‘go crazy’, the term emerges from the word ‘spastic’, which is used medically to describe the spasms one might experience from a condition like cerebral palsy. The term is often used in a derogative manner to describe those with disabilities, especially cerebral palsy.After the single was released last Friday (June 10), fans and disability activists took to social media to acknowledge their disappointment over the lyrics. Some called for the track to be pulled down and re-uploaded with the line removed.“I’m disappointed in @lizzo for using the word “sp@z” in her new song ‘Grrrls’,” wrote advocate Callum Stephen.

Martin Dale ContributorJosé Miguel Ribeiro’s feature debut “Nayola,” one of two Portuguese full-length animation pics screening at Annecy Animation Film Festival, portrays the fate of a grandmother, a mother and her daughter – Lelena, Nayola and Yara – in the aftermath of the Angolan civil war.Nayola searches for her husband, Ekumbi, who went missing during the war. She abandons her daughter, Yara, at the age of only two, who is then brought up by her grandmother, Lelena.

Emilio Mayorga France’s “The Tern,” “Phil & Sophia” and “Nino Dino,” along with Spain’s “Zoey Oceans,” Poland’s “Happy not Lucky,” Ireland’s “Natu Natu,” and Romania’s “Karma” lead a packed 84-title line-up of animated TV projects to pitch at the 2022 Cartoon Forum.It will take place in Toulouse, Southern France, over Sept. 19-22.“The Tern” is a 10-episode half-hour from Paris-based family entertainment company Cyber Group Studios. Directed by Slimane Aniss, it tells the adventures of a fleet of massive dirigibles traveling endlessly above a devastated Earth, following the flight paths around the planet of a particular bird, the tern.Targeting preschoolers, “Phil & Sophia” is written by Martine Gasparov.