Brittney Deguara

Tickets have been snatched up for Brisbane's run of the smash-hit musical Hamilton, but creator and star of the original Broadway production, Lin-Manuel Miranda, managed to nab himself a seat.

Read more about his upcoming visit here: https://bit.ly/3E2ySdG

As flood waters rapidly rose in Eugowra, a town in the Central West region on NSW, Jess Eijkman, her husband Nigel and their children Isla, 6, and Noah, 17 months, clung to life in a tree.

"[We] honestly thought we were going to die. Thank goodness for the strong tree," Jess tells Kidspot.

A mere five minutes earlier, the family had been sitting in their lounge room, unaware of the flash flooding sweeping the region when Isla remarked, "Mummy, the water is flowing down the street".

They immediately jumped into action, putting their two family dogs in the house and jumping in the ute to try to get to the nearby showgrounds. But within seconds, the water was above the car bonnet.

NSW family clings to life in a tree for 4 hours to escape flash flooding As flood waters rapidly rose in Eugowra, a town in the Central West region on NSW, Jess Eijkman, her husband Nigel and their children Isla, 6, and Noah, 17 months, clung to life in a tree.

For the last seven months, two-and-a-half-year-old Cassian has been without the special needs stroller and wheelchair he needs due to delayed funding approval.

He's instead been forced to use a hired chair from a hospital that is actually making his condition worse.

"While I am extremely grateful for what NDIS provides for my son, the process itself feels like a full-time job," Cassian's mum Katie Fattle tells Kidspot.

"Everything takes an extremely long time and often the process itself seems extremely inefficient."

Cassian has a severe form of quadriplegic cerebral palsy, epilepsy and an intellectual disability, placing him in the "intensive support" level of funding within NDIS. He has been with NDIS since December 2021 after initially applying in October of the same year.

I'm wasting time fighting NDIS when I could be caring for my disabled son For the last seven months, two-and-a-half-year-old Cassian has been without the special needs stroller and wheelchair he needs due to delayed National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funding approval. He's instead been forced to use a hired chair from a hospital that is actually making his condit...

The family of the six-week-old baby boy who tragically died in a on November 9 has spoken about their loss and grief.

"Words are never enough to express grief," Isaac's aunt Kate wrote on a campaign she launched for the family.

Isaac died after a small fire broke out in the kitchen of his family home on Darwin Road in Campbelltown. He sustained burns to between 80 and 90 percent of his body and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, but later died.

Another child, a toddler, was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.

Read the full story online at Kidspot

Family 'lost' and 'deeply hurting' after 6-week-old boy dies in Sydney house fire The family of the six-week-old baby boy who tragically died in a Sydney house fire on November 9 has spoken about their loss and grief.

A two-year-old boy is fighting for his life in a hospital after a "normal everyday cold" put him in a coma.

Kristopher Mann had been battling a cold for five days when his mum Alannah's concerns mounted.

"By Sunday I was starting to get worried, but with our frequent trips to hospital it was a fine line between if he needs to go, and not wanting to cause him any more trauma," she tells Kidspot.

When the young boy awoke last Monday struggling to breathe, Alannah rushed him to hospital in Atherton in north Queensland. He was then transferred to a hospital in Cairns and then later flown to Townsville for further treatment.

2yo Qld boy in coma & fighting for his life after 'everyday cold' turns deadly A two-year-old Queensland boy is fighting for his life in a Townsville hospital after a "normal everyday cold" put him in a coma.

While out for a walk, a young Melbourne girl picked up a baby snake... not realising it was one of the deadliest snakes in the world.

Stewy the Snake Catcher

Girl 'extremely lucky and stupid' after picking up deadly snake While out for a walk, a young Melbourne girl picked up a baby snake... not realising it was one of the deadliest snakes in the world.

"Hi, Marlee? Hi baby, can you hear mummy?" Those were the first words 10-month-old Marlee heard from her mum when her cochlear implants were turned on for the first time. Kidspot Hear and Say

The beautiful moment this 10-month-old little girl hears for the first time "Hi, Marlee? Hi baby, can you hear mummy?" Those were the first words 10-month-old Marlee heard from her mum when her cochlear implants were turned on for the first time.

Surrounded by loved ones and in the arms of his mum and dad, 9-year-old Brooklyn, who had terminal cancer, passed away over the weekend. Read more at Kidspot

'We were so lucky to know you, Mummy will be with you again one day' Surrounded by loved ones and in the arms of his mum and dad, 9-year-old Brooklyn, who had terminal cancer, passed away over the weekend.

A new study has found some are slower to wave, point and say meaningful words. Read more on .

Pandemic babies slower to develop social skills, but 'don't panic' A new study has found some pandemic bubs are slower to wave, point and say meaningful words.

Stuck on the other side of the world, unable to grieve the death of loved ones with whānau, has been a “crushing” experience for expat Shelley Hargis​.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/travel-troubles/126384026/covid19-grieving-alone-on-other-side-of-the-world-a-crushing-experience

Covid-19: Grieving alone on other side of the world a 'crushing' experience “I often have dreams that these people are still alive,” says London-based expat Shelley Hargis after losing family during the pandemic.

Libby & Ben - The Creative Agency, the creatives behind Time in the Line, a website that crowdsources wait times at supermarkets and testing sites nationwide, have released a new vaccine booking feature.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/coronavirus/126371000/covid19-tapping-into-ministry-of-health-data-to-help-find-vaccine-appointments-with-the-click-of-a-button

Covid-19: Tapping into Ministry of Health data to help find vaccine appointments with the click of a button Based on your location, you can see how many vaccine appointments are available at your local vaccination clinics.

For Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, Mandy Te and I spoke with content creators and te reo Māori advocates using social platforms like Twitch and TikTok to kōrero and ako.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/126316276/tiktok-twitch-new-vehicles-for-mori-creators-to-krero-ako-te-reo-mori

TikTok, Twitch new ‘vehicles’ for Māori creators to kōrero, ako te reo Māori Thanks to Sonny Ngatai​, more than 175,000 TikTok users know how to correctly pronounce Paraparaumu. A further 97,000 know different ways to sign off their emails in te reo Māori.

The trans-Tasman bubble provided a sliver of hope for the tourism industry, but it might take up to five years for the sector to settle into what will be the “new normal”.

Covid-19: Tourism industry's 'new normal' still three to five years away, but operators not prepared to 'roll over' and quit The trans-Tasman bubble provided a sliver of hope for the tourism industry, but it might take up to five years for the sector to settle into what will be their “new normal”.

In the last five weeks, the number of reported RSV cases has spiked, dwarfing records from the last six years.

The outbreak had so far grown to 2543 cases nationwide – 735 of these were reported in the last week. To put this into perspective, the annual average during winter pre-Covid-19 was just 1743.

RSV outbreak: 'Very sharp' spike in cases dwarfs infections from last six years The RSV outbreak has so far grown to 2543 cases nationwide. To put this into perspective, the annual average during winter pre-Covid-19 was just 1743.

Although life in New Zealand somewhat resembles pre-Covid-19 times, Kiwis are being delivered a stern warning: the pandemic is far from over, and managed isolation and quarantine is sticking around.

Covid-19 pandemic 'not over yet', infections around the world still 'raging' Although life in New Zealand somewhat resembles pre-Covid-19 times, Chris Hipkins and Ashley Bloomfield have delivered a stern warning: the pandemic is still growing.

A wedding date has been set, the venue and band booked, but there’s a chance the bride and groom won't make it to their own wedding. The couple might not even be in the country.

A rat race for Covid-19 managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) spots was putting Campbell Thompson​ and Rebecca White’s​ wedding in jeopardy.

Covid-19: Wedding date set, but managed isolation booking system might leave bride and groom stranded abroad An expat couple have planned their wedding from abroad, but the MIQ rat race is putting everything in jeopardy.

Since Ross Pengelly​ arrived in Sydney in June, when the Covid-19 Bondi cluster began growing, he’s been trying to get home.

In four weeks, he’s rebooked five different flights. All but one had been cancelled – one flight, the first special green flight scheduled to take off from the state on July 10, was scrapped just 12 hours before departure after he forked out A$150 ($159.55) for a pre-departure test.

Covid-19: No wait list, 'zero communication' for Kiwis stranded in New South Wales, unable to book MIQ flights While a few hundred of the 1000 rooms set aside in MIQ have been filled by returning people, some stuck in the locked down Australian state can't even book a flight home.

The Government’s decision to pay for MIQ for people stranded in New South Wales during the latest Covid-19 outbreak has felt like a “slap in the face” for some expats elsewhere in the world.

Covid-19: Free MIQ for Kiwis stranded in NSW feels like a 'slap in the face' for expats stranded abroad Team of 5 million "doesn't seem to include Kiwis living overseas", expat says, after Government's call to pay MIQ costs of travellers to Australia, but not elsewhere.

The United Kingdom has announced plans to abandon its remaining Covid-19 restrictions in favour of freedom, a move public health expert Professor Michael Baker has labelled a “barbaric experiment”.

Public health expert: No, we shouldn't aim to live with Covid-19 like we live with the flu Professor Michael Baker describes UK policy move as a "massive gamble" as they put their faith in the dream of herd immunity.

What is it about Wellington that makes it perfect for that hair-knotting, umbrella-flipping wind?

What makes Wellington a 'top contender' for the windiest city in New Zealand and the world?

In the coming months, over 2 million people will be able to roll up their sleeves and receive a first dose of the vaccine.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern confirmed on Thursday mass vaccinations for the wider population – group four – would begin from July 28 with people aged 60 and over.

But how exactly will this roll-out work? When will you be notified you’re next in line? Here’s everything you need to know.

Covid-19: Everything you need to know about vaccine roll-out for the general public In the coming months, over 2 million people will be able to roll up their sleeves to receive the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Here's how it will work.

News of They Are Us, a new Hollywood film about the Christchurch mosque massacre, has sparked a wave of outrage in New Zealand.

Early talk that the film would be centred around Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s leadership in the wake of the mosque attacks lead to claims it was a "white saviour” tale, and dismissive of the victims, families, and the Muslim community.

So how do you make a film about real people, real events, and real – recent- trauma?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/film/125423691/can-a-film-tell-a-persons-story-without-their-permission

Can a film tell a person's story without their permission? For years, tragic events and moments have formed the basis of or inspired films and television shows. But are there any legal issues with this approach to story telling?

For almost 3.5 minutes, frolics around a beach in a yellow two-piece, creating a dreamy, cult-like atmosphere somewhat reminiscent of the 2019 horror film Midsommar.

While the highly anticipated song Solar Power had social media buzzing when it was released on Friday, so too did the mysterious beach featured in the film clip.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/125423319/hopes-lordes-beach-location-in-solar-power-music-video-wont-attract-stampede-to-waiheke-island

Hopes Lorde's beach location in Solar Power music video won't attract stampede to Waiheke Island While Lorde's highly anticipated song Solar Power had social media buzzing on Friday, so too did the mysterious beach featured in the film clip.

A Northland bar owner fed up with the violent nightlife scene has brought in new security technology to keep patrons safe.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/125450344/northland-bar-bringing-in-foolproof-id-scanners-in-wake-of-violent-nightlife

Northland bar bringing in 'foolproof' ID scanners in wake of violent nightlife The technology scans IDs and takes a photo of the patron before they get inside. If they misbehave, they could be blacklisted from that bar and all other bars that use the security system in New Zealand and around the world.

What role does Pride Month have in the classroom? Brittney Deguara speaks with teachers – both LGBTQIA+ members and allies – to learn more.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/125403662/how-teachers-are-making-classrooms-safe-spaces-for-lgbtqia-students

How teachers are making classrooms safe spaces for LGBTQIA+ students Many teachers are already creating safe spaces for rainbow students, but some still oppose the idea.