"I want to go home."

These were the last words spoken to a father by a young woman who died within hours of complications arising from elective weight loss surgery.

Brooke Tiddy was admitted to St George Private Hospital in Sydney on September 19, 2018 for bariatric surgery recommended by her doctor, who assessed her as "super super obese".

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But her hopes for a new lease on life were dashed when the 32-year-old died two days later.

An inquest into her death seeks to assess the effectiveness of the hospital's processes and prevent similar deaths.

On Monday, her parents and two sisters remembered the mental health support worker as "an energetic and enthusiastic soul who would do anything for anyone".

Tiddy had been "deeply motivated to improve her health" and was "nervous but excited" when she embarked on the journey "she would never have a chance to complete".

Her family said the passionate baker's life was cut tragically short by a failure to investigate her underlying health issues before her surgery.

"This oversight cost Brooke her life and shattered her family's and friends' trust in the health system," they said in a statement.

"We hope (this inquest) will lead to measures that ensure such preventable tragedies never happen again".

The inquest was told Tiddy lived with an "extremely rare" condition known as sponastrime dysplasia, which affects the muscles and skeletal system.

Her surgeon Dr Vytauras Kuzinkovas said he hadn't previously heard of the condition and didn't do any research about it until after Tiddy's death.

One of the associated features is a narrowing of the airways which was ultimately found to be Tiddy's cause of death, the inquest was told.

An autopsy found her airways had severely narrowed to the approximate diameter of a drinking straw, which almost certainly occurred before the surgery.

Kuzinkovas said Tiddy downplayed her asthma and depression and didn't reveal she had croup or narrow airways during an initial consultation.

An in-depth assessment of her medical history would have likely revealed such risk factors, he said, but he hadn't thought it was needed at the time.

With the benefit of hindsight, Kuzinkovas accepted Tiddy was a high-risk patient whom he would have referred to specialists before surgery.

Intensive care unit staff looking after Tiddy were not informed about her sponastrime dysplasia and its significance, the inquest was told.

If he had been aware of the link between her condition and narrowed airways, ICU doctor Michael O'Leary said he would have called in a specialist.

"This has been the worst experience I've had in my career. I felt very alone that night," he said.

"The only thing looking back on it I would do differently would be to get someone else to give me a hand."

O'Leary said he wasn't sure whether a pre-operative assessment would have prevented Tiddy's death because what they really needed was to access her full medical history.

"In a sense we were set up to fail in this case because there was all of this information that was kept from us," he said.

The inquest continues on Tuesday.

The sale of an extremely rare Mars rock has been slammed by a renowned paleontologist.

The 24-kilogram meteorite, which is the largest known piece of Mars on Earth, was sold for $US5.3 million ($8.1 million) last month to an anonymous bidder in New York.

Known as NWA 16788, the meteorite is massive compared with most Martian meteorites, which tend to be small fragments.

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NWA 16788 was discovered in November 2023 in the remote Agadez region of Niger, a poor African nation.

It has been described as a "monumental specimen" that is around 70% larger than the next biggest piece of Mars ever found on Earth.

However, Paul Sereno, paleontologist and founder of Niger Heritage, said the sale of the rock to an anonymous bidder was "brazen".

"International law says you cannot simply take something that is important to the heritage of a country," he told the BBC.

"Be it a cultural item, a physical item, a natural item, an extraterrestrial item – out of the country. You know we've moved on from colonial times when all this was okay."

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The government of Niger also expressed concern about how the artefact got into the hands of Sotheby's, the famous auction house where it was sold.

In a statement on X, it "expressed doubts about the legality of its export, raising concerns about possible illicit international trafficking".

"As with everything we sell, all relevant documentation was in order at each stage of its journey, in accordance with best practice and the requirements of the countries involved," Sotheby's said in a statement.

However, it also acknowledged concerns raised by the Nigerien government and others, saying "we are reviewing the information available to us in light of the question raised".

Concerns have also been raised that the meteorite will not be able to be used for educational purposes if it ends up in private hands.

"It would be a shame if it disappeared into the vault of an oligarch. It belongs in a museum, where it can be studied, and where it can be enjoyed by children and families and the public at large," Steve Brusatte, a professor of paleontology and evolution at Scotland's University of Edinburgh, told CNN before the sale.

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A tech entrepreneur with a big dream and a nose for quietly lapsed trademarks has revealed how he revived a nostalgic airline brand.

Ansett Airlines was once the king of Australian skies but its sudden collapse in 2001 took with it thousands of jobs and countless holiday memories.

Constantine Frantzeskos, a Melbourne digital marketing and AI expert, told 9news.com.au his mission to bring Ansett back as The Ansett Travel Platform has already been fairly successful.

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"Over the last 12 to 14 years, I've compiled a whole series of great digital innovations and had the idea… wouldn't it be great to bring this back to life?" Frantzeskos said.

"Colloquially, we'd call it the 'Ansett File' and one day I thought, 'Well, has anyone done anything with it? Who still owns it?' and realised it had lapsed."

Frantzeskos said he isn't planning on bringing Ansett back as an airline – not just yet anyway.

Instead, he's transformed the brand into an artificial intelligence (AI) travel agent with the much-loved Ansett name.

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"The sky's the limit," Frantzeskos laughed when asked about potentially muscling up to the likes of Qantas and Jetstar.

"For the moment, I'm just really, really focused on delivering a really wonderful travel concierge experience for everyone.

"Who knows what the future holds, but you're not the first person who has suggested it or who might want it."

Frantzeskos is a keen AI user and found a niche in the travel industry with his new brand The Ansett Travel Platform.

Since its launch last month, Frantzeskos said there was a burst of users signing up for his $99 VIP experience.

"Interestingly enough, we've actually had a really high number of VIP sign-ups, a lot of VIP sign-ups that haven't yet bought anything," he said.

"That's the classic tourism journey, which is to dream, plan, book, travel, and then remember."

Ansett uses AI to create a traveller profile for users, which then creates ideal itineraries and scours the internet for the best deals.

It also offers flights at "wholesale prices".

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He said it's a way to truly personalise a trip without the need for a physical travel agent.

"Because I don't have gigantic overheads, because I don't have tens of thousands of staff in multiple branches all over the world,  I can pass on those savings to travellers," Frantzeskos added.

"It just works for you 24-7 without a complaint."

Frantzeskos' hunch that AI will shape the next frontier of travel is on the money.

Fresh data from the Adyen 2025 Hospitality and Travel Report noted a 73 per cent surge in AI usage among travellers in Australia in the past year.

And the revival of Ansett Airlines attracted a huge wave of nostalgia for former customers and staff.

He said some ex-Ansett employee said seeing the name brought "tears to their eyes".

Will Richards, the grandson of Ansett's founder Sir Reginald Ansett, also got in touch.

"He's got a helicopter business in Northern Territory, Ansett Aviation, and he said, 'Mate, I just loved seeing it'," Frantzeskos said.

The Ansett brand has lived on in some capacity as Richard's helicopter flying school Ansett Aviation since 2003.

Around 16,000 people lost their jobs and a 65-year legacy circled the drain when the axe fell on Ansett in September 2001.

It flew an estimated 10 million passengers and had a 69-plane fleet before it collapsed.

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A group of masked thieves stole about $US7000 ($10,000) worth of Labubu dolls from a Los Angeles-area store, authorities said.

The incident took place last Wednesday morning at a store in La Puente, a city about 29 km east of Los Angeles, the LA County Sheriff's Department said.

The department said the suspects used a stolen SUV in the incident, which was recovered shortly afterward.

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The agency said it was investigating the case and did not have additional information.

Labubu dolls, created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung, have become a popular collectible item a decade after the toothy monsters were first introduced.

Toy vendor One Stop Sales said in an Instagram post that the thieves took all of the store's inventory and trashed the establishment.

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The store posted surveillance footage showing a group of people wearing hoodies and face coverings breaking in.

The suspects are seen shuffling through items and carrying boxes out of the shop.

"We are still in shock," the store said in its post, urging people to help find the thieves.

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Once a dramatic feature of the White House entryway, the official portrait of former President Barack Obama has been moved to a decidedly less prominent position, underscoring the years-long tensions between the 44th and 47th presidents.

Portraits of other recent predecessors with whom President Donald Trump has a contentious relationship, former President George W. Bush and his father, George H. W. Bush, have also been moved.

Trump directed staff to move the Obama portrait to the top of the Grand Staircase, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN, where it will now be out of view from thousands of visitors who tour the White House each day.

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One of the sources added that the portraits of both Bushes are also now in the staircase area.

Multiple sources have said that the president is directly involved with nearly everything that is done to the aesthetic of the White House, big or small.

CNN obtained a photo of the Obama portrait hanging at the top of the stairwell in a corner, at the landing of the entrance to the private residence.

That area is heavily restricted to members of the first family, US Secret Service agents, and a limited number of White House and executive residence staff.

It is firmly out of view for any visitor hoping to see the photorealistic Robert McCurdy painting of the former president, a source familiar with the matter confirmed.

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It's not the first time the Obama painting has been repositioned.

In April, the Obama portrait was moved across the Grand Foyer of the White House and replaced with a painting of an iconic scene of Trump surviving an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.

White House protocol and precedent calls for portraits of the most recent American presidents to be given the most prominent placement, in the entrance of the executive mansion, visible to guests during official events and visitors on tours.

A portrait of former President Joe Biden has not yet been completed.

The portrait maneuvers marks Trump's latest slight against a perceived political rival.

It comes as tensions between the Trump and Obama have escalated in recent months. Trump recently accused Obama and members of his administration of committing treason during the 2016 election, prompting a rare statement from his predecessor, whose office called the claims "outrageous," "bizarre," and "a weak attempt at distraction."

The president's attorney general, Pamela Bondi, subsequently ordered prosecutors to begin a grand jury probe into allegations that top Obama administration officials manufactured intelligence about Russia's interference in the 2016 election.

There have also been long-simmering tensions between Trump and the Bush family.

The elder Bush, who died in 2018, called Trump a "blowhard" in a biography and voted for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election.

George W. Bush, who Trump has attacked as a "failed and uninspiring" president, and former first lady Laura Bush, attended the president's 2025 inauguration but did not attend the post-ceremony luncheon.

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CNN has reached out to the White House and the White House Historical Association for comment. A spokesperson for Obama's office declined to comment.

During Trump's first term, he replaced portraits of Bill Clinton and George W. Bush in the Grand Foyer, choosing instead to highlight William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt.

Privately funded by the nonprofit White House Historical Association, the formal tradition of the presidential portrait came to be in the early 1960s under first lady Jacqueline Kennedy, according to former White House curator Betty Monkman.

Prior to that, there had been a relatively "haphazard" policy, Monkman said in a 2017 podcast for the association, with the portraits being funded by Congress or commissioned by friends – or by the president himself.

In the modern era of White House portraits, presidents and first ladies have invited their predecessors, former staff and friends and family for unveiling ceremonies.

"It's a statement of generosity on the current president and first lady to invite all these people from an outgoing administration," Monkman said, recalling a ceremony during the Johnson administration for Eleanor Roosevelt's portrait unveiling.

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There were heart-stopping scenes in Hawaii when a passenger ferry was caught out by wild waves with surfers racing to paddle out of its path.

But the 15-metre vessel held its own, riding one of Waikiki's most popular breaks, Kewalos, before running aground on a nearby reef.

The boat, operated by Atlantis Adventures, is used to transport guests to and from a local dive site.

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There were no guests hanging 10, just two crew members holding on as the ferry carved the unusually high surf.

"I'm just really grateful that nobody was hurt in terms of any of the surfers out on the water, hopefully they didn't cause damage to the reef," Maliny Soukkhasen, board member of the Friends of Kewalo, said.

The US Coast Guard was called in as tourists watched

It made for a memorable day out on the waves that at least the surfers won't be wanting to repeat anytime soon.

The victim of a vicious Adelaide assault has bravely shared the moment he says he was ambushed by a group of racist attackers over a car park dispute.

Charanpreet Singh, 23, sustained serious injuries in the violent incident on Saturday night on Kintore Avenue, including brain trauma and facial fractures, requiring overnight hospital treatment. 

He says the assault occurred after a group approached Singh's vehicle and made racist remarks, before beating him unconscious and leaving him for dead.

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"They just said 'f— off, Indian', and after that they just started punching," Singh said.

A 20-year-old man from Enfield was arrested on Sunday and charged with assault causing harm. 

Police have appealed to the public for information regarding the other attackers, who fled the scene.

The incident has prompted a strong reaction from Adelaide's Indian community, with many expressing their support for Singh online. 

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"Things like this, when they happen, it makes you feel like you should go back," Singh said.

"You can change anything in your body, but you can't change the colours."

Premier Peter Malinauskas has condemned the alleged assault.

"Any time we see any evidence of any racial attack, it is completely unwelcome in our state and just not consistent with where the majority of our community are at," he said.

This article was produced with the assistance of 9ExPress.

A grandfather who was forced to lie on a hospital floor for more than 24 hours has prompted an admission from NSW Premier Chris Minns. 

Raymond Ryan, 70, was so unwell he was taken to Blacktown Hospital in Western Sydney about 4pm on Saturday.

He was given an urgent blood and iron transfusion but was forced to lie in agony on the floor of the hospital while he waited for a bed.

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It was not until 9.30am on Monday that he was finally given a place to sleep.

Beside him, a man aged in his 80s was afforded a blanket but also had nowhere to rest.

Ryan's daughter Hayley Leatham took a photo of the sight, saying she felt "guilty and completely helpless".

"Heartbreaking and not acceptable," she said. 

Today, Minns admitted the images were confronting and said it was "not good enough".

"We want to do better," he said 

NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association general secretary Shaye Candish said the system is under "so much strain".

"Our members are screaming out for support," she said. 

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Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said Blacktown Hospital was at the "bottom of the heap" when it came to emergency department presentations and delivery.

"When you have now had three budgets and you've got a problem like Blacktown Hospital, you are the problem and not the solution," he said.

The Minns government, which campaigned on fixing the health system, said it was working to deliver Blacktown an additional 30 beds.

Less than a month ago, treatment wait times saw the Western Sydney Local Health District's chief executive was forced to step down.

But workers have told 9News that hospitals are still suffering because they need more staff. 

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An email from Westmead Hospital Department heads alerting the government to serious shortfalls across various departments was leaked exclusively to 9News.

"We are understaffed, unsafe, staff are burning out," the email read.

Candish said the workforce needs investment but the Minns government is still negotiating with the union, offering them a three per cent pay increase.

A father-of-three has been jailed for 16 months after he sprayed a chilli substance inside a Bunnings in Western Australia in what he claimed was a prank.

Paul Andrew Hart said he was carrying out a fart prank when he sprayed the chilli substance, called Satin's Spit.

The 52-year-old set off the spray inside the Northam Bunnings on a busy ANZAC Day.

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He walked past a mother and her daughter, sprayed the substance and moments later they were seen coughing.

Hart roamed the aisles and innocent shoppers were impacted.

Customers were forced to cover their eyes and struggled to breathe as the store was evacuated.

Victims were rushed to hospital, forced to strip and decontaminate in outdoor showers.

"We were naked and afraid, I was freezing cold and embarrassed," one victim said.

The court heard one customer thought they were "going to die".

"My lungs tightened, I was gasping for air," the court heard.

The Bunnings was forced to close for the day and lost $16,000 in profit.

The court heard Hart had woken up from distressing dreams and spent the morning drinking alcohol. 

The former mine site chef claimed he intended to release "fart spray" to "lighten the mood" but grabbed the wrong can from his pocket.

Hart was jailed today for 16 months.

The 52-year-old will be eligible for parole later this year.

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An auction of rare and antique coins, notes and regalia begins in Brisbane tomorrow.

Roxbury's Auction House has been valuing and cataloguing 2500 lot items over the past three months, to get ready for the start of tomorrow's three-day auction.

Each piece tells a story of history and Australia's place in it.

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Among the most valuable, the rare 'Rainbow Pound' is one of only 32 in the world, created as an emergency during note shortages in World War I.

Another, the Holey Dollar, is expected to sell for more than thousand dollars.

"The Holey Dollar is the first coin struck in Australia," Scott Waterman of Roxbury's Auction House said.

"The host coin is a Spanish Eight Real, there was a currency shortage when we were colonised, the Spanish brought them over and made two coins from them"

Notes, statues and military regalia will also be on offer when bidding begins tomorrow.

The entire auction is online, meaning buyers can bid from anywhere in the country.

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