Shaky start to Games
The Commonwealth Games got off to a chaotic start in Kingston, Jamaica, in the worst ever traffic jam as athletes were left sweltering in the heat. Many got out of the buses and walked to the stadium. Earlier in the day, Princess Anne fell off her feet into the backseat of a convertible she was standing in as it veered sharply to the right into the stadium. She climbed back up with a big grin on her face as the crowd of 35,000 cheered.
Accidental solo flight
London: Wing Commander “Taffy” Holden, who had never flown anything faster than a 130 mph Chipmunk found himself alone in an airborne 1,400 mph Lightning. He was checking a fault in the jet while on the runway, revving the engine, when the plane suddenly took off. He had no canopy, no helmet, no parachute or radio and an inoperative ejection seat. He finally managed to land the jet after his fifth attempt with only minor damage to the plane’s tail.
Rival film festival
The NSW International Film Festival will open at the Ritz Cinema this week with one main feature film and 45 shorts. There will be no Italian films said the program officer, Bernard D'Arbera. “They are just variations on a worn-out theme. Jean-Luc Goddard, they’ve all had their say, regurgitating the same old subjects.” A Joseph Losey retrospective will include Modesty Blaise and from Sweden Oj Oj Oj, “very anti-Bergman and very funny”.