Fil-Aussie Cyrus Villanueva wins ‘X Factor Australia’

Cyrus Villanueva was crowned this year’s winner of “The X Factor Australia” on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old student from the New South Wales city of Wollonggong, who inherited his love for music from his Filipino musician father, beat fellow finalist Louise Adams at the conclusion of a two-day grand final on Tuesday night.

The youngest contestant this year, Villanueva had come into the finals as the overwhelming favorite, the only finalist who had never landed in the bottom two.

With his victory, he became the second consecutive Filipino-Australian to achieve the feat. Marlisa Punzalan, a shy 15-year-old whose parents were both immigrants from Bataan, won last year.

Villanueva, who was mentored by American rocker Chris Isaak, bagged a recording contract with Sony Music Australia with his victory.

He broke down in tears when he was announced as the winner. The top 12 finalists and rushed to the stage and hoisted him on their shoulders.

By then Villanueva was too overcome with emotion to close out the show with a reprise of his winner’s single, “Stone”. During the final, he also performed The Weeknd’s “Earned It”, a repeat of his audition, and Labrinth’s “Jealous”.

source: interaksyon.com

Australian state bans schools from showing gay film during class hours

SYDNEY, Australia -- A film about children with same-sex parents has been barred from being shown in public schools throughout Australia's most populous state, despite the documentary makers Thursday insisting students will benefit.

"Gayby Baby," which chronicles four children growing up with gay parents, was due to be shown in high schools in New South Wales as part of the student-led Wear it Purple initiative on Friday, which promotes diversity and inclusiveness.

But after front-page coverage in the Sydney Daily Telegraph this week, state Education Minister Andrew Piccoli pulled the plug, at least in school hours.

"I have directed the Department of Education to ensure the film is not shown during school hours," he said, in a move backed by state Premier Mike Baird.

"I understand the intent of that is to provide an example of tolerance and that's something I absolutely support," Baird told reporters.

"Should it be in class time? No, I don't think so. Should it be optional? Yes, I do think so."

The Telegraph reported some parents were angry their daughters had to watch the film, rated PG, or not recommended for under 15 years, but the documentary's director Maya Newell, a former student at one of the schools due to screen it, said the reaction was overblown.

"We firmly believe our film has positive benefits for all students and we're committed to supporting the schools who are celebrating Wear it Purple Day," she said on Facebook.

"Creating inclusive classroom and valuing family diversity promotes student wellbeing and acceptance of difference.

"There is no place for bullying, homophobia or discrimination in Australian public schools."

The largely crowd-funded film, which had two sold-out screenings at the Sydney Film Festival this year, is due to open in cinemas next week.

Wear it Purple Day founder Katherine Hudson told the Sydney Morning Herald she could understand the film being banned if it showed "grotesque sex scenes or violence."

"But this is a film about families. Even for conservatives, this stuff would be easy to swallow," she said.

Earlier this month, a bill to legalize same-sex marriage was introduced into the Australian parliament.

But it is doomed to fail, with Prime Minister Tony Abbott's government opposed to any changes despite growing support for marriage equality.

Same-sex couples can have civil unions or register their relationships in most states across Australia, but the government does not consider them married under national law.

source: interaksyon.com

Bushfires ravage communities in southeastern Australia

WINMALEE -- Residents faced scenes of devastation Friday after bushfires ravaged communities and destroyed hundreds of homes in southeastern Australia with dozens of blazes still burning out of control.

Cooler temperatures and a drop in wind offered firefighters some relief overnight but about 100 fires were still raging across the state of New South Wales with a smoke haze hanging over Sydney.

NSW Rural Fire Services Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said that despite the cooler conditions the situation was still "very active, very dynamic, very dangerous".

"The situation is very subject to change," he told the Nine Network, adding that 50,000 hectares (120,000 acres) had been burnt out so far.

Five major blazes fanned by high, erratic winds in unseasonably warm 34 degree Celsius (93 Fahrenheit) weather ripped through communities in the Blue Mountains west of Sydney on Thursday with whole streets razed.

One fatality has been reported so far.

Hundreds of residents spent the night in evacuation centers and awoke Friday to confront the extent of the disaster.

Winmalee resident Jordie Cox said it had been a frightening experience.

"I've lived in Winmalee since I was four and my parents always said to us during fire season that our house would be safe because we were surrounded by other houses so others would have to burn down before it got to us," she told ABC television.

"But we were pretty much the last house standing -- all the houses around us burnt down."

Ron Fuller was one of those who lost his home in Winmalee, a town with a population of about 6,000 and located 80 kilometers (50 miles) inland from Sydney.

"We've had a number of fires through here before but this was an extraordinary fire. The speed was extraordinary, it just raced through this whole area, took out some houses, left other ones standing," he told the broadcaster.

In a tweet, the Rural Fire Service said crews would be assessing the damage across the state street by street during Friday.

"It appears there may be hundreds of homes destroyed," the service said.

"More properties have come under threat overnight, with further warnings issued. 100 fires across NSW, 36 uncontained."

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell praised the response from fire crews, many of whom are volunteers who battled through the night.

"I think the planning, preparation and response has been some of the best we've seen," he said, calling the fires "some of the worst we have experienced around Sydney in living memory".

"We're in for a long, tough summer," he added.

Wildfires are common in Australia's summer months between December and February, and authorities are expecting a bad season this year due to low rainfall in the winter and forecasts of hot, dry weather ahead.

source: interaksyon.com