Sam Neill's cause of death has been confirmed as pneumonia, his longtime representative Philip Grenz announced on Monday, seeking to correct what he called “inaccuracies and outright falsehoods” in media reports following the actor's sudden and unexpected death.
Cancer battle and recovery
Neill, 77, had been diagnosed with stage three angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare type of blood cancer, in 2022. He underwent years of immunotherapy treatment before declaring in April that he was cancer-free. The New Zealand actor's death on Monday came as a shock to fans and the entertainment industry.
Other top stories
In other news, an Australian National University student was asked to show death certificates to prove relatives died in Gaza, a royal commission heard. The Liberal Party said 'all options' should be considered despite leader Angus Taylor hosing down a gender quota proposal. Australian patients' medical records could be sold on the dark web after a data breach at clinics. The AFP released images of clothes to identify child abuse victims. Moira Deeming dropped her legal case against the Victorian Liberal party and made a last-ditch bid to avoid disendorsement. Fears are growing for New Zealand's native species as the first case of bird flu emerged.
World Cup 2026 semi-final
In sports, Argentina came from behind in the final minutes of the World Cup semi-final to beat England 2-1 and book a place in a second successive final. Lionel Messi, hailed as an all-time talent, was held aloft by teammates. Argentina players celebrated with a banner referencing the Falklands War. England manager Thomas Tuchel shouldered the blame for his players becoming far too passive.
Politics and leadership
Opposition leader Angus Taylor stated he has never supported gender quotas, despite women making up only 33% of Liberal federal parliamentarians. Meanwhile, Andy Burnham prepares to take power in the UK, with a profile tracing his rise from Cambridge graduate and poetry lover to incoming prime minister.
