Taylor Swift awarded honorary doctorate, and what women are talking about tonight.

Taylor Swift has a brand new title: "doctor".

The superstar received an honorary doctorate of fine arts from New York University at a packed Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.

"I’m 90 per cent sure the main reason I’m here is because I have a song called 22," Swift joked to the thousands of graduates assembled. 

"I never got to have a normal college experience per se. I went to public high school until 10th grade and then finished my education doing home school work on the floor of airport terminals," she said in her commencement speech.

The singer-songwriter, producer and director said that she began her music career at 15.

She went on to sell more than 100 million albums and won album of the year at the 2021 Grammys for her album Folklore, making her the first woman to win the category three times.

"I in no way feel qualified to tell you what to do," Swift said, before sharing her advice with the class of 2022. "You’ve worked and struggled and sacrificed and studied and dreamed your way here today... but I will, however, give you life hacks for when I was starting out my dreams as a career. Never be ashamed of trying. Effortlessness is a myth."

Swift concluded by telling graduates that making mistakes was inevitable but "when hard things happen to us, we will recover, we will learn from it, we will grow more resilient because of it".

"As long as we are fortunate enough to be breathing, we will breathe in, breathe through, breathe deep and breathe out. I am a doctor now, so I know how breathing works," she said.

You can hear her full speech below:

"Learn to live alongside cringe." Taylor Swift gives a commencement speech after receiving an honorary doctorate from NYU.

Full story: https://t.co/efwVnVBcjE pic.twitter.com/jSrVbSfwLF

— The Associated Press (@AP) May 18, 2022

"Not a single one of us here today has done it alone." ✨

Read @taylorswift13's moving speech to NYU's Class of 2022: https://t.co/4V0xhSQKab pic.twitter.com/Tw63LG4jQu

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) May 18, 2022

Read @taylorswift13's inspiring speech for NYU’s Class of ’22. ⬇️ https://t.co/A3EdBxSwA7

— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) May 18, 2022

- With AAP.

After decades of campaigning, NSW has become the last state in Australia to pass laws allowing people with a terminal illness to voluntarily end their own life.

Campaigners say they will now take their fight to the territories.

Thursday’s decision means within 18 months people with a fatal diagnosis in NSW will be able to access voluntary assisted dying.

Independent MP for Sydney Alex Greenwich introduced the private member’s bill to the lower house last year with a record 28 co-sponsors from across the political spectrum.

He said it was not fair people in the ACT and the Northern Territory were being blocked from reform by a "stubborn person". He was referring to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

"I’m standing here today with members of the Labor Party, the Liberal Party, and we’ve got strong support within the National Party," Greenwich told reporters.

"I would say to whoever forms government... this is legislation where you should respect people’s conscience. It is an untenable position for the prime minister to say he won’t move on this."

Introducing the bill for its final vote, Greenwich thanked Premier Dominic Perrottet and Opposition Leader Chris Minns - neither of whom supported the legislation - for allowing a conscience vote.

"That has brought people together on both sides, to have a robust and difficult conversation," he said. "Today, NSW passes a threshold of honesty and compassion. Honesty that not all people die well, and compassion that people in NSW with an advanced terminal illness can have the same end of life choices as people in every other state."

The bill passed the lower house just after midday to thunderous applause, after passing the upper house with amendments following a 12-hour debate.

It allows adults with a terminal diagnosis and up to six months to live to voluntarily end their life with assistance, with the approval of two independent doctors.

Go Gentle Australia founder Andrew Denton said it represented a revolution for end of life care in NSW.

"We haven't just moved NSW into the 21st century, we have moved it from the 13th century," Denton said. "This is not just a revolution of medical care. It’s an evolution in our compassionate society."

Dying with Dignity NSW President Penny Hackett said it was a historic moment for people who had campaigned for decades to stop terminally ill people enduring prolonged suffering.

"We will now be the last state in the country to achieve this well overdue law reform," she said. "This bill will give an immense sense of hope and relief to many people with a terminal illness who simply want to take back some control at the end of their life."

Steve Offner from Go Gentle Australia said it had been a 50-year fight to get the laws passed.

"So for many people in the community, it will be an incredible relief," he told AAP. "It will be a moment of celebration. It will also be a bittersweet moment for many, given there are so many people for whom this law has just come too late."

Independent MP for Murray Helen Dalton, who co-sponsored the bill, said it was important the safeguards did not disadvantage regional people. She urged the government to increase funding for rural GPs.

"In small towns, it's hard enough to find one doctor, let alone two."

- With AAP.

Voluntary Assisted Dying has now passed into law in NSW 🙏 pic.twitter.com/z2V5Y5HadP

— Alex Greenwich MP (@AlexGreenwich) May 19, 2022

"We are celebrating this historic day"
"Compassion has won"
says Independent MP @AlexGreenwich, flanked by the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill's co-sponsors and advocates.
It's been 20 years since the first attempt to pass a law like this in NSW. #nswpol pic.twitter.com/8wNpjSEZP3

— Sarah Navin (@SarahNavin) May 19, 2022

This post deals with violence against women and might be triggering for some readers.

A man has faced court charged with the murder of a woman in a house fire in Melbourne's west two months ago.

The 38-year-old man has been under police guard in hospital since allegedly setting the Albanvale house alight using a flammable liquid on March 14. A 36-year-old woman suffered critical injuries in the fire and later died in hospital, while a 17-year-old girl was also hospitalised with serious injuries.

The man was interviewed on Wednesday and charged with a range of offences, including murder and attempted murder. It is believed to be a domestic violence case. The court heard it was not his first time in custody and he has been remanded until his case returns to court on September 7.

If this post brings up any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service. It doesn’t matter where you live, they will take your call and, if need be, refer you to a service closer to home.

You can also call safe steps 24/7 Family Violence Response Line on 1800 015 188 or visit www.safesteps.org.au for further information.

The Men’s Referral Service is also available on 1300 766 491 or via online chat at www.ntv.org.au. 

Do you find the news cycle overwhelming? Depressing? Confusing? Boring? Endless? Then you need The Quicky. Mamamia’s daily podcast that gets you up to speed on the top stories.

Listen to The Quicky now:

Trans and gender-diverse staff of supermarket chain Coles will be entitled to up to 10 days of paid gender affirmation leave. The grocery giant announced the move on Wednesday, the day after International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia.

"We know that we have at least 900 team members who identify as transgender or gender diverse," Coles Chief Legal and Safety Officer and chair of the company’s Pride Steering Committee David Brewster said in a statement.

"We need to have proper policy and education in this area so there is clear guidance around taking leave for this important transition in their life."

The Coles executive team approved the leave, and it is available to all permanent full-time and part-time staff who choose to undergo gender affirmation surgery to change their physical and sexual characteristics to better align with their identity. Casual employees will have access to unpaid gender affirmation leave.

The company has about 124,000 employees and now has pride committees in every state.
It has also signed up as an official partner of Pride Cup Australia, which promotes inclusivity and diversity in sport. Woolworths introduced two weeks paid and two weeks unpaid affirmation leave in 2021.

"It’s fantastic that the other of the two major supermarket companies are supporting their trans and gender diverse staff," Apple Jack Freshwater Brown from Trans Pride Australia told AAP. "This encourages people from the company to apply because they know they are in a well-supported workplace environment."

- With AAP.

Taylor Swift has received an honorary doctorate of fine arts during New York University’s commencement ceremony for the class of 2022, and you’ll want to hear what she said in her speech.

And Netflix has released the first trailer for Jennifer Lopez’s upcoming documentary Halftime. While all the headlines today are all focusing on a cute cameo by Ben Affleck, we’re more interested in what it says about JLo’s biggest failure.

Plus, a recent episode of The Kardashians shows Kendall Jenner enjoying a seemingly innocent trip to Miami, but looking back at the timeline, something just doesn’t add up. It’s now become clear that the family has filmed fake scenes to cover up a tragedy, and the consequences for their brand cannot be swept under the rug this time.

Listen to The Spill now!

Morning, 

In honour of Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month, Mamamia is sharing a series of letters from the loved ones of those taken by domestic violence.

This week, Sue Clarke, wrote an incredibly powerful letter to her daughter Hannah Clarke, who was murdered alongside her three children in February 2020. You can read it here. 

John Herron, father of Courtney Herron who was murdered in 2019, has also written an open letter.

Keep your eyes out for more in coming days as we shed light on this endemic issue.

These are your top five news stories for Thursday May 19.

1. PM accidentally 'bulldozes' kid during soccer game.

Scott Morrison has accidentally tackled an eight-year-old during a soccer match in Devonport, Tasmania.

The Prime Minister was taking part in a training game at the Devonport Strikers Football Club when he lost his balance and tackled Luca Fauvette to the ground. 

In video footage shared online, Luca was quick to get back onto his feet before rejoining the game. 

Prime Minister @ScottMorrisonMP has taken a tumble during a friendly soccer match with children in Tasmania. 7NEWS at 6pm | https://t.co/Rql2EcSX9d #ausvotes #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/Jw53rfiHx6

— 7NEWS Australia (@7NewsAustralia) May 18, 2022

Addressing the club's parents and kids, Morrison took the incident in his stride.

"I look forward to coming back on another occasion. I think that when that grandstand comes down, I hear it might need a bit of a bulldozer to knock it down, so I might be able to help with that," he told the room.

Morrison attended the club after local Braddon MP Gavin Pearce announced upgrades to the ground's facilities if the Coalition government is re-elected.

2. Shayna Jack and Cody Simpson make Australian swim team.

After a two-year doping ban, Shayna Jack has secured selection on the Australian swim team for this year's world titles and Commonwealth Games.

Jack will swim at this year's world titles and Commonwealth Games, where she will be joined by pop star Cody Simpson.

The 23-year-old broke down after sealing a 100 metres freestyle spot at the national championships in Adelaide last night. 

"I am just overwhelmed with emotions to be back on the team," she said. "Not many people really know what I actually went through, the depths of it... And to be back and wearing those (Australian) colours again means more than anything to me."

Shayna Jack is on track to return to the Australian swim team after serving a doping ban, @stevelarkinaap reports.

Jack won her 100 metres freestyle heat on today's opening day at the nationals in Adelaide.

MORE: https://t.co/r7oRmrvZ8Y

📷 | Dave Hunt - @aap_photos pic.twitter.com/3PhxHWSeBp

— AAP Sport (@AAPSport) May 18, 2022

Jack's triumph came moments after global pop sensation Simpson finished third in the men's 100m butterfly final.

"I certainly didn't even expect it to even be a possibility until 2024," Simpson said of being on an Australian team.

Other winners included Elijah Winnington (men's 400m freestyle), Jenna Strauch (women's 100m breaststroke) and Josh Edwards-Smith (men's 200m backstroke).

3. PM dodges wages responsibility.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is blaming Australia's cost-of-living crisis on inflation, which he says is outside his control. 

But wages are lagging well behind the inflation rate, news data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows. 

The annual rate was 2.4 per cent, less than half the rate of inflation at 5.1 per cent, according to the figures released yesterday. 

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese said good government helps wages to rise, not fall backwards. 

"What a hit. This delivers the biggest cut to real wages in more than 20 years," he told the National Press Club yesterday. 

"Under Scott Morrison, real wages are plummeting while the costs of living are skyrocketing."

Real wages have gone backwards yet again under this government – with a fall of 2.7%, the worst result in 20 years. Under Scott Morrison, real wages are plummeting while the costs of living are skyrocketing. pic.twitter.com/GX6gm1Ss2l

— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) May 18, 2022

Meanwhile, Labor is set to release its election promise costings and how they will be funded, after the Coalition spent the past week attacking Labor over the delay.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese says the promises will be partly funded by winding back $750 million in government grants he says represent "waste and rorts" under Morrison.

4. Russia soldier pleads guilty in first war crimes trial.

A Russian soldier has pleaded guilty to charges of killing an elderly unarmed civilian, in the first war crimes trial since the Ukraine invasion. 

21-year-old Vadim Shyshimarin could get life in prison if convicted of shooting a Ukrainian man in the head through an open car window in a village in the northeastern Sumy region on February 28, four days into the invasion.

Ukraine's Prosecutor General Iryna Venediktova has previously said her office was readying war crimes cases against 41 Russian soldiers for offences including bombing civilian infrastructure, killing civilians, rape and looting.

Breaking News: A Russian soldier pleaded guilty in Kyiv to shooting a civilian, in the first Ukrainian trial over a potential war crime since Russia’s invasion.

Asked if he accepted his guilt, the soldier said: “Yes. Fully yes.”https://t.co/9Wd9cE0jdI

— The New York Times (@nytimes) May 18, 2022

Meanwhile, Turkey has blocked the start of NATO accession talks for Finland and Sweden, sources at the military alliance have told the DPA news agency.

As a result, NATO's governing body, the North Atlantic Council, was unable to begin the planned accession process straight away.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey was unable to accept a proposed enlargement of the alliance that would compromise NATO's own security, reiterating his claims that Sweden and Finland were effectively supporters of terrorism for their alleged support of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the Kurdish People's Defence Units (YPG) militia in Syria.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance would assess the membership bid as quickly as possible but stressed that the security interests of all allies "have to be taken into account," referring to Turkey's objections.

5. Australian rainforests dying faster.

Climate change is taking a devastating toll on Australia's rainforests killing trees at a faster rate since the 1980s, a new study confirms. 

The study, published in the journal Nature, found the average death rates of tropical trees in Australia have doubled in the last 35 years, 

"Trees are living around half as long, which is a pattern consistent across species and sites across the region. And the impacts can be seen as far back as the 1980s," said James Cook University professor Susan Laurance. 

Australia’s tropical rainforests have been dying faster for decades in ‘clear and stark climate warning’ https://t.co/l13mYWL89O https://t.co/Rgf9rzKCpJ

— Climate News (@Climate_News_a1) May 18, 2022

Lead author and tropical forest ecologist David Bauman said the study found the increase in tree mortality would further impact the environment.

"A sustained doubling of mortality risk would imply the carbon stored in trees returns twice as fast to the atmosphere," Dr Bauman said. 

And that's it, you're all up to speed. We'll be back to bring you more of the top news stories throughout the day.

- With AAP. 

We talk a lot about the mental load. About women taking on the majority of the housework and caring responsibilities in heterosexual relationships. But new research has found that men also, commonly, steal time from their partners so they can go exercise. Extra time she isn't afforded. 

To find out more, The Quicky speaks to the co-author of the study, and women from the Mamamia audience to discuss how common this is, and what we can do to reclaim our own time.

READ: 

• What women were talking about on Wednesday
• What women were talking about on Tuesday
  
• What women were talking about on Monday

Feature Image: Getty.