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Nine-year-old Hamas hostage believed dead is reunited with her father

<p>Dozens of hostages are recovering after being freed from their captors, after a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas came into effect. </p> <p>Almost eight weeks of violence came to a halt as the truce began, with Hamas so far releasing 41 hostages in the first two days of the truce. </p> <p>Among those who were freed by the radical Palestinian group was nine-year-old Emily Hand, who's father thought <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/death-was-a-blessing-why-father-was-glad-to-hear-his-daughter-was-killed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">she was dead</a>. </p> <p>When Emily was at a sleepover on October 7th, the neighbourhood was bombed and her father Thomas, was told his daughter had died. </p> <p>Now, Thomas and Emily have been reunited, with their emotional reunion just one of many as families across Israel saw the return of their loved ones. </p> <p>Also released by Hamas was four-year-old Abigail Edan, an American-Israeli dual citizen who was abducted by Hamas almost eight weeks ago. </p> <p>US President Joe Biden commented on Abigail's release, saying she has been through "the unthinkable", as the four-year-old saw her mother get killed, before her father was also killed as he tried to shield her from the bombings.</p> <p>Biden said Abigail is receiving love, care and “the supportive services she needs” and adding he hoped “this is not the end of the temporary truce”.</p> <p>“What she endured was unthinkable. She has been through a terrible trauma,” he said. </p> <p>All 41 hostages released by Hamas from captivity in Gaza are stable, according to local medical professionals.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2023/11/24/israel-hamas-truce-comes-into-effect-how-it-could-now-unfold" target="_blank" rel="noopener">truce</a> between Israel and Hamas came into effect on Friday morning, marking the end of seven weeks of constant fighting since the bombing of southern Israel on October 7th. </p> <p>The four-day pause is expected to see the exchange of 150 Palestinian women and children imprisoned in Israeli jails for 50 women and children hostages held by Hamas. </p> <p>Israeli officials, while adamant that the truce is not an end to the war, have also agreed to pause fighting for an additional day for every further 10 captives freed by Hamas.</p> <p><em>Image credits: CNN</em></p>

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Woman launches true crime podcast to find her father's killer

<p>21 years ago, Madison McGhee's father was shot in cold blood. </p> <p>Madison was just six years old when her dad, John "JC" Cornelius McGhee, died, and was originally told he had passed away from a heart attack.</p> <p>However, when Madison was in high school, she began to ask questions about what really happened that night. </p> <p>"When I was 16 I had a weird feeling that something else was going on, so I asked my mum about a weird connection between my cousin and the death of my father," Madison told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/today/ice-cold-case-podcaster-hoping-to-solve-fathers-21-year-murder-mystery/a873da03-0198-4e34-b65c-cc3ced6e8cca" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Today Extra</em></a>.</p> <p>"And that's when my mum told me that there was another side of the story and that my dad had actually been murdered and it was a cold case, completely unsolved."</p> <p>Madison's father, who was a recovering drug addict and police informant, was shot in the head in the early hours of July 11th 2002 at his home in Ohio. </p> <p>His 16-year-old daughter and Madison's half-sister, Alyssa, was home at the time and found her father's body on the ground with a bullet hole in a nearby wall.</p> <p>Police investigated his death, but failed to find any evidence that could convict someone of his murder. </p> <p>After Madison discovered the real nature of her father's death, she began digging into the cold case and decided to try and solve the crime herself. </p> <p>In her efforts to find her father's killer, she launched a podcast called <em>Ice Cold Case</em>. </p> <p>"I started asking questions, diving into it and that's when I realised it was much more layered than even I could have imagined," she said.</p> <p>One line of theory by investigators was that JC's death was a home invasion gone wrong, but Madison said things just don't add up to support that.</p> <p>"When you dive into the police files, it's very clear that this is suspicious," she said.</p> <p>"A home invasion to my knowledge is usually very quick and something of value is stolen, but nothing was taken and this home invasion lasted for over 30 minutes.</p> <p>"It just seemed suspicious that someone would feel so comfortable to break into a house and stick around for that long and not steal anything at all - it feels like it was planned and very intentional."</p> <p>Madison admitted that is has been jarring looking into the death of her father, especially when no one has been held accountable, but she has put her own fears aside in the hopes of finding out what really happened. </p> <p>"I do feel a little uneasy putting myself out there in this very public way, but I just feel like justice for my dad is so much more important than worrying about my own safety if his killer is still out there," she said.</p> <p>"But I really want to find out what happened for him and for my own closure, so I have sort of pushed that to the side."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Today Extra</em></p>

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“May her memory be a blessing”: Father of Hamas victim speaks out

<p>The grieving father of a 23-year-old German-Israeli woman, Shani Louk, who was kidnapped from the Nova music festival by Hamas militants on October 7, has shared his devastation after it was confirmed that his daughter had been found dead. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the discovery and identification of Shani Louk's body on Monday.</p> <p>Louk was attending the festival in southern Israel when Hamas breached the border between Gaza and Israel, leading to a series of tragic events. However, her father, Nissim Louk, remembers his daughter as someone who was enjoying herself "until the last moment".</p> <p>"Until about 6.45pm, Shani was still dancing, cheering, and going wild at the party and was surrounded by all her best friends — and they had fun all night," he told the Israeli news outlet, N12. He emphasised that she was killed instantly and didn't suffer. Just ten minutes earlier, she was still immersed in the festival's joy.</p> <p>“She was killed on the spot and not only did she not suffer, 10 minutes earlier she was still enjoying herself.”</p> <p>Mr Louk also criticised the government's response, calling it a failure. He claimed that the government ministries underestimated the situation, were unresponsive, and failed to take adequate measures. He pointed out the responsibility of then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the events and expressed his discontent with the government's handling of the situation.</p> <p>Shani Louk was kidnapped at the festival and subjected to torture and captivity by Hamas terrorists. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that she "experienced unfathomable horrors", and expressed their condolences, saying, "May her memory be a blessing."</p> <p>The attack by Hamas militants on the festival was a horrifying event. They blocked off access to the festival site from both the north and the south before storming the area on foot. Videos from the site showed them encircling the crowds on three sides, leading to casualties and chaos.</p> <p>Shani's mother, Ricarda Louk, revealed that she last spoke to her daughter after hearing rockets and alarms sounding in southern Israel. She called to ensure her daughter's safety, and Shani informed her that she was at the festival with few places to hide. Her abduction occurred as she was trying to reach her car, with military personnel preventing people from leaving the scene.</p> <p>The tragedy at the Nova festival was immense, with more than 260 bodies found at the site by Israeli rescue service Zaka. However, based on CNN's analysis, the total death toll could be even higher. Additionally, a number of hostages were taken to Gaza during the attack, with the latest figures indicating that up to 239 hostages are believed to be held by Hamas in the enclave.</p> <p>In a glimmer of hope amidst the tragedy, a female Israeli soldier who had been kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 was released during ground operations in Gaza, as confirmed by the Israel Defence Forces. The soldier received medical attention, is in good health, and has been reunited with her family.</p> <p><em>Images: CNN / N12</em></p>

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"Death was a blessing": Why father was glad to hear his daughter was killed

<p>A devastated, recently widowed father has revealed why he was relieved his eight-year-old daughter was killed by Hamas terrorists in Israel. </p> <p>Thomas Hand, an Irish-born father who moved to Israel 30 years ago, tearfully told CNN that he welcomed the news that his daughter, Emily, had been killed quickly by Hamas, because it was better than being taken hostage and tortured by the terrorists. </p> <p>Mr Hand was already grieving the loss of his wife, who died of cancer in recent years, when his daughter was killed during the conflict between Israel and Palestine. </p> <p>In the heartbreaking interview, Mr Hand broke down in tears as he recounted the moment he was finally told his daughter's body had been found, and said his reaction was one of relief that she had not been kidnapped instead.</p> <p>He said in a shaking voice, "They just said we found Emily, she's dead and I went, 'yes'. I went, 'yes' and smiled because that is the best news of the possibilities that I knew."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CySvzswoJFb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CySvzswoJFb/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by CNN (@cnn)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"That was the best, possibly that I was hoping for. She was either dead or in Gaza. And if you know anything about what they do to people in Gaza, that is worse than death."</p> <p>"That is worse than death. The way they treat you. They'd have no food, they'd have no water." </p> <p>He continued, "She'd be in a dark room filled with Christ knows how many people and terrified every minute, hour, day and possible years to come."</p> <p>"So, death was a blessing, an absolute blessing."</p> <p>Recounting the savage attack, Mr Hand said, "I had to think of Emily. She already lost her mother, I couldn't risk her losing her father too."</p> <p>Revealing harrowing details of events surrounding the attack, he shared why he survived and his daughter did not.</p> <p>"She doesn't do it very often, but unfortunately that night, that particular night - Friday night - she went to sleep at her friend's house."</p> <p>The following morning, Hamas attacked the kibbutz where Emily was staying, killing at least 100 civilians and taking hostages to Gaza. </p> <p><em>Image credits: CNN</em></p>

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Woman suing Bunnings over death of her father

<p>The daughter of Anthony James Georgiou, who lost his life after being placed in a headlock hold by two security guards at a Bunnings store in Melbourne, is taking legal action against the retail chain.</p> <p>Anthony, 31, was apprehended by security contractors at a Frankston Bunnings in September 2016 after attempting to steal a gas cylinder and saw blade.</p> <p>According to reports, the security officers, Abdul Habib Brenzai and George Oyee, restrained Georgiou on the ground and in a headlock, despite his pleas for help and struggles to breathe. He lost consciousness and was rushed to the hospital, where he passed away shortly afterward.</p> <p>In September 2022, a Victorian coroner then found that Georgiou’s death would not have occurred if he was not restrained by the contractors at Bunnings.</p> <p>"There seems little doubt that had Georgiou not been involved in the struggle ... he would have walked away from Bunnings that day,” coroner Darren Bracken said in his findings at the time. </p> <p>Now, represented by Slater and Gordon Lawyers, Anthony Georgiou's daughter – whose identity remains undisclosed due to her age – is suing the security officers, their employer (New Security Solutions Group), and Bunnings Warehouse. The lawsuit claims "psychological injury, shock, and financial loss" resulting from her father's untimely death.</p> <p>The statement of claim filed in the Victorian Country Court alleges that the security officers failed to exercise reasonable care and ensure Georgiou's safety by preventing him from leaving the store that day. The officers are accused of engaging in a "prolonged assault" and applying excessive pressure on his neck, actions that are deemed "intentional, reckless, and/or negligent."</p> <p>Furthermore, the security guard's employer, New Security Solutions Group, is accused of inadequate training and supervision of Brenzai and Oyee, contributing to the unfortunate incident.</p> <p>Bunnings is also facing accusations of failing to provide the guards and their employer with their code of conduct, which would have outlined their obligations regarding detaining individuals on the premises.</p> <p>Neha Pratap, a public liability lawyer from Slater and Gordon, asserted that dependents of individuals who die due to the negligence of others have the right to seek compensation. The legal team argues that Anthony's death was avoidable, and the lawsuit aims to hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions or lack thereof.</p> <p>Anthony Georgiou’s family said their “lives have been forever altered” by his death in a statement. “We wish those responsible could understand the profound impact their action or inaction has had. <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Most affected is Anthony’s daughter, who has lost the joy and security that her father provided. She now lives with a constant void in her heart.”</span></p> <p><em>Images: Getty / A Current Affair</em></p>

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TV star dies at just 25, one week after his father

<p><em>Euphoria </em>star Angus Cloud has passed away at just 25, with family revealing that he struggled "intensely" following the recent loss of his father.</p> <p>A statement released by his family this morning announcing the devastating news. </p> <p>"It is with the heaviest heart that we had to say goodbye to an incredible human today. As an artist, a friend, a brother and a son, Angus was special to all of us in so many ways,"  the statement began. </p> <p>"Last week he buried his father and intensely struggled with this loss. <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">The only comfort we have is knowing Angus is now reunited with his dad, who was his best friend,</span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">" they added. </span></p> <p>"Angus was open about his battle with mental health and we hope that his passing can be a reminder to others that they are not alone and should not fight this on their own in silence."</p> <p>"We hope the world remembers him for his humour, laughter and love for everyone. We ask for privacy at this time as we are still processing this devastating loss."</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">We are incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of Angus Cloud. He was immensely talented and a beloved part of the HBO and Euphoria family. We extend our deepest condolences to his friends and family during this difficult time. <a href="https://t.co/PLqkz5Rshc">pic.twitter.com/PLqkz5Rshc</a></p> <p>— euphoria (@euphoriaHBO) <a href="https://twitter.com/euphoriaHBO/status/1686137982003126273?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>The official Twitter account for HBO and Euphoria have paid tribute to the star by sharing a photo of him on set with the caption: "We are incredibly saddened to learn of the passing of Angus Cloud."</p> <p>"He was immensely talented and a beloved part of the HBO and Euphoria family," they added. </p> <p>"We extend our deepest condolences to his friends and family during this difficult time."</p> <p>His co-star Javon Walton, who played Ashtray in Euphoria, also paid tribute to the star in an Instagram story with the caption: "forever family," followed by a red heart and white dove emoji. </p> <p>Cloud rose to fame in 2019, after the success of his role as Fezco on Euphoria. His character was a drug dealer who charmed the audience with his sweet nature, and his close relationship with Zendaya's character Rue. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Heartwarming moment during Pink’s tribute to late father

<p dir="ltr">Pink has shared the heartwarming moment a fan captured a heart-shaped cloud forming above the star during a performance dedicated to her late father.</p> <p dir="ltr">The singer was performing in Munich as part of her Summer Carnival 2023 tour, and clouds formed as she dedicated the song <em>When I Get There </em>to her late father Jim Moore.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As she dedicates the song to her father a heart shines in heaven,” the fan captioned <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@p.p009/video/7252801161747615002?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=7142332295764346370" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the clip</a> with a red love-heart emoji.</p> <p dir="ltr">Pink reposted the clip on her Instagram stories, and the fan lovingly tagged her with the comment: "He is watching over you!"</p> <p dir="ltr">Her father passed away in August 2021 at the age of 75 after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.</p> <p dir="ltr">She released the single When I Get There on Valentine’s day this year, where she shared a sweet montage of moments she’s captured with her father.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Sometimes love leaves us too soon. On Valentine's Day – I cherish the love I have that I can touch – and the love I have in my heart for those who have gone on to the next adventure," she wrote. "This one's for you, Daddy Sir,” she captioned the Tweet.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Sometimes love leaves us too soon. On Valentine’s Day- I cherish the love I have that I can touch- and the love I have in my heart for those who have gone on to the next adventure. This one’s for you, Daddy Sir. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/whenigetthere?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#whenigetthere</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/trustfall?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#trustfall</a><a href="https://t.co/YNxPNUn7uj">https://t.co/YNxPNUn7uj</a> <a href="https://t.co/ikWDQsUuHP">pic.twitter.com/ikWDQsUuHP</a></p> <p>— P!nk (@Pink) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pink/status/1625368980746801152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Her father’s voiceover can be heard in the clip saying: "I thought it would be nice if you had some memories of how it all began and where you all came from, and some of the memories through the years.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The song itself is a highly emotional one for the singer as she expresses her grief in the most beautiful way.</p> <p dir="ltr">The international pop icon is currently on tour and will be heading Down Under in February 2024.</p> <p><em>Images: Twitter / Getty</em></p>

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Prince William shares sweet Father’s Day photo

<p dir="ltr">Prince William has shared a few sweet snaps with his children in celebration of Father’s Day in the UK.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Prince of Wales took to Instagram to post the wholesome picture of him with Prince George, 9, Princess Charlotte, 8, and Prince Louis, 5, on Sunday to celebrate the annual holiday.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Happy Father’s Day ❤️," he captioned the photo.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the first photo, the royal can be seen wrapping his arms around his two older kids, George and Charlotte, while Louis sat on his lap with a cheeky smile on his face.</p> <p dir="ltr">The second photo showed the royal family’s playful side with Louis wrapping his arms around Prince William, while his siblings laughed at his antics.</p> <p dir="ltr">The royal siblings all wore blue to match their dad. Charlotte looked beautiful in a floral print dress with a pastel blue cardigan, while George looked dashing and mature in a chequered shirt and jeans. Louis looked adorable in a knit sweater, striped shirt and shorts.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ctn8MqkNqRV/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ctn8MqkNqRV/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The photographs were taken on the Windsor Estate earlier this year by Millie Pilkington, who commented on the post and said, “Thank you so much for entrusting me to take this portrait. Truly honoured.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Fans took to the comments to wish Prince Willam a happy Father’s Day.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What a wholesome photo of a dad and his young kids 😍” wrote one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Happy Father's Day to Prince William and all fathers out there!” wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You can see they love their Dad very much :) I do love how affectionate William is with his children, it’s so important to have them know they are loved!” commented a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Charlotte is her late grandma's blueprint, she must make prince William's heart skip a beat every time he looks at her,” one fan noted.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Antiques Roadshow guest floored by value of father’s gift

<p dir="ltr">For most people, finding out that their old items are worth a few hundred dollars is a treat enough, and maybe a few thousand if the antique is particularly special. </p> <p dir="ltr">But for one woman in the United Kingdom and her treasured brooches, that would have been small change. </p> <p dir="ltr">It was <em>Antiques Roadshow</em>’s expert Geoffrey Munn who broke the news after inspecting her pieces in Wales, assigning an impressive value to the 18th century collection. </p> <p dir="ltr">As the guest - and owner - explained, the two diamond brooches from her set had been gifted to her by her father. </p> <p dir="ltr">“[The smaller bow] on my wedding day. [The floral brooch] came a little bit later,” she said, “and [the ruby bow] was inherited from my grandmother.” </p> <p dir="ltr">She went on to share that her father had actually been involved in the antiques world, and so it was “something that I’ve grown up with.” </p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/05/AntiquesRoadshow_EMBED.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr">Upon inspecting the items, Munn noted that they were in “perfect condition”, and that they seemed to be “18th century jewels of the finest pitch”. </p> <p dir="ltr">When it came to the smaller bow, he remarked that it was more than it appeared, being “a true lovers knot, because the harder it is pulled, the tighter it becomes. </p> <p dir="ltr">“And the diamonds are forever, so this little subliminal message for your wedding was perfectly well chosen.” </p> <p dir="ltr">According to Munn, the same could be said of the ruby bow, but that things were “more complicated” when it came to the floral brooch. </p> <p dir="ltr">After sharing that it was most likely a sort of dress ornament, he noted that “there may have been 20 or 30 of them, and they might have gone down the back of a woman of very high rank and huge wealth.</p> <p dir="ltr">“[In the 18th century], people didn’t simply recognise the sovereign because there was no photography and precious few portraits. So, when [they] entered the room, there had to be an enormous display of sumptuary.” </p> <p dir="ltr">He then theorised that the floral brooch could possibly have belonged to Russian royalty, and that he wanted to believe that was the case. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The Russian crown jewels were sold in London after the revolution to raise funds for the new regime,” he continued. “It’s just possible that this is a Russian crown jewel. Wouldn’t [that] be marvellous?” </p> <p dir="ltr">Munn dubbed the entire collection “marvellous things”, declaring that “they’re not showy. They’re utterly beautiful expressions of an era gone by and that’s what we’re looking for”, as well as announcing that the trio came in at a staggering value of approximately $62,000. </p> <p dir="ltr">The smaller bow came in at around $15,000, while the ruby brooch was valued at $18,800, and the ruby at $28,300.</p> <p dir="ltr">And while selling the set would have given the guest’s bank balance quite the boost, she had no intentions of parting with them any time soon. Instead, she intended for her daughters to inherit them. </p> <p dir="ltr">She enjoyed wearing the pieces, she said, but unfortunately, the bigger of the brooches were getting “difficult to wear nowadays … perhaps [they are] a bit more dated.” </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Antiques Roadshow / BBC</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Like father, like son: new research shows how young men ‘copy’ their fathers’ masculinity

<p>Today’s men express their maleness in different ways. Some adhere to more traditional models of masculinity, characterised by beliefs in male superiority and endorsement of risky or violent behaviours. Others embrace more progressive stances.</p> <p>But how do men develop their ideas, beliefs and behaviours in relation to masculinity?</p> <p>Our <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-023-01364-y">new study</a> addresses this question by focusing on one important factor influencing how young men express their masculinity – their fathers.</p> <p>Our research set out to ask: do young men “copy” their fathers’ masculinity?</p> <p>We found that young men whose fathers support more traditional forms of masculinity are more likely to do so themselves.</p> <p>This highlights the critical role fathers play in steering boys towards healthier ideas about masculinity.</p> <h2>Measuring masculinity</h2> <p>We analysed data from 839 pairs of 15-to-20-year-old men and their fathers. These data were taken from a large, Australian <a href="https://tentomen.org.au/">national survey</a> on men’s health. </p> <p>The survey asked men a set of 22 <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doiLanding?doi=10.1037%2Ft27381-000">scientifically validated questions</a> about how they felt and behaved in relation to many issues around masculinity. For example, they were asked about:</p> <ul> <li> <p>the significance of work and social status for their sense of identity</p> </li> <li> <p>their take on showing emotions and being self-reliant</p> </li> <li> <p>their endorsement of risk-taking and violent behaviours</p> </li> <li> <p>the importance they assigned to appearing heterosexual and having multiple sex partners</p> </li> <li> <p>and their beliefs about winning, dominance over others and men’s power over women.</p> </li> </ul> <p>Taken together, the answers to these questions offered us a window into whether the men participating in the survey adopted more of a traditional or progressive type of masculinity. They also enabled us to compare fathers’ and sons’ expressions of masculinity.</p> <h2>What we found</h2> <p>We found that, on average, young men are slightly more traditional in how they express their masculinity than their fathers.</p> <p>On a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 indicating high conformity to traditional masculinity and 0 indicating low conformity, the average masculinity score for young men was 44.1, and for their fathers, it was 41.</p> <p>Using statistical models, we then examined whether there was an association between how traditional a father’s masculinity is and how traditional their son’s masculinity is. To make sure we isolated the effect of fathers’ masculinity, the models took into account other factors that may also shape young men’s expressions of masculinity. These included their age, education, sexual orientation, religion, household income and place of residence, among others.</p> <p>The results were clear. Young men who scored highly on the traditional masculinity measures tended to have fathers who also scored highly.</p> <p>We identified similar results for 20 of the 22 individual masculinity questions. The strongest father-son associations emerged for questions about the endorsement of violence, importance of appearing heterosexual, and desirability of having multiple sexual partners.</p> <p>This indicates these aspects of masculinity are comparatively more likely to be “passed on” from fathers to sons.</p> <h2>What our findings mean</h2> <p>As is <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0049089X21000740?via%3Dihub">well-established</a>, social learning is important in shaping young people’s attitudes and behaviours. While fathers aren’t the only influence, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11199-023-01364-y">our study</a> suggests young men learn a lot about how to be a man from their dads. This is an intuitive finding, but we had little empirical evidence of it until now.</p> <p>Confirming that dads “pass on” their masculinity beliefs to their sons has far-reaching implications. For example, it goes a long way in explaining why traditional models of masculinity remain entrenched in today’s society. Our study indicates that breaking this cycle requires bringing fathers into the mix.</p> <p>Policies, interventions and programs aimed at promoting <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0216955">healthy masculinity</a> among young people are more likely to work if they also target their dads. This proposition is consistent with a growing body of programs focused on <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31495253/">engaging fathers</a> in positive parenting.</p> <p>What’s more, our findings underscore the potential long-term effects of successful intervention. If a program manages to help young people develop <a href="https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/Adolescent-Boys-and-Young-Men-final-web_0.pdf">positive masculinity</a>, it’s likely that — as they themselves become fathers — their own children’s masculinity is also positively affected.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/like-father-like-son-new-research-shows-how-young-men-copy-their-fathers-masculinity-203834" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Family & Pets

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"I never dreamt that she would do it": Daughter takes 85-year-old father’s life savings

<p>When Ray Thomson lost his life savings, he also lost the daughter he thought loved him the most.</p> <p>"I was led to believe she was doing everything for me. She was alright but she was doing everything for herself - with my money," he says.</p> <p>Over two years, Thomson's daughter Helen Williams robbed her father of everything he had, cleaning $320,000 out of his bank account, leaving him with just $20. </p> <p>The blind man now lives in a rest home, in a single, sparsely decorated room, a transistor radio among his meagre possessions.</p> <p>In January, Williams was sentenced to 12 months' home detention for her deceit, a crime she says was motivated by a gambling and drug addiction.</p> <p>Thomson can't talk about what his daughter did without breaking down. She was going to get half his money when he died but she couldn't wait, Thomson says - her "plain greed" got in the way.</p> <p>"I never dreamt that she would do it. I was completely taken in by it and by the time I had woken up to what happened, it was too late.</p> <p>"As far as I am concerned she's not my daughter."</p> <p>The first inkling Thomson got of there being a problem was when the council got in touch about his rates account being in arrears.  </p> <p>He remembers being taken by surprise. "I've never owed anyone in my lifetime," he says. </p> <p>When he checked with his daughter, he says she reassured him there had been a mistake, that there was nothing to worry about.</p> <p>As power of attorney, she was able to withdraw money from his account at will and while she spent it paying back her own debt, grocery bills and on a trip, her father went without. On one occasion Thomson had no hot water for six weeks as his unpaid bills mounted up.</p> <p><strong>'She cut me off'</strong></p> <p>During the time she stole from him, his daughter was a constant presence in Thomson's life. She made sure she was often the only person he would see for days.  </p> <p>"Every time she was at my place - she'd be there most times - she told everyone that I was not there. She cut me off from anyone that I knew," he says.</p> <p>Williams went to extraordinary lengths to keep her father in the dark about what she had been doing, reassuring him constantly and even intercepting the mail. </p> <p>But when the money ran out, Thomson's lawyer turned up with the news he had just $20 to his name.</p> <p>His life suddenly revealed to be in tatters, Thomson was forced to sell his house and move into a rest home. </p> <p>"I still think back on the episode and about what's happened but I will never forgive her for what she's done to me."</p> <p>He says people who prey on the elderly "should be disgusted with themselves." </p> <p>Thomson says even if family are involved in helping out, his advice to others is to be wary and ask questions if something is amiss.</p> <p>"Be cautious, be on the alert."</p> <p>"You don't expect those sorts of things to come from your own family."</p> <p><em>Written by Deena Coster. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Nigella Lawson speaks on her father’s death for the first time

<p>Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson has shared an update with her social media followers, thanking them for their support following her father’s death. </p> <p>The news of his passing was covered by the BBC and <em>The Guardian </em>on April 4, naming the former conservative chancellor as “one of the most consequential of all post-war UK chancellors”. </p> <p>Nigel Lawson was 91 years old when he passed, with a political career of almost five decades to his name. He served under Margaret Thatcher during the 1980s, holding a number of different roles, before retiring to the backbench in 1992. He went on to sit in the House of Lords until his retirement, just three short months before his passing. </p> <p>Nigel is survived by six children, and it was the 63-year-old Nigella who took to Twitter to express her gratitude to her 2.7 million followers for the love and support being directed to their family in their time of grief, as well as assuring them that while she needed some time, she would return to them. </p> <p>“Thank you for all your kind messages,” she wrote. “And I’ll be back on here properly tomorrow.” </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Thank you for all your kind messages. And I’ll be back on here properly tomorrow</p> <p>— Nigella Lawson (@Nigella_Lawson) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nigella_Lawson/status/1643303805151240209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>“Thinking of you, dearest girl. Your father was always kind and a consummate gentleman whenever I came across him as a journalist,” journalist Pádraig Belton wrote in response, before sharing a brief insight into his experiences with the late Nigel. </p> <p>“Been thinking of you, and Dominic and your kids today. Your dad was an interesting man,” editor Fiammetta Rocco said. “Scary, but very smart.”</p> <p>“Be well. Know that you are loved. Holding you and your family in prayer during this time of loss,” a reverend offered. </p> <p>“Don't rush yourself - give yourself enough time to process it all. Wrap yourself in the good memories &amp; cosset yourself however you choose about the not so good,” one kind supporter advised. “Take care of yourself first - we can all wait.”</p> <p>Nigella wasn’t the only notable figure to note Nigel’s death on social media, with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sharing his condolences with his own 1.9 million followers.</p> <p>"One of the first things I did as Chancellor was hang a picture of Nigel Lawson above my desk," he said.</p> <p>"He was a transformational Chancellor and an inspiration to me and many others. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time."</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">One of the first things I did as Chancellor was hang a picture of Nigel Lawson above my desk.</p> <p>He was a transformational Chancellor and an inspiration to me and many others.</p> <p>My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. <a href="https://t.co/SPwcnoUFnQ">pic.twitter.com/SPwcnoUFnQ</a></p> <p>— Rishi Sunak (@RishiSunak) <a href="https://twitter.com/RishiSunak/status/1642988449258160128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 3, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>And Britain’s former prime minister Boris Johnson also had something to offer, writing that Nigel “was a fearless and original flame of free market Conservatism. He was a tax-cutter and simplifier who helped transform the economic landscape and helped millions of British people achieve their dreams … He was a prophet of Brexit and a lover of continental Europe. He was a giant. </p> <p>“My thoughts and prayers are with his family.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Caring

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What the “father of the cell phone” wants you to know

<p dir="ltr">The inventor of the mobile phone has shared his candid opinion about the obsession with smart devices. </p> <p dir="ltr">Martin Cooper, an American engineer dubbed the “father of the cell phone”, invented the very first mobile phone 50 years ago in 1973. </p> <p dir="ltr">Back then, the weighty block of wires and circuits were only used to make calls, a far cry from having the world at your fingertips with smartphones today. </p> <p dir="ltr">Cooper believes that despite all the good that can come from modern technology, the world has become a little obsessed with smart devices. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I am devastated when I see somebody crossing the street and looking at their cell phone. They are out of their minds,” the 94-year-old told AFP from his office in Del Mar, California.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But after a few people get run over by cars, they’ll figure it out,” he joked.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Cooper also indulges in the latest gadgets, as he wears an Apple Watch and uses a top-end iPhone, flicking intuitively between his email, photos, YouTube and the controls for his hearing aid.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite keeping up with all the latest apps, updates and upgrades, he confessed that sometimes it can all seem a little overwhelming. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I will never, ever understand how to use the cell phone the way my grandchildren and great grandchildren do,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Each generation is going to be smarter … they will learn how to use the cell phone more effectively,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Humans sooner or later figure it out.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Technology

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Emotional moment father discovers his daughter's ultimate act of selflessness

<p>A woman has shared the emotional moment her father discovered she was the one who anonymously donated her kidney to help him fight kidney disease.</p> <p>John Ivanowski, a 60-year-old man from Missouri in the US, was diagnosed with an immunoglobulin A (IgA) deficiency, which saw his immune system attack his kidneys, more than a year ago.</p> <p>John was placed on dialysis for his condition, and ended up on the transplant list to replace his kidney. </p> <p>When the Ivanowski family began discussing the transplant options, his 25-year-old daughter Delayne was determined to help give her father a better quality of life by donating her kidney. </p> <p>John had lost his son and Delayne's only sibling to cancer 16 years ago, and was resistant to his daughter becoming his kidney donor.</p> <p>"I thought, I lost my boy and if anything happened to Delayne, I don't know what I would do," he told <a href="https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/wellness/story/daughter-surprises-dad-kidney-donor-97494470" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">ABC News</a>, adding, "It was a big concern."</p> <p>Despite her father's protests, Delayne, who works as a nurse, knew John would remain on the transplant list if she did not volunteer her kidney. </p> <p>Delayne said, "I don't think that's any way that anybody should have to live."</p> <p>She added, "I was like, 'I'm going to do it. I don't care how mad he is at me. I don't care if he kicks me out of the house or hates me or doesn't say a word to me for the rest of my life.'"</p> <p>"At least he'll be living a good life and not hooked up to a machine."</p> <p>Delayne then secretly went through the months-long approval process to become her dad's kidney donor, which meant getting endless medical tests, and fielding dozens of calls with social workers and medical staff, all while living under her parents' roof.</p> <p>John then underwent his surgery at Washington University And Barnes-Jewish Transplant Center in St Louis, with hospital staff working hard to keep Delayne's secret.</p> <p>Jason Wellen, who is the centre's kidney and pancreas transplant surgical director and John's doctor, said the staff had to do a lot of "behind-the-scenes" work to make sure the father and daughter were kept in separate pre-op areas, and had to ensure they didn't spot each other in post-op as well to maintain secrecy until Delayne was ready to break the news to John.</p> <p>And when she did, the emotional moment was captured on video. </p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7203398361297440046&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40hoperisesnews%2Fvideo%2F7203398361297440046%3Fq%3Ddelayne%26t%3D1677630976317&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2F63835bef2c2c4873aace09811331bf14%3Fx-expires%3D1677650400%26x-signature%3DNEPi6l8%252FIQn4tNRL%252FGqtrGDpkcw%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>Filming the emotional moment she walked into her dad's hospital room hooked up to an IV drip after the surgery, John immediately knew what had happened without Delayne saying a word.</p> <p>"Oh my God. Are you kidding me?" he says in the video, which was posted to TikTok and has been viewed more than four million times. </p> <p>An emotional John then tells his daughter, "I knew you were up to something," to which she cheekily responds, "I'm always up to something."</p> <p>Despite initially being "upset", John said he was grateful for his daughter's selfless act and it was a "big relief" not to be "hooked up to the machine anymore".</p> <p>"I can't stop crying," he added.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Caring

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"I would like to get my father back": Prince Harry's desperate plea to his family

<p>Prince Harry has shared an emotional plea as he wishes to rekindle his relationship with his family. </p> <p>New trailers have been released for the Duke of Sussex's interview with ITV, which is due to air next week, as he said the royal family have “shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile” with him.</p> <p>Harry tells ITV’s Tom Bradby in the explosive trailer, “It never needed to be this way. The leaking, the planting, I want a family – not an institution.”</p> <p>“They feel as though it’s better to keep us, somehow, as the villains. They’ve shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile."</p> <p>“I would like to get my father back. I would like to have my brother back.”</p> <p>The full 90-minute interview, which was filmed in California, will air on Sunday – just two days before Harry's memoir <em>Spare</em> is released.</p> <p>Prince Harry also spoke with US news network CBS, as the trailer for the interview with journalist Anderson Cooper shows the Duke further condemning his family's actions towards him and wife Meghan Markle. </p> <p>He said, “Every single time I have tried to do it privately there have been briefings and leakings and planting of stories against me and my wife”.</p> <p>“The family motto is ‘never complain never explain’. But it’s just a motto. It doesn’t really hold. There’s endless [complaining and explaining] through leaks."</p> <p>“They will feed or have a conversation with the correspondent and that correspondent will be spoon fed information and write the story."</p> <p>“Then at the bottom of it they will say that they have reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment.</p> <p>“But the whole story is Buckingham Palace commenting."</p> <p>“So when we are being told for the last six years we can’t put a statement out to protect you, but you do it for the rest of the family, there becomes a point when silence is betrayal.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / ITV</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Australia Zoo insider claims Bindi Irwin never wanted to follow her father's footsteps

<p>An insider at Australia Zoo has claimed that Bindi Irwin never wanted to follow in the footsteps of her late father. </p> <p>Justin Lyons, a cameraman who was there the day Steve Irwin died from a stingray attack in 2006, said in a recent interview that Australia Zoo is almost "cult-like" with Steve's imagery looming everywhere, reminding him of the day the original wildlife warrior died. </p> <p>Among his stunning revelations, he claims the now 24-year-old Bindi initially "didn't really want" to follow in her famous dad's footsteps.</p> <p>"Bindi and I spent a lot of time together," Justin told <a href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/celebrity/celeb-news/bindi-irwin-carries-on-steve-legacy-75512" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Woman's Day</a>. "We'd go up to Far North Queensland and while they were doing whatever, Bindi and I would go off. She'd say to me, 'I don't really like bugs', but she was expected to do all this crazy stuff."</p> <p>The allegations are a far cry from Bindi's own words, given that in 2018 she told Insider, "Ever since I can remember, I've always said, 'When I grow up, I want to be just like Dad.'"</p> <p>However, some sources close to the Irwin family say there "may be a layer of truth" to Justin's comments. </p> <p>"She couldn't have predicted it back when she was a little kid wandering around the bush with Justin, but the reality is Bindi is in a tough position," says an insider. </p> <p>"She was a big star for a time in America and for a while it looked like she was set to break the big time in Hollywood, but now she's back at the zoo learning the ropes to take over when her mother retires, and as it is currently, its glory days are long over."</p> <p>The insider claimed Bindi feels torn between two worlds, as she strives to make her parents proud with her ongoing work at Australia Zoo, but also the pull back to the US, where she has the potential to make a name for herself in her husband Chandler Powell's home country.</p> <p>"Bindi and Chandler have often toyed with the idea of moving to the States, especially now they have baby Grace, and they've barely seen Chandler's parents in recent years," says a source.</p> <p>"But Bindi feels tied to the zoo, whether she wants to be or not."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Like father, like son: Man’s sky-high dreams come true

<p dir="ltr">Having dreamt of being a pilot just like his dad since he was a boy, Luke Schembri’s dream has come true in the sweetest way possible.</p> <p dir="ltr">After becoming a fully-fledged commercial airline pilot, the 23-year-old found out that his first flight from Melbourne to Sydney came with a surprise: his dad, Jetstar captain John, would be joining him on the flight deck for his debut trip.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I freaked out and gave him a quick call and asked him 'how did this happen?'" Luke told <em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/son-to-fly-first-commercial-flight-alongside-dad-copilot/9f89ad30-e337-4686-beaa-bfaadbb85453" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"He told me the story, that he's been planning it for three months."</p> <p dir="ltr">Luke’s dream of flying with his dad and following in his footsteps has been a long time coming, with the signs appearing from the start according to John.</p> <p dir="ltr">"When kids like something, you can tell, because their eyes light up when we'd be in the backyard and the aeroplane would fly over," John said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I knew then that Luke had the bug, because I still do that."</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-dc402d8f-7fff-e17a-ec25-48492b64ba84"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">At the age of 14, Luke joined the Air Force Cadets, which led him to receiving a cadetship with Jetstar.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/luke-schembri1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Luke Schembri’s dream of flying a plane with his pilot father has come true, and it’s been a long time coming. Images: Facebook</em></p> <p dir="ltr">With his dream in reach, Luke hit a major snag: the COVID-19 pandemic.</p> <p dir="ltr">Luke was stood-down during the pandemic and worked at Coles as a shelf stacker.</p> <p dir="ltr">Luckily, the aviation enthusiast was able to return to work at Jetstar, where he continued training and became a pilot.</p> <p dir="ltr">His first flight was a success, with John giving his son five stars and saying that he was “100 percent” proud.</p> <p dir="ltr">"[He] picked me up on a few things I missed. He did a really good job," John said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“[I] don't need to add any more that, very proud, how could you not be?" </p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-60b14169-7fff-002c-0cce-2313d3455153"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Nine</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Hugh Jackman speaks candidly about losing his father

<p dir="ltr">Hugh Jackman has spoken candidly about his last moments with his father before taking on a movie role that moved him to tears.</p> <p dir="ltr">The <em>Wolverine</em> actor lost sleep, had to see a psychiatrist and was writing in a journal to deal with the tragic loss but knew he had to keep shooting for <em>The Son</em> to not let his dad down. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>The Son</em> tells the story of Peter - played by Jackman - a workaholic who struggles to take care of his partner, baby and teenage son. </p> <p dir="ltr">The plot struck a chord with Jackman who was abandoned by his mother at the age of 8 and then raised by his father.</p> <p dir="ltr">Moments before he shot his first scene as Peter, Jackman went to visit his father Christopher who had suffered from Alzheimer’s for 12 years. </p> <p dir="ltr">“He was nearing the end…So he was ostensibly gone, mentally. He would still smile a bit. I didn’t know he was going to physically pass away, but I knew it was kind of a goodbye,” Jackman told <a href="https://variety.com/2022/film/features/hugh-jackman-dad-death-the-son-wolverine-1235413831/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Variety</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Christopher Jackman passed away on Father’s Day in 2021 and his son knew what he had to do instead of grieving his loss. </p> <p dir="ltr">“My father never missed a day of work,” Jackman explained. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I could feel him. I knew if he could talk to me, he’d be like, ‘You got to go to work! What are you talking about?’ I felt his presence on the set.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Jackman never forgot his roots and would always have his father nearby when filming doing crosswords.</p> <p dir="ltr">The portrait of his father working on a crossword stays with Jackman which he says “really helped him”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I had an image of him on set, standing behind the action. My father worked incredibly hard — looking after five kids, the weight of the world on his shoulders. I had the feeling of him being completely free. That really helped me.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong><em>The Son</em> will hit cinemas on February 9 2023 in Australia and New Zealand. </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Variety</em></p>

Family & Pets

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"Health is wealth": How Warnie's son has dealt with the loss of his father

<p dir="ltr">Jackson Warne has candidly opened up about his struggles with grief following the death of his cricketer father. </p> <p dir="ltr">Shane Warne, 52, died of natural causes on March 4 in a luxury villa on the Thailand holiday island of Koh Samui.</p> <p dir="ltr">Almost seven months later, Jackson said that he “could’ve easily gone down hill” after losing his dad, but decided on taking the high road. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I could’ve drank a lot of alcohol, gambled too much, quit the gym, ate shit food and not socialise. Be miserable,” he wrote in his Instagram post.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But I didn’t.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I didn’t because I used this trauma as energy for life. I surrounded myself with good people, went to the gym EVERY DAY, drank water, swam, laughed a lot and was consistent. 1 day at a time.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cjw_211LfaM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cjw_211LfaM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jackson Warne (@jacksonwarne18)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Jackson confessed that he is now the happiest and healthiest he’s ever been because of the support he’s been receiving. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I can now say because of this I am the happiest and healthiest I’ve been. Health is wealth.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It cost’s $0 to exercise, laugh, drink water and go outside. If you do this I promise you’ll be the happiest and healthiest you can be.</p> <p dir="ltr">“To everyone who is still messaging me and supports me every single day, It doesn’t go unnoticed and I appreciate it. Thank you.” </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Readers Respond: What do you remember most about your father?

<p dir="ltr">For most girls, our dads are our first love, and for most boys, they're our first hero. </p> <p dir="ltr">But not all of us have good relationships with our fathers. </p> <p dir="ltr">On Father's Day we asked you what you remember most about your dads, and here are some of your sweet, touching, and relatable responses. </p> <p dir="ltr">Michelle Addison - His cuddles and beautiful voice as he sang songs from his home back in Belfast.</p> <p dir="ltr">Cheryl Whyte - Just how much I loved him. The best Dad a girl could wish for.</p> <p dir="ltr">Helen Phillips - My darling Dad was a true gentleman and a gentle man. I was truly blessed. Miss you Dad. I love you.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jan Arentz - My dad was my hero. Kind, funny, compassionate, and a strong sense of social justice as he lived through two World Wars and the Great Depression. Always in my heart and missed every day.</p> <p dir="ltr">Vivienne Longstaff - Kindness, his singing and terrible sense of humour.</p> <p dir="ltr">Marianne Bonaci - His honesty, integrity and his infinite love for the family!</p> <p dir="ltr">Alison Calderwood - His strong love, kindness and gentleness, always polite to everyone, plus ability to fix anything.</p> <p dir="ltr">Maryke Monk - The laughter! Dad was always saying and doing funny things. We used to laugh till our sides ached.</p> <p dir="ltr">Kelley Toohill - Manners, teaching me how to hold doors open. How to shake hands with respect and intent. Eye contact and its importance. Standing up to let those less able sit in your seat. Road manners as well, let the person in where it is safe etc. How to be grateful to have a mother as he lost his at a very young age.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ann Weatherall - His great wee chats we had together. We could talk about anything. My role model. My Dad. Sadly I only had him until I was 33. He was 64.</p> <p dir="ltr">Share your favourite memories of your father <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oversixtyNZ/posts/pfbid02h4M3kQLWhXv85TpPRqcVsoBwYHdCd6DTaLuCoMZqr698QcpszaaETQwWSuwnwt55l" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

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