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“Mum always found the joy”: Beatrice and Eugenie open up on royal divorce

<p>Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie have spoken candidly about the impact of their parents’ divorce and the enduring strength of their mother, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York.</p> <p>Appearing on the "Lessons from our Mothers" podcast, hosted by Isabella Branson and Cressida Bonas – actress and former girlfriend of Prince Harry – the royal sisters shared heartfelt reflections on their upbringing and the lessons imparted by their mother during challenging times.</p> <p>Beatrice recalled the difficult period during their parents' separation, which began in 1992 when she was just eight years old and Eugenie was six. Despite the emotional turmoil, she remembered it as a time still filled with positivity and a sense of adventure, thanks to their mother’s optimistic spirit.</p> <p>“Mum's ability to sort of jump into any situation,” Beatrice said, was something she admired and now emulates. “There was always an adventure to be had. Even during some of the harder times through divorce and through challenging moments… she had an ability to kind of jump into things with two feet.”</p> <p>She added that those early memories are precious and formative: “It's this sort of way with which she just brought that joy to moments.”</p> <p>Prince Andrew and the Duchess of York, affectionately known as "Fergie", were married in 1986 and formally divorced in 1996. Long naval deployments and conflicting responsibilities are believed to have contributed to the breakdown of their marriage.</p> <p>In a 2007 interview with <em>Harper’s Bazaar</em>, Fergie explained, “I wanted to work; it's not right for a princess of the royal house to be commercial, so Andrew and I decided to make the divorce official so I could go off and get a job.”</p> <p>Despite the separation, the couple have maintained a close relationship, cohabiting in separate wings of the Royal Lodge since 2008. They often refer to themselves as the "happiest divorced couple", setting a rare example of post-divorce harmony.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Missing mum of two found after 60 years

<p>In a stunning breakthrough to one of America's longest-running cold cases, a woman who disappeared more than 60 years ago has been found alive and well – living in another state and expressing “no regrets” for leaving her past behind.</p> <p>Audrey Backeberg was just 20 years old when she vanished on July 7, 1962, from her home in Reedsburg, Wisconsin, where she lived with her husband, Ronald Backeberg, and their two young children. Her sudden disappearance launched a decades-long search that ultimately went cold – until now.</p> <p>In a press release issued Thursday, the Sauk County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Ms Backeberg had been located alive following a renewed investigation into her case earlier this year.</p> <p>“Through diligent investigative work, which included a thorough re-evaluation of all case files and evidence, combined with reinterviewing witnesses and uncovering new insights, the Sheriff’s Office is now able to report that Audrey Backeberg is alive and well,” the department announced.</p> <p>The cold case was reassigned in March to Detective Isaac Hanson, who led the breakthrough investigation. His review included interviews with old witnesses, analysis of historical evidence, and a key lead involving a relative’s Ancestry.com profile.</p> <p>“That was pretty key,” Hanson told WISN, describing how the online genealogy database helped him trace public records that eventually led to a current address. Once the address was identified, Hanson contacted the local sheriff’s department in the area. “Ten minutes later, she called me,” he said.</p> <p>In a 45-minute phone conversation with Detective Hanson, Ms Backeberg confirmed her identity and shared that she left her family to escape what she described as an abusive and dangerous home environment.</p> <p>“She sounded happy. Confident in her decision. No regrets,” Hanson said.</p> <p>Just days before her disappearance in 1962, Ms Backeberg had filed a criminal complaint alleging that her husband had beaten her severely and threatened her life. Despite this, the couple remained in the home together, with their children.</p> <p>On the day she vanished, Audrey reportedly left to collect a paycheck from her job at a woollen mill – but never returned. Rumours and conflicting accounts emerged over the years, including claims from a 14-year-old babysitter who said she saw Ms Backeberg hitchhike to Madison and take a bus to Indiana. Later, the same individual, when re-interviewed as an adult, claimed Audrey may have ingested pills before departing and might have connected with local construction workers.</p> <p>For decades, her family believed Audrey would never willingly abandon her children. Her husband reportedly spent years chasing leads, but no trace of her was ever found – until now.</p> <p>While authorities have not disclosed the state where Ms Backeberg currently resides, Detective Hanson said she had been living safely and independently all these years.</p> <p>“She just moved on from things and led her life,” he said.</p> <p>Authorities have closed the case with the confirmation that Audrey Backeberg left of her own volition and was not in danger at any point during the six decades she was missing.</p> <p><em>Images: Wisconsin Police</em></p>

Family & Pets

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What every parent should read before becoming the bank of mum and dad

<p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">In late 2023, economists Jarden estimated </span><a style="color: #467886;" href="https://www.afr.com/companies/financial-services/the-bank-of-mum-and-dad-is-good-for-70-000-new-analysis-concludes-20231129-p5enpp"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">15 per cent of mortgage borrowers received some form of financial support</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> from their parents. A separate poll by comparison site Finder around the same time </span><a style="color: #467886;" href="https://au.finance.yahoo.com/news/first-home-buyers-reveal-huge-amount-aussie-parents-gifted-them-201221909.html"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">put the figure at 11 per cent</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">. Fast forward to February this year, with a UBS survey </span><a style="color: #467886;" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-02-06/cost-of-living-sting-lessened-by-bank-of-mum-and-dad/104882754"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">suggesting almost half of first home buyers receive parental assistance</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">. Clearly, the Bank of Mum and Dad is a rapidly growing source of funds for younger people seeking to purchase property. However, some older Australians are now paying a hefty price for having done so without adequate planning and protections.</span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">On the hook</span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Amid the excitement of homebuying, many parents overlook the fact they could be left on the hook to cover any shortfall. The worst-case scenario here is losing your own home, as well as your child losing theirs, if you went guarantor on their loan and they defaulted and you didn’t have a backup plan. If you loaned them money which they subsequently can’t repay, the principal amount goes unrepaid and you also miss out on the interest/compound growth that money could have earned if invested elsewhere. You may even be asked to fork out more in future if your child needs help to keep the property or to subsequently buy a replacement property. Unlike for a real bank, there is no public bailout for the Bank of Mum and Dad.</span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Financial shortfall</span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">A common problem that I and other financial advisors are now seeing is parents inadvertently giving their children more than they can actually afford. Take people who acted as Bank of Mum and Dad before the pandemic hit. They budgeted how much they would need for retirement and then gave their adult kids money towards buying a home of their own. Then COVID-19 arrived. Countless jobs were lost and businesses shuttered. Many would-be retirees were forced to stay in the workforce for longer than planned. Next came the inflation crisis, with mortgages and living costs soaring. Retirement budgets blew-out as more money was suddenly needed for everyday expenses, particularly energy, insurance and food. Meanwhile ballooning house prices over the pandemic years saw first homebuyers needing even larger deposits. That all translated to significant financial shortfalls for the Bank of Mum and Dad.</span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Elder abuse</span></strong></p> <p><a style="color: #467886;" href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/family-domestic-and-sexual-violence/population-groups/older-people#abuse"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Government figures from 2023</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> estimate one in six older Australians suffer elder abuse in some form, with 2.1 per cent experiencing financial abuse – undue control, pressure or restricted access to their own money and financial decisions. Half (53 per cent) of elder abuse perpetrators are family members, with adult children the most common offenders.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Given the amount of money involved in property purchases, and the stresses associated with housing affordability, the potential for the Bank of Mum and Dad to suffer elder abuse is alarmingly high.</span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Relationship breakdowns</span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Money is perhaps the greatest source of tension in relationships. Usually that is between partners, yet these can multiply for the Bank of Mum and Dad and its stakeholders. Some examples include:</span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">You and your partner disagree on what or how much assistance to provide.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Your other children feel disadvantaged if they don’t receive the same financial assistance.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Having provided the finances, you then interfere in how your child manages the property or their general finances, causing resentment to build.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">A marriage breakdown (yours or your child’s) affects the repayment of a loan or the nature of a mortgage guarantee.</span></li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Protect yourself</span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">While supporting children is the foremost concern of the Bank of Mum and Dad, it is important to protect yourself too. A written agreement outlining the nature of the support, conditions and contingencies is crucial to keep every aligned. Independent advice from your financial adviser, lawyer, mortgage broker and accountant ensures you fully understand what you are on the hook for, how much you can afford to contribute, and whether there are less-risky options.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">Finally, be sure that the decision to support your child’s property ambitions is your own and that you aren’t coerced into it. If you’re concerned that you may be experiencing elder abuse, call the free </span><a style="color: #467886;" href="https://www.health.gov.au/contacts/elder-abuse-phone-line"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">elder abuse line on 1800 353 374</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">.</span></p> <p><strong><span style="line-height: 18.4px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: #242424;">Helen Baker is a licensed Australian financial adviser and author of the new book, <em>Money For Life: How to build financial security from firm foundations (Major Street Publishing $32.99).</em> Helen is among the 1% of financial planners who hold a master’s degree in the field. Proceeds from book sales are donated to charities supporting disadvantaged women and children<em>. </em>Find out more at </span></strong><a style="color: #467886;" title="http://www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au/" href="http://www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au/"><strong><span style="line-height: 18.4px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au</span></strong></a></p> <p><strong><em><span style="line-height: 18.4px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: #242424;">Disclaimer: The information in this article is of a general nature only and does not constitute personal financial or product advice. Any opinions or views expressed are those of the authors and do not represent those of people, institutions or organisations the owner may be associated with in a professional or personal capacity unless explicitly stated. Helen Baker is an authorised representative of BPW Partners Pty Ltd AFSL 548754.</span></em></strong></p> <p><em><span style="line-height: 18.4px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: #242424;">Image: Shutterstock</span></em></p>

Money & Banking

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Devastated mum warns of flu dangers after losing 11-week-old son

<p>A heartbroken mother is pleading with Australians to get vaccinated against the flu this season after losing her 11-week-old son to the virus.</p> <p>Samantha Miller, 37, from Bathurst, NSW, was in the hospital battling her own illness when she received a devastating phone call – her infant son had also fallen ill. By the time he reached the hospital, it was too late.</p> <p>“I came down quite ill, so I ended up in hospital, and then we got a phone call saying he’d been brought into hospital not breathing, and we found out that he’d passed away,” Ms Miller told <a href="https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/mothers-harrowing-warning-as-11-weekold-son-dies/news-story/9a453f35136ec6ec0085e10392fd5163" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au.</a></p> <p>It has been 13 years since her son’s tragic death, but the pain remains fresh. Now, she is using her heartbreaking experience to encourage others to get vaccinated against the flu.</p> <p>“It took a little while to get some autopsy results, but it came back with bronchial pneumonia caused by H1N1 swine flu,” Ms Miller said, describing the loss as an unimaginable shock.</p> <p>Her son had been seen by a paediatrician the day before his death and had shown no serious signs of illness beyond a runny nose. A photo from the night before, showing the baby peacefully asleep on his grandfather’s chest, still haunts her.</p> <p>“It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my entire life. I would not wish it on anybody … it’s been 13 years and it hurts as if it was yesterday,” she said.</p> <p>Determined to prevent other families from suffering the same heartbreak, Ms Miller is now an advocate for flu vaccinations.</p> <p>“I know what it’s like to lose a child to influenza, and vaccination can help prevent other families from going through what we have been through for the past 13 years,” she said. She believes that there is a lack of education about the importance of vaccinations and the dangers of influenza, leading to misinformation and vaccine hesitancy.</p> <p>“Why are some people pushing for anti-vaccination when the numbers are there? They need to look at the data and get a vaccination. I mean, it’s easy enough … take ten minutes out of your life to get the vaccination,” she urged.</p> <p>Ms Miller also highlighted the strain that preventable illnesses place on the already overwhelmed healthcare system. “Anyone who ends up in hospital is putting a strain on the health services that are already under strain,” she said.</p> <p>With flu season approaching, her message is clear: vaccination saves lives. She hopes that by sharing her story, she can help prevent other families from experiencing the same devastating loss.</p> <p><em>Images: Courtesy of Samantha Miller</em></p>

Caring

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Lisa Curry's touching tribute to mum three years on

<p>Lisa Curry has shared heartfelt tribute to her mum on the third anniversary of her death. </p> <p>The Australian swimming icon took to Instagram to reflect on their special bond, with an emotional video montage of some of her favourite memories with her mum. </p> <p>“Thinking of my mum all day today. 3 years since we said goodbye but she’s always around. 🤍👼🏻 Mums are amazing … make sure you call yours,” she wrote in the caption. </p> <p>Curry's mum passed away on March 3, 2022, at the age of 86.</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/reel/DGu7bu-TEX4/?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/reel/DGu7bu-TEX4/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lisa Curry AO (@lisacurry)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The tribute received an outpouring of support from fans, who shared their condolences and love. </p> <p>“Thinking of you Lisa, you look like your dear mum. Too many losses in such a short time. xx,” one wrote.</p> <p>“She was your biggest fan may she be watching over you always," another commented. </p> <p>“Lisa such a beautiful daughter and Mum so much love,” commented another.</p> <p>“Sending you love and hugs Lisa," added another. </p> <p>Curry announced the heartbreaking news of her mother's passing in a social media post shared on March 2022.</p> <p>At the time, she expressed how deeply the loss had affected her, as well as the loss of her daughter Jaimi Lee Kenny in September 2020. </p> <p>“Our beautiful mum slipped away peacefully this morning,” Curry wrote at the time.</p> <p>“My heart is broken again. My baby girl, and now my mum.”</p> <p>She ended the post with a heartfelt thank you to her late mum, for being a "wonderful mother". </p> <p>“Have a nice long sleep mum. We love you so much and we’ll all miss you.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Aussie mums rally behind woman who confronted daughter's bully

<p>A group of mums have rallied behind a pregnant woman who <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/mother-breaks-silence-after-confronting-daughter-s-bully" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stormed</a> into her daughter's classroom to confront the 12-year-old who was bullying her. </p> <p>The mother from Adelaide made headlines after she walked into her daughter's classroom at St Paul's College in Gillies Plains, north-east Adelaide, on Monday, where she launched into an expletive-ridden tirade at her daughter's bully. </p> <p>The mother told <em><a href="https://7news.com.au/news/sa/mother-of-adelaide-bullying-victim-speaks-out-after-angry-st-pauls-college-spray-caught-on-social-media--c-17621578" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seven News</a></em> that she and her husband had pleaded with the school to intervene in her daughter's alleged bullying, but said that fell on deaf ears.</p> <p>"I don't want my daughter to be another statistic. I don't want to have to bury my child," she said. "She was crying, she was devastated that this child told her to go and hang herself."</p> <p>After the woman lashed out at her daughter's bully, she issued an apology saying, "What everybody has seen of me is not who I am as a mother or as a person."</p> <p>However, many thought she had nothing to apologise for, as many women rallied behind her online saying they would have done the same thing if their child was being bullied. </p> <p>Young mum and personal trainer Jess Dickson stood up for the woman, saying for a mum to "lose her s**** like  that" shows that she genuinely believed her daughter's life was at stake. </p> <p>"The tonality, and the frustration, and the fear, and just the 'f*** you' in her voice it really shows that this was a final straw for this mum," she said in a TikTok video. </p> <p>"Now in the past year, multiple children have committed suicide because of bullying because no one stands up for them. Teachers and parents might not see it, and the parents of the bullies probably just say, 'Oh no, that's not my kid'."</p> <p>Many agreed with Ms Dickson's take, saying they would "rather attend court than their child's funeral". </p> <p>"Team Mumma Bear all the way... Personally, I would have been right there beside her if my kid was in the same school," one mum wrote. </p> <p>"Soooo on team Mama Bear. I fear I would be a bit more psychotic," another agreed. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Seven News</em></p>

Family & Pets

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"This ruined my life": Mum still seeking justice after horror e-bike crash

<p>Sarah was crossing on George Street in Sydney's CBD on February 2023 when she was brutally struck by a Lime e-bike rider. At the time of the accident, she was three months pregnant. </p> <p>Speaking to <em>Yahoo News</em>, Sarah explained she had been crossing the street when she heard someone yell "look out!" but before she could react, she was knocked down by the speeding vehicle. </p> <p>She claims that the bike user was illegally riding with a companion on the handle bars at the time, and fled the scene when she cried out "my baby!" </p> <p>Fortunately, Sarah's unborn daughter was unharmed during the incident, but she was left with lifelong injuries. </p> <p>"My foot was crushed, I had dislocations and many broken bones, and I needed 21 screws, two plates and two pins," Sarah said. </p> <p> "As a result of the injury, the skin on my foot began to die with fracture blisters, so I needed skin grafts as well.</p> <p>"I required six surgeries on my foot in total. One on my elbow, which was broken. One big plate and seven screws. Six weeks of non-weight bearing on my arm, and much longer on my foot. Around 12 weeks plus altogether."</p> <p>It took the mum six months after the accident to be able to walk again - three weeks before she gave birth. </p> <p>"The pain was unbelievable," she recalled. </p> <p>"The trauma was unbelievable. It was all just horrible, horrendous. It really was." </p> <p>Her family tried to seek compensation from Lime, but they deflected any blame saying that they would only take responsibility if the accident was caused by a faulty Lime bike, but not reckless riding. </p> <p>Since Lime e-bikes are rented by individuals, liability typically falls on the rider, not the company, they argued.</p> <p>The family's solicitor had also obtained CCTV footage of the incident, and had tried to get police to follow up but have been hit with multiple roadblocks since. </p> <p>"The police had their name, addresses, mobile and photos. [But] they only called one time, and went to the house one time. That's it. A high commissioner rang me to apologise, but then they still did nothing."</p> <p>Now, Sarah and her family are calling for the total ban of e-bikes in Australia. </p> <p>"They should be banned," Sarah said. "The government and Lime have just let loose motorised vehicles that can hurt riders and pedestrians, and have not covered anyone but themselves.</p> <p>"There is no policing how fast they are going. This ruined my body, my life and my first pregnancy. And nobody has been held accountable."</p> <p>While Sarah's baby was unharmed in the accident, nine months after her birth, the baby girl "was found to have tetralogy of Fallot" — a rare but serious heart defect that affects how blood flows through the heart.</p> <p>"She needed open heart surgery and will need it every 10 years. My injuries made everything a lot harder. But hopefully I can change things," Sarah said.</p> <p>"I'm certainly scarred for life."</p> <p><em>Image: Yahoo News</em></p>

Legal

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Mum dies on daughter's birthday after common party trick turned deadly

<p>A mother has tragically died after inhaling helium from a balloon while setting up for hr daughter's first birthday party. </p> <p>Faith Waterman Batistich, from Te Puke in New Zealand, died in a matter of seconds after inhaling helium while setting up for the party with her family in 2022.</p> <p>Professor Timothy Schmidt, Head of the School of Chemistry at UNSW, told <em><a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/warning-after-mum-dies-at-daughters-birthday-from-common-party-trick-gone-instantly-051159229.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo News Australia</a></em> that any gas mixture that does not contain oxygen can be fatal if inhaled, and issued a strong warning about partaking in the party trick. </p> <p>"Helium is dangerous to inhale because it replaces the oxygen rich air in our lungs and rapidly leads to loss of oxygen from the body. This condition is known as hypoxia and can be fatal," he said. "Breathing pure nitrogen would be just as dangerous."</p> <p>Faith's family and friends were all laughing and taking turns inhaling the helium from the balloons, when one person suggested they breathe it in directly from the canister, Faith’s twin sister Eden Waterman told the New Zealand Herald.</p> <p>As the 20-year-old went to inhale, someone else turned up the flow on the canister.</p> <p>"It went too fast and kind of shot her in the back of the neck. Her last words were literally, 'Oh s***' and she dropped," Eden recalled.</p> <p>"I was just, like, in shock. I kind of just froze and it was like, 'what the f***, what am I seeing? Like, is this for real?' I thought she was putting it on at the start."</p> <p>She added that Faith "went blue" and was "gone instantly".</p> <p>Despite the efforts of the family and paramedics, Faith was unable to be revived.</p> <p>Professor Schmidt said helium is not considered a dangerous chemical, but it is likely most people are unaware of the risks when inhaling it.</p> <p>"It is used in diving tanks and in medicine. Helium is what we call a noble gas (or inert gas). It does not form chemical compounds or react chemically with the body," he said.</p> <p>"I had never heard of anyone dying from helium inhalation until now, so I would say that the dangers are definitely not well-known. I have done it… and never considered that I might replace all the O2 in my body with helium."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Caring

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Mum furious over grandmother’s refusal to use car seat for her child

<p dir="ltr">A mother has voiced her frustration over her own mother’s major babysitting error. </p> <p dir="ltr">The woman, who has a son of her own, shared that her parents regularly look after their grandchild, but has grown more and more annoyed that one request has been ignored. </p> <p dir="ltr">In her lengthy post on Reddit, the woman wrote that her mother has taken her grandson in a car without a car seat more than once. </p> <p dir="ltr">She wrote, "I'm livid and won't be letting her take him out again but needed to vent. My parents look after my son for me now and again, he loves them, and they love him, but my mom is really testing me. Twice now she has had him in someone's car without his car seat."</p> <p dir="ltr">She continued: "The first time it happened, I didn't let her see him for a month. I knew they were taking him out and had left his car seat for them, but she didn't use it as they were only 'going around the corner.' I screamed and shouted about her putting my son at risk.” </p> <p dir="ltr">“She tried to backtrack and lie her way out of it, but at the end of the day, she disrespected me."</p> <p dir="ltr">"That was almost a year ago; yesterday, she had him as I had work in London, and hubby was at work; she said they were taking him out and promised she would use the car seat. I stressed to her how she won't see him again if they don't use it and guess what, they didn't use it."</p> <p dir="ltr">The end of the post reads: "I'm livid, I'm going to see her today to shout and give an ultimatum, why don't people listen?! 'Oh, he was fine. We only went two streets away. You're being dramatic…'"</p> <p dir="ltr">"'Dramatic' when there's an insane storm going on, and anything could have happened. [She] won't be having him again. I feel like a d*** for trusting and believing her.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Hundreds of comments poured in from other mothers backing up the woman’s decision, as one person wrote, "She is playing Russian roulette with your child's life. Stay strong in this decision."</p> <p dir="ltr">Another simply wrote, “Why even take the risk? Why?!"</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p></p>

Family & Pets

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Cruel scam targets radio star's elderly mum

<p>Radio star Bianca Dye has revealed that her elderly mother was the target of a cruel scam. </p> <p>The <em> i98 </em>radio host told <em>9Honey</em> that her mother, Anne, was at home when she received a series of texts from someone pretending to be her. </p> <p>The first text Anne received claimed that Dye was using a friends phone, before "they sent something about me needing help with an urgent tax bill."</p> <p>At the time, Dye was in Wollongong in NSW hosting the breakfast shift, when her mother received  the <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">"urgent tax bill"</span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> text requesting $3,000. </span></p> <p>"When parents get older, they don't want to bother you. She didn't want to stress me out," she added, fighting back tears. </p> <p>"But by not contacting me the day it happened and waiting until the next day, she had worked herself up into tears. She didn't sleep a wink."</p> <p>"So she was sending text messages to some stranger."</p> <p>By the time Anne rang her daughter, she was trying to transfer the money, but got the credit card number confused. </p> <p>Fortunately, Dye had a friend check in on her mum, who was able to take Anne to her local branch for help. </p> <p>"They got it all sorted, changed her PIN, no money had been taken out," Dye said. </p> <p>While it was a close call for Dye many Australians, particularly the elderly, are common targets for scammers. </p> <p>Dye hopes to raise awareness of such scams and spoke with cyber security expert Damien Cantelo of Apollo Secure who shared a few safety tips. </p> <p>"Certainly [parents] should take the approach of 'trust no one, assume nothing', because if it's a text message or a call, [scammers] are getting more sophisticated so it's harder to detect," Cantelo said.</p> <p>"A really good tip is to set up a 'safe word'. So you and your family have a word, you just make up a random word.</p> <p>"And if ever there's anything a little bit fishy going on, you can say, 'Oh, hey Bianca, what's the safe word?' And then if you don't have it, then they know to hang up."</p> <p>Dye added that as scams get more intricate, it may be more difficult for older people, especially those who may suffer from memory loss, to detect the scams. </p> <p>"It's a terrifying future for the elderly unless someone tech savvy is living in the house with them," Dye added.</p> <p><em>Image: Bianca Dye/ 9Honey</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Mum appeals "incorrect" $410 seatbelt fine

<p>April Miller and her husband had been visiting family in the Blue Mountains last month when the new detection cameras flagged her for not wearing her seatbelt properly. </p> <p>The Sydney mum argued otherwise, saying that the couple clearly had their seatbelts on and they were incorrectly fined. </p> <p>“We came back to a fine in the mail (claiming) our seatbelts weren’t on correctly,” she told <em>7NEWS</em>.</p> <p>“In the corner you can clearly see that we have our seatbelts on, both of us.</p> <p>“If you’ve broken the law, you’ve broken the law, but if you haven’t and there’s no reason for it, then that is frustrating.”</p> <p>She has since appealed the $410 fine and three demerit points, and while her first appeal was denied, it is not stopping her from trying again. </p> <p>The seatbelt detection cameras were implemented on July 1 this year, with the intention of saving lives, as 15 per cent of deaths on NSW roads each year involve seatbelt noncompliance. </p> <p>Shadow Transport Minister Natalie Ward said, “if the seatbelt was on, then the fine should be repaid”.</p> <p>“Fining motorists who do the right thing is unacceptable because it reduces community confidence.”</p> <p>Transport for NSW Centre for Road Safety executive director Bernard Carlon told <em>7NEWS</em> that “although the AI works to identify whether there is an offence that has been committed, there are two human reviews that happen after that” before an infringement is issued. </p> <p>“There can always be human error and we want to have a system that’s fair.”</p> <p>In just five months since the implementation of the cameras,  50,000 fines have been handed out.</p> <p>Fines for not wearing seatbelts have plummeted from more than 16,500 in July to about 9,800 in October.</p> <p>“There’s a massive reduction in the number of people offending, that’s really good,” Carlon said.</p> <p><em>Image: 7NEWS</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Mum's tribute to "kind" teenager after unidentified remains found

<p>Isla Bell's mum, Justine Spokes, has paid tribute to the "kind" and "gentle" teenager, after remains believed to be the 19-year-old's were found at a waste management facility in Melbourne's south-east. </p> <p>Bell was last seen leaving her Brunswick home about 6pm on October 4 and made final contact with her friends on October 7. </p> <p>At the time, her mother made a heartfelt plea for her return, saying: "We just can't wait to hold you bub, we love you so much and we just want to know you're safe, my darling." </p> <p>On Tuesday afternoon, police arrived at a facility in Bentleigh East, after receiving a tip-off that a white van was seen dumping a fridge believed to be connected to the investigation. The found the yet-to-be-formally identified remains at the facility. </p> <p><a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/men-charged-after-remains-found-following-teen-s-disappearance" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Two men have been charged</a> over the death of the 19-year-old, and documents released by the court on Wednesday revealed that she was allegedly murdered in St Kilda East, the same day she was last in contact with her loved ones. </p> <p>Police allege a 53-year-old man, who she was believed to be staying with a few days prior to her death, attacked her inside his apartment, and a 57-year-old man helped him hide her body in the fridge. </p> <p>They also allege the 53-year-old man initially denied knowledge of the fridge, but eventually admitted to transporting Bell's remains after she died at his house, but claims he did not know how she died and denied any involvement.</p> <p>In a statement to <em>The Age</em>, Bell's mother said her daughter is "cherished forever and suffering no more".</p> <p>"I am so sorry I could not protect you, that your experience of the world was cruel and unsafe," Spokes said.</p> <p>"Despite your challenges, you lived bravely, stood up for what was right and remained the kindest human, the gentlest soul.</p> <p>"May your (alleged) murderer murder no more. With the deepest love and respect, your Mumma."</p> <p><em>Image: Nine News</em></p>

Family & Pets

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"Mum grew great dope": Son's hilariously honest tribute goes viral

<p>Two brothers from Sydney have made headlines around the world for their hilarious tribute to their late mother. </p> <p>Sean and Chris Kelly wrote a death notice for their mum Jennifer Ann Kelly when she passed away aged 88 on Monday last week. </p> <p>“Farewell Jennie Kelly, our wild and wayward mother,”  the notice which was posted in the Sydney Morning Herald began. </p> <p>Jennifer Ann lived most of her life outside Nimbin and The Channon in northern NSW until she moved to a nursing home in Turramurra 18 months ago. </p> <p>Her sons' tribute has triggered a call for more honesty about death as they opened up about their unconventional upbringing.</p> <p>They revealed that their mum refused to say "passed" when someone died, believed exposing youth to religion was a form of child abuse, and "it was impossible to watch the news in her presence due to her vocal outrage."</p> <p>And while the two brothers had spent most of their lives "compensating for our upbringing", their mother's "rare attempts at 'responsible' parenting or grandparenting were always touching". </p> <p>They also added: “Mum grew great dope, never wanted to leave a party and gave up champagne or gin frequently, but never simultaneously.”</p> <p>“News on what’s next to follow. Bring a shovel," they ended the notice. </p> <p>Their good-humoured grief and honesty gained global attention after it was posted on Reddit. It was also included in British outlet<em> The Independent </em>and <em>US People Magazine</em>.</p> <p>“Your mum sounds phenomenal. The amazing tribute has reached thousands of people in the UK,” one Reddit user said. </p> <p>“I wish I’d known Jenny, she sounds wonderful. Thank you for a wonderful obituary – clearly Jenny lived until she died,” added another. </p> <p>Others praised their candidness, with one saying: “[It’s] honest, as opposed to all those people who suddenly become heroes/Mother Teresa when they die.”</p> <p>In an interview with <em>7NEWS</em> Sean admitted that the unconventional obituary was a first for him. </p> <p>“I’d never done a death notice, I’d never really looked at them,” he said.</p> <p>“I swear I spent less than four minutes on that.”</p> <p>He added that he wasn't even sure it would be published, and “the next thing I knew, the day after, someone said ‘I think we heard someone on the radio talking about your mother this morning’.” </p> <p>“She would say that she was mortified, but all my friends tell me she would be absolutely delighted at the attention.”</p> <p>Jennie leaves behind her two sons and three grandchildren. </p> <p><em>Images: 7News/ SMH</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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Teen found not guilty of murdering Brisbane mum

<p>A teenager has been found not guilty of murdering Brisbane mother Emma Lovell, with her heart-broken widow shedding tears at the verdict. </p> <p>The now 18-year-old faced trial on the allegation that he had seen a knife in his co-offender's hand and knew he was armed when the pair broke into the Lovell home on Boxing Day in 2022.</p> <p>The main offender fatally stabbed Emma and hurt her husband Lee in the struggle that followed.</p> <p>With the case largely dependant on crucial split-second CCTV, Justice Michael Copley ruled he could not "be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the accused knew the other teen was in possession of the knife".</p> <p>The teenager was found not guilty of Ms Lovell's murder or manslaughter and also acquitted of unlawful wounding, but was found guilty of burglary and assault in company.</p> <p>Outside the court, Lee Lovell became emotional as he told reporters, "I'm not feeling too great at the moment - the verdict was a joke. I don't feel justified for Emma one bit."</p> <p>"You try and do the best you can for her and I don't feel I've been able to do that."</p> <p>Mr Lovell said legislation needed to be changed in order for victims and their families to have justice. </p> <p>"You are a part of killing someone and you get a burglary charge. What does that say for anyone going forward," he said.</p> <p>"We are the ones with a life sentence now."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Legal

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Aussie mum jailed after faking her own death for major insurance payout

<p>A Perth woman who faked her own death to secure a $700,000 insurance payout has been sentenced to three years behind bars. </p> <p>Karen Salkilld, 43, an F45 gym franchise owner, claimed she died in a car accident in Broome in December 2023. </p> <p>The mother-of-two, also provided a falsified death certificate, a coroner report and funeral documents, when she made the claim in January.</p> <p>A month later, she received more than $718,000 from Insuranceline, which she accessed by posing as her former partner who was the beneficiary of the sum and opening a bank account in her name. </p> <p>The "relatively sophisticated" scheme was initially successful, until police became suspicious and froze her account after she moved large amounts of the money around, according to<em> Nine News</em>. </p> <p>Salkilld had to visit Palmyra Police Station in person to certify her fake documents, but after three visits, officers realised something was up and arrested her in March. </p> <p>There is no evidence that her former partner knew of the crime. </p> <p>The fitness instructor admitted that she got the idea from a movie after she fell into debt, although she didn't specify which one. </p> <p>"Your offending could not be described as opportunistic," Judge Vicki Stewart told Perth District Court said in sentencing the fitness instructor. </p> <p>"It was calculated and required both effort and persistence."</p> <p>"You were living beyond your means and over-committed yourself," Stewart added. </p> <p>Salkilld pleaded guilty to gaining benefit by fraud and knowingly using a false record to defraud, and was sentenced to three years in prison on Monday. </p> <p>She was ordered to pay a $101,771 compensation to the insurance company. A restitution order for funds in the bank account was also issued - one for $549,195 and another for $67,995 - with the latter being held in the bank's fraud recoveries account. </p> <p>Speaking to <em>Nine News</em> outside court after the sentencing, Salkilld's estranged sister Ann said "it doesn't surprise me that she is capable of doing things like that."</p> <p>She will be eligible for parole in February 2026.</p> <p><em>Image: Nine News </em></p>

Legal

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“Is it really that bad?”: New mum slammed for baby name choice

<p>One woman has taken to social media to explain her dilemma after people around her made her second-guess the name she and her husband chose for their unborn son. </p> <p>The woman shared her situation on Reddit, and explained that the name has a special family significance to her, but so far people around her have absolutely hated it. </p> <p>"My grandpa was my favourite person in the whole world. Growing up, I always loved his name because I thought it was unique and I loved him. I always said if I had a son I would name him after my grandpa," she explained in the post. </p> <p>"Now I'm pregnant, and the very few people I've told the name to HATE IT. The name is Earl. Is it really that bad?"</p> <p>She added that she doesn't want her son to grow up hating his name, but she still wants to use it as it is so special to her. </p> <p>"Few other things: husband is on board and loves it, and it does sound really nice with our last name," she added. </p> <p>Many of the commenters urged her to go with the name if she loves it and to disregard what anyone else says. </p> <p>"This. Is. Your. Baby You don't need to poll the audience or tell anyone the baby's name before he is born. Protect your peace, and Earl's," replied one person. </p> <p> "I love Earl! Easy to say and spell. Uncommon but not made up. The emotional connection is wonderful too!" commented another. </p> <p>"It's a lovely name!!! Don't let other people shame you out of using it because you'll regret listening to them later," a third person assured her. </p> <p>"Earl is dated and country but it's cute and it means something to you and you both love it. It will be fine," another woman said. </p> <p>Some suggested that if she was really struggling with the name after the hate she received, there are other ways to incorporate it. </p> <p>"It's extremely dated but not bad. I personally think it's better as a middle name," replied one person. </p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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Aussie mum stunned by $1,700 jury duty fine

<p>A Sydney mum is searching for answers after being hit by a $1,715 fine for missing jury duty that she knew nothing about. </p> <p>The mum shared that she had just returned from an overseas  holiday to find the "hefty" fine, which said she needed pay the overdue penalty by October 9 for failing to attend jury duty for a court case in May, but she claims she had never been summoned. </p> <p>“I didn’t get this by the due date of October 9. However, I have also never seen the jury notice for May 28 nor any other notices since. So I’m in total and absolute shock,” she posted on social media. </p> <p>She asked other local mums for advice on getting the fine "ditched", explaining that she hasn't changed her address in decades and checks her mail every day. </p> <p>“The only mail I’ve received on the matter at all is this fine enforcement notice on return from overseas. It’s very strange. How can I prove I never received the original notice?”</p> <p>It turns out that the Aussie mum is not the only one who has encountered this, as several other Sydneysiders have been slapped with fines for missing jury duty. </p> <p>One woman claimed she had no idea she had a $1,000 fine for missing jury duty until she went onto Service NSW to pay a separate bill. </p> <p>“I had never received or seen a notice regarding jury duty or the associated fine,” she said. </p> <p>Others urged her to contact Service NSW and explain the error. </p> <p>“This happened to me a couple of months ago. You just call them and explain what happened. They are very understanding,” one woman said.</p> <p>“This happened to me in the past. I wasn’t travelling and have been in the same address, just simply didn’t receive the notice to serve jury duty. So I just wrote to them to explain my reason of not attending. They waived my fine,” another noted. </p> <p>According to the state’s Department of Communities and Justice you can have the fine reviewed if you: </p> <ul> <li>did attend jury service, or</li> <li>did not receive previous notices from the NSW Sheriff’s Office</li> <li>had a legitimate reason for not attending jury service</li> </ul> <p><em>Images: Facebook/ </em><em>B-E / Shutterstock.com</em></p>

Legal

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Charlise Mutten's mum breaks silence

<p>Kallista Mutten, the mother of murdered schoolgirl Charlise Mutten, has broken her silence in her first ever television interview. </p> <p>Nine-year-old Charlise was brutally murdered by her mother's then fiancée Justin Stein at his family home in the Blue Mountains, Sydney in January 2022. </p> <p>In August, Stein was sentenced to life in jail without parole, after he was <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/jury-decides-fate-of-accused-murderer-justin-stein" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found guilty</a> of Charlise's murder, having shot the little girl twice before dumping her body in a barrel. </p> <p>Since Charlise's murder, Kallista had been harassed in public and abused by people on public transport to the extent she could no longer go outside. </p> <p>In an upcoming interview for <em>60 Minutes</em> that will air this Sunday night, Kallista broke her silence. </p> <p>"I'm not this monster, this unfit mother," she told reporter Dimity Clancey in a newly released preview. </p> <p>"Charlise deserved more."</p> <p>"I miss her so much, she believed in me," she continued through tears. </p> <p>Many have blamed her for the horrific murder that happened while Charlise was in her care. At the time, Charlise was visiting her mum and Stein in Sydney for Christmas from the Gold, where she lived with her grandparents. </p> <p>She spent the night of January 11 alone with Stein at his property in the Blue Mountains, while her mother stayed at a caravan about a 90-minute drive away. </p> <p>"I hate myself for it, I really do," Kallista said. </p> <p>The preview also showed footage of an agitated Stein pacing around the police interview room, while blaming Charlise's mum for the murder. </p> <p>"It was all her. I can't sit here and cover for her," he said. </p> <p>Kallista denied having any involvement in her daughter's death and broke down in tears during a hearing, where she read a victim's impact statement via audio video link. </p> <p>"(Charlise) just longed for you to be her dad. I just hate myself for being so wrong about you," she said at the time. </p> <p>"I am forced to live with fact I trusted someone and because of my trust I put my daughter in harm's way."</p> <p>In the <em>60 Minutes</em> preview, a police detective said that Stein "weaved a web of wicked lies and deception", with Kallista describing her former partner as "pure evil". </p> <p><em>Images: Nine</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Fergie's touching tribute to late mum who died in "cruel accident"

<p>Sarah Ferguson has reflected on her mother's death 26 years on. </p> <p>The Duchess of York took to Instagram to share the emotional tribute to her mother, Susan Barrantes, who died "far too young" in a car crash almost three decades ago. </p> <p>"My much-loved mother Susie died 26 years ago today," she began. </p> <p>The royal shared a series of photos of her mother, including one of them on the iconic Buckingham Palace balcony, after Fergie married Prince Andrew in 1986. </p> <p>She also posted framed photos she kept of her mother as well as professional photos that were taken when she was younger. </p> <p>"She was far too young to be taken from us and I often reflect on the fact that at just 61, she was younger than I am now when she died in a cruel accident," Ferguson continued.</p> <p>"I think constantly of her zest for life and her shining spirit. Like all of us, she made mistakes but she taught me to value each and every day and to always seek to treat people with kindness."</p> <p>She ended her post saying: "I miss her greatly."</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/DAGEaHBO_ii/?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/DAGEaHBO_ii/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sarah Ferguson (Fergie) (@sarahferguson15)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Ferguson's daughter, Princess Eugenie, reposted the images to her Instagram story, with her own message. </p> <p>"Miss beautiful Granny Susie," she wrote. </p> <p>The Duchess of York's post was met with messages of love from fans and celebrities alike. </p> <p> "So beautiful," wrote Riley Keough, Lisa Marie Presley's daughter. </p> <p>Actor William Moseley, who starred in <em>The Royals</em> television series left three red heart emojis. </p> <p>"I lost my mother seven years ago, I miss her each and every day. Sending love," wrote one fan. </p> <p>"She is incredibly proud of you, and now it’s clear where you get your kindness from. Sending continued prayers and strength your way," added another. </p> <p>Barrantes, who was a documentary filmmaker, died in a car accident in 1998. Her death came one year after Princess Diana's tragic car crash. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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Aussie mum with no licence or car fined thousands for traffic offences

<p>An Aussie mum has copped thousands of dollars worth of traffic fines, despite not owning a car or holding a valid driver's licence. </p> <p>Victorian woman Tamara, 32, claims that she has received 16 different infringement notices this year alone in relation to 14 different licence plate numbers, and none of them are hers. </p> <p>The incorrect fines have been sent to her from as far back as 2022. </p> <p>Several of the alleged offences captured on road safety cameras show bearded men behind the wheel. </p> <p>"Clearly, I don't have a beard. The person in the picture is a male. Anyone with eyes can see it's not me," she told A Current Affair. </p> <p>The saga has badly impacted her mental health and she has called on both the police and road officials in the state to overhaul the system to prevent other people from ending up in the same situation as her. </p> <p>The mum fears that her identity or her expired licence number may have been compromised during Optus' mass data breach two years ago.</p> <p>"I am not the driver. I don't drive a vehicle, I don't even have a licence. I have no idea what to think actually because it is unexplainable."</p> <p>"It doesn't make any sense and it shouldn't make any sense in anyone's eyes. It doesn't add up and it's clearly fraudulent."</p> <p>Lawyer Justin Lawrence agrees with the 32-year-old and said that she is entitled to challenge the fines. </p> <p>"There is a system glitch there somewhere and she's entitled to challenge those fines. The system relies on the information that it has. If the information is inaccurate, then the system can't work," he said.</p> <p>Tamara has made a formal complaint to Victoria Police in a bid to clear her name, and they are now working with Fines Victoria to "investigate the circumstances around these incidents and resolve these matters". </p> <p>"Members of the public who believe they have been falsely nominated for a traffic infringement should contact Fines Victoria," a statement from the police read. </p> <p><em>Images: A Current Affair/ Nine</em></p>

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