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"Taken way too soon": TV star's brother breaks silence after shocking death

<p>The grieving brother of slain TV star Johnny Wactor has broken his silence over his brother's untimely death. </p> <p>Johnny Wactor, 37, was <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/soap-star-killed-in-robbery-gone-wrong" target="_blank" rel="noopener">killed</a> in Los Angeles in the early hours of Saturday morning when he intercepted a group of men trying to steal the catalytic converter from his vehicle, and was shot dead at the scene. </p> <p>Now, Wactor's brother Grant has shared more details on the events surrounding his Johnny's death, telling <a href="https://people.com/general-hospital-actor-johnny-wactors-brother-speaks-out-on-killing-taken-way-too-early-8654340" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>People</em></a> magazine that he had finished a shift working as a bartender at the time he was shot. </p> <p>After his shift finished at about 3:25am local time, he walked to his car with a female co-worker  when he noticed that his car had been “jacked up or lifted in some way”.</p> <p>Initially, the actor thought his car was being towed away, but quickly realised the people surrounding his car were not tow-truck drivers.</p> <p>Grant said his brother physically shielded his female colleague to prevent her from being hurt and had his hands up in the air when he was shot.</p> <p>“He did not confront them,” he told the publication. “He did not try to stop them. He was just trying to diffuse the situation by stepping back.”</p> <p>After the shooting the men fled the scene in a different car, and LAPD officer Jeff Lee said the suspects were “still outstanding”.</p> <p>Grant Wactor said his family were “hoping and praying” that the killers were found and brought to justice.</p> <p>“We just want (them to be found) as quickly as possible and correctly,” he said, describing his brother as “a good person”.</p> <p>“He was taken way too early, and no one should be taken like this at all,” he said.</p> <p>“He touched a lot of people. He believed in his core values to the end, and he lived life to the fullest the way he wanted to. And he was happy doing that.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / Ouzounova / Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Family & Pets

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Bec Judd's son taken to hospital with mystery illness

<p>Bec Judd's seven-year-old son, Tom, has been hospitalised due to an undisclosed medical condition, as the concerned mother shared on her Instagram account.</p> <p>In the recent post, the 40-year-old WAG posted a heartwarming picture of Tom comfortably lying in a hospital bed. In the photo, Tom flashed a smile at the camera, clutching his teddy bear and savouring an ice cream treat. However, Bec did not reveal the specific reason for Tom's hospitalisation in her social media update.</p> <p>With a hopeful tone, Bec wrote, "Onwards and upwards, Tom," and expressed gratitude to Nurse Becky Bell for her care and support during this challenging time.</p> <p>Bec Judd, a mother of four, shares her children with her ex-AFL star husband, Chris Judd. Alongside her recent family concerns, Bec has also been actively involved in charitable endeavours. She disclosed her plans to contribute 25,000 meals to Food Bank Victoria, an organisation dedicated to addressing food insecurity. Bec's involvement extends beyond her vocal support, as she is using her design skills to create a unique spatula for fundraising purposes. The entirety of the proceeds from the spatula sales will be donated to Food Bank.</p> <p>In Bec's own words, each spatula sold translates into an impressive "25 meals on the table", with the ambitious goal of providing "250,000 extra meals by Christmas". She encouraged her substantial following to support the cause by considering the spatula as a unique Christmas gift option. Not only will buyers acquire an original Bec Judd creation, but they will also make a significant contribution to their community.</p> <p>This charitable campaign features other notable personalities, including New Zealand culinary expert Ben Shewry, radio and TV presenter Chrissie Swan, and Australian pastry chef Kirsten Tibballs.</p> <p>In addition to her philanthropic efforts, Bec Judd has been making appearances on the celebrity edition of <em>The Amazing Race</em>, where she teams up with her sister, Kate Twigley. During a recent interview on KIIS FM's Jase and Lauren show, Bec recounted some of the show's more challenging moments, including an encounter with elephant dung.</p> <p>"It was interesting; they really threw us into these challenges that were quite foul, like shovelling poo, and I was like, where are the gloves?" Bec shared. "You know, I worked at The Alfred Hospital; I have four kids, I've got a puppy. I'm used to vomit and poo and secretions, but we always had gloves and masks, so it was okay. But this is bare hands, and I was not happy about it."</p> <p>In a recent trailer for the Ten reality show, Bec also revealed her germophobic tendencies, adding a layer of intrigue to her adventures on <em>The Amazing Race.</em></p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Poor Prince Harry taken to the cleaners on live TV

<p>The Duke of Sussex engaged in a thrilling penalty shootout with Germany's defence minister, Boris Pistorius, during a live television broadcast to promote the 2023 Invictus Games – however, Prince Harry's quest for victory ended in disappointment as he failed to score a single goal in six attempts.</p> <p>This friendly (yet competitive!) soccer challenge took place as part of the promotion for the 2023 Invictus Games, which Prince Harry attended in Düsseldorf, Germany. The Duke, aged 38, appeared on the popular German TV show, <em>Das Aktuelles Sportstudio</em>, following the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games.</p> <p>In a clip shared on social media, Prince Harry, alongside Pistorius, Angelo Anderson, and Jens Niemeyer, took turns attempting to kick a soccer ball through one of two holes in a wall on the studio set. The game, known as a shootout, has been a long-standing tradition on the show.</p> <p>Prince Harry jokingly inquired about the consequences of a zero score before being informed that he'd have to don a German jersey if he lost. Undeterred, he stepped up to take his shots, but his first three attempts missed the mark.</p> <p>Pistorius then managed to score twice during his turn, and after other participants took their shots, Harry missed three more times.</p> <p>In the end, rather than a German jersey, Prince Harry was presented with a scarf from the local German club, FSV Mainz 05, which he sportingly wore to the applause of the audience.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="de">Prinz Harry, Bundesverteidigungsminister Boris Pistorius, Angelo Anderson und Jens Niemeyer stellen sich der Herausforderung an der <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sportstudio?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sportstudio</a>-Torwand. <a href="https://t.co/liwmkz0zg0">pic.twitter.com/liwmkz0zg0</a></p> <p>— ZDF (@ZDF) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZDF/status/1700637221273862535?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>During the show, Prince Harry also discussed the profound impact of founding the Invictus Games, describing it as a lifeline. He reflected on the shared experiences and stories within the veterans' community, something that resonated deeply with him due to his own military service in the British Army, which included two tours in Afghanistan.</p> <p>The Invictus Games, created by Prince Harry in 2014, are a global sporting event for veterans and service personnel, and this year's edition marked the first time it was hosted in Germany. Previous events were held in London (2014), Orlando (2016), Toronto (2017), Sydney (2018), and The Hague (2022). The 2025 Invictus Games are scheduled to take place in Vancouver and Whistler, Canada.</p> <p>This year's event, running from September 9 to September 16, featured over 500 athletes from 21 countries competing in 10 different sports, representing six continents.</p> <p>In a video message ahead of the event, Prince Harry expressed his excitement about having participants from every continent except Antarctica, humorously adding that they were still working on getting representation from there.</p> <p>At the opening ceremony, Prince Harry gave a speech touching on self-discovery, teamwork, and family life. He welcomed Colombia, Israel, and Nigeria as first-time participants and humorously mentioned that since Meghan Markle discovered her Nigerian ancestry through a genealogy test, the competition might get more competitive in their household.</p> <p>Harry also emphasised the importance of the Invictus Games as a platform for veterans to be part of a supportive community and overcome societal perceptions about disabilities and limitations. He quoted a South Korean competitor, Mr. Na, who shared, "We overcome perceptions of ourselves in society." For Harry, these games were not just about winning medals but about breaking down self-imposed barriers and redefining what's possible.</p> <p><em>Images: Twitter (X) / ZDF</em></p>

TV

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Bruce Springsteen cancels shows after being "taken ill"

<p>Bruce Springsteen's upcoming performances have been unexpectedly put on hold due to his falling ill, leading to the postponement of his scheduled shows.</p> <p>A sudden announcement, posted on the singer's official X account, has informed fans that the show dates will be rescheduled.</p> <p>"Due to Bruce Springsteen having been taken ill, his concerts with The E Street Band at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on August 16 and 18 have been postponed.</p> <p>We are working on rescheduling the dates so please hold on to your tickets as they will be valid for the rescheduled shows."</p> <p>This announcement emerged mere hours before the debut show, just as eager fans were anticipating a memorable experience with Springsteen and his band.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Due to Bruce Springsteen having been taken ill, his concerts with The E Street Band at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on August 16 and 18 have been postponed.</p> <p>We are working on rescheduling the dates so please hold on to your tickets as they will be valid for the rescheduled…</p> <p>— Bruce Springsteen (@springsteen) <a href="https://twitter.com/springsteen/status/1691872953414115424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 16, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>This occurrence isn't the first instance where the music icon had to modify a show at the 11th hour due to health issues.</p> <p>Earlier this year, Springsteen communicated the postponement of his March 9 event at the Nationwide Arena in Ohio, attributing it to "illness."</p> <p>No explicit details about his health condition were disclosed in that instance either, but fans were encouraged to retain their original tickets for the rescheduled shows.</p> <p>Following the Ohio cancellation, two more postponements were subsequently declared.</p> <p>The performance originally slated for March 12 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut has been rescheduled to September, while the March 14 show at the MVP Arena in Albany, upstate New York, was similarly postponed.</p> <p>Both changes were tied to unspecified health concerns.</p> <p>During this period, Steven Van Zandt, a member of the E Street Band, assuaged fans' concerns. He reassured them via Twitter, stating: "No need to be anxious or afraid. Nothing serious. Just a temporary situation. We will all be back in full force very soon."</p> <p>The band embarked on their tour in February, commencing in Tampa and traversing the United States before crossing the Atlantic to Europe in April.</p> <p>Returning to the United States in August, Springsteen and his crew intended to entertain audiences for several more months before culminating the extensive tour on December 10 in San Francisco.</p> <p>With a career spanning over 50 years, the seasoned singer-songwriter shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.</p>

Caring

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"Time moves like a river": Heartbreaking final words of Aussie writer taken too young

<p>Natalie Fornasier has passed away at the age of 28 following a years-long battle with metastatic melanoma cancer.</p> <p><em>The Sydney Morning Herald</em> confirmed the news with an obituary on January 28, announcing that Natalie had died on January 14. </p> <p>“Beloved Wife of Alexander,” the obituary read, “much loved Sister of Alex, loving daughter of Peter &amp; Lorena. Adored daughter-in-law of Kirsten. She will be dearly missed by her grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins, Natalie’s German family &amp; devoted ‘Little Helpers’.”</p> <p>Natalie received her first diagnosis when she was 20 years old after spotting a large mole on her toe, and was informed that she had Stage III metastatic melanoma. </p> <p>In December, Natalie shared the news with her followers that her condition had progressed to Stage IV. </p> <p>“At the end of July, I received the news that my cancer was now terminal and had months left to live,” she wrote. </p> <p>“It’s not easy to admit that I’m dying. At 28 years old… everything about it feels wrong. The conversations I’ve had to have, the plans I’ve had to make, the places my thoughts have gone and are still going - none of it is natural. It’s painful,” she went on, “for four months I’ve grappled with sharing this news. </p> <p>“But I'm here now, and that's because I want to take back control over my own agency. I am the one telling my story, as I always have. There are so many things in my life I can’t control but this I can.”</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/Cl57HVJPnE8/?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/Cl57HVJPnE8/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Natalie Fornasier (@nataliefornasier)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Natalie wrote of her husband, Alexander, and the love the two shared, telling her audience, “my one goal in life was to love. I’ve experienced a love that is all consuming - something so deeply precious and powerful and soul changing that I know that even though I’m leaving this earth, that energy and love will never die. Alexander and I have grieved together, and he has shared so many ways of how he will keep me in his life, which brings me peace as I face the unknown. But know this, no matter where I am, I’ll still be here – in some way.”</p> <p>The couple were married in a “secret” ceremony on November 26, as Natalie revealed in a new post two days later. </p> <p>On December 21, four days before Christmas, Natalie shared her final update with supporters. She passed away less than one month after. </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/CmaQzRuha8V/?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/CmaQzRuha8V/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Natalie Fornasier (@nataliefornasier)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“Today marks four weeks in palliative care. It’s absurd it’s been that long - time is so fluid, it feels like none has gone by but the calendar says otherwise,” she said, going on to write of how she missed her home and her experience with palliative care. </p> <p>“It’s one minute at a time for me right now - and I’m so thankful that, that is still a possibility. If my time here has taught me anything - it’s that time moves like a river. You’re unable to see the beginning or the end but you can feel it - so you better make the most of it. Even if that means napping next to your loved one for hours so long as you’re together.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Readers respond: What is the most memorable holiday you've taken?

<p>Travelling often leaves a major imprint on people's lives. </p> <p>From exploring destinations far and wide, to discovering more about your own hometowns, travelling is destined to make lifelong memories. </p> <p>We asked our well-travelled readers what their most memorable holiday was, and the responses were overwhelming.</p> <p>Here's what you had to say.</p> <p><strong>Faye Clavi </strong>- Nine weeks touring Tasmania in camper with a treasured friend.</p> <p><strong>Lisa Drury Hudson</strong> - Retirement trip: China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Singapore. Also included 7 night river cruise on the Mekong, 4 night river cruise on the Yangtze and 3 night junk cruise in beautiful Ha Long Bay.</p> <p>Loved every single minute of it and learned/experienced so much. Wouldn't hesitate to do it all again if we could still afford it.</p> <p><strong>Joy Clarke</strong> - If l had to choose one it would be the 6 days with my mother in Paris before she became ill and died.</p> <p><strong>Paul Clissold</strong> - Riding a motorcycle around the States in 1980. Two months, 19 states, 10,000 miles. Fabulous scenery, great hospitality from people we'd never met before. </p> <p><strong>Joy Turner</strong> - Going to Broome and riding camels along the beach at sunset.</p> <p><strong>Mary Batty</strong> - Five weeks in a camper van touring New Zealand, both islands! The best time EVER!</p> <p><strong>Carol Barrett </strong>- Around Australia 3 times. Absolutely incredible country we live in.</p> <p><strong>Margaret Inglis</strong> - Probably in 2012. New York, Washington DC, and of course Los Angeles where my daughter now lives. Last holiday with my husband as he passed suddenly 18 months later.</p> <p><strong>Grace Boland</strong> - 14 days by train around magnificent Switzerland.</p> <p><strong>Barb Millowick</strong> - Stayed in a little caravan park in Tinnanbar, QLD. most relaxing holiday I’ve ever had.</p> <p><strong>Ric Wickham</strong> - 5 weeks crossing the USA west to east and back via greyhound with my son on a Father and Son expedition back in 2006. Visited 18 states, met some wonderful people and enjoyed every moment of it.</p> <p><strong>Marie Wettig</strong> - My 60th wedding Anniversary in Hawaii nearly 5 years ago.</p> <p><strong>Helen Croft</strong> - Hawaii and America with my daughters and grandchildren. Best holiday ever.</p> <p><strong>Wendy Douglas</strong> - 104 days world cruise on Princess such a wonderful, memorable and interesting trip.</p> <p><strong>Jay Man</strong> - 9 months hitchhiking from Durban in South Africa to Alexandria in Egypt.</p> <p><strong>Carol Perry</strong> - Outback Broken Hill by car with my sister, both in our 60s.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Tips

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Anne Heche to be taken off life support

<p dir="ltr">US actress Anne Heche will be taken off life support days after she was reported to be brain dead.</p> <p dir="ltr">The decision comes after the 53-year-old was matched with an organ recipient, per CNN, in line with her wishes, after Heche was pulled out of her burning car, which she had <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/actress-fighting-for-her-life-after-horror-car-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">driven into an LA home</a> while driving 104 km/h on August 5.</p> <p dir="ltr">Heche's publicist broke the news that the <em>Six Days, Seven Nights</em> star was "not expected to survive" on Friday, revealing that Heche had "suffered a severe anoxic brain injury".</p> <p dir="ltr">“We have lost a bright light, a kind and most joyful soul, a loving mother, and a loyal friend,” her spokesperson told <em>Page Six</em> at the time.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Anne will be deeply missed but she lives on through her beautiful sons, her iconic body of work, and her passionate advocacy.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-02f14bcd-7fff-85ab-3ecc-d0d822147ddc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Her bravery for always standing in her truth, spreading her message of love and acceptance, will continue to have a lasting impact.”</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/p/CdUqTdKLo6E/?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/p/CdUqTdKLo6E/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Anne Heche (@anneheche)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The following day, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) said in a statement that the investigation into the crash would not move forward.</p> <p dir="ltr">"As of today, there will be no further investigative efforts made in this case," the LAPD said in a statement to <em><a href="https://pagesix.com/2022/08/14/anne-heche-police-investigation-dismissed-following-stars-death/?_ga=2.230917663.184706205.1660479883-1122528718.1567945808" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Page Six</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Any information or records that have been requested prior to this turn of events will still be collected as they arrive as a matter of formalities and included in the overall case.</p> <p dir="ltr">“When a person suspected of a crime expires, we do not present for filing consideration.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After the results for Heche’s blood test following the crash <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/anne-heche-s-blood-test-results-revealed-after-horror-smash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">detected “the presence of drugs” in her system</a>, police investigations escalated to a “preliminary” felony DUI.</p> <p dir="ltr">Gossip magazine <em>TMZ </em>reported on August 10 that the investigation was escalated after a woman claimed she was injured and needed medical assistance due to Heche crashing into her home.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-7a45620a-7fff-a523-348f-68564680d4f2"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">However, an LAPD public information officer told <em>Page Six</em> that the felony was preliminary due to pending further toxicology testing.</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/ChKkPVLukOi/?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/p/ChKkPVLukOi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by James Tupper (@mrjamestupper)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Heche, who never regained consciousness after the crash, is survived by her 13-year-old son Atlas, who she shares with actor James Trupper, as well as her 20-year-old son Homer, shared with ex-husband Coleman Laffoon.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-661f6c10-7fff-c097-316a-6f5c947cb84c"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">On Saturday, Tupper shared a sweet tribute to his late wife to Instagram, posting a single photo of Heche along with the caption: “love you forever 💔”.</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/ChLAEgaPFFF/?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/p/ChLAEgaPFFF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Coley Laffoon (@coleylaffoon)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Laffoon took to social media to wish his ex-wife peace on her journey, sharing a throwback photo of Heche with their son as a baby.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s important to remember the real love in the best times. Thank you Anne. Peace on your journey,” he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-dd5ef628-7fff-d8e9-c738-71dae7ec97e9"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @anneheche (Instagram)</em></p>

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Natalie Barr and David Koch taken to task over interview

<p dir="ltr"><em>Sunrise </em>hosts David ‘Kochie’ Koch and Natalie Barr have been slammed for allowing a controversial critic to go on their show in the wake of the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp trial.</p> <p dir="ltr">US commentator and critic Cooper Lawrence appeared on the breakfast show on Wednesday slamming Heard following her loss against ex-husband Depp. </p> <p dir="ltr">She said that the <em>Aquaman 2</em> actress was still trying to “continue the toxic relationship” with Depp despite filing for divorce herself in 2016. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Remember they had divorced in 2017, things were over, she said I want him to move on, I want to move on, but then she wrote this article and she’s been poking the bear ever since because she still wants him in her life even if it’s in a negative way … They do have a toxic relationship and she clearly wants to continue it,” Lawrence told the hosts. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I was kinda looking for her to be more likeable and more honest here and to say all the things we’ve been hoping she’d say all along which she does for like two seconds, but then she goes back to her whole, ‘Johnny’s an abuser, he’s a liar, etc’ … it’s weird.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The 36-year-old lost the defamation case in which Depp argued that she had defamed him by referring to herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse” in an op-ed for The Washington Post in 2018. </p> <p dir="ltr">Depp was awarded $14.4 million (AUD) in damages after the jury ruled his side. </p> <p dir="ltr">Heard has an interview coming up in which she admits to having “so much regret” with her marriage to Depp.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lawrence accused the actress of “lying again” and that she just wanted the attention on herself. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I think she’s on the ‘you need to listen to me tour’,” Lawrence said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Yet she has these awkward moments that she had during the trial where you’re kind of like ‘Wait, are you lying again?’ It’s like she can’t get her own story straight that she memorised for this interview, and she’s not even under oath.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Australian feminist writer Clementine Ford called out the program for allowing Lawrence on the show, particularly when Heard in fact won the case in the UK.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Why is @sunriseon7 so invested in wheeling out people to continually pile on to a woman who has already had 12 out of 14 allegations of domestic abuse against her agreed with in a UK court? Why is it so important to them that their viewers be fed the villainous woman fiction?” she tweeted. </p> <p dir="ltr">Others agreed with Ford but there is still strong support for Depp after he won the case. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Sunrise</em></p>

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Hunt for Easter Show killer taken over by homicide squad

<p>The investigation into the violent Easter Show murder of teenager Uati Faletolu has escalated to the homicide squad, with dedicated investigators taking charge of the case . </p> <p>The 17-year-old was taking a break from working on one of the carnival rides at the Easter Show when he was targeted in the brawl that ended in the <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/easter-show-chaos-one-teen-dead-one-in-hospital-one-arrested" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stabbing</a> and his eventual death en route to the hospital around 8pm on Monday April 11th.</p> <p>Forensic examiners have investigated the scene but have yet to find significant clues leading them in the direction of the killer. </p> <p>The dedicated homicide detectives, working in partnership with local police, are now focusing on video of the violent incident, calling on witnesses to submit any evidence to Crime Stoppers. </p> <p>Homicide Squad boss Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty said investigators were working meticulously through hours of CCTV and other vision to identify those involved in the incident.</p> <p>“Of the vision we have already reviewed, we know there was a significant amount of people filming the incident, many of whom have not yet supplied the vision to police,” Det Supt Doherty said.</p> <p>“In our experience, it is likely that someone – or many people – has unknowingly captured a clear shot of something of relevance to the investigation.”</p> <p>He said investigators were often faced with silence as perpetrators or victims were often “misguided by loyalties or fear of retribution”.</p> <p>Friends of Mr Faletolu told police they believed the attackers were from the rival postcode of Mt Druitt (2770).</p> <p>Uati, 17, has since been linked to the Doonside gang known as 67 for its postcode 2767.</p> <p>Detectives have appealed to anyone who was in the carnival area at the time of the brawl and hasn’t yet spoken to police to come forward.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

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Father’s chilling photo taken just days before murder-suicide

<p>Just days before a brutal attack on his two children, Perth dad Indika Gunathilaka shared a gushing music video about his daughter. </p><p>Police believe the 40-year-old man murdered his four-year-old daughter Lily and six-year-old son Kohan in their beds before taking his own life in the garage of their home.</p><p>After the family failed to attend a meeting with the kids' mother, the authorities were alerted and rushed to their home on Friday evening. </p><p>Since the tragedy, a music video Indika created and filmed for his daughter has emerged. </p><p>The video shows clips of the father and daughter laughing on the couch together, as well as images of Indika singing on a cliffside. </p><p>In the chilling footage, Mr Gunathilaka described Lily as a “bossy pants” and said all he wanted for her was “happiness”, even when he is “worm feed”.  </p><p>“I don’t love you more than your brother but it’s true what people say, there is something about a daughter that a father could never fray,” the dad sings.  </p><p>“One look from you is all I need to turn gloom into glee, remember that I loved you before our first meet.”</p><p>The video was filmed in 2019 and have racked up over 50,000 views since the devastating incident on Friday. </p><p>Just two days before the deaths, Indika shared a photo on Facebook of him with his two children, all holding hands as they look over the beach with their backs to the camera.</p><p>One close friend commented on the image, "Indika I know why you posted this picture to say you were leaving with the kids."</p><p>WA Police assistant commissioner Allan Adams said they have started their investigation into the incident, and do not believe any other person was involved. </p><p>“The exact cause of death and the circumstances will be thoroughly investigated and this will take some time but I tell you at this stage, we are treating this incident as a double murder suicide,” he said.</p><p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

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Kate Middleton stuns in new portraits taken for her 40th birthday

<p dir="ltr">To celebrate her 40th birthday on January 9, Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, released three stunning portrait photographs taken of her by Italian photographer Paolo Roversi.</p> <p dir="ltr">The three photos feature Kate in three different, but equally mesmerising, dresses and poses. The first, in black and white, shows her in an off-the-shoulder white gown, her body facing away from the camera, looking incredibly regal, calling to mind portraits from the Victorian era.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 331.97278911564626px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846693/_122629833_hi072995613.jpeg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ac62755e17c94f2e97e1b51aec26daf0" /></p> <p dir="ltr">The second, also in black and white, is much more candid, featuring a close up of Kate’s brilliant smile, showing just the top half of a second white gown with ruffled sleeves.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 337.71626297577853px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846695/_122632772_hi072997086.jpeg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/8a1b378a7eea445c9201997acba1bd09" /></p> <p dir="ltr">The third is in full colour, and features the Duchess in an off-the-shoulder red gown with a single puffy sleeve, standing up and smiling at the camera.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 330.8474576271186px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846694/_122632661_f83dcea4-d974-4ab7-a763-865cc3b89c2a.jpeg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b482dbb8beb44004a2810a3bd628c22d" /></p> <p dir="ltr">The photos, which were taken in November 2021, will become part of the National Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection.</p> <p dir="ltr">One of the photos was posted to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s Instagram account, and fans were quick to flood their comments with praise.</p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CYfGRPft9y3/?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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CYfGRPft9y3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@dukeandduchessofcambridge)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">One commenter wrote, “Queen! Gorgeous! Stunning! Beautiful! This exactly what we have been begging for!!!”, while another pointed out, “It looks Victorian”. Another noted a detail people may have missed, writing, “Stunning! Love how Princess Diana’s ring is shown to prominently too. Happy birthday!!”</p> <p dir="ltr">As for birthday celebrations, it is believed the Duchess kept things low-key this year, with royal expert Duncan Larcombe telling<span> </span><em>OK!<span> </span></em>that he believes Kate will have “no fuss” around her birthday, instead preferring to focus on her responsibilities to the monarchy and family. He told the magazine, “It's just not Kate's style to want to throw a lavish party for friends and family”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Paolo Roversi</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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“They were taken from us”: White Island survivor marks second anniversary of tragedy

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Two years after the eruption of New Zealand’s White Island/Whakaari volcano, one survivor has looked back on the incident that “ripped apart” her family.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stephanie Browitt, her 21-year-old sister Krystal, and their father Paul were among 47 people on the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship when it stopped on the privately-owned island on December 9, 2019.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The volcanic eruption </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/news/new-zealand/white-island-survivor-stephanie-browitt-reflects-on-tragedy-that-ripped-apart-her-family-c-4875885" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">resulted</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in the deaths of 22 people, including 14 Australians, and another 25 people who were badly injured.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stephanie was among the survivors, suffering burns to 70 percent of her body and spending six months in hospital. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Unfortunately, Krystal and Paul were among those who died that day.</span></p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXPVRu8P8c0/?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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CXPVRu8P8c0/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Stephanie Coral Browitt (@stephaniecoral96)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a candid post on Instagram two years on, Stephanie said she had “very mixed emotions”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Today marks 2 years since the incident my family &amp; I were a part of. The day that ripped us apart,” she wrote, sharing a series of photos of her family and her recovery.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“For a lot of burn survivors they call it their “burnversary”, a day where they can celebrate their achievements, accomplishments and the fact they survived such awful tragedy’s (sic) on this very date.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I truly want to celebrate all that I have accomplished since I was severely burnt, just like other burn survivors do.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Unfortunately today’s not only the day I survived the unimaginable, it’s the day I lost my dad, Paul and sister, Krystal.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s the day they were taken from us.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“My accomplishments mean nothing to me knowing they aren’t shared with my sister and dad by my side.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stephanie added that she was “grateful” for making it home to her mother, but “heartbroken that only I made it back”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“My heart hurts when I remember what I felt that day, but it hurts more not knowing what my dad and sister felt, that I wasn’t next to them during their last moments,” she continued.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Today marks two years of accomplishments but also loss, pain and never ending grief. I miss and yearn for my family every day.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I love you so much dad and Krystal, so much it kills me.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: @stephaniecoral96 (Instagram)</span></em></p>

Caring

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Neighbourhood taken over by world’s largest rodents

<p dir="ltr">Meet the world’s largest rodent: the capybara. They’re semi-aquatic, meaning they love to swim, and have webbed feet designed for that exact purpose. It also means they can swim underwater for up to five minutes without surfacing for air. They grow up to 2 feet, or 60cm, in size, and can weigh anywhere between 35 to 66 kilograms. They’re native to South America, where they’re known by many names, including carpincho, chigüiro, and capivara.</p> <p dir="ltr">They’re widely adored on the internet, primarily for their friendly yet calm demeanour that allows them to make friends of all species, including cats, rabbits, deer, turtles, as well as their close relatives, guinea pigs. They’re also known for enjoying Japanese hot springs, a country they are not native to but nonetheless have taken by storm.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">there is one imposter among us <a href="https://t.co/JiXGytI4O7">pic.twitter.com/JiXGytI4O7</a></p> — CAPYBARA MAN (@CAPYBARA_MAN) <a href="https://twitter.com/CAPYBARA_MAN/status/1367517585626046468?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">What More Is There To Life? <a href="https://t.co/yKgic1TA7A">pic.twitter.com/yKgic1TA7A</a></p> — Wholesome Cat! (@GoldenHappyCat1) <a href="https://twitter.com/GoldenHappyCat1/status/1445880269718921217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">But recently, they’ve been making headlines for an entirely different reason: home invasions. Okay, they aren’t stealing into people’s homes in the dead of night to swipe their valuables, but they have been accused of invading one exclusive Argentinian neighbourhood in large numbers and committing crimes such as soiling lawns and “bullying” pets.</p> <p dir="ltr">Nordelta is a gated community in the north of Buenos Aires, and was established in 1999. While it is now home to titans of industry and sports stars, it was once home to wildlife like the capybaras, who are at home in the wetland environment provided by the nearby River Paraná.</p> <p dir="ltr">While residents of the enclave have issued calls for the capybaras to be castrated or relocated, supporters both in Argentina and around the globe have rallied around the rodents, holding them up as a symbol of class divisions and environmentalism.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Mural in Buenos Aires, celebrating the capybara invasion of Nordelta, Argentina’s most exclusive gated community, an enclave of the ultra rich, built in a lush area on the wetlands of the Paraná river. <a href="https://t.co/TKhzCx74aB">pic.twitter.com/TKhzCx74aB</a></p> — Radical Graffiti (@GraffitiRadical) <a href="https://twitter.com/GraffitiRadical/status/1430541217889079300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">One longtime resident, real estate broker Gustavo Iglesias, told the<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/rodents-the-size-of-st-bernards-swarm-an-exclusive-gated-community-11633882543?fbclid=IwAR1BxC7KRD6Syy5fQRVQ_O0QelWfsoz2VC5XkgDmXrYkklbw6GS-SuZFDtA" target="_blank"><em>Wall Street Journal</em></a><em>,<span> </span></em>“I’m not anti-capybara; I want to scratch their cute little bellies as much as anyone else.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The problem is that their population is out of control, and people are too scared to do anything. No one wants to look like they’re opposed to nature.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Iglesias complains that his lakeside garden is used by roughly a dozen invading capybaras as a toilet daily, but the last straw was when his dog Lucho came home sporting two deep gashes “that looked like the handiwork of rodent incisors.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Critics of the neighbourhood include environmentalists like Enrique Viale, who said, "wealthy real-estate developers with government backing have to destroy nature in order to sell clients the dream of living in the wild – because the people who buy those homes want nature, but without the mosquitoes, snakes or carpinchos". Viale told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/22/argentina-capybaras-giant-rodents-gated-community" target="_blank"><em>The Guardian</em></a><span> </span>that describing the takeover as an invasion would not be accurate, saying, “It’s the other way round: Nordelta invaded the ecosystem of the carpinchos.” Viale has been part of a decade-long campaign to get congress to pass a law protecting the wetlands from further development.</p> <p dir="ltr">While wealthy residents may not appreciate the return of the capybaras to their native habitat, people from around Argentina have taken to visiting the neighbourhood just to encounter the friendly creatures. The locals should be happy about this - tourism is good for the economy, after all.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Nunca pensé que iba a estar vivo para ver a los carpinchos domando chetos y librando la madre de todas las batallas en Nordelta.<br /><br />Estoy así: <a href="https://t.co/Gy6t7viQUS">pic.twitter.com/Gy6t7viQUS</a></p> — Portgas D.🇦🇷 (@CoupeFuego_) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoupeFuego_/status/1427827864053952514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 18, 2021</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Magali Cervantes/AFP via Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

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“I think she was taken aback”: Rami Malek’s surprising chat with Kate Middleton

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Oscar-winning actor Rami Malek claims he caught Kate Middleton “off-guard” during one of their brief conversations.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 40-year-old actor appeared on </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://youtu.be/DsZC0ugWdr0" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Jimmy Kimmel Live</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> on Wednesday following the premiere of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">No Time to Die</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in which he appeared as Bond’s adversary.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sharing that he crossed paths with the Duchess of Cambridge at the London premiere, Malek revealed that it was an earlier encounter at the 2019 BAFTA Awards that had an impact.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I just looked at Princess Kate at one point and said, ‘This must be exhausting’,” he </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/rami-malek-says-he-caught-kate-middleton-offguard-with-one-question/news-story/8a4e9e45f2d9076f00bb8e91416f1329" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">recalled</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“She said, ‘Why?’ and I said, ‘You just had a baby right?’. I think she was taken aback. She said, ‘How are you doing?’ and I said, ‘No, how are you?’.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"> “And in the most regal, elegant way, she’s like well, you know, gave me a look, but you can tell. Imagine, dressed to the nines, you have to talk to all these actors.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The conversation took place 10 months after Kate gave birth to Prince Louis, her and Prince William’s third child.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It was so cool, because I think I caught her off-guard for a second and [she] had that look of, in the most elegant, professional, royal way, ‘Yes, it’s a lot having a kid,” he added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Actor Daniel Craig also had some kind words with Kate at the London premiere of his final James Bond film.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“You look jolly lovely!” he told her, as she graced the red carpet with a glittering gold gown.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Craig is unsure as to who will be taking on the spy next, Tom Hardy, Idris Elba, and Henry Cavill are believed to be the top candidates.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Relationships

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"He was very brave": David Campbell's son taken to hospital

<p>David Campbell has taken to Instagram to thank healthcare workers for looking after his son on the weekend. </p> <p>David shared several photos of him and his six-year-old son Billy in Royal North Shore Hospital, praising those who cared for him after an accident.</p> <p><span>"Thanks to all the nurses and staff at Royal North Shore Hospital for taking care of Billy and his hand," the </span><em><span>Today Extra</span></em><span> host wrote.</span></p> <p><span><img style="width: 500px; height: 499.21383647798746px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842938/david-campbell-son.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/70caa94871854e678f83a97ac8b037f9" /></span></p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram - @davidcampbell73</em></p> <p><span>"He cut it on oysters and rocks on a walk. He is all better and was very brave."</span></p> <p><span>David's father and Australian music icon Jimmy Barnes commented, "Little guy", as hundreds of well-wishers added get well soon messages to the post. </span></p> <p><span>The post comes just hours after David shared photos of all of his family together celebrating his 48th birthday. </span></p> <p><span>He shared a smiley post of his family, captioning the moment with, "48. Feeling gr8! Surrounded by the most important people in my life. So lucky."</span></p> <p><span><img style="width: 500px; height: 340.98639455782313px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842939/screen-shot-2021-08-09-at-113951-am.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/4b28e542c35a49a896f4bf2d76522a2f" /></span></p> <p><span><em>Image credit: Instagram - @davidcampbell73</em></span></p> <p><span>Six-year-old Billy has made national headlines before, after his father revealed the family believes he is the reincarnation of the late Princess Diana. </span></p> <p><span>Queensland-based psychic medium Peter Williams confirmed the family's suspicions, saying, </span>“What usually happens when we have these instances of reincarnation, there is usually a reason for it and something left over.”</p> <p>“Billy will be able to give clarity and recall memories [from his time as Princess Diana]. It is very much in the realm [of possibility] that he could recall memories of the crash.”</p> <p><span><em>Image credits: Instagram - @davidcampbell73</em></span></p>

News

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Man reveals why he hasn’t taken his bins out in three years

<p>One Australian man has revealed he has not put his rubbish out for collection in more than three years.</p> <p>Gary Moran, from South Australia says his bins have not been put out because he makes calculated choices about the items he purchases.</p> <p>Mr Moran, from Gawler admitted he avoids most items at the supermarket.</p> <p>"I grow some veggies myself and do some shopping at bulk stores and farmer markets, but I'm also careful at the supermarket as to make sure that anything that I do purchase, that the packaging is recyclable," Mr Moran said to <em>Yahoo News Australia.</em></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840943/rubbish.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ac54d60472c540f48e24978682f06ead" /></p> <p>He also said he recycles his soft plastic through REDcycle, making it a much simpler to reduce his overall waste.</p> <p>"It's been an ongoing thing that I've built on," he said.</p> <p>Mr Moran says he cut down his general waste drastically when he began crunching all of his aluminium foil into a large ball and combing smaller bits of metal and plastic into individual containers.</p> <p>He says he didn’t feel like he had to sacrifice anything to become more environmentally friendly.</p> <p>"I can't say that I really sacrificed anything, it's just about making a more intelligent choice about what you buy. I don't feel like I miss out on anything," he said.</p> <p>Mr Moran encourages those hoping to get into the minimal-waste lifestyle to make small changes to their daily habits.</p> <p>"When you want to start on a similar journey, you can make a small station at home where you can separate your things at the source," he said.</p> <p>"It's so easy when there's something in your hand that needs to be put somewhere, and it's no harder than throwing it in the bin."</p> <p>He also warned consumers to think about where their rubbish ends up going when they are done with it and to be wary of what they purchase.</p> <p><em>Image: Yahoo</em></p>

Home & Garden

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Mum taken over by paralysis on drive home

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Queensland mother of two Roisin Clark, 35, has been left heartbroken and in shock after an accident left her paralysed for life.</p> <p>She had just undergone her first surfing lesson in December 2019 where she felt some pain in her back.</p> <p>Brushing it off, her best friend made the five-minute drive home back to Roisin's house where she had lost all feeling from her ribs down.</p> <p>“I thought I was struggling to walk (to the car) because of the pain but in actual fact I was going paralysed,” Roisin (pronounced Roshine) told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/health-wellbeing/qld-mum-of-two-paralysed-from-ribs-down-in-freak-accident-during-first-surfing-lesson-c-2649456" target="_blank">7NEWS.com.au.</a></p> <p>She's replayed that day over and over again in her mind, but was surprised to remember that there were no big waves that she thought could have caused the injury.</p> <p>“About halfway through, I started to get lower back pain,” she said.</p> <p>“I mentioned it to the instructor. He said it was quite normal and asked if I wanted to continue.</p> <p>“I said yes, (because I) didn’t think it was serious.”</p> <p>Roisin continued to brush off the pain, despite not being able to get out of the car when she arrived home.</p> <p>“I went to get out of the car and I couldn’t get out. It was just crazy,” she said.</p> <p>“I lifted my legs to the side of the car and went to stand up and couldn’t.</p> <p>“I fell onto the driveway (and) lay on the driveway.’</p> <p>“I still at this point didn’t think it was serious.”</p> <p>It was only after she was rushed to the hospital and had doctors questioned her that she started to believe it was serious.</p> <p>“I kept getting asked ‘so there wasn’t a big wave?’” Roisin recalled. “Once they saw there was no broken bones, they got the neurologist because they knew it was a spinal cord issue," she explained.</p> <p>“The night after (being admitted to the ER), doctors told me there was nothing more they could do. With the spinal cord, it’s fairly instant. Once there’s damage to it, it’s difficult to recover.”</p> <p>Despite spending five months in hospital recovering, she's not out of the woods yet.</p> <p>“There is so much more to having a spinal cord injury than not being able to walk.</p> <p>“Being in a wheelchair for me, means not only being unable to move or feel touch in my legs but also from my ribs down. It means the loss of bladder and bowel function, body temperature regulation and secondary complications like pressure sores,” Roisin said.</p> <p>“One of the hardest parts is constant and debilitating nerve pain. I spent five months in spinal rehab learning a whole new way of life - the simplest things like rolling over in bed, sitting up, showering, toileting, dressing and transferring into a car.”</p> <p>The family are now appealing for help via<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/helproisindriveagain" target="_blank">GoFundMe</a><span> </span>to buy a new car so that it can be modified and Roisin can help out at home, with the Clark family hoping to raise $45,000.</p> <p>“I’m not sure what the future looks like but if I could have some independence back and get out of the house ...(it) will make such a difference to our lives,” she said.</p> <p><em>Photo credits: 7NEWS</em></p> </div> </div> </div>

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