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UK Supreme Court makes major ruling on definition of "woman"

<p>In a landmark ruling that has stirred celebration and concern in equal measure, the UK Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that the legal definition of "woman" refers exclusively to someone born biologically female.</p> <p>The decision effectively excludes transgender women from being counted as women under the Equality Act, marking a decisive turn in a years-long legal battle over gender identity and women's rights in Scotland.</p> <p>The case, brought by the feminist campaign group For Women Scotland (FWS), challenged guidance issued by the Scottish government that included transgender women with gender recognition certificates in official gender quotas. The ruling has been hailed as a victory by women's rights advocates who argued that expanding the definition undermined protections for biologically female people.</p> <p>“Everyone knows what sex is and you can't change it,” said Susan Smith, co-director of FWS, celebrating the court’s decision outside the courthouse. “It’s basic common sense. People have tried to deny science and reality. Hopefully, this now brings us back to reality.”</p> <p>The Supreme Court’s five justices ruled unanimously that the Equality Act permits single-sex spaces – such as women-only changing rooms, shelters, and medical services – to exclude transgender women, even those who hold gender recognition certificates.</p> <p>In his written opinion, Justice Patrick Hodge said that the ruling does not strip transgender people of their broader protections under UK law but rather clarifies the scope of “sex” in certain legal contexts. “Interpreting ‘sex’ as certificated sex would cut across the definitions of ‘man’ and ‘woman’… and create heterogeneous groupings,” he wrote.</p> <p>The dispute originated from a 2018 Scottish law requiring that at least 50% of board members of public bodies be women. The inclusion of trans women in this target was central to the legal challenge, with FWS arguing that such a move effectively redefined the concept of womanhood without parliamentary authority.</p> <p>Aidan O’Neill, legal counsel for FWS, told the court that “sex” should be interpreted in the “ordinary, everyday” sense, based on biology from birth. “It is an expression of one’s bodily reality,” he said. “An immutable biological state.”</p> <p>The ruling has sparked celebration among gender-critical activists. Outside court, campaigners from several women’s groups opened champagne and chanted, “Women’s rights are human rights.”</p> <p>Maya Forstater, founder of the advocacy group Sex Matters, said: “The court has given us the right answer: the protected characteristic of sex refers to reality, not paperwork.”</p> <p>Author JK Rowling, a vocal supporter of FWS, praised the campaigners as “extraordinary” and “tenacious.” In a post on X, she said, “In winning, they've protected the rights of women and girls across the UK.”</p> <p>However, the judgment has drawn sharp criticism from trans rights organisations and human rights advocates. The campaign group Scottish Trans said it was “shocked and disappointed,” warning that the ruling risks eroding legal protections for trans people.</p> <p>Green Party Member of the Scottish Parliament Maggie Chapman called the decision “deeply concerning” and a “huge blow to some of the most marginalised people in our society.”</p> <p>“Trans people have been cynically targeted and demonised by politicians and large parts of the media for far too long,” Chapman said. “This has contributed to attacks on longstanding rights and attempts to erase their existence altogether.”</p> <p>Amnesty International also condemned the ruling, arguing that it clashes with broader human rights standards. “A blanket policy of barring trans women from single-sex services is not a proportionate means to achieve a legitimate aim,” the organisation stated.</p> <p>The UK government welcomed the Supreme Court's clarification, stating, “Single-sex spaces are protected in law and will always be protected by this government.”</p> <p>Scotland’s semi-autonomous government, which initially defended the inclusion of trans women in public board quotas, said it accepted the court's decision. “We will now engage on the implications of the ruling,” said First Minister John Swinney. “Protecting the rights of all will underpin our actions.”</p> <p>The ruling is expected to have wide-reaching implications for public policy, equalities law, and gender identity debates across the UK – a country increasingly at the centre of a global reckoning on the boundaries of sex, gender and rights.</p> <p><em>Images: For Women Scotland</em></p>

Legal

"Devastated": Brisbane IVF recipient gives birth to another couple's baby

<p>A woman has given birth to another couple’s child after a critical error at a Brisbane fertility clinic resulted in the wrong embryo being transferred during treatment.</p> <p>Monash IVF, a leading fertility provider operating across Australia, has issued an apology following the distressing incident, which occurred at one of its clinics in Brisbane. The mistake came to light in February when the biological parents of the child requested their remaining embryos be transferred to a different IVF provider.</p> <p>“Instead of finding the expected number of embryos, an additional embryo remained in storage for the birth parents,” Monash IVF revealed in a statement. An investigation confirmed that an embryo from another patient had been mistakenly thawed and implanted in the woman, resulting in her giving birth to a child who is genetically unrelated to her.</p> <p>Monash IVF attributed the error to human mistake and said the affected parents were informed of the situation within a week of its discovery.</p> <p>Michael Knaap, the chief executive of Monash IVF, expressed deep regret over the incident. “All of us at Monash IVF are devastated and we apologise to everyone involved,” he said. “We have undertaken additional audits and we’re confident that this is an isolated incident.”</p> <p>To ensure accountability and transparency, the fertility provider has appointed Victorian Senior Counsel Fiona McLeod to conduct an independent investigation. Monash IVF has pledged to fully implement any recommendations arising from the review.</p> <p>The case has also been reported to the Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee, Queensland's assisted reproductive technology regulator.</p> <p>This is not the first controversy faced by Monash IVF. In August last year, the group agreed to a $56 million settlement with more than 700 former patients after allegations it destroyed healthy embryos due to faulty genetic screening. A class action claimed that around 35 per cent of embryos classified as abnormal were, in fact, viable. Although Monash IVF settled the case through mediation, it did not admit to any wrongdoing.</p> <p><em>Images: Today / Shutterstock</em></p>

Family & Pets

Baby Lightning strikes! Aussie Olympian gives birth to fifth child

<p>Aussie Olympic champion Libby Trickett has shared some joyful news – her family has grown with the arrival of baby number five!</p> <p>The 40-year-old swimmer took to Instagram to announce the birth of her newest bundle of joy, revealing his beautiful name and details of his arrival. Trickett and her husband, Luke, proudly welcomed Archie Wilson Lightning Trickett into the world at 7:51am on April 3rd, via an elective caesarean. Baby Archie weighed in at a healthy 3.99kg and measured 53cm long.</p> <p>"The shape of our family is complete," Trickett wrote, beaming with happiness. "Definitely promise it’s for reals this time! I’m really almost certain this time... though I’ve come to realise that I probably would have babies forever. I know that I’ve pushed my body to its absolute limits with this one."</p> <p>Trickett shared that Archie’s arrival was a calm and joyous experience, filled with laughter and love. "Every birth I’ve had has been extraordinary and this one was no different. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to meet our baby boy," she added.</p> <p>The couple’s new arrival is already adored by his siblings, as Trickett sweetly noted that Archie is being "suitably smothered" by his three big sisters and big brother. "We have all been struck with love," she gushed.</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/DIF32JMxCiX/?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/DIF32JMxCiX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Libby Trickett (@libby_trickett)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>In a fun twist, Trickett revealed that they never found out the gender of any of their children during pregnancy – and she managed to guess wrong every single time! "I didn’t predict a single one and I feel so lucky because I couldn’t have wished for more," she laughed.</p> <p>The heartwarming announcement was met with a flood of congratulatory messages from friends, fans and fellow athletes. Surfing legend Mick Fanning commented, "Congratulations," while fellow swimming great Grant Hackett wrote, "Woohoo 🎉 A massive congratulations." Olympian Jana Pittman also chimed in, saying, "Enormous congrats xxxxx."</p> <p>With their growing family now complete, the Tricketts are soaking up every moment of love and joy with little Archie.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Schumacher family announces joyous news

<p>The Schumacher family has reason to celebrate, as Gina Schumacher, daughter of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher, has joyfully announced the birth of her first child.</p> <p>Gina shared the heartwarming news over the weekend, revealing that her baby girl, Millie, arrived on March 29. "Welcome to the world, Millie," Gina wrote in a touching Instagram post. "Born on March 29th, our hearts are fuller than ever. We are beyond blessed to have you in our lives. #welcomeMillie."</p> <p>The 28-year-old professional horse rider first revealed she was expecting back in December, with an adorable announcement featuring balloons next to a saddle and cowboy boots — a nod to her equestrian passion.</p> <p>Since the announcement of Millie's arrival, Gina has been showered with love and congratulations from fans and figures across the F1 world. Max Verstappen’s mother, Sophie Kumpen, commented: “Congrats” with a heart emoji, while the official Mercedes F1 team account sent their well wishes in German: “Herzlichen Glückwunsch”.</p> <p>Gina’s brother, Mick Schumacher, also expressed his pride, posting: “Proud of you” alongside a love heart emoji.</p> <p>Gina and her husband, Iain Betkhe, tied the knot in a private ceremony in September last year. The couple, both horse enthusiasts, have been together for nearly seven years before exchanging vows. Their intimate wedding was carefully kept out of the public eye, with strict privacy measures in place to ensure a special day away from media attention.</p> <p>While fans continue to keep Michael Schumacher in their thoughts – the seven-time F1 champion has been out of the public eye since a skiing accident in 2013 – this joyful addition to the family brings a welcome moment of happiness and hope.</p> <p>As the Schumacher family embraces this new chapter, well-wishers from around the globe are sharing in their joy. Welcome to the world, baby Millie!</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Refinancing your home later in life – what you need to know

<p>There are many reasons why you may look to refinance your home. The obvious one is to lower mortgage repayments with a better rate. However, other reasons people refinance later in life include:</p> <ul> <li>unlocking equity to invest</li> <li>paying down other debts</li> <li>buying a holiday home</li> <li>funding extended travel</li> <li>launching a new business</li> <li>supporting children with a property deposit</li> </ul> <p>Regardless of why you want to refinance, the points below will help you navigate your options.</p> <p><strong>Changing lenders</strong></p> <p>It may have been a while since you last revisited your mortgage, meaning you may not be aware of current lending options and traps.</p> <p>A common trick lenders use is the so-called “headline rate” to grab your attention. However, this interest rate is typically not what you end up paying. It may only be an introductory rate for the first few months, or hefty fees attached may wipe out any savings.</p> <p>Banks aren’t the only ones offering loans nowadays. Registered non-bank lenders, fintechs and online lenders can refinance your mortgage and provide other credit services the same as any bank; they just don’t take cash deposits. Alternatively, you could explore credit unions and mutual societies.</p> <p>Also consider any shareholder benefits you may have. Most banks have done away with them now but may still honour pre-existing ones. If you change lenders, you could lose this entitlement – permanently.</p> <p><strong>Reverse mortgages</strong></p> <p>Generally, only available to people aged 60-plus, a reverse mortgage effectively allows you to unlock equity in your home without you needing to make immediate repayments.</p> <p>However, they often have strict conditions including:</p> <ul> <li>minimum borrowing amounts</li> <li>maximum borrowing ratios</li> <li>higher interest rates than standard mortgages</li> </ul> <p>Crucially, the interest accrues over time and is repaid when you sell, move or pass away. As such, your debt liability grows over time – potentially impacting your future living arrangements and how much is left for beneficiaries in your will. The Govt has the “loan equity scheme” as another option to lenders. I just want to highlight the need to be careful with reverse mortgages.</p> <p><strong>Changing homes</strong></p> <p>Rather than selling, downsizing could involve making an investment property your primary residence and then renting out your existing home.</p> <p>This approach may require you to refinance both loans simultaneously. There will also be tax considerations to work through – including Capital Gains Tax liabilities when you do sell, negative gearing, depreciation, and changes to your income tax.</p> <p>Then there are the lifestyle factors to weigh up, especially if you are moving to a different area:</p> <ul> <li>living expenses</li> <li>insurance and travel costs</li> <li>access to healthcare</li> <li>rental income</li> <li>property management expenses</li> </ul> <p>Remember that if you have a Self Managed Super Fund (SMSF), it CANNOT own any property that you directly use yourself, including your home.</p> <p><strong>Becoming Bank of Mum and Dad</strong></p> <p>Refinancing can unlock equity to support adult children with their first property deposit. However, it isn’t without its risks.</p> <p>Ask yourself honestly:</p> <ul> <li>Will this be a gift or loan?</li> <li>If a loan, under what terms? Will interest be applied? How and when will repayments be made? What if they default?</li> <li>What happens if their relationship breaks down, will you get your money back?</li> <li>How does going without that money affect your retirement?</li> <li>Do you have alternative assets to support you if your circumstances change?</li> <li>How does this affect inheritances or deposit contributions to your other children?</li> <li>Can you assist them another way without using your home equity?</li> </ul> <p>Draw up a written agreement outlining all conditions and scenarios to avoid disagreements in the future.</p> <p><strong>Pension impacts</strong></p> <p>Don’t overlook how refinancing your home could impact your pension. While your home is exempt from the means test, any income or assets you generate from unlocking equity is not.</p> <p>You could inadvertently see your pension amount reduced or your eligibility voided altogether. This would come as a nasty shock if you haven’t pre-budgeted for such a change!</p> <p><strong>Getting advice</strong></p> <p>To ensure you get the best bang for your buck when refinancing, be sure to enlist the help of a good:</p> <ul> <li>mortgage broker to source the best loans for your circumstances</li> <li>insurance broker to ensure your cover is right sized for your needs, risk and budget</li> <li>accountant to work through any tax implications</li> <li>estate planner to manage any changes</li> <li>financial adviser to keep your investments and financial strategy working for you</li> </ul> <p>Ultimately, decisions – including about refinancing – are only as good the information you have at hand. So, make sure you have all the relevant facts before signing on the dotted line.</p> <p><em><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, Money For Life: How to build financial security from firm foundations (Major Street Publishing $32.99). 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. Find out more at </span><a style="color: #467886;" title="http://www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au/" href="http://www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au/"><span style="line-height: 18.4px; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au</span></a></em></p> <p><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></p>

Money & Banking

66-year-old woman reveals why she just gave birth to her 10th child

<p>In a remarkable turn of events, 66-year-old Alexandra Hildebrandt gave birth to her 10th child, a healthy baby boy named Philipp, on March 19 at Charité Hospital in Berlin. The birth, carried out via cesarean section, saw Philipp weighing in at 7 pounds, 13 ounces.</p> <p>Hildebrandt, a well-known human rights activist and the director of Berlin’s Checkpoint Charlie Museum, insists that she conceived naturally, without the aid of fertility drugs, and faced no difficulties during the process.</p> <p>Baby Philipp joins an already large and diverse family, including siblings Svitlana (46), Artiom (36), Elisabeth (12), Maximilian (12), Alexandra (10), Leopold (8), Anna (7), Maria (4), and Katharina (2). Remarkably, eight of these children were born after Hildebrandt turned 53, all during her second marriage to former CDU politician Daniel Dormann.</p> <p>For Hildebrandt, having a big family is both fulfilling and fundamental. “A big family is not only something wonderful, but above all, it is important for raising children properly,” she told <em>The Today Show</em>. Despite her age, she has received only positive feedback from friends and family regarding her pregnancy and childbirth.</p> <p>Dr Wolfgang Henrich, Hildebrandt’s OB/GYN, described her pregnancy as “largely uncomplicated”. However, medical experts caution that pregnancies at such an advanced age come with significant risks. Dr Brian Levine, a fertility specialist based in New York City, notes that the biological likelihood of a woman conceiving naturally at 66 is extremely low. Additionally, the risks of hypertension, gestational diabetes, preterm labor and chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome rise significantly with age.</p> <p>Hildebrandt is not alone in making headlines for late-life motherhood. In 2023, 70-year-old Safina Namukwaya from Uganda gave birth to twins via in vitro fertilisation using donor eggs and her husband’s sperm. Despite concerns about her age, Namukwaya expressed joy at her newfound motherhood, saying that age should not be a barrier to having children.</p> <p>As for Hildebrandt, she credits her lifestyle for her ability to conceive and carry a child at her age. “I eat very healthily, swim regularly for an hour, walk for two hours,” she shared in an interview with <em>Bild</em>. She also noted that she has never smoked, consumed alcohol or used contraceptives.</p> <p><em>Images: The Today Show</em></p>

Family & Pets

"Best news ever!": The Matildas baby boom continues

<p>The Matildas family has another reason to celebrate, after veteran midfielder Tameka Yallop and her wife, former New Zealand international star Kirsty Yallop, announced that they are expecting their second child together.</p> <p>The joyful news was shared with a heartwarming family reveal featuring their daughter, Harley, proudly holding ultrasound photos.</p> <p>"We have been hanging out to share this special news... Harley is bursting with excitement that she is going to be a big sister," the Yallops wrote. "Baby Yallop number two coming soon."</p> <p>The announcement has been met with an outpouring of love and congratulations from teammates and fans alike. Matildas defender Ellie Carpenter was among the first to celebrate, calling it the "Best news ever!!" Goalkeeper Teagan Micah added, "AHHH CONGRATS! Best news. She will be an amazing older sister!!!!" Meanwhile, midfielder Katrina Gorry shared, "Congrats Meeks. So excited for you guys."</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/DH2lpxXRoHX/?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/DH2lpxXRoHX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kirsty Yallop (@kirsty.yallop)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The Yallops’ new addition will join a growing number of young members in the extended Matildas family. Kirsty, who retired from football in 2018, gave birth to Harley in 2020. Gorry, affectionately known as "Mini", welcomed her daughter Harper in 2021, and last year, her partner Clara Markstedt gave birth to their son, Koby.</p> <p>The baby boom continues among the Matildas, with captain Sam Kerr and her fiancée Kristie Mewis also preparing to welcome their first child in May. Mewis, 34, has temporarily stepped away from her career with West Ham and the US national team to carry their baby boy.</p> <p>While celebrations are in full swing, the Matildas also face a minor setback as Gorry has been ruled out of the upcoming matches against South Korea due to an ankle injury sustained while playing for West Ham on Sunday. The extent of the injury remains unclear, but she is already undergoing rehabilitation.</p> <p>Stepping in for Gorry is Melbourne City’s Leah Davidson, who has earned her second call-up to the national squad.</p> <p>With growing families and exciting matches ahead, the Matildas continue to show that they are not only champions on the field but also in life. Congratulations to the Yallop family on their wonderful news!</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Adorable new portraits mark Prince Julian's 4th birthday!

<p>Sweden is celebrating a special milestone as Prince Julian, the youngest son of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia, turns four years old! In honour of this joyous occasion, the Swedish Royal Family has released an adorable new portrait of the young prince, capturing hearts across the nation and beyond.</p> <p>Dressed in a charming knitted cardigan over a collared shirt, Prince Julian was photographed sitting gracefully in an armchair, exuding both innocence and poise. His parents proudly shared the heartwarming portrait on their official Instagram account, accompanied by a loving caption: "Today we celebrate our exuberant Julian who turns 4 years old🎉❤️."</p> <p>Born on March 26, 2021, at Danderyd Hospital, Prince Julian is the third child of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia. His arrival was met with great excitement from his parents and older brothers, Prince Alexander, now eight, and Prince Gabriel, seven. Upon his birth, Prince Carl Philip shared a heartfelt statement: "We are so happy and grateful to welcome our fourth son to the family. This day has been longed for by both us and his two older brothers. Now we look forward to getting to know our new family member."</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/DHqErnaoCpd/?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/DHqErnaoCpd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Prinsparet (@prinsparet)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Prince Julian’s birthday comes during an exciting time for the Swedish royal family, as it follows the recent birth of his baby sister, Princess Ines. Born just weeks ago, Princess Ines is the first daughter of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia, completing their beautiful family of four children. The proud parents introduced their newest addition with a touching Instagram post, stating: "It turned out to be a perfect little quartet. Big and warm thanks for all the nice congratulations to our little Ines."</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/DF9_AL8ofsh/?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/DF9_AL8ofsh/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Prinsparet (@prinsparet)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>While Princess Ines is a member of the Swedish Royal Family, she does not hold a position within The Royal House. This follows King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 2019 decision to redefine the roles of his grandchildren, allowing them to retain their ducal titles while removing their "Royal Highness" status.</p> <p>As Sweden celebrates Prince Julian’s fourth birthday, royal fans are delighted by this sweet glimpse into the young prince’s life. Happy birthday, Prince Julian!</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

The renting trap snaring retirees – and how to avoid it

<p><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">It has long been known that renting in retirement is associated with a lower quality of life. Understanding the causal factors can help you avoid a similar fate. There are many reasons why renting in retirement can be problematic. For a start, figures on how much income we need to retire comfortably usually assumes that you own your home – the cost of rent isn’t included. So, anyone using this as a guide falls well short, potentially by 20-40 per cent.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Additionally:</span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Rent usually eats up a larger portion of retirement income than home ownership.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Over time, rents typically keep rising while mortgage debts reduce.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Home ownership provides equity to use for other investments, further boosting retirement income.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Downsizing homeowners can make an additional superannuation contribution from the sale proceeds, which renters cannot.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Homeowners can make accessibility modifications to meet their needs as they age, like installing ramps or rails.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Homeowners have greater stability and aren’t subject to eviction (and moving costs) at short notice.</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;"><strong>How big a problem is it?</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Numerous studies have highlighted the growing scale of the problem faced by renting retirees. </span><a style="color: #467886;" href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/renting-in-retirement-why-rent-assistance-needs-to-rise/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">The Grattan Institute</span></a><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;"> recently found that “two in three retirees who rent in the private market live in poverty,” and that “most older working Australians who rent do not have sufficient savings to keep paying rent in retirement.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">The rental trap is also not exclusive to low-income earners. </span><a style="color: #467886;" href="https://everybodyshome.com.au/resources/priced-out-priced-out-an-index-of-affordable-rentals-for-australian-voters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Everybody’s Home</span></a><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;"> recently found Australians earning $100,000 per year – above the </span><a style="color: #467886;" href="https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/labour/earnings-and-working-conditions/employee-earnings/latest-release" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">national median of $1,396 per week</span></a><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;"> ($72,592 per year) – are struggling to pay their rent.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">The end result is that homelessness is a growing problem for over 55s – particularly women. </span><a style="color: #467886;" href="https://www.mercyfoundation.com.au/our-focus/ending-homelessness/older-women-and-homelessness/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">The Mercy Foundation</span></a><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;"> notes that homelessness among these women grew 6.6 per cent in the 2021 Census, following a huge 31 per cent increase in the 2016 Census.</span></p> <p><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;"><strong>What is causing it?</strong></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Not owning your own home in retirement is obvious answer here. But there are various contributing factors that see people forced to rent later in life, including losing their home and being financially unable to replace it.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">These include:</span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Divorce/separation – court and legal fees, counselling costs, division of assets (including the family home).</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Pre-retirement chronic illness – time out of the workforce for both the patient and their partner to care for them, loss of income, less going into super, and higher healthcare costs.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Death of a partner – up-front bills like funeral expenses, surviving partner suddenly on a single income.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Elder abuse – an estimated </span><a style="color: #467886;" href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/family-domestic-and-sexual-violence/population-groups/older-people#abuse" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">one in six older Australians experience elder abuse</span></a><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">, including 2.1 per cent facing financial abuse.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Domestic violence – fleeing abusive relationships with little or no money and assets.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Climate change – loss of uninsured home/other assets as storms, floods, cyclones, and fires increase in frequency and severity.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Scams – </span><a style="color: #467886;" href="https://www.nasc.gov.au/news/australians-better-protected-as-reported-scam-losses-fell-by-almost-26-per-cent" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Australians lost $2 billion to scams</span></a><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;"> in 2024.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Gambling – </span><a style="color: #467886;" href="https://aifs.gov.au/research/research-snapshots/gambling-participation-and-experience-harm-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">46 per cent of gamblers are at risk of harm</span></a><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">, including losing their home.</span></li> <li><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Housing unaffordability – soaring prices (and stamp duty) push home ownership out of reach.</span></li> </ul> <p><span style="font-family: Aptos, sans-serif; color: #242424; border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;">Women often face the brunt of these effects, disadvantaged by the gender pay gap, having less in superannuation, often having primary or sole custody of children, and having less secure employment.</span></p> <p><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0cm;"><strong>How can you protect yourself?</strong></span></p> <p><span lang="EN-GB">Thankfully, there are steps we can all take to protect ourselves and our retirement:</span></p> <ul> <li><span lang="EN-GB">Get your foundations right for a strong financial footing – emergency fund, spending and investment plan, insurances, superannuation, estate planning.</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-GB">Make decisions jointly – letting your partner control finances alone means more risk for you and less spending oversight.</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-GB">Have contingency plans – your own bank account, independent financial and retirement plans, insurances, and back-up plans just in case.</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-GB">Get into the market ASAP – even a cheap investment property far from where you live is a financial asset and a roof over your head if needed.</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-GB">Consider co-ownership – if you can’t afford to buy property alone, split the purchase and ongoing costs with an adult child, sibling, or close friend. Alternatively, sub-let a room to offset the costs.</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-GB">Don’t settle for less – avoid accepting an unreasonable separation settlement just to resolve things quickly.</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-GB">Be alert – know the warning signs of scams, elder abuse, gambling addiction and domestic violence to avoid losing everything.</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-GB">Get independent advice – professional legal, accounting, and financial advice can help you build financial independence, create safeguards, and recover faster if disaster does strike.</span></li> </ul> <p><span lang="EN-GB">Overall, the best thing you can do is simply to act. By being proactive instead of burying your head in the sand, your future self stands a much better chance of enjoying a comfortable retirement!</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/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><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> <p> </p>

Money & Banking

Police investigating after pet cavoodle held for ransom

<p>A Sydney family are in shock after being forced to pay a ransom for the return of their beloved cavoodle, Benji, after he was snatched from the street and held for cash in an appalling case of dognapping.</p> <p>Benji, a 10-year-old cavoodle, escaped from his home on Flinders Crescent in Hinchinbrook around 45 minutes west of hte CBD when a tradesman accidentally left a gate open. His desperate owner, Paulina Tran, searched tirelessly, knocking on doors in her neighbourhood and posting urgent appeals on social media.</p> <p>“Our whole family is quite distraught,” Tran <a href="https://7news.com.au/news/missing-cavoodle-snatched-by-stranger-in-sydneys-southwest-reunited-with-owner-after-50-ransom-c-18144581" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told 7NEWS</a>. “My kids have been crying non-stop because we’ve had this dog for 10 years.”</p> <p>A breakthrough came when a neighbour provided CCTV footage showing a man in a dark blue T-shirt and light blue shorts taking Benji off the street several hundred metres from Tran’s home. “He was very distraught. You can hear him on the footage crying,” Tran said of Benji.</p> <p>Another neighbour, who was working from home, witnessed the incident and recalled the man whistling to Benji – a suspicious action since owners typically call their dogs by name. As the community rallied, more people came forward with information, eventually helping identify the man caught on CCTV.</p> <p>Determined to bring Benji home, Tran and her husband confronted the man at his residence, only to be met with a ransom demand.</p> <p>“We approached him and he refused to give us our dog back, saying that we needed to give him money,” Tran recounted. The situation then escalated when the man became aggressive and issued a disturbing threat: “I will skin your dog alive” if they refused to pay.</p> <p>Fearful for Benji’s safety, Tran and her husband reluctantly agreed to hand over a small sum. The man took the money before retrieving Benji, who was returned with a rope tightly secured around his neck.</p> <p>Despite their ordeal, Tran and her husband chose not to take further action after seeing children at the man’s home.</p> <p>“It doesn’t take two bad people to make things right. Just because someone’s bad doesn’t mean you have to be bad to them,” Tran said.</p> <p>In response to inquiries by 7NEWS, NSW Police have confirmed they will be investigating the incident.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook / 7NEWS</em></p>

Family & Pets

Adriano Zumbo’s joyous family news

<p>Adriano Zumbo is expecting his second child with wife Nelly Riggio. </p> <p>The couple shared the exciting news on Instagram, with a photo of Riggio cradling her baby bump and the caption: "Hi little gal."</p> <p>They already have a one-year-old son, Maximus Mario Zumbo together. </p> <p>"We are baking something very special," they shared in their pregnancy announcement for their first child together on May 2023. </p> <p>"Most definitely our greatest creation yet. Little baby macaron due November."</p> <p>Maximus was born premature at just 33 weeks, but is now a happy and healthy one-year-old. </p> <p>Zumbo and Riggio have previously shared their struggles with fertility, after trying to conceive naturally for three years. </p> <p>Shortly after the birth of their first child, on October 9, 2023, Riggio appeared on the <em>Fitness Mama </em>podcast to talk about the couple's journey to parenthood. </p> <p>Riggio said that while she was struggling to get pregnant, she was watching her friends celebrate their own pregnancies, which took an emotional toll on her. </p> <p>The couple eventually decided to pursue IVF, but their first two attempts were unsuccessful. </p> <p>Riggio described the IVF journey as a "huge struggle" but worth it after she had fallen pregnant with Maximus. </p> <p>"We waited a long time for you my Maxy," Riggio wrote on Instagram alongside a black and white video of Maximus shortly after his birth. </p> <p>"Every day with you is a blessing, our presence has filled out hearts with boundless love. Thank you for choosing us."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

"Miraculous rescue": Renter saves stray dog trapped underground

<p>An American renter was minding his own business at his rental home in Longview, Texas when he heard faint barking. </p> <p>The man, who chose to remain anonymous, initially thought the barking was coming from outside, but soon realised that it was coming from below his floorboards. </p> <p>Animal control officer Bobby Jumper was called to the scene and "was very shocked" to find a dog trapped at the bottom of an almost four-metre-deep well underneath the house.</p> <p>The renter did not know there was a well under the house. </p> <p>"I've been doing this for over seven years and that's the first time I've ran into something like this," the animal control officer told the <em>Washington Post.</em></p> <p>Jumper immediately called in back up from the local fire brigade, who built a makeshift sling to pull the stray dog out from safety. </p> <p>"It took multiple people and a lot of different tools and equipment," he said. </p> <p>The rescue took three hours and the team did consider ripping up the floorboards, but managed to find a way into the house without damaging it. </p> <p>Rescuers said the stray pup, a Basset hound mix, had been trapped for days without food or water, but luckily came out unscathed. </p> <p>The pup was taken to the Longview Animal Care and Adoption Centre and given the name Timmy, after the character known to fall down the well on the TV show Lassie. </p> <p>Timmy has since been adopted by a loving family, with the adoption centre sharing the "rescue story of a lifetime" on Facebook. </p> <p>"We witnessed a heartwarming tale of bravery and kindness that we just had to share," they wrote.</p> <p>"Thanks to the quick thinking and heroic efforts of our local firefighters and animal control team, the dog was safely brought to the surface, shaken but unharmed!"</p> <p>"Thank you to everyone who played a part in this miraculous rescue," the post continued.</p> <p>"It's a true reminder of the incredible bond between humans and animals and how a community comes together in times of need!"</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

Rod Stewart celebrates birth of fourth grandchild

<p>Rod Stewart has started the new year with some heartwarming news, as he welcomes his fourth grandchild. </p> <p>The rock star's son, Liam Stewart and his wife Nicole, who already share 21-month-old son Louie together, took to Instagram on Monday to introduce the latest addition to their family - an adorable baby girl. </p> <p>“Elsie Skylar Stewart. Our sweet little pea born 03/02/25,” the couple wrote, with a series of sweet photos from the hospital. </p> <p>In one photo, Liam beamed as he posed alongside his wife who was cradling their newborn daughter and their son on her lap. </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/DGwAH0Ayxm4/?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/DGwAH0Ayxm4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Nicole Artukovich Stewart (@itsnicolestewart)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Her name is a heartwarming tribute to Rod's mother Elsie Gilbart, who died in 1996 at the age of 91.</p> <p>Rod's ex-wife and Liam's mother, Rachel, took to the comments to gush over her grandchild, writing: "I can't wait to meet you. Bursting with love."</p> <p>The rock star's current wife, Penny Lancaster, commented: "So adorable, can't wait to meet Louie's little sister Elsie."</p> <p>Rod's model daughter Ruby also commented saying: "Welcome to the Stewart family Little Elsie!" </p> <p>Liam and Nicole welcomed their first child, son Louie, in May 2023.</p> <p>The singer previously shared a photo of the moment he met Louie, with the caption: ‘Happy Grandad.” </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

"Miss you every day": Brooke Warne's tribute to Shane

<p>Brooke Warne has shared an emotional tribute to her father Shane on the three-year anniversary since his sudden death. </p> <p>Cricket legend Shane died on March 4th 2022 in Ko Samui, Thailand, at the age of 52 following a suspected heart attack.</p> <p>Brooke, 26, wrote a heart-wrenching post about her dad, saying she misses him every day since his passing. </p> <p>She shared a series of photos with her dad throughout her life, captioning her post, "3 years without you Dad ❤️‍🩹 I miss laughing with you about the little things and there is so much I want to show you🤍."</p> <p>Brooke, who is the eldest of Warne's three children, added: "I know you're always with us, I love you ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 I miss you every day."</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/DGwBd3Vz43h/?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/DGwBd3Vz43h/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by B R O O K E 🍿 W A R N E (@brookewarne)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The post was flooded with comments, with Brooke's brother Jackson Warne commenting a red love heart underneath the post. </p> <p>In the years since his death, the sporting legend's children have honoured him and support the Shane Warne Legacy foundation as ambassadors.</p> <p>As the news of Shane's death first broke in 2022, Brooke admitted in a candid post that it didn't "feel real ".</p> <p>"It doesn't feel right, you were taken away too soon and life is so cruel," she said.</p> <p>"We were so similar in so many ways and I always use to joke that I got your genes and I use to joke about how much that annoyed me!! Well now I couldn't be happier and prouder that I have your genes."</p> <p>"And I was lucky and will forever be, so proud to call you my dad. I love you to infinity and back and I will miss you forever."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Family & Pets

"Could not be happier": Channel 7 commentator's baby joy

<p>AFL great and Channel 7 commentator Dale Thomas and his wife Natasha have announced that they are expecting their first child together. </p> <p>The couple told family and friends over Christmas before announcing their baby joy to the public on Monday. </p> <p>“Tash and I could not be happier to be welcoming our baby into the world in August,” the former Carlton and Collingwood player said. </p> <p>“Last year started with the high of our wedding and ended with this fantastic news.</p> <p>“Telling loved ones over the Christmas period made for some wonderful memories and some brilliant reactions, and we will treasure this forever.</p> <p>“This next chapter has us both so excited.</p> <p>“As happy as we are to be sharing this great personal news, we also want to acknowledge and send big love and thoughts to those who are still waiting for their baby joy.</p> <p>“We appreciate how difficult and sensitive it can be.”</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/DGusT0yz1zr/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGusT0yz1zr/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Dale Thomas (@dthomas_39)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The couple also shared a video of the moment they found out they were expecting, and revealed the due date is in August on Instagram. </p> <p>"Baby Thomas, due August ❤️ We love you so, so much," they captioned the video. </p> <p>The comments were flooded with well-wishes from friends, with footy commentator Abbey Holmes writing: "YAY. Cats outta the bag!! So so so excited for you both. Bring it on xxxxxxxxxxxxxx." </p> <p>"OMFG this is the best news ever!!!! What a wonderful Monday surprise. Congratulations to the both you. Good job," added MasterChef's Khanh Ong.</p> <p>The happy news comes a year after they tied the knot in Dunkeld. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Meghan Markle shares rare glimpse at Princess Lilibet

<p>Meghan Markle has shared a rare glimpse at her daughter Princess Lilibet spending time with her sports star "Auntie", Serena Williams. </p> <p>The Duchess of Sussex took to Instagram <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: 'Proxima Nova', system-ui, -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 16px;">to share a series of photos and videos of Lilibet playing a game with the tennis star at their home. </span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Proxima Nova, system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Fira Sans, Droid Sans, Helvetica Neue;">"When the aunties comes to celebrate … and to play! Love you @serenawilliams," shared in her stories. </span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Proxima Nova, system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Fira Sans, Droid Sans, Helvetica Neue;">The three-year-old was pictured playing a personalised 'Archie & Lili Candy Land' board game, wearing a long-sleeved top and floral pants, with Serena watching over her. </span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Proxima Nova, system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Fira Sans, Droid Sans, Helvetica Neue;">With the upcoming release of the royal's newest Netflix series, </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Proxima Nova, system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Fira Sans, Droid Sans, Helvetica Neue;"><em>With Love, Meghan</em>, a series where she holds candid conversations with friends while also sharing "practical how-tos" in the kitchen, garden and more, the royal spent some time with family and friends to celebrate. </span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Proxima Nova, system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Fira Sans, Droid Sans, Helvetica Neue;">"[Three] days until the party begins. All are invited ❤️ @netflix," Meghan shared a follow up Instagram story, with a picture of her embracing Serena. </span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Proxima Nova, system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Fira Sans, Droid Sans, Helvetica Neue;">Williams and the royal first met at the Super Bowl in 2010 and have remained close friends since. </span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Proxima Nova, system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Fira Sans, Droid Sans, Helvetica Neue;">They recently spent time together at the Paley Honours Fall Gala in December of last year. </span></p> <p><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Proxima Nova, system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Fira Sans, Droid Sans, Helvetica Neue;">Image: Instagram</span></em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

Brittany Higgins celebrates birth of first child

<p>Brittany Higgins and husband David Sharaz, have announced the birth of their first child together. </p> <p>The former Liberal Party staffer took to Instagram to share her baby joy, with a photo of her newborn son asleep in a hospital cot. </p> <p> “Last night we welcomed our little boy into the world," she began in the caption. </p> <p>“A huge thank-you to the amazing midwives, nurses and doctors for their care and kindness,” Higgins continued. </p> <p>“We’re both looking forward to getting to dote on the newest member of the family — forever grateful for all the love and support we’ve received.”</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/DGsdv2DJh-n/?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/DGsdv2DJh-n/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Brittany Higgins (@brittanyhiggins___)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Her comments were flooded with messages of congratulations from friends and followers, with one writing: "Very lucky little man to have you both as his parents" </p> <p>Another commented: "So lovely. Congrats to you both. You will be fabulous parents." </p> <p>"Omg!!!!! Best news. Congrats to you both let the fun begin 🫶🏼" a third wrote. </p> <p>Higgins revealed she was pregnant with her first child in July 2024, three months later she shared an emotional update, saying that she had a pregnancy health scare during her second trimester. </p> <p>"A fortnight ago, David Sharaz and I had the scare of our lives after the midwife told us halfway through my second trimester my blood test had raised red flags," she said at the time. </p> <p>“Our baby had a high probability of a genetic disorder — which wouldn’t have mattered to us — but scarily could mean he may be incompatible with life outside of the womb.”</p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Fortunately, doctors had since given the all-clear, and her baby is now "perfectly fine and healthy." </span></p> <p><em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Images: Instagram</span></em></p>

Family & Pets

Faithful dog's heartbreaking act after owner's death

<p>Heartbreaking images have captured the moment a faithful dog refusing to leave its owner's side after he drowned on a beach in Brazil. </p> <p>The unidentified 40-year-old victim's body was found by residents around 8am on Saturday in Balneário Camboriú. The man was homeless and known for collecting recyclables in the area. </p> <p>Photos from the police investigation showed the pup lying next to his owner's body on the beach, despite it being covered. </p> <p>The footage went viral and captured the hearts of Allan Tatsch and his wife Lauriane Garghetti, who decided to adopt the pup and named him Scooby. </p> <p>"Welcoming Scooby with open arms," Tatsch wrote on Instagram alongside a picture of the couple and the pup. </p> <p>"He is just a survivor in this world, being faithful to his guardian until his last moments."</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/DGgSPKYOf_K/?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/DGgSPKYOf_K/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by O Município (@omunicipiobrusque)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The couple already had two dogs of their own at home, and live in Brusque, just 45 km away from Balneário Camboriú.</p> <p>In an interview with local news outlet, <em>G1 </em>the couple revealed that Scooby had settled into his new home without any issues.</p> <p>"He already seemed to know the place. He was very well received by the other two dogs I have, who are also from shelters that we adopted," Tatsch said. </p> <p>"And he didn't want to leave my wife and I at any time," he added.</p> <p>"He stayed inside the house, snuggled on the couch and spent the night."</p> <p>The couple even set up an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/skoobofiel/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> account for Scooby, sharing updates including Scooby learning new tricks, getting pets and exploring his new neighbourhood. </p> <p>"They are the ones who teach us so much about humanity… more than humans themselves," Garghetti captioned one of the videos. </p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

Home and Away co-stars announce the birth of their baby

<p>Former<em> Home and Away</em> stars Luke Mitchell and Rebecca Breeds have announced the birth of their first child. </p> <p>The Aussie actors shared the news that Breeds, 37, had given birth in a joint Instagram post including some gorgeous images of their newborn. </p> <p>Revealing they welcomed a boy, they wrote: "Welcome to the world little man. Thanks for choosing us. We love you beyond words 🙏❤️✨."</p> <p>Fans, friends and former <em>Home and Away</em> alumni raced to the comments to congratulate the family. </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/DGTat_vxsSJ/?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/DGTat_vxsSJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Luke Mitchell (@lukemitchell17)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><em>Home and Away</em> star Georgie Parker commented: "Oh Luke, huge congratulations to you and Bec. Now the fun begins. Sending love."</p> <p>The pair kept their baby's face concealed, but shared images of his feet, tiny hands and hair, and chose not to announce the baby boy's name.</p> <p>Breeds announced her pregnancy in November, posing on the red carpet and cradling her baby bump for photos. </p> <p>The couple met on set of iconic soap <em>Home and Away</em> and fell head over heels and have now been together for 15 years, tying the knot back in 2013.</p> <p>Image credits: Instagram </p>

Family & Pets

Meghan Markle shares rare glimpse of Princess Lilibet

<p>Meghan Markle has shared a rare glimpse of her daughter, Princess Lilibet, as she reintroduces her lifestyle brand under a new name – As Ever.</p> <p>Following trademark issues with her original brand name, American Riviera Orchard, the Duchess of Sussex officially confirmed the rebranding in a social media post. Accompanying the announcement, a newly launched website prominently features an image of Meghan and Lilibet walking hand-in-hand through a park, seemingly captured by a drone.</p> <p>This marks the third new image of three-year-old Lilibet shared with the public in just a few months. In December, Prince Harry and Meghan’s private Christmas card included a touching moment of the couple embracing Lilibet and her older brother, Prince Archie, 5. Then, in a tribute video following the passing of Meghan’s beloved rescue Beagle, Guy, fans caught another glimpse of Lilibet in a photo from Meghan’s private album, showing her with Guy in a park. The latest image appears to have been taken on the same day, as Meghan and her daughter are seen wearing similar outfits.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2025/02/LilibetMarkle_Insta.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p>The heartwarming photo aligns with the essence of As Ever, which will offer a variety of products, including Meghan’s homemade jams. In a video accompanying the brand's launch, the Duchess excitedly shared her passion for the venture.</p> <p>“I think we're all clear at this point that jam is my jam, but there are so many more products that I just love and use in my home, and now it’s time to share them with you,” she said. “I can't wait for you to see it.”</p> <p>The name As Ever holds special meaning for Meghan’s followers, as it was originally her signature sign-off on her now-defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig. The phrase later appeared on her podcast, Archetypes, and has now been embraced as the identity of her revived business, which coincides with her reactivated Instagram account.</p> <p>“And if you’ve followed me since 2014 with The Tig, you know I’ve always loved cooking, crafting and gardening,” she explained. “This is what I do, and I haven’t been able to share it with you in the same way for the past few years, but now I can.”</p> <p>As Ever is expected to reflect Meghan’s personal style and passions, much like her previous work on The Tig, with a focus on home and lifestyle products. </p> <p><em>Images: As Ever / Instagram</em></p>

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