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Huge reward to help solve cold case of missing mum

<p>Police are offering a $500,000 reward for information to help solve a cold case that suspect was a murder. </p> <p>Tammy Lisa Dyson, also known as Tamela Menzies, was 23 when went missing from the Currumbin area in 1995. </p> <p>The mother of two was picked up from a drug rehab clinic by a woman claiming to be her sister on July 20, 1995 and has not been seen since. </p> <p>Dyson was born and raised in Victoria before moving to Brisbane in 1988, where she worked in the adult entertainment industry under the nickname "Pebbles". </p> <p>Police believe she began mixing with criminals and using drugs while working in strip clubs on the Gold Coast.</p> <p>In early 1995 Dyson arranged for her young sons, Jyles and Rainey, to stay with their grandmother in Victoria temporarily.</p> <p>A few months later she made a distressed call to her sister Olivia, who said she had been assaulted. </p> <p>Olivia and her partner then dropped Dyson off to a drug rehabilitation centre at Currumbin on the Gold Coast, and on July 20, 1995 she was picked up by someone claiming to be her sister. </p> <p>The following day, Tammy completed a statutory declaration signed by a Justice of the Peace in Tweed Heads, giving custody of her children and her possessions to her mother.</p> <p>She also called her sister one last time, with Olivia recalling that Tammy "didn't sound like herself" and she had mentioned underworld figures. </p> <p>Police have received a number of reported sightings of Tammy since 1995 but all proof of life inquiries have  been proven negative.</p> <p>In 2012, the Queensland coroner said that they believed Tammy was deceased and indicated that she may have been a victim of violence, although a certain date, time and cause of death have not been determined. </p> <p>Police are now offering the huge reward for new information and immunity from prosecution for any accomplice who comes forward.</p> <p>"Tammy associated with criminals that were known to police and vanished without a trace after giving custody of her children and possessions to her mother; we believe the circumstances of her disappearance is suspicious," Detective Senior Sergeant Tara Kentwell said.</p> <p>On Wednesday, her sons, who were only three and one when their mother disappeared, made an emotional appeal for public help to find her. </p> <p>"Growing up without mum and not knowing what happened to her has been very hard," Jyles Lebler said through tears during a media conference. </p> <p>"Whoever has picked her up, I'm not saying they have done something but they must know something bad has happened."</p> <p>"We hope we find out what to mum to give grandma some closure before it's too late," Rainey added.</p> <p><em>Images: Queensland Police</em></p>

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"I miss her hugs": British acting legend shares heartbreaking loss

<p>Actor Warwick Davis has shared the heartbreaking news of his wife's death. </p> <p>The actor, known for his roles in <em>Harry Potter</em> and <em>Star Wars</em>, took to social media to share the news of his wife Samantha's death, who passed away at the age of 53. </p> <p>“Her passing has left a huge hole in our lives as a family. I miss her hugs”, Warwick, 54, said.</p> <p>He added, “She was a unique character, always seeing the sunny side of life she had a wicked sense of humour and always laughed at my bad jokes.</p> <p>“Without Sammy, there would have been no Tenable quiz show, no Willow series. No Idiot Abroad Series 3.”</p> <p>Warwick said Samantha was his “most trusted confidant and an ardent supporter of everything I did in my career”.</p> <p>The couple’s children, Harrison and Annabelle, added, “Mum is our best friend and we’re honoured to have received a love like hers</p> <p>“Her love and happiness carried us through our whole lives”.</p> <p>Warwick and Samantha met on the set of the movie Willow in 1988 and got married three years later. </p> <p>Samantha had achondroplasia, a bone growth disorder that causes disproportionate dwarfism.</p> <p>Warwick has previously opened up about his wife’s health after she was rushed to hospital with sepsis in 2018, and had to undergo several different surgeries to stabilise her condition. </p> <p>Warwick, co-founder of charity Little People UK, has often spoken out about the health battles related to his condition, as well his wife’s.</p> <p>He was born with Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SED), an extremely rare genetic form of dwarfism, which has been inherited by both their daughter Annabelle and son Harrison.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

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"I miss my bestie": New appeal after Molly's family left in the dark

<p>Peggy and Ruby, the inseparable pet dogs, and their feathered friend the illustrious Molly the Magpie, are back in the news again – this time for being "snubbed" by the Queensland Premier.</p> <p>After <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/outcry-after-authorities-seize-internet-famous-magpie-from-queensland-family" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wildlife officials swooped in</a> and plucked Molly from her cozy abode, leaving Peggy and Ruby in a state of mourning, the Gold Coast community erupted into chaos, with cries of injustice echoing through the streets.</p> <p>Even the Queensland Premier Steven Miles couldn't resist dipping his toes into the avian drama, promising to right the perceived wrong and reunite the trio.</p> <p>“I’m most interested in what is in the best interests of the animal and if the department can work with the family to reunite them in a way that is legal, I would support them,” Premier Miles said. “I know they take their responsibilities under the law very seriously, but I think in these circumstances there’s room for some flexibility. I sometimes think common sense needs to prevail. I hope my support for that campaign can get Molly back home.”</p> <p>But as time passes and emails go unanswered, the hopes of the trio have dwindled like a deflating balloon at a child's birthday party, prompting the pets' owner, Juliette Wells, to release a further appeal on poor Ruby's behalf:</p> <p>"Ruby is disappointed," reads the post on Instagram. "She says, 'What is taking soo long? MR QLD STEVEN MILES said he was going to help bring Molly home but he’s not answering my emails or phone calls. I don’t understand why?</p> <p>'If he does get back to me I’m going to tell him WOOF I’m NOT Happy, I miss my bestie & think about him everyday 🥹🐶🐾'</p> <p>Wells then goes on to call for further action. "We are all getting to this point 😕," she writes. "We need to keep pushing forward keep the emails rolling . . ." </p> <p>But then Wells is very careful to instruct fans as to the tone they should adopt: "<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">** NO AGGRESSION. Be kind - remember what these 3 best friends have shown the world Love & acceptance in differences. We all have differences in opinions let’s just voice them in a positive way for this Famous Magpie Molly **"</span></p> <p>Calls for action from fans and followers was immediate and resolute, with one fan writing "protest needs to be organised ❤️ all we want to see is for three friends to be reunited ❤️ If they really cared about Molly as they say they wouldn’t let him suffer like that he must be sad without his friends 😢."</p> <p>Another, dramatically, went one step further: "I’ve just put a call in to a friend on the opposition party to your premier- she’s going to see what she can do xxx🤞🏽🤞🏽🤞🏽🌈🌈🌈."</p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> </span></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/C5h8zoJpmN4/?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/C5h8zoJpmN4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Peggyandmolly (@peggyandmolly)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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"You were our whole damn sky": Tributes flow after alleged murder of young teacher

<p>The family of a young teacher from Victoria are in mourning after the body of 23-year-old was found in a burnt-out car just hours after she was reported missing. </p> <p>Hannah McGuire was found near State Forest Rd in Scarsdale, an area near Ballarat surrounded by bushland, on Friday after her family had reported her missing just before. </p> <p>On Sunday, two young men were arrested over her death, and on Monday, a 21-year-old was charged with one count of murder.</p> <p>The young man is believed to be Hannah's ex-boyfriend, who had been living with Ms McGuire for about a year before their recent separation.</p> <p>Police will allege the man drove her body to a remote national park and set the car on fire, before posting a loving tribute on social media and telling her friends she had taken her own life. </p> <p>The man will appear in Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.</p> <p>As news of Hannah's untimely death broke, her parents shared a heart-wrenching tribute to their daughter on Facebook. </p> <p>Her parents run the National Hotel in the regional town of Clunes, and shared their tribute on their business Facebook page to inform patrons that the pub will remain closed until Wednesday. </p> <p>"Thank you everyone for your love, support and kind words. Our hearts are broken," the post read."</p> <p>"You weren’t just a star to us. You were our whole damn sky. Miss you Princess!"</p> <p>A <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-hannah-mcguire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page has been set up by the Clunes Cricket Club supporting McGuire’s family, and has already raised over $45,000. </p> <p>“As a community we send our deepest love and condolences to Glenn, Debbie, Jude and Fletcher,” the club said.</p> <p>“Hannah was known by many as a bright young woman and had a heart of gold.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook / GoFundMe</em></p>

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Sad end in search for missing Yellowstone actor

<p>The entertainment industry is mourning the loss of actor Cole Brings Plenty, known for his roles in various Western dramas, including a spin-off of the immensely popular television series <em>Yellowstone</em>.</p> <p>The news of his demise surfaced after a distressing sequence of events unfolded in Kansas, where Brings Plenty was found dead after being reported missing amidst a domestic violence investigation.</p> <p>Authorities from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office confirmed on Friday the discovery of Brings Plenty's body in a wooded area. This revelation came in the wake of escalating concerns when the actor went missing amid a cloud of suspicion regarding a domestic violence incident.</p> <p>The circumstances surrounding Brings Plenty's death remain shrouded in mystery, as law enforcement officials have refrained from disclosing any details regarding the cause of death. However, the tragic saga began to unfold days prior when Brings Plenty found himself entangled in legal troubles.</p> <p>Reports indicate that Brings Plenty was charged in a nearby county with aggravated burglary, domestic battery and criminal restraint, prompting an arrest warrant against him. The series of events culminated when authorities responded to a distress call from an apartment in Lawrence, where a woman was heard screaming for help. However, by the time law enforcement arrived at the scene, Brings Plenty had already departed.</p> <p>The gravity of the situation escalated when Brings Plenty failed to attend a crucial audition for an upcoming film project scheduled over Zoom. </p> <p>Amid the turmoil, expressions of sorrow and condolence flooded in from all corners. Joe Brings Plenty Sr, the actor's father, expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support and prayers from well-wishers. "I learned this week how many people knew the goodness in Cole’s heart and loved him," he said in a statement released on Friday.</p> <p>Cole Brings Plenty, aged 27, left an indelible mark on the entertainment landscape with his appearances in several Western dramas. Notably, he graced the screen in two episodes of <em>1923</em>, a Paramount+ series starring veteran actor Harrison Ford, which serves as a prequel to the widely acclaimed <em>Yellowstone</em>. Additionally, Brings Plenty showcased his talent in other Western productions, including <em>Into the Wild Frontier</em> and <em>The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger</em>.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

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Commonwealth Games medallist pleas for missing daughter

<p>A Commonwealth Games medallist has issued an emotional plea for information on the whereabouts of his 15-year-old daughter. </p> <p>Marty Jackson's daughter Marlie was last seen in Port Melbourne four days ago, although she usually lives with her dad in Geelong. </p> <p>He believed Marlie had been in contact with friends, but her family had been "unable to make contact" with the teen. </p> <p>In an emotional post to Facebook, Marty asked his friends and family for any updates on his daughter's whereabouts.</p> <p>"If you hear from her or have any information that could held bring her home it would be greatly appreciated," he wrote, before adding, "Marlie is 15yo, approx 163cm tall with long strawberry blonde hair."</p> <p>He concluded by stating her disappearance had been reported to Geelong Police Station.</p> <p>Marty's post was flooded with comments from loved ones and strangers alike sending their well wishes for Marlie, and their hopes that she return home safely. </p> <p>Marty later updated the post to say Marlie had been in contact over the phone, but he was still concerned for her safety and adding that he "just wants her home".</p> <p>Marty Jackson is a para-athlete who won silver in shotput at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

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New details emerge in Samantha Murphy murder charge

<p>The unsettling disappearance of Ballarat mother Samantha Murphy took a grim turn as Victoria Police made a significant breakthrough in the case, now alleging that Murphy's disappearance was not a random event but a deliberate act of murder that occurred on the very day she went missing.</p> <p>Authorities apprehended a 22-year-old Scotsburn man at a residence around 6am on Wednesday, shedding light on the mysterious circumstances surrounding Murphy's vanishing. The individual, whose identity was initially protected under a suppression order, has been formally charged with one count of murder and appeared in court on Thursday.</p> <p>Just before midday on Friday, that gag order was overturned, with several media outlets <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13170739/patrick-orren-stephenson-patrick-afl-samantha-murphy-alleged-killer.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">identifying the accused</a> as Patrick Stephenson, the only son of retired AFL footballer Orren Stephenson.<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> </span></p> <p>Victoria Police Commissioner Shane Patton, in a press briefing, revealed that detectives subjected Stephenson to more than 30 hours of questioning following his arrest, and reiterated that the alleged murder was not a result of a hit-and-run accident but rather a premeditated act. While declining to delve into specifics, Patton refrained from speculating on the involvement of a vehicle or drugs and alcohol.</p> <p>"I'm not going to speculate on any other details about the death other than it was deliberate," Patton said. "He's been charged with murder, so by its definition, we're saying this was a deliberate act."</p> <p>Stephenson made his court appearance amid concerns regarding his age and lack of prior custodial experience. Defence attorney Daniel Tamineka also highlighted the potential risks of self-harm faced by his client.</p> <p>One poignant detail that emerged from Patton's statements is the suspect's refusal to disclose the location of Samantha Murphy's remains. Despite facing charges, he has yet to provide crucial information to aid in locating her body, prompting police to vehemently oppose any bail requests.</p> <p>The community's collective effort to support the investigation has been commendable, with Patton urging continued cooperation to bring closure to Murphy's family.</p> <p>In an emotional statement, Murphy's husband, Mick, expressed a mix of emotions following news of the arrest. Despite the relief of progress in the case, he acknowledged the toll the past weeks have taken on him and his family. The outpouring of support from the community, however, has served as a source of strength during this trying time.</p> <p>Detective Acting Superintendent Mark Hatt echoed sentiments of gratitude toward the community for their unwavering assistance throughout the investigation. "Our thoughts today are with Samantha's family and friends," he said. "I know that Samantha's disappearance has had a profound impact on the Ballarat community and I want to thank all of those people who have assisted police in many different ways over the past month."</p> <p>As the inquiry progresses, authorities continue to appeal for any individuals possessing relevant CCTV or dashcam footage to come forward.</p> <p><em>Images: Supplied</em></p>

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Mistake in email causes Virgin Australia passenger to miss flight

<p>A Virgin Australia passenger was left $800 out of pocket after he arrived at a closed check-in desk despite arriving well before the departure time, and he now believes that it's because of a mistake in the email he received from the airline. </p> <p>Max Cameron, 64, flies several times a week between Launceston airport in Tasmania and Melbourne for work, and received an email from the airline saying his flight was delayed back in January. </p> <p>"I got a text and an email from Virgin saying, very sorry to let you know your plane has been delayed by 45 minutes,"  he told <em>Yahoo News Australia</em>. </p> <p>The email also read "Check-in will now close 30 minutes prior to this time."</p> <p>"I thought, well done Virgin. You've come through… you've let me know when I have to be there. And as a result, I got out to the airport at 9:25pm for a 9:45pm closure of check-in," Cameron said. </p> <p>However when he arrived there was "literally not one person in the Virgin terminal,"  so he eventually had to leave, with no choice but to buy another flight ticket which cost him $800 including extra accommodation and transport costs. </p> <p>"I put my tail between the legs, went back and bought another ticket. I was very annoyed about that but I had no choice... check-in closed early," he said.</p> <p>After submitting an enquiry to the customer service team, they told him he had to arrive 30 minutes before the <em>original</em> departure time - a different instruction to what he received in the email, with the revised departure time. </p> <p>At the time, the enquiry was closed and the team said he would not receive any compensation. </p> <p>Cameron, who was unsatisfied with the response, then spoke to a supervisor at the airport, who told him: "Oh my God, it looks like they sent you the wrong email".</p> <p>According to Yahoo News Australia, Cameron reportedly did receive incorrect information which led him to miss his flight. </p> <p>Cameron has since been in touch with the airline and hopes to be reimbursed, but remains "unhappy" after what he had to go through. </p> <p>"It's not the money but the lack of accountability... there is no service mentality anymore," he said.</p> <p>"What Virgin has done to me is just so wrong".</p> <p><em style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, 'Noto Sans Hebrew', 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;">Images: Yahoo News / Getty</em></p>

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New CCTV footage released of accused double murderer

<p>Chilling CCTV footage of Beau Lamarre-Condon has emerged in the moments before and after he allegedly killed Jesse Baird and Luke Davies.</p> <p>The video, obtained by <em>9News,</em> allegedly shows the senior constable entering and leaving a sports shop and buying surfboard bags on two separate occasions. </p> <p>Baird and Davies' <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/update-on-search-for-bodies-of-murdered-couple" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bodies were found</a> near Bungonia on Tuesday, where police allege that surfboard bags were used to transport the bodies.</p> <p>In the CCTV footage, the senior constable walked into a Miranda sports store with a friend, two days before the alleged double murder, and then walked out with a surfboard bag. </p> <p>In a second clip, about three hours after the alleged murder, Lamarre-Condon was filmed walking into the same store by himself and walking out with another surf bag. </p> <p>Another video showed a man in a black cap arriving in a black SUV on the morning the couple were allegedly killed, and got out of his vehicle parked just 25m from Baird’s home. </p> <p>The man then drives off at 9am - around 50 minutes before the pair were allegedly killed. </p> <p>Lamarre-Condon allegedly returned to he house the next day in a rented van reportedly used to move the bodies. </p> <p>The CCTV footage emerge just one day after police alleged that the senior constable used his <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/shocking-new-claims-on-alleged-double-murder" target="_blank" rel="noopener">police-issued gun at the couple</a>, and then replaced the bullets with ones stolen from a firing range. </p> <p>Lamarre-Condon handed himself into police last Friday and was later charged with two counts of murder.</p> <p>He is currently at Silverwater prison and is next due to face court on April 23.</p> <p><em>Images: 9NEWS</em></p>

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Shocking new claims on alleged double murder

<p>Shocking new claims about senior constable Beau Lamarre-Condon, who <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/police-officer-arrested-amid-search-for-missing-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">was accused of murdering</a> Sydney couple Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, have been made by police.</p> <p>The accusations were revealed by Ben Fordham on <em>2GB radio</em> on Thursday.</p> <p>Fordham revealed that police allege Constable Lamarre-Condon fired three shots at the Sydney couple from his police-issued gun.  </p> <p>The number of shots was reportedly confirmed by one of Baird’s neighbours, whose CCTV security cameras recording the sound of three shots being fired just after 9.30am on Monday, February 19 in Paddington. </p> <p>The neighbour reportedly reviewed their security cameras a few days after the alleged murders, when news of the couple's disappearance hit the media. </p> <p>Fordham added that police will further allege Constable Lamarre-Condon used bullets stolen from a firing range a fortnight before the killing to refill his gun, to not raise suspicious from his superiors when the gun was returned. </p> <p>Police have alleged that the  gun was taken from Miranda police station on Friday night and was stored Balmain police station the night after the alleged murders. </p> <p>The gun was then allegedly returned Miranda police station on Tuesday, fully loaded as if no shots were fired. </p> <p>Police Commissioner Karen Webb told <em>ABC’s 7.30 </em>on Wednesday night that officers could store a weapon overnight at a police station or inside an approved safe at home, but would need to gain permission to do so from their superiors. </p> <p>She did not comment on the claims surrounding  Constable Lamarre-Condon’s gun storage, as it would form a part of the investigation. </p> <p><em>Images: news.com.au</em></p>

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Leap of imagination: how February 29 reminds us of our mysterious relationship with time and space

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-ohara-874665">Emily O'Hara</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137">Auckland University of Technology</a></em></p> <p>If you find it intriguing that February 28 will be followed this week by February 29, rather than March 1 as it usually is, spare a thought for those alive in 1582. Back then, Thursday October 4 was followed by Friday October 15.</p> <p>Ten whole days were snatched from the present when Pope Gregory XIII issued a papal bull to “restore” the calendar from discrepancies that had crept into the Julian calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BCE.</p> <p>The new Gregorian calendar returned the northern hemisphere’s vernal equinox to its “proper” place, around March 21. (The equinox is when the Earth’s axis is tilted neither toward nor away from the sun, and is used to determine the date of Easter.)</p> <p>The Julian calendar had observed a leap year every four years, but this meant time had drifted out of alignment with the dates of celestial events and astronomical seasons.</p> <p>In the Gregorian calendar, leap days were added only to years that were a multiple of four – like 2024 – with an exception for years that were evenly divisible by 100, but not 400 – like 1700.</p> <p>Simply put, leap days exist because it doesn’t take a neat 365 days for Earth to orbit the Sun. It takes 365.2422 days. Tracking the movement of celestial objects through space in an orderly pattern doesn’t quite work, which is why we have February – time’s great mop.</p> <h2>Time and space</h2> <p>This is just part of the history of how February – the shortest month, and originally the last month in the Roman calendar – came to have the job of absorbing those inconsistencies in the temporal calculations of the world’s most commonly used calendar.</p> <p>There is plenty of <a href="https://theconversation.com/leap-day-fixing-the-faults-in-our-stars-54032">science</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-the-science-behind-leap-years-and-how-they-work-54788">maths</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-a-seasonal-snarl-up-in-the-mid-1500s-gave-us-our-strange-rules-for-leap-years-132659">astrophysics</a> explaining the relationship between time and the planet we live on. But I like to think leap years and days offer something even more interesting to consider: why do we have calendars anyway?</p> <p>And what have they got to do with how we understand the wonder and strangeness of our existence in the universe? Because calendars tell a story, not just about time, but also about space.</p> <p>Our reckoning of time on Earth is through our spatial relationship to the Sun, Moon and stars. Time, and its place in our lives, sits somewhere between the scientific, the celestial and the spiritual.</p> <p>It is <a href="https://shop.whitechapelgallery.org/products/time">notoriously slippery, subjective and experiential</a>. It is also marked, tracked and determined in myriad ways across different cultures, from tropical to solar to <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/pou-tiaki/300062097/matariki-and-the-maramataka-the-mori-lunar-calendar">lunar</a> calendars.</p> <p>It is the Sun that measures a day and gives us our first reference point for understanding time. But it is the <a href="https://librarysearch.aut.ac.nz/vufind/Record/1145999?sid=25214690">Moon</a>, as a major celestial body, that extends our perception of time. By stretching a span of one day into something longer, it offers us a chance for philosophical reflection.</p> <p>The Sun (or its effect at least) is either present or not present. The Moon, however, goes through phases of transformation. It appears and disappears, changing shape and hinting that one night is not exactly like the one before or after.</p> <p>The Moon also has a distinct rhythm that can be tracked and understood as a pattern, giving us another sense of duration. Time is just that – overlapping durations: instants, seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, lifetimes, centuries, ages.</p> <h2>The elusive Moon</h2> <p>It is almost impossible to imagine how time might feel in the absence of all the tools and gadgets we use to track, control and corral it. But it’s also hard to know what we might do in the absence of time as a unit of productivity – a measurable, dispensable resource.</p> <p>The closest we might come is simply to imagine what life might feel like in the absence of the Moon. Each day would rise and fall, in a rhythm of its own, but without visible reference to anything else. Just endless shifts from light to dark.</p> <p>Nights would be almost completely dark without the light of the Moon. Only stars at a much further distance would puncture the inky sky. The world around us would change – trees would grow, mammals would age and die, land masses would shift and change – but all would happen in an endless cycle of sunrise to sunset.</p> <p>The light from the Sun takes <a href="https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/space-science/how-take-light-from-sun-reach-earth">eight minutes</a> to reach Earth, so the sunlight we see is always eight minutes in the past.</p> <p>I remember sitting outside when I first learned this, and wondering what the temporal delay might be between me and other objects: a plum tree, trees at the end of the street, hills in the distance, light on the horizon when looking out over the ocean, stars in the night sky.</p> <p>Moonlight, for reference, takes about <a href="https://www.pbs.org/seeinginthedark/astronomy-topics/light-as-a-cosmic-time-machine.html">1.3 seconds</a> to get to Earth. Light always travels at the same speed, it is entirely constant. The differing duration between how long it takes for sunlight or moonlight to reach the Earth is determined by the space in between.</p> <p>Time on the other hand, is anything but constant. There are countless ways we characterise it. The mere fact we have so many calendars and ways of describing perceptual time hints at our inability to pin it down.</p> <p>Calendars give us the impression we can, and have, made time predictable and understandable. Leap years, days and seconds serve as a periodic reminder that we haven’t.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/224503/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emily-ohara-874665"><em>Emily O'Hara</em></a><em>, Senior Lecturer, Spatial Design + Temporary Practices, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/auckland-university-of-technology-1137">Auckland University of Technology</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/leap-of-imagination-how-february-29-reminds-us-of-our-mysterious-relationship-with-time-and-space-224503">original article</a>.</em></p>

Technology

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Update on search for bodies of murdered couple

<p>The search for the bodies of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, a Sydney couple tragically slain in an alleged double murder, continues to unfold, as human remains have now reportedly been found near the Bungonia property that was originally searched by police on Monday.</p> <p>NSW Police had been tirelessly scouring a property in Grays Point and the vast nearby Royal National Park, a locale now inexorably linked to the grim events of February 19.</p> <p>At the centre of the drama stands Beaumont Lamarre-Condon, the 28-year-old former NSW police officer who now finds himself behind bars, charged with the murder of Jesse Baird, a 26-year-old former Ten reporter, and his partner Luke Davies, aged 29. The alleged timeline of events paints a picture of horror, with the couple believed to have met their demise sometime between midnight and 5pm on Monday.</p> <p>The Grays Point property that was under intense scrutiny is Lamarre-Condon’s family home<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">. As investigators dig deeper into the case, attention was also been drawn to a Bungonia property in the Southern Tablelands, where Lamarre-Condon and an acquaintance embarked on a cryptic journey just days after the alleged murders. Police shifted their search efforts from </span>Bungonia to the Grays Point property on Tuesday morning in hopes of discovering the missing bodies, until officers announced on Tuesday afternoon that human remains had been discovered near the original search site in Bungonia.</p> <p>In a public address to the media on Tuesday afternoon, NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said, <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">"We believe we have located two bodies at that location. </span>The families have been informed. And crime scene detectives have just arrived on scene at that location now."</p> <p>Detective Superintendent Daniel Doherty also revealed that Homicide Squad detectives went to Silverwater prison to speak with Lamarre-Condon at about 11am on Tuesday, and that "as a result of that, he provided assistance to the investigation and [was] able to provide a location of where Luke and Jesse were."</p> <p>Police then went to a second location at Bungonia, about 20 minutes from the original search location, and found the bodies. "There were two surf bags that have been found. And some debris and other items of interest of significance."</p> <p>Doherty also said police phoned the families immediately after the bodies were found. "It's probably mixed emotions for them. You can understand how they may have felt. But at least they have an answer and they want to travel down to the Goulburn area, and we'll provide as much support as we can and accommodate them."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram / NSW Police</em></p>

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Family of Jesse Baird break silence after alleged double murder

<p>As the search for Jesse Baird and his partner Luke Davies continues, the heart-wrenching silence of their absence has been punctuated by the poignant words of family left behind.</p> <p>In a moving tribute that speaks volumes about the bond they shared, Austin Baird, Jesse's cousin, took to social media to share cherished memories of a life intertwined with laughter, adventure and unwavering friendship.</p> <p>In a heartfelt post on Instagram, Austin poured out his grief, painting a picture of a childhood filled with shared adventures and moments of unfiltered camaraderie.</p> <p>"Jesse, my first ever best friend, I am beyond devastated. I still can’t believe it," Austin wrote. "Most of my favourite memories in life were me Luke Brendan and you riding motorbikes, skiing, boating and camping</p> <p>"I’ll never forget our chats, all the times we would hang out on the weekends and go away with family and friends. I told you things I’d never tell anyone I trusted you, I’ve laughed and cried infront of you!</p> <p>"You were one in a million, you cared about everyone and left such an impact on every person you met!</p> <p>I’m so glad we got to have such a grouse night together at Rikki’s the other Weekend! I’ll love and remember you forever mate. It is an honour to be your cousin. Till we meet again ❤️"</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/C3uGiehyLxq/?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/C3uGiehyLxq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Austin Baird (@austinnbaird)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Austin's tribute paints a portrait of Jesse as more than just a cousin but a confidant, a kindred spirit with whom he shared his deepest hopes and fears. </p> <p>In the midst of their grief, the Baird family has found some solace in the outpouring of support from friends and strangers alike.</p> <p>The revelation of a "gap in the timeline" in the investigation into Jesse and Luke's alleged murders has cast a shadow over the search for closure. Specialist police units, including divers and the Riot Squad, have been deployed to scour remote rural properties in a desperate bid to uncover the truth.</p> <p>NSW Police Deputy Commissioner David Hudson's acknowledgment of the possibility that the accused, Beau Lamarre-Condon, may have returned to the scene of the crime to dispose of the bodies only adds to the anguish of those left behind. "We believe that it is possible the accused, in that gap in the timeline, has returned to that property and retrieved the bodies and disposed of them somewhere else," Hudson stated, his words a stark reminder of the grim reality confronting investigators.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Woman allegedly murders great-aunt with spaghetti

<p>Italian police are investigating the bizarre alleged murder of Maria Basso, 80.</p> <p>Paola Pepe, her young great-niece, was arrested for the alleged murder after she was believed to have force-fed Basso with spaghetti, Italian newspaper <em>Corriere della Sera </em>reported. </p> <p>Basso was vulnerable to choking if she did not eat finely chopped or pureed food, despite this Pepe still took out her great-aunt for a meal in a Sicily restaurant in December 2022. </p> <p>She allegedly bought Basso spaghetti, and two days later her great-aunt was dead, after some of the pasta allegedly got lodged in her airways. </p> <p>Her death initially looked like an accident, until Italian police launched further investigations and found that Pepe had amended her great-aunt's will just two days before the meal.</p> <p>The<em> Corriere della Sera</em> reported Pepe had taken an unusual interest in her great-aunt's finances in the months leading up to her death after she had unexpectedly turned up during Basso's 80th birthday, and spent hours alone with her. </p> <p>Pepe eventually moved Basso to a care home 1300 kilometres away, without telling her close family members, and reportedly did not take any of Basso's medication or personal belongings to the new home. </p> <p>Police alleged that after isolating her great-aunt, she managed to convince Basso to change her will so that Pepe was named sole beneficiary of Basso's estate, which was worth $775,000. </p> <p>Basso initially intended to give her estate to a charity, as she had no children according to local media.</p> <p>Pepe has denied all accusations and was bailed, but is wearing a police ankle bracelet while waiting for her trial. </p> <p><em>Image: Strettoweb</em></p> <p> </p>

Legal

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Police officer arrested amid search for missing men

<p>A police officer has turned himself in over the <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/police-officer-sought-in-connection-to-disappearance-of-two-men" target="_blank" rel="noopener">suspicious disappearance</a> of two men. </p> <p>Former Network Ten presenter 26-year-old Jesse Baird and his boyfriend 29-year-old Luke Davies were last seen on Monday, with police launching an extensive investigation into their disappearance. </p> <p>On Thursday, officers called for Constable Beau Lamarre to come forward as part of the investigation, believing he could hold valuable information. </p> <p>Now, on Friday morning, the celebrity blogger turned police officer presented at Bondi Police Station where he was arrested. </p> <p>The man was then taken to Waverley Police Station where he is assisting with inquiries, police said.</p> <p>During a press conference on Friday afternoon, a lead investigator confirmed the young officer has been charged with two counts of murder, while adding the families of the young men have been told the investigation is being treated as a homicide. </p> <p>Lamarre is an ex-partner of Baird and was a former celebrity blogger before joining NSW Police in 2020.</p> <p><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Segoe UI, Roboto, Helvetica Neue, Arial, sans-serif;">Online the 28-year-old would often go by the pseudonym Beau London, creating accounts on social media and a celebrity blog page titled That's The Tea, where he posted selfies alongside celebrities such as </span><span style="font-family: abcsans, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Harry Styles and Taylor Swift.</span></p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">An investigation began into Baird and Davies' disappearance after number of their personal items, including a watch, clothes, credit cards and keys were found by a worker in Club Cronulla, with blood stains present on the items. </p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">Police have also searched two homes during their investigation - one in Balmain and one in Paddington - with officers "immediately" establishing a crime scene at the Paddington home after finding blood spatters. </p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">According to officers, a “significant” amount of blood consistent with a fatality and signs of a struggle were discovered inside Mr Baird’s Paddington home on Thursday afternoon. </p> <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';"><em>Image credits: 9News / Instagram </em></p>

Legal

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Family of missing Ballarat woman suspect foul play

<p>The family of missing Ballarat woman Samantha Murphy have shared their theories behind the 51-year-old's disappearance, believing foul play may have been involved. </p> <p>Samantha was last seen 12 days ago, in the early hours of the morning on February 4th when she went out for her daily run. </p> <p>Now, Samantha's aunt and uncle have shared their theories on their niece's disappearance, both suggesting she may have been abducted. </p> <p>"It's just like she's gone off the face of the Earth. There's nothing," Janice Robson, Samantha's aunt, told <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13085895/Samantha-Murphy-missing-Ballarat-family-break-silence.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail Australia</a></em>. </p> <p>"I would say that somebody would have been watching her. I can't think it would be anything else."</p> <p>Mrs Robson said police had not been forthcoming with any information about the investigation other than what is already known among the general public. </p> <p>"Any information (the police) have they'll sit on it. They don't want to spook anyone," Allan Robson said.  </p> <p>Their comments come just hours after Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton confirmed detectives now believe Ms Murphy's disappearance is suspicious, ramping up their investigation. </p> <p>Mr Robson said his niece was financially secure and pondered whether someone may have hurt her in a robbery gone wrong, saying "Mick [Samantha's husband] had so many cars he couldn't fit them in his garage."  </p> <p>"I don't think it's an opportunist. I think it's been someone who has been stalking her. Someone who she didn't even know was stalking her."</p> <p>He also went on to suggest the alleged stalker knew her patterns and daily routines, explaining why she went missing during her morning run. </p> <p>The elderly couple said Ms Murphy was a clever and careful person who had the ability to defend herself if someone attempted to harm her. </p> <p>"She would have put up a bloody good fight," Allan said. </p> <p>"And I think if she suspected something, I don't think she'd hang about. She was a runner. She would have got out of that area," Mrs Robson added. </p> <p><em>Image credits: 7News / Victoria Police </em></p> <p class="mol-para-with-font" style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 16px; padding: 0px; min-height: 0px; letter-spacing: -0.16px; font-family: graphik, Arial, sans-serif;"> </p>

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"Please come home": Family's emotional plea to missing woman

<p>The devastated husband and father of missing Victorian woman Samantha Murphy have issued an emotional plea for the 51-year-old to come home. </p> <p>Samantha, a keen runner from Ballarat, set off for her daily run through the Canadian State Forest early Sunday morning and has not been seen since. </p> <p>Emergency services are continuing their search for the woman, as her husband Mick and daughter Jessica pleaded to the community for information. </p> <p>Speaking out on Thursday in an emotional press conference, Mick said "someone has got to know something."</p> <p>“People just don’t vanish into thin air. You know, whether it be any little thing that you might think is relevant, just call the police, let them know,” Mick said.</p> <p>“You know, it’ll give us a bit of peace of mind if we get some hope."</p> <p>Jess then spoke through tears, saying her “mum is a really strong woman and is far too determined to give up this fight”.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C3EbznCPk_Z/?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/C3EbznCPk_Z/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 9News Melbourne (@9newsmelbourne)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“I know she’s out there somewhere, so if you could please continue to search for her to give us something to work with we would really appreciate it."</p> <p>“Mum, please come home soon I can’t wait to see you and give you the biggest hug and to tell you off for giving us so much stress. I love you.”</p> <p>Police also spoke for the first time about the search and urged the community to come forward with any information at all, as anything could be relevant.</p> <p>“We’re keeping an open mind and we’re hopeful,” Acting Inspector Lisa McDougall said.</p> <p>"We throwing resources at it in the hope we find Samantha and get answers for her family, who are obviously concerned."</p> <p>Amidst the high-profile case, Mick also asked people to be considerate as more information rolls in. </p> <p>“You can respect our privacy too. If we’ve got something we will come out and say it.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: 9News</em></p>

Caring

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Heartbroken parents of slain Melbourne doctor break silence

<p>Dr Ash Gordon's heartbroken parents have spoken out about the moment they found out their son had died. </p> <p>The Melbourne GP was allegedly killed after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/major-update-in-tragic-death-of-young-melbourne-doctor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confronting two teenage</a> boys who had allegedly broken into his home in Doncaster in the early hours on Saturday, January 13.</p> <p>Dr Gordon’s grieving mother Catherine, recalled the moment she was woken by the phone call no parent wants to receive. </p> <p>“He said that Ashley had gone. And I said gone where? He’s gone. He’s no longer with us,” Mrs Gordon told <em>A Current Affair </em>about the moment her son's housemate delivered the devastating news. </p> <p>“I said, ‘Don’t lie, you’re joking.‘ And I hung up on him."</p> <p>Holding back tears, Mrs Gordon also shared the denial she went through as she received the call from a detective. </p> <p>"Then the detective rang and I told him that I didn’t believe him, and he said 'how can I get you to believe?', I said 'until there is a police person in uniform in front of me, it's not happening'"</p> <p>"Well you don't want to believe do you?" <em>A Current Affair </em>host Ally Langdon replied, and both parents shook their heads. </p> <p>“We saw the police car coming up, and I just prayed to God they’d just keep going. I didn’t want them to turn into the driveway, but unfortunately, it happened.”</p> <p>Ally Langdon who was brought to tears during the interview added: “It’s a cruel contrast isn’t it? That Ash has dedicated his life to saving lives, yet his was taken in this horrible way." </p> <p>The 33-year-old doctor was found by police less than a kilometre from his home, but unfortunately he died at the scene. </p> <p>In the days following the incident, two 16-year-old boys with Dr Gordon’s murder as well as aggravated burglary and theft.</p> <p>Dr Gordon's family have since held a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/i-ll-see-you-again-one-day-sister-of-slain-doctor-s-emotional-tribute" target="_blank" rel="noopener">memorial service</a> for him to honour the slain doctor. </p> <p><em>Image: A Current Affair</em></p>

Family & Pets

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“Disappointing”: New inflight Qantas video slammed for “missing the mark”

<p dir="ltr">A new inflight safety video from Qantas has been widely panned for being “elitist” and “sexist”, while skimming over vital safety information. </p> <p dir="ltr">The new video, which is set to replace an earlier retro video released in 2020 that marked the airline’s 100th birthday, features frequent flyers and Qantas staff delivering the pre-flight safety announcement from their favourite “magic places” around the world. </p> <p dir="ltr">The video features destinations such as Litchfield National Park near Darwin and Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia, as well as international places such as Lapland in Finland and Marrakesh in Morocco.</p> <p dir="ltr">After the video was shared by the airline, members of the Flight Attendants Association of Australia were quick to express their feelings. </p> <p dir="ltr">Flight Attendants Association of Australia national secretary Teri O-Toole told <em><a href="https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/health-safety/new-qantas-safety-video-panned-as-sexist-and-elitist/news-story/078aa2c55cf48e6551a40ad4c0c56011">news.com.au</a></em> the video was “disappointing” for a lot of different reasons. </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/C2dPrw_BNqf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2dPrw_BNqf/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Qantas (@qantas)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Not one Australian-based international crew member was used,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There are no cabin crew in uniform and there are no shots of the interior of an aircraft which are all important factors for non-English speaking passengers and those that need to know who is in charge.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Not once does it say ‘follow the directions of your crew member’, which you would’ve thought would be the focus of a safety video.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She also questioned why a female pilot appeared in a swimsuit, suggesting that sort of depiction took women in the workplace took the airline “back 20 years”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I didn’t see a male pilot in a pair of budgie smugglers,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">She went on to describe the video as “great marketing”, but totally “misses the mark” in terms of a safety video, while also adding “elitist” to focus on frequent flyers during a cost of living crisis.</p> <p dir="ltr">Social media users were equally scathing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’d prefer just focus on, oh I dunno, in flight safety during the in-flight safety video?,” one wrote. “Why do we need a long video with all this added stuff?”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another described it as “slow, long, tedious and boring. I couldn't make it through the entire thing”, while a third person labelled it “absolutely awful”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Qantas chief customer officer Catriona Larritt defended the video insisting safety was the number one priority across the Qantas Group, and the in-flight video together with cabin crew, plays a key role in capturing the attention of travellers to watch and listen to the critical information.</p> <p dir="ltr">“First and foremost, the video is about familiarising our customers with safety procedures and we try to make it as engaging as possible, in particular for regular flyers who might otherwise tune out,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Qantas</em></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d006e7c7-7fff-7037-252e-b0c227e24116"></span></p>

Travel Trouble

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Major update in fatal stabbing of young Melbourne doctor

<p dir="ltr">The 16-year-old accused of stabbing a young Melbourne doctor to death had allegedly committed a similar crime just months prior. </p> <p dir="ltr">The teenager was allegedly involved in the home invasion of Dr Ash Gordon, which turned fatal after the doctor chased the intruders from his home, ending when Dr Gordon was stabbed and left for dead. </p> <p dir="ltr">As the teens now <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/major-update-in-tragic-death-of-young-melbourne-doctor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">face charges</a> for his death, an alleged previous victim of the same teenager has come forward, claiming the young man left him with serious head injuries after robbing his house in October. </p> <p dir="ltr">His alleged previous victims claim that the Victorian government has “blood on its hands” and that the boy should not have been released on bail.</p> <p dir="ltr">The victims told<a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-victoria/we-feel-anxious-helpless-and-frustrated-with-the-broken-system-alleged-victims-speak-out/news-story/c05575a0908bf85f014217bb4fda7fa4"> <em>the Herald Sun</em></a> that Dr Gordon's death has left them traumatised and struggling to move on from their own terrifying encounter.</p> <p dir="ltr">In an emotional statement, the alleged previous victims pleaded with Victorian premier Jacinta Allan to reconsider the state's planned youth justice reform. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We are trying to move on with our lives, however, when a case on (alleged) teen crime is reported, we feel anxious, helpless and frustrated with the broken system," they told the publication.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Allan government and the justice system have blood on their hands, and ultimately should be held accountable.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Under the terms of the 16-year-old’s bail, he was to adhere to a strict nightly curfew, but still managed to allegedly break into Dr Gordon's home shortly before 5:30am on January 13th. </p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Allan has faced increasing pressure to abandon Victoria's overhaul of the youth justice system which would see the age of criminal responsibility raised.</p> <p dir="ltr">The government has committed to raising the age that a child can be arrested, jailed or charged from 10 to 12 by the end of 2024, and again to 14 by 2027, with serious crimes such as homicide being exempt from these changes. </p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Allen however has insisted that the reforms are a key priority of her government and that they will help prevent future criminal ­activity.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There’s a huge amount of work that’s being undertaken by Victoria Police to work with those young people ... [and] that sort of prevention-based activity is the best way to address future youth crime,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At the same time, when offences are made, Victoria Police have the tools and resources to deal with those.”</p> <p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 12pt;"><em>Image credits: Facebook</em><span id="docs-internal-guid-deb8779e-7fff-f1a9-74f6-d47cadad48af"></span></p>

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