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Are you a victim of elder abuse without even realising it?

<p>A wealthy widow being told how to manage her money. A retired couple being denied access to their grandchildren. A single woman paying her high income-earning son’s credit card debt with her superannuation. Very different Australians with one unfortunate thing in common – they are all victims of elder abuse.</p> <p>While most people are familiar with the term ‘domestic violence’, the term ‘elder abuse’ is less well known. Which in itself is part of the problem: a lack of awareness helps perpetuate the cycle.</p> <p>The World Health Organization (WHO) <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/abuse-of-older-people" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defines elder abuse</a> as:</p> <p><em>“a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person. This type of violence constitutes a violation of human rights.”</em></p> <p>It isn’t necessarily restricted to actions that leave physical scars – which can make it harder to identify, even for victims themselves.</p> <p>The absence of physical violence or financial theft can provide a false sense of security. Not recognising the signs that something is amiss lets mistreatment go unnoticed altogether. Alternatively, excuses are made for a loved one’s behaviour or concerns aren’t raised in order to ‘keep the peace’.</p> <p><strong>How prevalent is elder abuse in Australia?</strong></p> <p>The limited discussion of elder abuse in the media and society in general would suggest it isn’t common in Australia. Sadly, this couldn’t be more wrong.</p> <p><a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/family-domestic-and-sexual-violence/population-groups/older-people#abuse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Government figures</a> estimate that one in six older people – around 598,000 individuals – were directly affected in 2023.</p> <p>Psychological abuse was the most widespread, while 2.1 per cent of older Australians – 83,800 people – experienced financial abuse. </p> <p><strong>Who is responsible?</strong></p> <p>The saddest fact of all is that elder abuse is typically committed by people their victims should be able to trust the most.</p> <p>More than half (53 per cent) of perpetrators are family members: adult children are the most common, with partners/spouses ranking third. </p> <p>Friends are the second most common perpetrators.</p> <p><strong>What are the impacts?</strong></p> <p>Impacts of elder abuse are typically far-reaching and depend on the type of abuse involved. </p> <p>Among them are:</p> <ul> <li>Loss of control and independence</li> <li>Physical and mental health issues</li> <li>Relationship breakdowns</li> <li>Financial losses</li> <li>Insecure living arrangements</li> </ul> <p>It is not uncommon for older people to be pressured over how to manage their finances and estate planning, influencing everything from how much they have to live off in retirement to care arrangements in their final years and who benefits from their estate. </p> <p>Much of the abuse and subsequent fallout centres around the family home. </p> <p>Charity <a href="https://www.theforgottenwomen.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Forgotten Women</a> notes there are over 40,000 women aged 55-plus who are homeless in Queensland alone. Elder abuse is often a contributing – if not causal – factor, such as one woman forced to live in her car while her son occupies her home. </p> <p>Meanwhile, the current housing crisis creates ideal conditions for abuse to flourish. Multi-generational households risk reduced independence and increased control over older people. A lack of proper agreements and structures when the Bank of Mum and Dad assists with a home deposit and/or loan guarantee opens the door to expectations of further financial assistance or threats to default on guaranteed loans.</p> <p><strong>Warning signs of elder abuse</strong></p> <p>Besides physical violence, red flags to look for include:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Coercive control</strong> – undue pressure over decision-making, living arrangements, spending and investment strategies, pensions, superannuation, tax, legal affairs and wills, ownership of assets, power of attorney.</li> <li><strong>Guilt</strong> – emotional manipulation and ‘guilt-tripping’ for not meeting particular demands.</li> <li><strong>Isolation</strong> – from family and friends as well as from independent professional advisers (your accountant, financial adviser, lawyer, healthcare professionals etc.).</li> <li><strong>Money mismanagement</strong> – taking cash without consent; restricting access to money and assets; pressure to pay expenses that aren’t yours.</li> <li><strong>Neglect and abandonment</strong> – withholding essentials or anything that is needed to maintain quality of life.</li> <li><strong>Blackmail</strong> – a tragically common example is withholding access to grandchildren unless financial or legal demands are met.</li> </ul> <p>Given the potentially disastrous consequences, it is important to recognise the signs and act quickly. Don’t suffer in silence or hope that things will sort themselves out.</p> <p>If you or someone you know is experiencing elder abuse, seek help straight away. Speak to a trusted relative or friend. Seek independent legal and financial advice about your affairs. Or call the government’s <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/contacts/elder-abuse-phone-line" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free elder abuse line on 1800 353 374</a>. And if your life is in danger, call triple zero (000) immediately.</p> <p><strong>About the Author:</strong> Helen Baker is a licensed Australian financial adviser and author of <em>On Your Own Two Feet: The Essential Guide to Financial Independence for all Women</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. Find out more at <a href="http://www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au</a></p> <p><em>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.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Income

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Marcia Hines returns as Australian Idol fans cry foul over upset win

<p>The <em>Australian Idol </em>2024 grand finale left viewers stunned and divided as Dylan Wright emerged victorious, leaving many fans feeling that Amy Reeves had been unjustly denied the crown.</p> <p>The electrifying finale aired on Monday evening, showcasing the talents of Denvah Baker-Moller, Dylan Wright and Amy Reeves as they vied for the coveted title. However, it was Wright who clinched the top spot, much to the disappointment of numerous fans who had rallied behind Reeves.</p> <p>Throughout the season, Wright had consistently impressed both judges and audiences alike with his remarkable performances. His emotional reaction upon winning the <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">recording contract with Sony Music Entertainment Australia and a $100,000 cash prize </span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">was palpable: “I’m about to cry!" he told the cheering crowd. "So, thanks!”</span></p> <p>The finale kicked off with hosts Ricki Lee and Scott Tweedie addressing the absence of judge Marcia Hines, who <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/marcia-hines-rushed-to-hospital" target="_blank" rel="noopener">had been hospitalised</a> due to health issues potentially related to her Type 1 diabetes. The void left by Hines was temporarily filled by guest judge Guy Sebastian, <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/guy-sebastian-reveals-what-happened-when-marcia-hines-collapsed" target="_blank" rel="noopener">who stepped in</a> to ensure the show's continuity.</p> <p>Despite her absence, Hines' spirit remained present as she conveyed her apologies via Instagram, assuring fans of her eagerness to return. “I feel fine,” she said on Monday night's show in response to Ricki Lee and Scott Tweedie<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">. “I want to thank everybody who reached out towards me, you know. I do appreciate it. And you guys need to know – I couldn’t have missed this for the world. I couldn’t have.”</span></p> <p>Hines admitted to having had stitches after collapsing backstage, and briefly lifted her hair to show the stitches on her forehead. “It is all good," she explained. "I’m good. I go back to the hospital tonight,” she added jokingly.</p> <p>As the finalists delivered their last performances, Reeves' rendition of Jessie J's "Bang Bang" stood out, earning praise from judge Kyle Sandilands and igniting a wave of support from viewers. However, despite her standout performance, it was Wright who ultimately clinched the title after a tense battle with Reeves.</p> <p>The decision sparked a flurry of reactions on social media, with many expressing disbelief and frustration over Reeves' loss. Some fans proclaimed Reeves as the most deserving contestant in <em>Idol</em> history. “Call the police!" they wrote. "A robbery has taken place on #AustralianIdol. Amy has been absolutely shafted. Easily the best performer in idol history.”</p> <p>Amidst the chorus of disappointment, there were voices of congratulations for Wright, acknowledging his talent and triumph in the competition. Despite the divided opinions, one thing remained certain – the passion and fervour of <em>Australian Idol</em> fans, who eagerly await the next chapter in the musical journeys of all the finalists.</p> <p><em>Images: Channel Seven</em></p>

TV

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Hall of Fame fighter hospitalised after saving elderly parents from fire

<p>In the heart of Ohio, a story of heroism and sacrifice has emerged from the flames of a devastating house fire.</p> <p>Mark Coleman, a revered figure in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) and the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), found himself in the midst of a harrowing ordeal, where his actions transcended the octagon to demonstrate unparalleled bravery and love for family.</p> <p>On a fateful Tuesday morning, as the dawn painted the sky over Fremont, Ohio, tragedy struck the Coleman household. Details of the fire initially emerged through local news outlets, shrouded in anonymity. However, it wasn't long before the truth surfaced – it was Mark Coleman, the UFC legend, who had selflessly rushed into the inferno to rescue his elderly parents from imminent danger.</p> <p>Reports indicated that Coleman, aged 59, wasted no time in the face of adversity. With unwavering determination, he courageously carried both of his parents, Dan and Connie Foos Coleman, to safety, braving the engulfing flames that threatened to consume their home. Yet, his valour knew no bounds as he plunged back into the fiery abyss, driven by an instinctive urge to save another beloved member of the family – their loyal dog, Hammer.</p> <p>Tragically, despite his desperate efforts, the canine companion did not survive the blaze. Coleman's daughter, Kenzie, revealed on social media that Hammer's persistent barking had roused her father from slumber, ultimately saving his life. This heartbreaking loss added another layer of sorrow to an already traumatic event.</p> <p>As news of Coleman's heroic act spread, an outpouring of support and prayers flooded social media platforms. His second daughter Morgan, in an emotional Instagram post, recounted her father's selfless deeds and pleaded for continued prayers during this trying time. To the Coleman family, Mark wasn't just a UFC pioneer; he was a beacon of strength and resilience, a cherished father and a beloved friend.</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/C4bQHaopteq/?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/C4bQHaopteq/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Morgan Coleman (@mocoleman18)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Mark Coleman's legacy in the world of MMA is undeniable. Dubbed "The Godfather of Ground-and-Pound", he etched his name in the annals of UFC history as the organisation's inaugural heavyweight champion in 1997. His contributions to the sport earned him a well-deserved place in the UFC Hall of Fame in 2008, solidifying his status as a true icon.</p> <p>However, beyond the glitz and glory of the octagon, Coleman's journey has been marked by personal struggles and triumphs. In 2020, he battled a heart attack, a testament to his resilience in the face of adversity. A year later, he confronted his demons, seeking rehabilitation for alcoholism, and emerged stronger, embracing a healthier lifestyle.</p> <p>Author Jonathan Snowden, who shared a close bond with Coleman and was poised to document his remarkable life story, offered a glimpse into the aftermath of the fire. Through poignant images capturing the devastation, Snowden provided a raw and unfiltered portrayal of the ordeal. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">This is what's left of the house Mark Coleman and his family were in last night. </p> <p>Mark's dog Hammer woke him up to a house in flames. He saved both his parents and is fighting for his life. <a href="https://t.co/hicYhv7SDm">pic.twitter.com/hicYhv7SDm</a></p> <p>— Jonathan Snowden (@JESnowden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JESnowden/status/1767637195555299781?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p><em>Images: Instagram / Twitter (X)</em></p>

Caring

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Lauren Brant and Barry Hall share huge family news

<p dir="ltr">Lauren Brant and Barry Hall have shared that they will be welcoming a new addition to their family later this year. </p> <p dir="ltr">The former <em>Hi-5</em> star and the AFL legend are set to welcome their fourth child together in July, with the couple sharing a sweet announcement with their three kids.</p> <p dir="ltr">Posting a series of photos to Instagram, Lauren showed off her growing bump while her husband and three sons, Miller, six, Houston, four, and Samson, two, gathered around. </p> <p dir="ltr">Writing in the caption, Lauren shared the news saying, “Our year is about to get a whole lot more colourful.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Baby Hall number four arriving July. We are so excited to share this news with you all,” Lauren wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">An influx of Lauren's celebrity friends quickly took to the comment section to offer their well wishes and congratulations for the growing family. </p> <p dir="ltr">Lauren and Barry started dating in 2016, and are already proud parents of three boys. </p> <p dir="ltr">In June 2021 during an emotional interview on <em>A Current Affair</em>, the couple confirmed they secretly married that February and were expecting their third child. </p> <p dir="ltr">The couple secretly tied the knot so that Lauren’s terminally ill sister-in-law Sandra could attend the wedding.</p> <p dir="ltr">She tragically died just two weeks later, after her second battle with stage-four bowel cancer. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-e680fe66-7fff-aa80-5288-db945a56378d"></span></p>

Family & Pets

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"I can't go for that": Hall & Oates in bitter legal battle

<p>In a turn of events to rival any classic Hall & Oates song about heartbreak, betrayal and possibly a saxophone solo, the iconic musical duo has found themselves embroiled in a legal battle that might just be their most melodramatic performance yet.</p> <p>Daryl Hall, the soulful half of the duo, has accused longtime partner John Oates of committing the "ultimate partnership betrayal". Forget "Maneater", this is more like "Share Eater". In a court declaration that reads like the lyrics of a soulful ballad, Hall lamented the deterioration of his relationship with Oates, and trust us, it's not your typical "I can't go for that (no can do)" situation.</p> <p>The duo's joint venture, including trademarks, personal name and likeness rights, record royalty income and even the sacred social media assets, are now centre stage for a legal showdown. It's not quite the Hall & Oates Reunion Tour we were all hoping for.</p> <p>It appears Oates is planning to sell his share of Whole Oats Enterprises LLP without Hall's permission (cue dramatic music) – and Hall is not taking this lying down; he's filed a lawsuit to keep the transaction on pause, turning their dispute into a legal chart-topper.</p> <p>A judge has issued a temporary restraining order, effectively hitting the pause button on Oates' plan to part ways with Whole Oats Enterprises, with lawyers no doubt drafting lyrics for the inevitable courtroom musical as we speak.</p> <p>Oates, not one to let the accusations slide, fired back in his court filing, expressing disappointment in Hall's "inflammatory, outlandish, and inaccurate statements". He claims he's been trying to enhance their business partnership, but it seems like Hall might not be feeling the groove.</p> <p>The legal documents reveal that Hall is deeply troubled by the deterioration of their relationship, and who can blame him? It's not every day your musical partner decides to sell the band without even a courtesy call.</p> <p>Amid accusations of confidentiality breaches and timing that could rival the best plot twists, this court drama has all the elements of a hit '80s ballad. Will the duo find a way to harmonise once more, or is this the end of the road for Hall & Oates? We'll have to wait for the next verse in this legal serenade.</p> <p>In the meantime, keep those records spinning and maybe throw in some tissues for the emotional rollercoaster. It's a private affair gone public, and the fans are left wondering, "Did I miss the memo about this 'Global Divorce' album?"</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Legal

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"It breaks my heart": Robbie Williams' dedication to fallen Sydney fan

<p>Robbie Williams has dedicated an emotional song to the woman who passed away after an incident at his concert in Sydney.</p> <p>Robyn Hall, a woman in her 70s, died after spending a week in an induced coma, after she suffered a serious head injury at Williams' show at Allianz stadium on November 16th. </p> <p>Performing in Melbourne on Thursday, Williams addressed the devastating incident and dedicated his hit song <em>Angels</em> to Robyn and her family. </p> <p>He said on stage to the crowd at AAMI Park, “It breaks my heart and I’ve been thinking about it an awful lot and I’ve thought about it through the show tonight.”</p> <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 600px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7304437214732094728&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40theageaustralia%2Fvideo%2F7304437214732094728%3Fembed_source%3D121355059%252C121351166%252C121331973%252C120811592%252C120810756%253Bnull%253Bembed_masking%26refer%3Dembed%26referer_url%3Ddk79lclgtez2i.cloudfront.net%252FPyWtRc2%253Fapp%253D1%2526v%253D1%2526img%253D1%2526lazy%253D1%26referer_video_id%3D7304437214732094728&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign-sg.tiktokcdn.com%2Ftos-alisg-p-0037%2Fo8cJDW8MgQerjBKI3SeYVvhS6CfAUQUwXD1FgA%7Etplv-dmt-logom%3Atos-alisg-i-0068%2FocfI48S6IAgjMyAgAEvQA5EgSDvWQfdeKwXIAF.image%3Fx-expires%3D1700949600%26x-signature%3DfCsDz4T93Vyn5CSPoqnmFZJY%252FOc%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>“I just want to give a big shout out and lots of love from me and my band to Robyn and Robyn’s family."</p> <p>“Let’s all sing up, she was somebody just like you who came to the gig just like you did tonight, this is for her.”</p> <p>After Robyn <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/sydney-woman-who-died-at-robbie-williams-concert-identified" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tragically died</a> in St Vincent's Hospital, her son Michael paid tribute to his mum on Facebook, saying he had lost his "best friend". </p> <p>“I haven’t got the words to say what my mum meant to me,” he said.</p> <p>“Taken from under me and my best friend is no longer with me … I love you forever.”</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';">A family friend said Hall loved the British singer and had “thoroughly” enjoyed the evening before tragedy struck.</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';">“She was one of those ones who looked 50 but was 70. She took care of herself and didn’t need carers,” he said.</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';">“Robyn was the most beautiful human I have ever met. Through all adversity, she smiled, hugged and laughed her way through,” he said.</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';">“Broken hearts amongst all her family and friends, she will be missed by all who knew her.”</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: Facebook / Getty Images</em></p> <div id="fuse-injected-22953829264-1" class="fuse-slot-dynamic publift-video-ad" style="box-sizing: border-box; padding-top: 24px; padding-bottom: 24px; display: flex; justify-content: center;" data-fuse="22953829264" data-fuse-injected-at="1700777022430" data-fuse-code="fuse-slot-22953829264-1" data-fuse-zone-instance="zone-instance-22953829264-1" data-fuse-slot="fuse-slot-22953829264-1" data-fuse-processed-at="892"> <div id="fuse-slot-22953829264-1" class="fuse-slot" style="box-sizing: border-box; max-width: inherit; max-height: inherit;"></div> </div>

Caring

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Sydney woman who died at Robbie Williams concert identified

<p>The woman who tragically died after falling down six rows of seats at Robbie Williams' Sydney concert has been identified. </p> <p>Robyn Hall, who was in her 70s, passed away at St Vincent's Hospital after spending a week in an induced coma after the fall. </p> <p>Her son Michael paid tribute to his mum on Facebook, saying he had lost his "best friend". </p> <p>“I haven’t got the words to say what my mum meant to me,” he said.</p> <p>“Taken from under me and my best friend is no longer with me … I love you forever.”</p> <p>A family friend said Hall loved the British singer and had “thoroughly” enjoyed the evening before tragedy struck.</p> <p>“She was one of those ones who looked 50 but was 70. She took care of herself and didn’t need carers,” he said.</p> <p>“Robyn was the most beautiful human I have ever met. Through all adversity, she smiled, hugged and laughed her way through,” he said.</p> <p>“Broken hearts amongst all her family and friends, she will be missed by all who knew her.”</p> <p>Robyn had remained in an induced coma since Thursday November 16th, when she was rushed from Sydney's Allianz Stadium where Williams was performing on his Australian tour. </p> <p>It is understood that Robyn was climbing over chairs when she slipped and fell down six rows of seating. </p> <p>Paramedics were called to the stadium around 10:15pm, after Robyn suffered serious head and face injuries. </p> <p>She was treated at the scene before being rushed to hospital.</p> <p>The sold-out show kicked off just after 7pm and had wrapped by about 10pm when the 40,000 fans began making their way to the exit.</p> <p>It was around this time the woman began climbing over the seats and fell.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook</em></p>

Caring

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"It feels like losing her all over again": Missing woman's remains identified

<p>Human remains discovered in a grassland area in New South Wales have been positively identified as those belonging to Samah Baker, a victim of a tragic murder.</p> <p>The individual responsible for her murder, James Hachem, who had an intermittent relationship with her, was convicted last year for the crime that occurred in January 2019. He was subsequently handed a 24-year prison sentence in May of this year.</p> <p>The recent discovery, made on July 28th, involved a woman stumbling upon the remains approximately 100 metres to the south of the Windellama Overpass in Goulburn.</p> <p>Law enforcement officials have now officially confirmed the identity of these remains as belonging to Samah Baker.</p> <p>The Baker family, in response to this development, released a statement expressing the persistent anguish they have endured since Samah's untimely death.</p> <p>While the identification of her remains offers some solace after four-and-a-half years, it doesn't provide a complete sense of closure. The family highlighted how each new twist in the case exacerbates the wounds that have barely started healing, serving as a stark reminder of their profound loss. The statement poignantly conveys the feeling that even though her physical remains have been located, it evokes the sensation of losing her all over again.</p> <p>Samah, a 30-year-old resident of Sydney, had been engaged in a tumultuous and occasionally violent relationship with Hachem, who was 37 years old, ever since their initial encounter at work in 2015.</p> <p>Despite numerous breakups, Baker eventually moved on and found a new partner in December 2018. The court proceedings unveiled that Hachem had obsessively watched Baker, even waiting outside her apartment and growing increasingly furious when he observed her with her new partner on the early morning of January 4.</p> <p>He concocted a ruse involving a fabricated story about his parents being in a car accident to lure Baker out of her apartment before committing the heinous act.</p> <p>Hachem's premeditation extended to purchasing materials, such as a double sheet, gloves, cleaning supplies and a digging trowel from a Bunnings store, before embarking on a journey to remote regions in rural New South Wales. At the time of Hachem's sentencing, Baker's body had not yet been discovered, compounding the grief experienced by her family and friends.</p> <p>The full statement from the Baker family reads:</p> <p>"On Friday 4 January 2019, Samah was taken away from us in the cruellest way.</p> <p>"In the years that followed, our grief has been compounded by the fact that we have not been able to have a funeral or lay her to rest.</p> <p>"We never got to say goodbye to her or tell her we loved her for the last time.</p> <p>"The news of her remains being discovered four and a half years later isn't a neat resolution, but it does offer a small measure of what we've been longing for all this time.</p> <p>"Each development in the case feels like a reopening of our barely healed wounds, reminding us of the harsh reality of our loss.</p> <p>"Even though what remains of Samah has been found, it feels like losing her all over again.</p> <p>We ask for privacy in dealing with our grief."</p> <p><em>Images: PR Handout / Facebook</em></p>

Legal

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“It’s the court of public opinion”: Sarah Ferguson condemns Phillip Schofield backlash

<p dir="ltr">Sarah Ferguson has spoken out against the wave of judgement directed at former This Morning presenter Phillip Schofield and the relationship scandal that swept the world. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 63-year-old Duchess of York was chatting to businesswoman Sarah Jane Thomson on her podcast, <em>Tea Talks</em>, when conversation turned to Schofield, and his controversial affair with a man - and co-worker - 30 years younger than him. </p> <p dir="ltr">When news of the affair broke, Schofield stepped down from his 20 year position as the face of This Morning. He later confessed to the Daily Mail that he had lied about the relationship, and <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/i-will-die-sorry-phillip-schofield-breaks-his-silence-on-his-career-ending-affair">informed <em>The Sun </em>that he was “not a groomer”</a>, despite public opinion.</p> <p dir="ltr">Criticism for the disgraced host flooded social media in the wake of the whole ordeal, with the story and its related rumours splashed across publications worldwide, and it was the backlash that Ferguson wanted to address, namely the idea of ‘cancel culture’ at the centre of it all. </p> <p dir="ltr">Thomson prompted the discussion by comparing social media’s take to a “huge game of Chinese whispers”, to which Ferguson responded that “it’s like the court of public opinion.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“And then [that can lead to] massive bullying to the point of extermination of a soul,” she added. “I don’t believe that anybody has that right to judge and exterminate a person’s own beliefs.”</p> <p dir="ltr">From there, Ferguson encouraged listeners not to leap to assumptions, as “we all have failings”. She asked that everyone instead take a moment “or make a cup of tea before you judge another human being without knowing all the facts”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We don’t know the facts,” she pointed out. “We certainly don’t know what people get up to.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Thomson had her own thoughts to share on the matter, noting that “the problem is, when you’re in the public eye, any failing you make is there to be talked about, and the rest of us don’t have that. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We don't have that deep examining of where we've gone wrong, and then it's reflected over and over and over.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And while the two had made their point, Ferguson took a moment to discuss a - in her opinion “spot on” - article by Jeremy Clarkson for the<em> Sunday Times</em>, in which he wrote about the public’s race to condemn Schofield.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve never seen a witch-hunt like it,” he said, “and what baffles me most of all is that, as things stand, no crime has been committed. I don’t know him at all well and have no skin in the game, but it seems to me he is only guilty of being what he said he was: gay.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In the article, Clarkson went on to note that the age gap between Schofield and his partner in the affair was receiving a different degree of attention to heterosexual stars in similar relationship situations - from the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, who frequently dates women significantly younger than himself, and Al Pacino’s 54-year age gap with his pregnant partner.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Phil is no longer the genial host of some morning-time televisual cappuccino froth,” Clarkson surmised. “According to the people's court of social media, he's like his brother, a nonce.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty</em></p> <p> </p>

Relationships

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RBA announces major interest rate rise

<p>The Reserve Bank of Australia has lifted its official interest rate to 4.1 per cent, an increase not seen since early 2012.</p> <p>The bank’s board chose to lift the cash rate target by 0.25 of a percentage point for the second month in a row amid concerns that inflation is taking too long to decrease.</p> <p>The latest monthly consumer price index from the Australian Bureau of Statistics saw prices rise 6.8 per cent from 2022 to April 2023, up from the March reading due to statistical uncertainties caused by last year’s temporary fuel excise cut.</p> <p>Reserve Bank governor Phillip Lowe warned the public about rising costs of services including hospitality which are labour intensive and vulnerable to increased wages.</p> <p>"Recent data indicate that the upside risks to the inflation outlook have increased and the board has responded to this," he highlighted in his post-meeting statement.</p> <p>"While goods price inflation is slowing, services price inflation is still very high and is proving to be very persistent overseas. Unit labour costs are also rising briskly, with productivity growth remaining subdued.”</p> <p>Lowe noted the most recent and bigger than expected rise in minimum and award wages, which was the highest increase in decades.</p> <p>"Wages growth has picked up in response to the tight labour market and high inflation," he explained.</p> <p>"At the aggregate level, wages growth is still consistent with the inflation target, provided that productivity growth picks up.”</p> <p>The interest rate spike will add around $76 a month to the repayments on a $500,000 loan, and double that on a million-dollar 25-year mortgage.</p> <p>Someone with $500,000 owing on their home loan will see their monthly repayment increase by around $1,134 a month since the RBA started lifting rates from a record low of 0.1 per cent in May 2022.</p> <p>However, there is still the risk of another rate rise.</p> <p>"Some further tightening of monetary policy may be required to ensure that inflation returns to target in a reasonable time frame, but that will depend upon how the economy and inflation evolve," Lowe warned.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Twitter</em></p>

Money & Banking

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"I will die sorry": Phillip Schofield breaks his silence on his career-ending affair

<p>Former <em>This Morning </em>host Phillip Schofield has broken his silence over his affair with a colleague 30 years his junior in an interview with <em>The Sun</em>. </p> <p>And while the disgraced British television star shared that he had been left feeling “utterly broken and ashamed” over the whole ordeal, he stressed that any rumours of grooming were not true. </p> <p>“I did not,” he told the publication, after a week of the social media rumour mill running riot. “I did not [groom him].”</p> <p>“I know the photos of us circulating on Twitter look shocking, but I’m not a groomer,” Phillip insisted.</p> <p>He noted that “there are accusations of all sorts of things”, but claimed that had never been an abuse of power, as “we’d become mates … but of course I understand that there will be a massive judgement, but bearing in mind, I have never exercised that anywhere else.”</p> <p>According to Phillip, the two remain friends. And although the ex-show runner had been 30 years younger than him at the time of their affair, he added that the relationship had only begun after the man was 20 years old, when “something just happened between us that changed everything.” </p> <p>“I assume somebody, somewhere, assumed something was going on, correctly” he shared, “and didn't say anything. </p> <p>“At the time I did not think about it possibly ruining my career. I really probably only thought about it when I saw the rumour mill, and saw it growing.</p> <p>“Then I saw the link with the drama school photo [from] all those years before, and thought, ‘this looks shocking’.”</p> <p>However, as Phillip said, he hadn’t lied in order to protect his own career, but instead because the other man in the affair hadn’t wanted “his name in public. He wanted his own life.” </p> <p>Phillip explained that “the lies grew bigger and bigger and bigger”, and that it was starting to have a deep effect on both of them. </p> <p>“It got to the stage where it was out of control,” he said, “and for whatever cost, it had to stop.</p> <p>“I have massive guilt, and regret. I’ve made a mistake, I’ve had an affair at work.”</p> <p> “I think my greatest apology must go to him,” Phillip revealed. “It has brought the greatest misery into his totally innocent life, his totally innocent family, his totally innocent friends.</p> <p>“It has brought the greatest grief to them.”</p> <p>He added that the pair hadn’t spoken since the story broke - and that he also no longer speaks to his former friend and co-host Holly Willoughby - but that when things began to spiral out of control, he’d “paid for his lawyers to independently work on his behalf. </p> <p>“I am deeply sorry and I apologise to him because I should have known better. I should have acted the way I have always acted. I should not have done it.</p> <p>“I’m sorry. And I will forever be sorry. I will die sorry. I am so deeply mortified.”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

News

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RBA boss' blunt suggestion for struggling renters

<p>Reserve Bank of Australia governor Phillip Lowe is warning Aussies that the nationwide rental crisis will worsen before it gets better.</p> <p>Despite high interest rates and a good chance of another increase as inflation continues to skyrocket, the housing market is showing signs of recovery.</p> <p>However, renters are faced with a short supply and the possibility of the biggest rent hike in decades.</p> <p>Lowe urged people struggling with their payments to consider getting a flatmate or housemate or moving back home.</p> <p>He also suggested people rent out their spare rooms to help with the crisis.</p> <p>"The way that this ends up fixing itself, unfortunately, is through higher housing prices and higher rents," he said.</p> <p>"Because as rents go up people decide not to move out of home, or you don't have that home office, you get a flatmate.</p> <p>"The increase in supply can't happen immediately, but higher prices do lead people to economise on housing."</p> <p>Lowe explained that housing supply was the biggest challenge on the market and that rents were expected to increase by 10 per cent.</p> <p>That would be the biggest price hike since the 1980s.</p> <p>However, homeowners will be pleased to hear that the market is showing signs of recovery, with a 1.2 per cent growth recorded in May 2023.</p> <p>Image credit: Getty</p>

Real Estate

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King Charles cuts ties with TV host over affair revelations

<p>King Charles has cut all ties with UK television host Phillip Schofield, after he lied about having an affair. </p> <p>Schofield has been dumped from his hosting gig at <em>This Morning</em>, which he has been the face of for 21 years, after he admitted he had an affair with a much younger man who worked at the ITV network.</p> <p>The 61-year-old resigned from the network after lying about the “consensual on-off relationship", admitting in a statement that the affair was "unwise" but stressed it was "not illegal".</p> <p>He added that he was "deeply sorry" for having lied to his wife and to ITV about his relationship with the man reportedly 30 years his junior and who he first met as a teenager.</p> <p>“Contrary to speculation, whilst I met the man when he was a teenager and was asked to help him to get into television, it was only after he started to work on the show that it became more than just a friendship,” he said in his recent statement.</p> <p>In light of the affair, Schofield has been dropped by The Prince's Trust, after being an ambassador for several years. </p> <p>A spokesperson from the King's charity told <em><a title="The Telegraph" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/05/30/phillip-schofield-dropped-princes-trust-this-morning-affair/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Telegraph</a> UK</em> that it was mutually agreed it was "no longer appropriate to work together".</p> <p>"In light of Phillip's recent admissions, we have agreed with him that it is no longer appropriate to work together," a Prince's Trust spokesperson said.</p> <p>All references to Schofield have been removed from the charity's website and also his own page.</p> <p>It previously read, "Outside of work, Phillip is an ambassador for the charity The Prince's Trust, dedicating time to further the work of supporting vulnerable young people in the UK".</p> <p>The Prince's Trust was created in 1976 by then-Prince Charles to help young disadvantaged people in the UK, with the hugely successful charity helping more than one million young people by providing them with business grants, education and training.</p> <p>Following the bombshell revelation of Schofield's affair, ITV said it had investigated the allegations of his affair "several times" from early 2020, but said it didn't find any evidence.</p> <p>It's been a trying time for the ex-presenter with his brother Timothy recently being jailed for 12 years over child sex offences.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

News

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Simon Baker’s stunning transformation

<p>For many, the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of Simon Baker is <em>The Mentalist </em>- a lead role that established him as one of American TV’s highest paid stars. </p> <p>For others, it’s Baker as the face of ANZ. </p> <p>Either way, it’s easy to put a face to the name, though even some of his most hardcore fans may be surprised by the actor’s latest transformation, stepping back from Hollywood to instead embrace his passions and focus on his “creative renaissance”. </p> <p>Simon’s latest project, <em>Limbo</em>, comes in the wake of his homegrown work with <em>High Ground</em>, <em>Blaze</em>, and adaptation of Tim Winton’s <em>Breath</em> - with some going so far as to call it Baker’s “career best”. </p> <p>In <em>Limbo</em>, an outback noir written and directed by award-winning Indigenous filmmaker Ivan Sen, Baker steps into the shoes of jaded police detective and former drug squad officer Travis Hurley.</p> <p>Hurley and his addictions are sent to a small community in the outback that’s surrounded by opal mines and filled with secrets - one of which is a two-decades old disappearance of an Indigenous woman that Hurley is there to investigate.</p> <p>And while some of this may feel familiar to Baker’s regular audiences, the film is a far cry from what they’ve perhaps come to expect from the likes of<em> The Mentalist</em>, and his role even more so, with one reviewer calling his performance “hypnotically sinister”. </p> <p>Sen - who took on the roles of cinematographer, composer, and editor as well - paints a black-and-white picture, and utilises known crime drama tropes without thrusting them into the faces of <em>Limbo</em>’s viewers.</p> <p>Audiences witness the film through Hurley’s perspective, learning of what the town’s community has endured through the eyes of an ‘outsider’. As Hurley learns more about the failures of investigative authorities in the town, so too do the audience, as well as the underlying messages on the value of Indigenous life.</p> <p>It’s not the first time Sen has explored this in his work, and combined with Baker’s ability to tell a story subtly, with quiet nuance and separation from stereotype, it appears a match made in movie heaven.</p> <p>As Sen told <em>The New Daily</em>, “he has got an amazing presence.</p> <p>“He can talk so well without actually having to open his mouth. I wanted to expand that within a cinematic context, so this was our chance.”</p> <p><em>Images: Bunya Productions, Warner Bros. Television</em></p>

Movies

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Halle Berry's priceless response to troll over naked balcony pic

<p>If you’ve got it, flaunt it. And if you’re Halle Berry, do it while sipping wine and basking in the sunshine, rising above a troll or two along the way. </p> <p>And that’s the exact approach the Academy Award winning actress has taken with her latest social media share, to the delight - and amusement - of fans all over. </p> <p>In a picture posted to Halle’s various online accounts, the 56-year-old can be seen standing nude on a balcony with a wine glass in hand, glowing in the light from above. </p> <p>Some strategic limb placement and shadow work keep the snap well within posting guidelines, though that likely wouldn’t have kept the actress from sharing her peaceful moment, with her caption reading “I do what I wanna do.” </p> <p>Comments flooded in for the <em>Catwoman</em> star, and while some were far more appropriate than others, the general consensus was that Halle should absolutely continue to do exactly what she wanted, with the heartfelt support of her fans behind her, and many applauding her bold statement. </p> <p>“Well behaved women never made history,” wrote author and wellness expert Maria Emmerich. </p> <p>“The blueprint,” declared American rapper Saweetie. </p> <p>“YES!!!!” gushed singer Kelly Rowland.</p> <p>“I’m 61. If I looked like her, I would be way worse!” said one fan. “She looks gorgeous.”</p> <p>“I just wanted to see the sunrise but this is 1000% better!” another chimed. </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/Cqyh2CYrZq6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cqyh2CYrZq6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Halle Berry (@halleberry)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>However, despite the celebration from the majority, there were still those who saw fit to spew their cruelty, with some going so far as to blame Halle’s joy in her body for any hardships in her relationships. Halle silenced them soon enough though, confirming with one fan that it had actually been her own boyfriend - singer Van Hunt - who took the picture. </p> <p>And when someone took issue with Halle daring to bare all in her 50s, the star once again took the high road (to the balcony), drawing attention to the sheer absurdity of the original comment with her unique - and entirely unforgettable - comeback.</p> <p>“Imagine being in your 50s still posting nudes for attention in menopause when you should be chilling with your grandkids,” wrote Halle’s hater, “ageing with dignity is no longer a thing.” </p> <p>And Halle, in a move that gave the ageist comment none of the attention it was craving, merely asked of her followers, “did you guys know the heart of a shrimp is located in its head?” </p> <p>The comment was never going to sit well with the actress, who has been open about her thoughts on ageing in Hollywood - and life in general - in the past, even telling <em>AARP</em> in 2022 that “we’re all going to get older. Our skin is going to shrivel up and we’re going to look different. I see things changing with my face and body, but I’ve never put all my eggs in that basket. I’ve always known that beauty is deeper than the physical body you’re walking around in.”</p> <p>“I refuse to become someone who just tries to hold on to a youthful face and not embrace what’s most important about being beautiful - how you live your life, how you give back to others, how you connect to people, how you strengthen your mind, body, and soul and nourish yourself, how you give in a meaningful way of yourself. The most beautiful people have something radiating inside.</p> <p>“Women are told that when we reach a certain number, we’re no longer valuable. I believe the opposite. Society should look at us as jewels as we get older.</p> <p>“Because the older women get, the more formidable we are.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Deck the halls with Carnival's Grinchmas in July cruises

<p>Roll out the mince pies! Carnival Cruise Line announces it will offer five ‘Grinchmas in July’ themed sailings onboard Carnival Splendor to its existing roster of fun-filled cruises.</p> <p>As part of Carnival’s ongoing Dr. Seuss partnership, the Grinch-themed cruises will bring the very best of ‘Christmas in July’ traditions to sea, allowing Australian guests to experience the fun of a wintry ‘Christmas’.</p> <p>The new additions come as part of Carnival’s ‘<a title="https://tbwa.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=be30b62527ebaa7f4369ae725&amp;id=ba3a14e61c&amp;e=ade5c0391b" href="https://tbwa.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=be30b62527ebaa7f4369ae725&amp;id=ba3a14e61c&amp;e=ade5c0391b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seuss at Sea</a>’ offerings, including its Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast, Seussapalooza and Seuss Storytime.</p> <p>Grinchmas in July will see Carnival Splendor transformed into a magical winter wonderland, its giant Christmas tree adorned with glittering lights and baubles galore; there’ll even be winter ‘snow’ on board.</p> <p>Guests will be able to immerse themselves in the full holiday spirit by enjoying a delicious array of festive food and beverage offerings, including Christmas-themed beverages and specialty dining options, ensuring a very merry time.</p> <p>The festive fun comes on top of the full array of 45+ activities guests have come to know and love on a Carnival Cruise.</p> <p>The Grinch himself will join the festivities with special appearances and a screening of <em>How the Grinch Stole Christmas</em> at the Dive-In Movies. The fun doesn’t stop there, as guests can party like a Who from Who-ville, to a ‘Jingle Bell Jam’ soundtrack, as well as Christmas carolling, festive games, trivia and arts and crafts. There’s even an ugly Christmas sweater night and festive outfit competition for the fashionistas of the family.</p> <p>VP of Carnival Cruise Line, Kara Glamore comments, “Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, but why should we limit the fun to December? With three within the winter school holidays, there’s no better way to spend time with the family during the school break”.</p> <p>Carnival’s Grinchmas in July sailings depart from Sydney starting from 30th June 2023. The full list of sailings include:</p> <ul> <li>Friday 30th June: 9-night sailing to the South Pacific visiting three amazing ports including Noumea, Mystery Island and Lifou</li> <li>Sunday 9th July: 4-night sailing including a trip to the picturesque Moreton Island, one of Australia's best kept secrets</li> <li>Thursday 13th July: 3-night Weekend Sampler where guests can soak in the very best of Sydney’s famous landmarks whilst getting a taste of the fun on board</li> <li>Sunday 16th July: 12-night South Pacific tour with just under two weeks sailing around the stunning South Pacific. Enjoy the sunshine in Noumea, whilst stopping off at other stunning locations such as Mystery Island and Lifou</li> <li>Friday 28th July: 3-night Weekend Sampler</li> </ul> <p>Fares for Carnival Cruise Line’s Grinchmas in July sailings start from $414* per person twin share interior.  For more information and bookings call 13 31 94, see your travel agent or visit <a style="color: #007c89;" title="https://tbwa.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=be30b62527ebaa7f4369ae725&amp;id=912946709f&amp;e=ade5c0391b" href="https://tbwa.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=be30b62527ebaa7f4369ae725&amp;id=912946709f&amp;e=ade5c0391b" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="color: #0000ff;">https://www.carnival.com.au/</span></a></p> <p><em>Image credits: Carnival Cruises </em></p>

Cruising

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Breakfast Club star finally joins the baby club

<p>Actor Anthony Hall and his wife, Lucia Oskerova, have shared the delightful news that they are expecting their first child together.</p> <p>In a statement to <em>People</em>, the 54-year-old actor, best known for his roles in <em>Sixteen Candles </em>and <em>The Breakfast Club</em>, opened up about how 34-year-old Lucia broke the news - a far cry from his <em>The Breakfast Club</em> character Brian Johnson’s stubborn “it's personal business. It's my personal, private business.”</p> <p>"Lucia and I were at home,” he explained. “She surprised me by revealing that she was pregnant with an at-home pregnancy test. We were kissing, hugging, and thanking God. We immediately started dancing and laughing in our bathroom to celebrate the good news.” </p> <p>Anthony went on to add that the couple will be having a boy, and that they already have a name for the little one picked out - “Michael Anthony the II”. Anthony’s full name is Michael Anthony Hall, but he changed it as many celebrities do upon joining the Screen Actors Guild in 1976. </p> <p>Of their upcoming dive into parenthood this summer, he gushed, "my wife and I are feeling so blessed, excited and filled with joy in anticipation of our son being born this summer.”</p> <p>Lucia took to Instagram to share their exciting news, with a post that also wished their fans a happy Valentine’s Day, tagging it “#babynews” and “#firsttimeparents”. </p> <p>“Congratulations!” Wrote Boardwalk Empire actor Chris Caldovino, to the thanks of both expectant parents. </p> <p>“I’ve been waiting FOREVER for the announcement of my new baby buddy! Love, love, love!” Declared one loved one, to whom Lucia responded that “it was starting to get hard to keep it a secret.” </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/Cop_osxSaGM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cop_osxSaGM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Lucia Oskerova (@luciaoskerova)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Anthony had nothing but praise for his wife when asked about her pregnancy experience, telling People she’s been a “champ throughout”. </p> <p>"She's tending to every important detail as a proud, expectant mother-to-be,” he explained. “She is now six and half months along.</p> <p>"As a new father-to-be, I've been taking care of family business and making sure we all eat well, with a healthy diet of good foods — plenty of greens, vegetables, fresh fruit, and protein-rich food. Lucia makes great smoothies for us. And we are all getting good sleep each night."</p> <p>Anthony, as character Brian Johnson, once announced that he was “in the math club, uh, the Latin, and the physics club”. Whether or not Anthony himself has ever added any of these to his resume as well, he’ll soon be a lifetime member of The Baby Club.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty </em></p>

Family & Pets

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"Bullet in your head": Guy Sebastian’s neighbour faces court over death threats

<p>Phillip Hanslow, neighbour to Australian singer Guy Sebastian, faced court for the first time this morning over his alleged death threats. </p> <p>Phillip arrived to a media frenzy with his wife, Carol, and her oxygen tank. He became emotional as he opened up about the state of his health in the wake of the six-year feud’s climax, and drew comparisons between his fight with the singer to the 1977 film <em>Castle</em>. </p> <p>The feud between the neighbours reached breaking point on January 23 when Phillip allegedly confronted Guy outside their properties in Sydney’s eastern beaches. Guy was returning from a family holiday in Japan when Phillip is said to have kicked down his fence. </p> <p>Phillip is said to have told the singer that “I’ll put a bullet in your head”, supposedly with a hammer in hand. However, the 66-year-old argues that his actual words were “one day someone will put a bullet in your head.” </p> <p>In the days to follow the incident, Phillip was arrested and issued with an apprehended violence order. Guy was granted the order that prevented Philip from contacting him or from entering his property by Magistrate Ross Hudson.</p> <p>Outside of the court, Phillip spoke of his arrest, and the manner in which law enforcement officers entered his home, claiming they “broke into the back of the house, smashed down the door, and came into the house while I was on the toilet and arrested me.</p> <p>“And then took me off to Maroubra Police Station and I spent six-and-a-half hours in the lockup. All over just a heated argument with a neighbour which I think is clearly overboard.”</p> <p>Phillip’s admissions to reporters didn’t stop there, with the former builder opening up about his health, and the full-time care he provides his wife. </p> <p>“I’m 66 – on my way out, I suppose – my body’s worn out from years and years of working as a tradie, so it’s not easy trying to deal with what’s in front of me, but you’ve got to just move forward and do your best,” he said of his health conditions - including a herniated disk in his back, brain fog, and sciatica. “But I can’t cry about it, I’ve gotta keep moving forward.” </p> <p>Phillip informed the court that he had to have his infected bowel removed, and that it would mean a three-week recovery for him. He did not enter pleas during his appearance, stating that he required legal aid but had been unable to find anyone who was available. </p> <p>Under the circumstances, Magistrate Ross Hudson adjourned the matter, allowing Phillip until March 9 to find legal representation and to recover from his procedure.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Legal

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Former ABC presenter arrested and charged with 23 offences

<p dir="ltr">A former ABC news presenter has been arrested after a police investigation found a stash of illegal drugs in two hotel rooms. </p> <p dir="ltr">Ashley Hall was arrested in Sydney’s CBD on Wednesday after police raided two hotel rooms and found illegal drugs worth a whopping $600,000. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 52-year-old was arrested and charged with 23 offences, including eight counts of supplying a prohibited drug at an indictable commercial quantity.</p> <p dir="ltr">Soon after his arrest, police conducted a search of two hotel rooms in Wentworth Street and Bond Street, Sydney. </p> <p dir="ltr">During the search warrants, officers seized 500 MDMA tablets, 100g of cocaine, 3.2kg of 1,4-butanediol, 700g of methylamphetamine, more than a 1kg of cannabis, and more than $70,000 cash. </p> <p dir="ltr">"That male would come and go from those hotel rooms to meet with different buyers of those drugs where he would supply large quantities of GHB, cocaine, meth and MDMA," Detective Acting Superintendent Ben Kinns said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hall was denied bail and is due to appear in court in February 2023. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: NSW Police</em></p>

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Kyle Sandilands reveals why he's never been fired

<p>Kyle Sandilands has revealed why he has never been fired from his high-profile radio gig. </p> <p>On Saturday night, Kyle and Jackie O were inducted into the hall of fame at the annual Australian Commercial Radio Awards (ACRAs) for their many influential years on the air. </p> <p>During their speech, Kyle shared the details as to why he always gets bailed out of his many controversies, before he has to run the risk of losing his job.</p> <p>While on stage, Kyle paid tribute to a former boss who always protected him throughout his career.</p> <p>“What no one knows is that when Jeff Allis hired me … He said to me, ‘There’s a lot of people here that are really good at their job and there’s a lot of 9-5 people just punching their time card,’” Kyle said on stage.</p> <p>“And he said, ‘between you and I, just f***ing do anything you want and I will be your get out of jail free card!’"</p> <p>“So I took full advantage, as a lot of you would be aware,” Kyle said. “A lot of management were like, ‘how the f**k did he not get fired 4000 times? Jeff Allis saved me every time.”</p> <p>During their emotional speech, Jackie thanked her ex-husband for “the opportunities that you’ve given me and for showing me the passion and the need for hard work in radio”.</p> <p>She also paid tribute to her daughter, Kitty, who was in the audience, saying, “She never made mummy feel guilty for not being there in the mornings for school drop off … She’s so cool and patient and kind.”</p> <p>And finally, she thanked Kyle, her co-host of 22 years, saying, “He is my ride or die. I know what you’re gonna say before you even say it."</p> <p>“We laugh, we cry … but you’ve always supported me and I am just so grateful that you have been the one by my side throughout this. If you ride off a cliff, I’ll ride off it with you.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p> <div id="indie-campaign-rHsIzpAmAj7xkA4llYlH-2" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 24px;" data-campaign-name="NCA ENTERTAINMENT newsletter" data-campaign-indie="newsletter-signup" data-jira="TSN-268" data-from="1640955600000" data-to="1677502800000"></div> <div class="AV62af35d851923c62777207b4" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px auto; width: 705.202209px;"> <div id="aniBox" style="box-sizing: inherit; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; overflow: hidden; transition: height 1s ease 0s; width: 705px; height: 1px; opacity: 0;"> <div id="aniplayer_AV62af35d851923c62777207b4-1667165633579" style="box-sizing: inherit;"> <div id="aniplayer_AV62af35d851923c62777207b4-1667165633579gui" style="box-sizing: inherit;"></div> </div> </div> </div>

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