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Making art is a uniquely human act, and one that provides a wellspring of health benefits

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/girija-kaimal-1486183">Girija Kaimal</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/drexel-university-1074">Drexel University</a></em></p> <p>When you think about the word “art,” what comes to mind? A child’s artwork pinned to the fridge? A favorite artist whose work always inspires? Abstract art that is hard to understand?</p> <p>Each of these assumes that making art is something that other people do, such as children or “those with talent.”</p> <p>However, as I explain in my book “<a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-expressive-instinct-9780197646229?q=the%20expressive%20instinct&amp;lang=en&amp;cc=ca">The Expressive Instinct</a>,” art is intrinsic to human evolution and history. Just as sports or workouts exercise the body, creating art exercises the imagination and is essential to mental as well as physical well-being.</p> <p>I am a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=C8R2XOYAAAAJ&amp;hl=en">professor of art therapy</a> who studies how creative self-expression affects physical and emotional health. In our clinical research studies, my colleagues and I are finding that any form of creative self-expression – including drawing, painting, fiber arts, woodworking or photography – can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/08322473.2017.1375827">reduce stress</a>, improve mood and increase self-confidence.</p> <p>As a sickly child who needed to stay home from school a lot, I found that making art helped me cope. Today, creating art is my sanctuary. I use it as a sounding board to better understand myself and a way to recharge and learn from the challenges of life.</p> <h2>The uniquely human attribute of creativity</h2> <p>Although everyone has their own concept of what defines art, one thing is universally true: Creativity is a defining feature of the human species.</p> <p>How so? Well, human brains are not computers processing data. They are biological prediction machines that perceive the environment through memories and the senses, with the capacity to <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2010.00025">use that information to imagine</a> plausible future scenarios.</p> <p>These inherent predictive and imaginative capacities are the wellspring of humanity’s abilities to survive and thrive – because self-expression is a safety valve that helps us cope with uncertainty. No one truly knows the future; they must live each day not sure of what will happen tomorrow. Art can help us all practice this imaginative muscle in a useful way.</p> <p>In our study examining brain activity while using virtual reality tools to create 3-D digital artwork, my team demonstrated that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/07421656.2021.1957341">creative expression is a natural state of being</a>. The brain naturally uses fewer cognitive resources to be expressive and creative, compared with the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/07421656.2021.1957341">brain power needed to do a rote task</a> that requires conscious effort.</p> <p>Seemingly ordinary everyday activities can provide opportunities to tap into one’s natural creativity and imagination: whipping up a meal from leftovers, figuring out an alternate route to work, dancing a little jig in response to hearing a song, or planting and tending a garden.</p> <p>We have repeatedly found in our studies that even a single session of real and honest self-expression can improve self-confidence and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735420912835">reduce feelings of stress</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2019.08.006">anxiety and burnout</a>.</p> <p>This is partly because <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2017.05.004">creativity activates reward pathways</a> in the brain. Using our hands and bodies to express ourselves activates dopamine pathways and helps us feel good. Dopamine is a neural messenger that is associated with feeling a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.ajpath.2015.09.023">sense of hope, accomplishment or reward</a>. Our brains are wired to secrete <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-does-experiencing-flow-feel-so-good-a-communication-scientist-explains-173505">feel-good hormones whenever we move</a>, create something or engage in any type of expressive activity.</p> <p>Tapping into the creative resources within is <a href="https://theconversation.com/drawing-making-music-and-writing-poetry-can-support-healing-and-bring-more-humanity-to-health-care-in-us-hospitals-204684">one of the most underrated seeds of well-being</a> in the world.</p> <p>By comparison, bottling up or <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-the-secrets-you-keep-are-hurting-you/">denying these feelings can cause distress</a>, anxiety and fear because we have not processed and expressed them. This is probably one of the reasons why every community around the world has its own creative and expressive practices. Even our ancestors in Indigenous communities all around the world intuitively knew that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2021.101879">self-expression was essential</a> to emotional health and social connection.</p> <p>Being unable to share our lives, <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/why-the-secrets-you-keep-are-hurting-you/">keeping secrets</a> and feeling isolated and lonely tend <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.02.002">to worsen our health</a>. To our brains, social isolation feels like a chronic disease because it interprets this loneliness and inability to express as a threat to survival.</p> <p>Since creative expression can engage the senses, it can also be a body workout: a sensual as well as emotional and cognitive experience. Being active in expression – be it art, music, dance, drama, writing, culinary arts or working with nature – imparts a sense of confidence and hope that <a href="https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-expressive-instinct-9780197646229?q=the%20expressive%20instinct&amp;lang=en&amp;cc=ca">challenges can be navigated and overcome</a>.</p> <h2>The role of art therapy</h2> <p>Given the integral role of art in our lives, it makes sense that making art can help people manage transitions, adversity and trauma, such as the stresses of puberty, the death of a loved one or <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejon.2019.08.006">experiencing a serious illness</a>.</p> <p>According to a global study, 1 in 2 people will experience a <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(23)00193-1">mental-health-related challenge in their lifetime</a>, whether from life’s challenges, genetic predispositions or a combination of the two.</p> <p>This is where art therapy can come in. Art therapy is <a href="https://arttherapy.org/about-art-therapy/">a regulated mental health profession</a> in which clinical psychotherapists with extensive clinical training offer psychotherapy to patients with diagnosed mental health needs.</p> <p>The origins of art therapy go back to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021448">attempts to treat soldiers struggling with post-traumatic stress</a> during the 20th century’s two world wars. Today there is evidence that traumatic experiences tend to be stored as <a href="http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7316-0473">sounds, images and physical sensations</a> in the brain. When someone <a href="https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2019.20825">lacks the words</a> to process these experiences through traditional talk therapy, art therapy can provide an indirect way to express and externalize those feelings and memories.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e-IiUcUVAwk?wmode=transparent&amp;start=3" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">The process of making art can help people process feelings that they aren’t able to put into words.</span></figcaption></figure> <p>One of art therapy’s unique strengths is that it provides nonverbal ways of communicating, processing and eventually managing the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. In fact, in a recent study, my team has found that a personal history of trauma is related to <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1337927">how people react to evocative images</a>. Images of distress and pain resonate with us when we have known similar kinds of distress ourselves. This implies that our life stories make us sensitized to distress in others and even personalize it more.</p> <p>Creative self-expression is especially relevant in coping with trauma because it provides an outlet through which a person <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1534735420912835">can regain a sense of agency</a> and control.</p> <h2>How to bring creativity into daily life</h2> <p>For those new to exploring art as a creative pursuit or for well-being reasons, engaging in creative activities begins with letting go of unrealistic expectations. Being creative isn’t about becoming a famous artist or even a mediocre one. It is about allowing ourselves to flex the creative muscle that we all have and enjoying all the sensory and emotional aspects of imagining.</p> <p>Next, think about activities that made you feel free to explore when you were a child. Did you like singing, playing in the outdoors, dancing, making up pretend plays, or writing little tales? Allow yourself to indulge in any and all of these creative pursuits that made you feel relaxed and joyful.</p> <p>A <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2021.101879">cultural tradition</a>, tinkering with electronics, making a gift for someone or simply paying attention to everyday beauty – any of these can be a creative activity. And just like any muscle, the more you exercise it, the stronger it becomes. Over time, you will notice yourself getting more confident and adventurous in your creative practices.</p> <p>Whatever it is, make time for this creative pursuit every week – which is possibly the hardest step of them all. If it seems “unimportant” compared with the demands of daily life, such as work or family, try thinking of it as another form of sustenance.</p> <p>Remember that creativity is just as critical to human health as <a href="https://theconversation.com/helping-children-eat-healthier-foods-may-begin-with-getting-parents-to-do-the-same-research-suggests-225157">eating nutritious meals</a> or <a href="https://theconversation.com/yoga-modern-research-shows-a-variety-of-benefits-to-both-body-and-mind-from-the-ancient-practice-197662">getting exercise</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-the-best-diet-for-healthy-sleep-a-nutritional-epidemiologist-explains-what-food-choices-will-help-you-get-more-restful-zs-219955">good rest</a>. So as the Latin saying goes: “Plene vivere.” Live fully.</p> <p><!-- 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><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/girija-kaimal-1486183">Girija Kaimal</a>, Professor of Art Therapy Research, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/drexel-university-1074">Drexel University</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/making-art-is-a-uniquely-human-act-and-one-that-provides-a-wellspring-of-health-benefits-219091">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Mind

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Maddie McCann suspect’s cellmate shares shocking confession

<p>The prime suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann allegedly confessed to a former cellmate that he once took a child from an apartment in Portugal. </p> <p>Christian Brueckner, a convicted German paedophile, has never formally been charged with the abduction of McCann but has long been the main suspect in the case. </p> <p>Brueckner, who was in and around the Praia da Luz resort area on the Algarve coast at the time McCann disappeared on May 3rd 2007, has denied any involvement with her disappearance. </p> <p>The 47-year-old is currently serving a seven-year sentence for a rape he committed in Portugal in 2005, while also being on trial for several unrelated sexual offences he is alleged to have committed between 2000 and 2017.</p> <p>In court on Wednesday, Brueckner's former cellmate Laurentiu Codin claimed he opened up about his past while they were confiding in each other at Braunschweig Prison.</p> <p>“He told me that in Portugal, he had stolen there,” Codin told Braunschweig Regional Court, <em><a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/30657247/madeleine-mccann-brueckner-admitted-snatched-girl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-link-type="article-inline">The Sun</a></em> reported.</p> <p>“He was in an area of hotels where rich people live ... and when he went to the hotel area, there was an open window somewhere, he told me. And he would have entered this window for money and gold."</p> <p>“However, he did not find any money, but came across a child and took it with him.”</p> <p>He claimed Bruckner said he “left the area” and “took the child with him ... and drove away, while the place was full of police and dogs”.</p> <p>“He drove off in the car and he was gone. He asked me if the DNA from a child could be taken from bones under the ground.”</p> <p>After the witness said Brueckner was clever, the defendant’s lawyer asked whether he thought it was clever to tell someone in prison about such crimes, to which Codin said: “Perhaps ... he misjudged me.”</p> <p>McCann disappeared from her bedroom on May 3, 2007, during a family holiday while her parents were dining with friends nearby in the resort of Praia da Luz.</p> <p>German police said in June 2020 that McCann was presumed dead and that Brueckner was likely responsible for it, however, he has not been charged with any crime related to her disappearance. </p> <p><em>Image credits: MGG/Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

Legal

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Cafe providing free meals to families faces shutdown

<p>Kirsty Parkes spends a lot of her time providing food and clothes to those in need amid the cost-of-living crisis by running a community cafe. </p> <p>But now, her beloved cafe may close if she doesn't receive urgent financial help. </p> <p>"We need to pay our bills in order to keep this going and if we don't pay our bills, people don't eat," Parkes, who has a big family of her own, told <em>A Current Affair</em>. </p> <p>Community Cafe in Sydney's south-west became a safe haven for dozens of men, women and children, with over 100 people showing up every day. </p> <p>The cafe is a place where people can get food, clothes and toiletries for free, as well as connect with others. </p> <p>"We want to help people restore their value and restore their dignity," Parkes said.</p> <p>"Our currency is just a little bit different. So instead of using money, we use manners. Because manners and kindness are free."</p> <p>However, with an increase in costs and a lack of donations, the beloved cafe may soon be forced to close. </p> <p>"Whether there's a rate rise, whether there's a petrol hike, all of these little things affect us tremendously and affect the numbers here," she said.</p> <p>"We need to come up with some funds really desperately before then just to keep us open," she added. </p> <p>She said that at this stage they require "around about $20,000. Our electricity bill alone is almost $10,000."</p> <p>She added that  Cabravale Diggers, who have been paying the cafe's rent, and Liverpool City Council, who have also been providing financial assistance, can't continue to hold responsibility for all of the bills. </p> <p>"We've had fantastic sponsorship, we have fantastic people that back us ... but they can't carry the burden of this," Parkes said.</p> <p>"This is something that the whole community needs to get behind and support."</p> <p>The cafe provides invaluable support for customers like Ted and Lola, who find it hard to find a similar community. </p> <p>"I go to church. Not even a church will help me," Lola said.</p> <p>"These people - I don't even know them and out of nowhere they're taking rich and poor, whoever turns up."</p> <p>"It's hard living on a pension. It's very hard," Ted added. </p> <p>Parkes added that as things are starting to run out, she has had to impose rations, which has been difficult for her. </p> <p>"We've had to then turn around and say 'look today, sorry we can only give you two loaves of bread because we just don't have enough for everyone that's going to come through the door'," Parkes said.</p> <p>"That stuff breaks my heart. It absolutely kills me because people are hungry."</p> <p>From Friday, customers may have to be turned away.</p> <p>"It's terrible. How can we close? We see over 120 people a day. It's terrible," one of the volunteers at the community cafe said. </p> <p>"The community needs it. We can't close. We absolutely cannot close."</p> <p> Those who would like to help the cafe stay open have been encouraged to visit their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Communitycafe.inc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Facebook page</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: A Current Affair</em></p>

Caring

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New link to Madeleine McCann suspect revealed for the first time

<p dir="ltr">Detectives have uncovered an email account belonging to convicted paedophile Christian Brueckner that ties him to the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, a court has heard. </p> <p dir="ltr">Detective Titus Stampa told a court that the German FBI had identified two email accounts linked to the man, but was unable to discuss one of them because it was “related to the killing” of the child. </p> <p dir="ltr">The second email account was used for trading child pornography images with people online. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, the account had all of the messages deleted from the first half of 2007: the time Maddie vanished.</p> <p dir="ltr">Detective Stampa refused to confirm if the “murder” account contained any “photos”, but he said investigators were also in possession of a hard drive related to the “murder” which he was not allowed to discuss.</p> <p dir="ltr">The detective told the court, “An external hard drive is also belonging to the killing case – and I am not allowed to talk about it.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Asked about the account used for swapping child sex abuse images, Detective Stampa said, “I can remember that things were ‘massively’ deleted in the inbox.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There was nothing in there from January 2007.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The revelation offered the first glimpse into the physical proof that has led German investigators to believe Brueckner kidnapped and killed Maddie.</p> <p dir="ltr">Brueckner has long been the main suspect in the case of Maddie’s disappearance, after a key witness came forward in 2017 to report the man, who claimed that while discussing the McCann case, Brueckner said, “She didn’t scream.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Madeleine was last seen when she was just three years old in 2007 in Praia da Luz on Portugal’s Algarve coast, when she was on holiday with her family. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: MGG/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Legal

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University gives resident cat an honorary doctorate

<p>A university in the US has handed out an honorary doctorate to a surprising recipient: the resident campus cat. </p> <p>For four years, Max the cat has been a respected member of the Vermont State University, putting a smile on students' faces through his friendly demeanour. </p> <p>When Max's owner Ashley was contacted by the school and told their plans to give Max the special honour, she "thought they were crazy", but it brought a big smile to her face.</p> <p>"We live on the main entrance to campus and when my daughter started attending as a junior, she started seeing everyone and how they kind of doted on Max," Ashley told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/today/vermont-state-university-resident-cat-max-dow-given-honorary-doctorate-in-literature/57d96d7c-ecc5-460f-85ac-ceee24e119b5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Today Extra</em></a>.</p> <p>"So we started an Instagram page that we keep updated with some of the photos and then I started getting tracked down by people on campus saying, 'Oh Max has been on the Dean's desk and he's been on the desk of the head of graduate studies, and he just kind of makes himself at home.'"</p> <p>Ashely said that Max's calming presence has helped many students who are stressed about their studies, or those who are feeling homesick. </p> <p>"They were just talking about how he was so helpful during finals week because everybody was picking him up and doing selfies with him and he was making everyone calmer," she said.</p> <p>"There's a real sense of community because I heard he was getting attacked by feral cats if he was on campus after 5pm, so I put up some posters and asked the students to give me a call or shoot me a text if they see him out after dark and they started arriving on our doorstep with him saying 'Hey, we brought Max home.'"</p> <p>Max was bestowed the honorary degree of "doctor of litter-ature", although will not be attending the next graduation ceremony. </p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 24px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.333; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"><em>Image credits: Today Extra / Vermont State University </em></p>

Family & Pets

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Your unique smell can provide clues about how healthy you are

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/aoife-morrin-1478132">Aoife Morrin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/dublin-city-university-1528">Dublin City University</a></em></p> <p>Hundreds of chemicals stream from our bodies into the air every second. These chemicals release into the air easily as they have high vapour pressures, meaning they boil and turn into gases at room temperature. They give clues about who we are, and how healthy we are.</p> <p>Since ancient Greek times, we’ve known that we smell differently when we are unwell. While we rely on blood analysis today, ancient Greek physicians used smell to diagnose maladies. If they took a whiff of your breath and described it as <em>fetor hepaticus</em> (meaning bad liver), it meant you could be headed for liver failure.</p> <p>If a person’s whiff was sweet or fruity, physicians thought this meant that sugars in the digestive system were not being broken down, and that person had probably diabetes. Science has since shown the ancient Greeks were right – liver failure and <a href="https://tisserandinstitute.org/human-volatilome/">diabetes</a> and many <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00216-023-04986-z">other diseases</a> including infectious diseases give your breath a distinctive smell.</p> <p>In 1971, <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1962/pauling/facts/">Nobel Laureate chemist Linus Pauling</a> <a href="https://edu.rsc.org/feature/breath-analysis/2020106.article#:%7E:text=The%20'modern%20era'%20of%20breath,in%20an%20average%20breath%20sample.">counted 250 different</a> gaseous chemicals in breath. These gaseous chemicals are called volatile organic compounds or VOCs.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RzozmYPfCmM?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Since Pauling’s discovery, other scientists have <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40291-023-00640-7">discovered hundreds more VOCs</a> in our breath. We have learned that many of these VOCs have distinctive odours, but some have no odour that our noses can perceive.</p> <p>Scientists believe that whether a VOC <a href="https://tisserandinstitute.org/human-volatilome/">has an odour</a> that our noses can detect or not, they can reveal information about how healthy someone is.</p> <p>A Scottish man’s Parkinson’s disease onset was <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-47627179">identified by his wife</a>, retired nurse Joy Milner, after she was convinced the way he smelled had changed, years before he was diagnosed in 2005. This discovery has <a href="https://www.manchester.ac.uk/discover/news/smell-of-skin-could-lead-to-early-diagnosis-for-parkinsons/">led to research programmes</a> involving Joy Milner to identify <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-supersmeller-can-detect-the-scent-of-parkinsons-leading-to-an-experimental-test-for-the-illness/">the precise smell</a> of this disease.</p> <p>Dogs can <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01629-8">sniff out more diseases</a> than humans because of their more <a href="https://www.understandinganimalresearch.org.uk/news/the-science-of-sniffs-disease-smelling-dogs%20-%20I%20think%20the%20previous%20nature%20link%20has%20more%20credibility%20for%20here%20also">sophisticated olfactory talents</a>. But technological techniques, like <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/mass-spectrometry">analytical tool mass spectrometry</a>, picks up even more subtle changes in VOC profiles that are being linked to <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/ebiom/article/PIIS2352-3964(20)30100-6/fulltext">gut</a>, <a href="https://www-sciencedirect-com.dcu.idm.oclc.org/science/article/pii/S0165993618305168">skin</a> and <a href="https://err.ersjournals.com/content/28/152/190011">respiratory</a> diseases as well as neurological diseases like Parkinson’s. Researchers believe that one day some diseases will be diagnosed simply by breathing into a device.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Xjo2M-XMYfs?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>Where do VOCs come from?</h2> <p>Breath is not the only source of VOCs in the body. They are also emitted from skin, urine and faeces.</p> <p>VOCs from skin are the result of millions of skin glands removing metabolic waste from the body, as well as waste generated by bacteria and other microbes that live on our skin. Sweating produces extra nutrients for these bacteria to metabolise which can result in particularly odorous VOCs. Odour from sweat only makes up a fraction of the scents from VOCs though.</p> <p><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nrmicro.2017.157">Our skin</a> and also our gut microbiomes are made up from a delicate balance of these microbes. Scientists think <a href="https://journals.lww.com/co-gastroenterology/abstract/2015/01000/the_gut_microbiome_in_health_and_in_disease.12.aspx">they influence our health</a>, but we don’t yet understand a lot about how this relationship works.</p> <p>Unlike the gut, the skin is relatively easy to study – you can collect skin samples from living humans without having to go deep into the body. <a href="https://www-sciencedirect-com.dcu.idm.oclc.org/science/article/pii/S1471492221002087">Scientists think</a> skin VOCs can offer insights into how the microbiome’s bacteria and the human body work together to maintain our health and protect us from disease.</p> <p>In my team’s laboratory, <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1752-7163/abf20a">we are investigating</a> whether the skin VOC signature can reveal different attributes of the person it belongs to. These signals in skin VOC signatures are probably how dogs distinguish between people by smell.</p> <p>We are at a relatively early stage in this research area but we have shown that you can tell males from females based on how acidic the VOCs from skin are. We use mass spectrometry to see this as the average human nose is not sophisticated enough to detect these VOCs.</p> <p>We can also predict a person’s age with reasonable accuracy to within a few years from their skin VOC profile. This is not surprising considering that oxidative stress in our bodies increases as we age.</p> <p><a href="https://www.metabolismjournal.com/article/S0026-0495(00)80077-3/pdf">Oxidative stress</a> happens when your antioxidant levels are low and causes irreversible damage to our cells and organs. <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jasms.3c00315">Our recent research</a> found by-products of this oxidative damage in skin VOC profiles.</p> <p>Not only are these VOCs responsible for personal scent – they are used by plants, insects and animals as a communication channel. Plants are in a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-10975-x">constant VOC dialogue</a> with other organisms including pollinators, herbivores, other plants and their natural enemies such as harmful bacteria and insects. VOCs used for this back and forth dialogue are known as pheromones.</p> <h2>What has science shown about love pheromones?</h2> <p>In the animal kingdom, there is good evidence VOCs can act as aphrodisiacs. Mice for example have microbes which contribute to a particularly <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982212012687">smelly compound called trimethylamine</a>, which allows mice to verify the species of a potential mate. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0093691X21003083">Pigs</a> and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/4381097a">elephants</a> have sex pheromones too.</p> <p>It is possible that humans also produce VOCs for attracting the perfect mate. Scientists have yet to fully decode skin – or other VOCs that are released from our bodies. But evidence for human love pheromones so far is <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/do-human-pheromones-actually-exist">controversial at best</a>. <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn3835-colour-vision-ended-human-pheromone-use/">One theory suggests</a> that they were lost about 23 million years ago when primates developed full colour vision and started relying on their enhanced vision to choose a mate.</p> <p>However, we believe that whether human pheromones exist or not, skin VOCs can reveal who and how we are, in terms of things like ageing, nutrition and fitness, fertility and even stress levels. This signature probably contains markers we can use to monitor our health and diagnose disease.<!-- 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/215311/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/aoife-morrin-1478132"><em>Aoife Morrin</em></a><em>, Associate Professor of Analytical Chemistry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/dublin-city-university-1528">Dublin City University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: </em><em>Getty Images </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/your-unique-smell-can-provide-clues-about-how-healthy-you-are-215311">original article</a>.</em></p>

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The secret witness who could be the key to the Madeleine McCann case

<p>A secret witness to a disturbing comment made by the main suspect in the Madeleine McCann case could be the key to seeing him charged. </p> <p>Madeleine McCann was three years old when she went missing on a family trip to Portugal in 2007, and has not been seen since. </p> <p>Christian Brueckner, a convicted rapist and paedophile, has long been named the prime suspect in Maddie's abduction, and is set to stand trial on Friday for a series of charges, none of while relate to the McCann case. </p> <p>Now, almost seventeen years since her disappearance, a secret witness has come forward about a disturbing comment Brueckner a year after Maddie's abduction. </p> <p>Helge Busching, a former friend of Brueckner, has revealed a chilling conversation he had with his former friend after they ran into each other at a music festival. </p> <p>Busching, who is currently in police protection, claims Brueckner told him Madeleine was taken without anyone noticing because she didn't make a sound. </p> <p>"He said she didn't scream. 'She didn't scream', that is what Brueckner said and then I looked at Mr Brueckner and thought 'what are you telling me now?'" said Busching on <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/60-minutes/the-secret-witness-who-could-break-open-the-madeleine-mccann-case/3a383ca7-758a-4b46-a288-8f911ee942e5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>60 Minutes</em></a>. </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/C3NDFgEPudr/?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/C3NDFgEPudr/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 60 Minutes Australia (@60minutes9)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>In the wake of Busching's comments, the police prosecutor in Brueckner's case remains adamant he is behind the high-profile disappearance of Maddie. </p> <p>"We have evidence and we come to the conclusion that Madeleine McCann is dead and Christian B murdered her," says Hans Christian Wolters.  </p> <p>With the 46-year-old currently in jail and facing convictions for several counts of rape and sexual assault, Wolters has the luxury of time to pursue all leads, no matter how small, to build a watertight case against the suspect. </p> <p>He said, "We have only one chance and we want to go to court with the best result we could get. So we decided to investigate as much as we can and if it takes much more time than normal investigations, it's the price for the best result."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / 60 Minutes</em></p>

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Christian Oliver's ex-wife shares devastating tribute following fatal plane crash

<p>The ex-wife of late actor Christian Oliver has broken her silence following a plane crash that killed the actor and their two young daughters, Madita Klepser, 10, and Annik Klepser, 12.</p> <p>Jessica Klepser took to Instagram to share a statement just days after the tragedy. </p> <p>"We are deeply saddened by the tragic plane accident on January 4, 2024, which took the lives of our beloved family members," <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">she said in the post shared by Wundabar Pilates, the studio where she works.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Klepser added that Oliver and their daughters were returning from a holiday in the Caribbean, when the </span>single-engine plane they were traveling in experienced engine trouble and fell into the ocean.</p> <p>"Unfortunately, all four passengers on the small aircraft did not survive," the statement continued. </p> <p>Klepser then went on to honour her two daughters. </p> <p>"Madita, a vibrant 7th-grade student at Louis Armstrong Middle School, was known for her lively spirit and excelled in academics, dance, singing, and performances. </p> <p>"Annik, a 4th-grade student at Wonderland Ave Elementary School, was recognized for her gentle yet strong demeanor. She was always the first to offer a kind word or a comforting hug. Her passions included basketball, swimming, and various forms of art."</p> <p>"The deep bond, infectious laughter, and adventurous spirit shared by Madita and Annik will be profoundly missed in their communities," adding that Oliver's loss will also be "deeply felt by all who knew him."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C1vgVoCrY4v/?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/C1vgVoCrY4v/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by WundaBar Pilates by Amy Jordan (@wundabarpilates)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The post included a picture of their daughters hugging in front of a sunset, and also noted that in lieu of flowers, the family is accepting donations via a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-memory-of-christian-madita-and-annik?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page, to help cover the costs of returning "Christian and the girls home," among other expenses. </p> <p>The 51-year-old actor had a couple of roles in TV and film, but is mostly known for his role as Snake Oiler in the 2008 action film, <em>Speed Racer</em>. </p> <p>His career began in 1994 with a 26-episode role on the show <em>Saved by the Bell: The New Class</em>.</p> <p>According to <em>The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/jan/07/christian-oliver-daughters-plane-crash-tribute" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Guardian</a></em>, Oliver and Klepser tied the knot on July 2010, before Oliver filed for divorce in December 2021 after 11 years of marriage. </p> <p>The divorce was finalised in June, with the couple sharing joint custody of their daughters. </p> <p>Oliver is survived by his sister and parents in Germany. </p> <p><em>Images: GoFundMe/Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

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Lip reader provides evidence against Bruce Lehrmann

<p>A lip-reading expert has provided key evidence in Bruce Lehrmann's defamation trial against Network Ten, revealing what he believes was said between Lehrmann and Brittany Higgins on the night of the alleged rape. </p> <p>British lip reader Tim Reedy, a forensic lip reader who has previously worked for <em>The Sunday Times</em> to translate video of Royals speaking at funerals and weddings, has been grilled after deciphering what was said between the pair at a pub in Canberra. </p> <p>Reedy, who became profoundly deaf as a child, claimed that Bruce Lehrmann told Brittany Higgins that several drinks on a table on the night of her alleged rape were “all hers, all hers”.</p> <p>He explained he was “very certain that this is what was said” and the phrases were “more than 50 per cent” accurate.</p> <p>Mr Lehrmann’s barrister Steve Whybrow posed a series of questions over his claim that his client had said “Drink that all now”, and that Ms Higgins had said “I don’t want to”.</p> <p>“What I wanted to ask you, consistent with what you say in your appendix about how you go about lip reading, you took into account the context, which included your assessment that the man was plying her with drinks, is that correct?” Mr Whybrow asked.</p> <p>Reedy stood by his assessment, sharing that he  he had watched the video intently over a three-day period, saying he was able to use Apple technology to “fine tune” the images and had “the luxury” of going back and watching the footage repeatedly.</p> <p>At the conclusion of Mr Reedy’s evidence, Mr Lehrmann’s barrister Steve Whybrow argued it should not be admitted as evidence.</p> <p>Justice Lee disagreed with Mr Whybrow, saying: “I accept that lip reading is not perfect, but the guide for the admissibility of expert evidence is not a council of perfection. One has to take areas of specialised knowledge as one finds them.”</p> <p>“I do not think I should exclude the evidence. But the matters raised by Mr Whybrow are best seen through the prism of the ultimate weight to be given to the material. Accordingly I accept the tender of the material.”</p> <p>In the opening days of the trial, Network Ten barrister Matt Collins KC flagged flagged the lip reader's evidence, as he put to Mr Lehrmann some of the lip-reader's claims during cross examination.</p> <p>“You said to her ‘Drink that all now’, Dr Collins suggested.</p> <p>“I would just completely disagree with that,’’ Mr Lehrmann replied.</p> <p>“She responded, ‘I don’t want to’?” Collins asked.</p> <p>“I don’t recall that ever taking place, no,’’ Mr Lehrmann said.</p> <p>“You were encouraging Ms Higgins to get drunk,” Ten’s barrister Matthew Collins KC said during cross-examination.</p> <p>“No,” Lehrmann replied.</p> <p><em>Image credits: 7 Spotlight / Getty Images</em></p> <div class="media image side-by-side" style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 24px; display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; width: 705.202209px; max-width: 100%;"> </div>

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Hunt for Cinderella! Mystery shoe left at Prince Christian's party sparks search

<p>A mystery shoe left at Prince Christian's <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/unseen-pics-of-prince-christian-mark-his-18th-birthday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">18th birthday party</a> inside Christianborg Palace has sparked a search for a real life Cinderella. </p> <p>In the hours after the ball, which saw royalty from around the world attend, the Danish royal household posted a photo of the gold stiletto that was left behind from one of the high profile party guests. </p> <p>The post read, "Is it Cinderella who forgot her shoe last night?"</p> <p>The caption continued, "When the guests at Her Majesty the Queen's gala dinner yesterday had gone home, this lonely stiletto shoe was left at Christiansborg Castle."</p> <p>"The owner is welcome to contact you to get it back."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CydeENrNum2/?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/CydeENrNum2/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by DET DANSKE KONGEHUS 🇩🇰 (@detdanskekongehus)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The ball was attended by Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik, along with Christian's younger siblings Princess Isabella, 16, Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine, both 12.</p> <p>His uncle Prince Joachim, who relocated to America in August, was also there with his wife Princess Marie and their three youngest children Count Felix, 21, Count Henrik, 14, and Countess Athena, 12.</p> <p>A number of future monarchs were also present including royals from Sweden, Norway, the Netherlands and Belgium.</p> <p>Thankfully, the owner of the shoe was found, with Anne-Sofie Tørnsø Olesen, from Denmark's Egedal region, coming forward to claim the golden stiletto. </p> <p>And it turns out, she left it at the palace on purpose after being inspired by the story of Cinderella who marries her prince after long search.</p> <p>"I thought it was a bit funny myself, and I talked to my family and friends about it before, and they agreed that I should do it," Tørnsø Olesen, 18, told local Danish publication Se &amp; Hør.</p> <p>"It's such a chance you won't get again."</p> <p>She said she was keen to get the shoe back because it was "a memory from a great evening".</p> <p>The lost shoe, by Danish brand Deichmann's Catwalk collection, sparked an immediate flurry of comments on the royal family's Instagram page.</p> <p>The shoe brand said, "If the princess comes from a long way, we will gladly give her a new pair".</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram </em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Unseen pics of Prince Christian mark his 18th birthday

<p>Prince Christian of Denmark, the eldest son of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary, marked his 18th birthday with a grand gala dinner that befits his future role as a potential monarch. Royals from various corners of the world gathered at Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen for a magnificent celebration of this milestone event.</p> <p>At present, Prince Christian holds the position of second in line to the Danish throne. His grandmother, Queen Margrethe, currently reigns, and his father, Crown Prince Frederik, is the heir apparent. With this auspicious celebration, the Danish royal family and their esteemed guests paid tribute to the young prince who may someday ascend to the throne. (Plus, he now <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/princess-mary-s-son-gets-his-own-stamp-for-18th-birthday" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has his own stamp</a>!)</p> <p>The guest list for this momentous occasion included a stellar array of fellow future monarchs from across Europe. Princess Elisabeth of Belgium, aged 21, graced the gala with her presence. Alongside her were 19-year-old Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway, who attended with her parents, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit. Princess Estelle of Sweden, aged 11, was also among the esteemed guests, accompanied by her parents, Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel. Furthermore, Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, the 19-year-old heir to the Dutch throne, added her royal grace to the event.</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/CybkX1KNjGa/?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/CybkX1KNjGa/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by DET DANSKE KONGEHUS 🇩🇰 (@detdanskekongehus)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>As Prince Christian stepped into adulthood, his proud parents, Crown Princess Mary and Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, took a nostalgic look back at their son's journey through life.</p> <p>In a touching post shared on the official Danish royal family Instagram account, an album was published with the caption, "From child to adult. Seen from the parents' camera roll." This digital scrapbook offered a glimpse into the life of the Danish prince, capturing poignant moments that tell the story of his growth and development.</p> <p>The first image in the album featured a precious baby picture, showcasing three generations of the Danish Crown. It served as a testament to the continuity of a rich royal heritage. The subsequent photos depicted the family exploring their native Denmark, emphasising the connection between the Danish royals and their beloved country. The final image showed a mature and poised Prince Christian, symbolising his transition into adulthood and a potential future as a Danish monarch.</p> <p>As Prince Christian's 18th birthday celebration came to a close, it was evident that the royal family and their guests were not only celebrating a birthday but also the promising future of a young prince destined to play a significant role in Denmark's rich history. The gala dinner was not only a magnificent event but a symbol of unity among European royal families, demonstrating the strength of their bonds, both personal and regal.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Princess Mary's son gets his own stamp for 18th birthday!

<p dir="ltr">Prince Christian of Denmark is celebrating his 18th birthday, with the country of Greenland offering him a unique gift for the occasion. </p> <p dir="ltr">Christian, who is the eldest child of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary, has been honoured with his very own stamp from the Greenlandic postal service to mark his coming of age birthday on October 15th.</p> <p dir="ltr">He's wearing a traditional white anorak that forms part of the male version of the Greenlandic national costume.</p> <p dir="ltr">It's the first time Prince Christian has been pictured solo on a postage stamp in Greenland, which is a territory of Denmark.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prince Christian’s birthday will be honoured across Denmark, with a documentary about the young prince airing on his birthday eve. </p> <p dir="ltr">Prince Christian - A Royal Journey will see the royal's rise from baby to man, with a special focus on how he has been preparing for his eventual role as King.</p> <p dir="ltr">The prince’s parents are also expected to appear in the documentary, as the royal couple tour key areas of Copenhagen relating to the country's constitution, including the parliament.</p> <p dir="ltr">Prince Christian's birthday will be marked by a changing of the guard at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen, to be followed by a balcony appearance by the royal family, including his grandmother Queen Margrethe II.</p> <p dir="ltr">Later on his birthday evening, Prince Christian will be the guest of honour at a gala banquet to be held inside the nearby Christianborg Palace.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Danish Royal Family</em></p>

Family & Pets

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"Nobody wins": Sam Newman provides update after explosive outburst

<p>The future of Sam Newman's podcast is in jeopardy after his co-host Don Scott has officially quit the program. </p> <p>The shock exit comes after Newman launched into an expletive-ridden tirade at Scott last week in a now deleted segment of the podcast, which ended with Newman telling Scott to "f**k off" as he left the building. </p> <p>Now, Scott has returned to the You <em>Cannot Be Serious</em> podcast, but only to confirm he isn't coming back. </p> <p>“You do whatever you want to do … (but) what is the point of trying to have a discussion with somebody who is going off their brain?” Scott asked.</p> <p>“You do not talk to anybody no matter whether it is on-air or wherever in life when they are not rational, so you walk away."</p> <p>“I’m not getting into this … This is like a domestic and nobody wins in a domestic."</p> <p>“You can put your view as much as you like and I am not here to defend or whatever else."</p> <p>“Everybody has a different personality. I am not in to conflict.”</p> <p>Newman, who refused to believe he overreacted during the argument, asked, “Can we finally say that you’re not going to do the podcast anymore? Is that what’s going to happen?”</p> <p>Scott replied, “That’s fine at the moment, no.”</p> <p>Newman doubled down, saying, “This is history … This is breaking news. Don has now left the building, as Elvis has, and he’s not going to do the podcast anymore."</p> <p>“This is another show of disgraceful behaviour from someone who is acting like a child … it’s beyond belief.”</p> <p>Later on social media, Newman said that if Scott wasn't taking part in the podcast anymore, he wasn't sure how long they would continue with the show. </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/CyPXhh5vX0W/?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/CyPXhh5vX0W/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by John ‘Sam’ Newman (@originalsmartassam)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“Won’t do it without Don, and even if he reconsiders, it will not be the same. So …”</p> <p>He finished the video by leaving the future of the podcast up the air, saying “<em>You Cannot Be Serious</em>, I don’t know if we’ll be on again but who cares.”</p> <p>Speaking to the <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/fiona-byrne/sam-newman-blows-his-stack-as-don-scott-quits-their-podcast/news-story/97e08f9c1549100c36e0dfc7fe46cfab" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Herald Sun</em></a> after the podcast dropped, Newman labelled Scott’s exit a “pathetic act of treachery”.</p> <p>“I am a friend of Don’s, yes, nice to know who you are dealing with though, someone who won’t stand up and face the music if you have a disagreement, not sure how that works,” he said.</p> <p>“Walking away from something shows a complete disregard for any relationship you have had in the past.</p> <p>“That is just a pathetic act of treachery.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Instagram </em></p>

News

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Princess Mary's eldest son make surprising announcement about his future

<p>The eldest son of Princess Mary and Prince Frederik has made a surprising announcement ahead of his 18th birthday. </p> <p>Denmark's Prince Christian has broken years of royal tradition, saying he has decided to forego his royal allowance and instead prioritise his education.</p> <p>One he turns 18 in October, Christian will be able to receive his royal allowance and government funding. </p> <p>However, he has decided to put his education first and postpone becoming a full-time royal until he turns 21. </p> <p>A statement posted on the Royal House’s Instagram page explained that his primary focus in the coming year will be completing his upper secondary education.</p> <p>The statement reads, "Prince Christian's main priority in the coming year will be completing high school education. Following this, the Royal House will orient Prince Christian's further youth and education course, when the time comes."</p> <p>"It has thus been agreed with the Ministry of State that support in the Danish Parliament for a law on annual pension will only be sought when the Prince turns 21 or by a possible change of the throne, if it takes place before."</p> <p>The statement further shared that Prince Christian intends to stay away from the spotlight for now, but he will eventually resume public appearances in an official capacity once he has completed his education. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

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"Cruel and brutal": John Farnham's sons provide health update

<p>John Farnham's sons have shared an update on their father's journey with cancer, following his recent stint in hospital. </p> <p>The legendary singer was diagnosed with mouth cancer in October 2022, and underwent an extensive surgery to remove the tumour. </p> <p>The 73-year-old was then hospitalised at the end of March with a lung infection and spent several weeks in hospital. </p> <p>Now, Farnham's sons Robert and James have shared an update on their father's health, praising his bravery and strength throughout his lengthy health battle. </p> <p>Speaking with <a href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/aww" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Australian Women's Weekly</em></a>, the men shared their admiration for their father's positive attitude. </p> <p>"You have to keep positive and not get bogged down," Robert told the publication. "It's cruel and brutal but they're the cards you're dealt in life and cancer doesn't care who you are."</p> <p>Robert said that both he and James are "really proud" of their father for his resilience in the face of such a devastating health blow.</p> <p>When Farnham was admitted to hospital for a respiratory infection in March, his family confirmed that he was undergoing treatment. </p> <p>"He is comfortable and receiving the very best care," a statement, released by his wife Jill, read.</p> <p>"John continues his recovery following last year's successful surgery," she said. "He's always been a strong and determined person with everything he's ever done and we are all so very proud of him. He is responding well to the specialist care he's receiving."</p> <p>"The family would like re-iterate their appreciation for all the medical staff that have attended to John over the past 6 months and for all the kind messages that been received from across Australia and the world."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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"I'll be there": Rod Stewart provides update after cancellation

<p>Rod Stewart has provided an update following the last-minute cancellation of his Melbourne concert.</p> <p>The British icon, 78, was set to perform alongside Cyndi Lauper and Jon Stevens at A Day On The Green festival in Geelong.</p> <p>Just hours before the gates were due to open, a “downhearted” Stewart took to social media to let fans know his performance would not go ahead due to illness.</p> <p>Stewart is set to perform at AEC Arena in Adelaide tonight, March 21, and he’s taken to Instagram to give fans an update on his condition.</p> <p>“My dear friends in Adelaide, just to guarantee that the show will be going ahead,” Stewart said in a story on Instagram.</p> <p>“I had a slight setback here in Melbourne, I had to miss the show because I had strep throat.</p> <p>“I’m fine now, I’ll be there and I’m looking forward to it.”</p> <p>Stewart, Lauper and Stevens will grace the stage in Adelaide before heading to A Day On The Green at Mount Cotton in Queensland.</p> <p>The trio will finish up their shows in New South Wales, performing at Sydney’s Qudos Bank Arena on March 29, The Hunter Valley’s Roche Estate on April 1, and Bowral’s Centennial Vineyards on April 2.</p> <p>Ticket holders in Geelong, who are still yet to hear whether refunds will be dispersed, were disheartened that the show was cancelled so last minute, as some had travelled a long distance just to see him.</p> <p>Others online emphasised the huge expenses they had spared hoping to see the performance, including money spent on transport and accommodation.</p> <p>Stewart announced the disappointing news on Instagram just hours before the show.</p> <p>“Hello, my friends. I’m absolutely downhearted that I’m disappointing my fans who bought tickets to A Day on the Green,” he said.</p> <p>“Late this morning I was advised that I have a viral infection and my throat is too irritated to sing. I’m only human and sometimes get sick just like you do.</p> <p>“My greatest joy is performing for you, so I’m doing everything I can to get on the mend and back on stage!”</p> <p>The promoters, Live Nation and Roundhouse Entertainment posted an online statement confirming the show would not go ahead.</p> <p>“A further announcement regarding the concert arrangements will be made early next week.”, they said.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

News

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"I did a Christian Bale": Hugh Grant loses it on set

<p>Hugh Grant admitted to misdirecting his anger and going off at a “nice local woman” while filming <em>Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves</em>.</p> <p>“I lost my temper with a woman in my eye line on day one,” Grant, 62, told Total Film magazine via <em>Yahoo!</em></p> <p>“I assumed she was some executive from the studio who should have known better,” he said.</p> <p>“Then it turns out that she’s an extremely nice local woman who was the chaperone of the young girl.”</p> <p>The British actor called his temper tantrum “terrible” and explained that his episode ended with “a lot of grovelling,” according to <em>Page Six</em>.</p> <p>“I did a Christian Bale,” Grant teased, in reference to when Bale was caught on tape aggressively yelling at a Terminator: Salvation crew member in 2009. Later, the actor, 49, apologised profusely and called his actions “inexcusable”.</p> <p>This is not Hugh Grant’s first temper tantrum, as he’s previously admitted to occasionally having a short fuse.</p> <p>Former Daily Show host Jon Stewart called Grant one of the worst guests he ever had on his show, referring to the actor as “a big pain in the a**”.</p> <p>Grant held himself accountable, telling Andy Cohen in 2015, “He wasn’t entirely wrong.”</p> <p>“I did have a tantrum backstage. About once a year, I have a really mega-tantrum, and sadly he witnessed one. So he’s absolutely right.” He added.</p> <p>Hugh Grant stars in <em>Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves</em> alongside Chris Pine, Justice Smith, Michelle Rodriguez, Sophia Lillis and Regé-Jean Page.</p> <p>He spoke about why he was so drawn to the project, telling Collider that he liked the script was “about losers”.</p> <p>“This little band of comrades, they’re all a bit crap. [Pine’s character is] not great at being a bard. And the magician, played by Justice, is really bad. What do they call magicians in Dungeons & Dragons? Sorcerer. He’s not much good,” he told the outlet.</p> <p>“And Michelle’s character has been thrown out of whatever. What is she? Barbarian. And is still in love with her husband, who is in love with someone else. And I responded to that loser-ish thing about this little band.” he said.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

Movies

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Disturbing new details emerge in death of head teacher, husband and daughter

<p><em><strong>Warning: This article contains distressing content that some readers may find confronting. </strong></em></p> <p>A headmistress at a private school in the UK made a distress call to a family member just hours before she was found dead, a report has claimed. </p> <p>School principal Emma Pattison, the head teacher of private school Epsom College in Surrey, England, was <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/headmistress-husband-and-daughter-found-dead-on-school-grounds" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found dead</a> alongside her 39-year-old husband, George, and seven-year-old daughter Lettie on the school grounds earlier this week. </p> <p>As an investigation into their deaths has commenced, the BBC has reported that Emma made a frantic phone call to a relative with concerns about her partner. </p> <p>By the time the worried relative arrived at the house, which is surrounded by other properties occupied by college staff and is close to the prestigious school’s rifle range, all three were dead.</p> <p>Police have yet to disclose the official cause of their deaths, but are confident no one else was involved in the "isolated" incident. </p> <p>Detectives confirmed a firearm registered to George, of which he had a license for, was found at the scene and they are treating the tragedy as a double murder and suicide.</p> <p>Detectives suspect George killed his wife Emma, 45, and little Lettie before taking his own life.</p> <p>Detective Chief Inspector Kimball Edey, senior investigating officer on the case, said, “This is an incredibly traumatic incident and we are working around the clock to investigate and understand the exact circumstances which led to this point."</p> <p>“We understand the public concern and upset, and we will clarify what we can, when we can, while respecting the right to a level of privacy for the families of those who have lost their lives."</p> <p>The community is reeling from the tragedy, as devastated neighbours who knew the "lovely" family shared how "heartbroken" they are. </p> <p>One person said, “It is just shocking and unimaginable.”</p> <p>Chloe Rathbone, a nursery worker who looked after Lettie, told The Times, “I am utterly so heartbroken over this awful news."</p> <p>“They were such a lovely family and Lettie was perfect in every way, everything you could have wished for in a little girl.”</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';"><strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Don't go it alone. Please reach out for help.</em></strong></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';"><strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au</em></strong></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';"><strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au</em></strong></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';"><strong><em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Headspace: 1800 650 890 or headspace.org.au</em></strong></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / </em><em style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; 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';">epsomcollege.org.uk</em></p>

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Headmistress, husband and daughter found dead on school grounds

<p>School principal Emma Pattison, the head teacher of private school Epsom College in Surrey, UK, has been found dead alongside her 39-year-old husband, George, and seven-year-old daughter Lettie on the school grounds.</p> <p>At just 45 years of age, Mrs Pattison was a very recent addition to the school, having joined the award-winning school in September 2022. </p> <p>While an investigation is underway, Surrey police have released a statement saying that they believe this to be an isolated incident with no third-party involvement. </p> <p>Epsom College has also released a statement following the discovery. </p> <p>“It is with the deepest sadness and regret that we have to announce the news of the deaths of Emma Pattison, Head of Epsom College, her daughter Lettie, and her husband George,” the statement reads. </p> <p>“Our thoughts, condolences and sympathies are with their families at this tragic time. The College is working with the Police in what remains an ongoing investigation. </p> <p>“We must now focus on the welfare and wellbeing of our pupils and staff, and work to ensure that they receive all the comfort, warmth and support required from the Epsom College community. </p> <p>“We ask that the public and the media respect the privacy of Emma’s family, and help us to prioritise the needs of our pupils. </p> <p>The news is heartbreaking and we need time and space to come together and process this loss. No further statement will be issued at this time.”</p> <p>Dr Alastair Wells, chair of the board of governors at Epsom College, said, “On behalf of everyone at Epsom College, I want to convey our utter shock and disbelief at this tragic news.</p> <p>“Our immediate thoughts and condolences are with Emma’s family, friends and loved ones, and to the many pupils and colleagues whose lives she enriched throughout her distinguished career.</p> <p>“Emma was a wonderful teacher, but most of all she was a delightful person. In time we will commemorate Emma and her family, in the appropriate way, and in line with the wishes of her family.</p> <p>“But for now, we ask that we are all given the time, space and respect we need to come to terms with this tragic loss."</p> <p>Pattison’s husband, George, was a chartered accountant who was director of a management consultancy firm called Tanglewood 2016, according to Companies House.</p> <p>Surrey Police’s Detective Chief Inspector Kimball Edey also said: “I want to give my assurance that we will conduct a thorough investigation into what took place last night and hope to be able to bring some peace in these traumatic circumstances.”</p> <p>Inspector Jon Vale, Epsom and Ewell’s borough commander, also said: “We’re aware that this tragic incident will have caused concern and upset in the local community.</p> <p>“While this is believed to be an isolated incident, in the coming days, our local officers will remain in the area to offer reassurance to students, parents, teachers, and the local community. I would like to thank the school and the community for their understanding and patience while the investigation continues.”</p> <p><em><strong>Don't go it alone. Please reach out for help.</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Headspace: 1800 650 890 or headspace.org.au</strong></em></p> <p><em>Image: epsomcollege.org.uk</em></p>

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Alan Jones provides update after illness left him in hospital

<p dir="ltr">Alan Jones has given an update to his health after having to disappear from his show for the rest of the year.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 81-year-old journalist was ordered to take a few weeks off due to an “illness” last month that left him in hospital.</p> <p dir="ltr">He has now taken to Facebook to provide an update on his condition saying he has a bit of rehab ahead of him but is excited for the new year.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I want to thank the thousands of people who have wished me well and offered support during my recent hospitalisation,” he wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s something of a cliche to say that if you are going to be sick or require the most intricate surgery, there’s no place in the world better than Australia.</p> <p><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Falanjonesaustralia%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02u9juyocF3LzMo5qpEZQACTnUAsicu824uCEiwujd19EMgmL5Z6hJVRJS6V7vBmUTl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="259" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">“My doctors and nursing staff were unbelievable; as has been the support from people known and unknown to me.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have a bit of rehabilitation ahead of me, but if you fall off the horse, the first thing you must do is get back on again.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m well and truly in the saddle and riding into a much improved future.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In offering thanks to you all, may I also wish you a very happy Christmas and a healthy and rewarding 2023.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Alan’s fans and loyal viewers were thankful for his speedy recovery and wished him well for the new year.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So very happy to see you up and raring to go again, Alan. Best wishes!” one comment read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Alan, Good to hear your recovering,” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m pleased you are on the mend Alan. Have a wonderful Christmas. You are a national treasure and we must look after you,” someone else commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">Image: Facebook</p>

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