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Retailer pulls "creepy" and "disturbing" ad for school uniforms

<p>H&M has removed a school uniform ad in Australia after social media users slammed the retailer for sexualising children. </p> <p>The ad, which a few social media users have screenshot before it was removed,  features  two young girls in school uniform looking back at the camera with the caption: "Make those heads turn in H&M's Back to School fashion." </p> <p>Users on X, formerly known as Twitter, slammed the ad calling it it "creepy" and "disturbing", and sharing their own stories about "being ogled" at school. </p> <p>"What is your intention with this sponsored Facebook ad?" Australian writer Melinda Tankard Reist, whose work addresses sexualization and the harms of pornography, shared on X. </p> <p>"Little schoolgirls generally don't want to 'turn heads.' The large numbers I engage with in schools want to be left alone to learn and have fun and not draw unwanted attention to their appearance."</p> <p>"The little girls parents generally prefer heads don't 'turn' when others see their daughters walking to school, on a bus or in class," she continued. </p> <p>"Why would you want to fuel the idea that little girls should draw attention to their looks, bodies and 'style'?"</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hm?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hm</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hmaustralia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@hmaustralia</a> what is your intention with this sponsored Facebook ad? Little schoolgirls generally don’t want to “turn heads”. The large numbers I engage with in schools want to be left alone to learn and have fun and not draw unwanted attention to their appearance 1/ <a href="https://t.co/DDwv42GeNz">pic.twitter.com/DDwv42GeNz</a></p> <p>— Melinda TankardReist (@MelTankardReist) <a href="https://twitter.com/MelTankardReist/status/1747866459836158415?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>Another user wrote: "This is really disturbing.</p> <p>"I remember being cat called whilst waiting for the bus in my school uniform. It made me feel unsafe." </p> <p>"Girls go to school to get an education, not to be jeered at by onlookers," they concluded. </p> <p>The Swedish fashion giant has since removed the ad and apologised for the campaign. </p> <p>"We have removed this ad," they told CNN. </p> <p>"We are deeply sorry for the offence this has caused and we are looking into how we present campaigns going forward."</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Legal

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Aussie dad fuming over “disgusting” Father’s Day gift

<p dir="ltr">An Australian dad has been left fuming over a “disgusting” gift his six-year-old made for him at school for Father’s Day.</p> <p dir="ltr">Trent Howard from Perth was horrified when his young daughter handed him a paper activity dice that she made during class, featuring multiple ideas for dads when they’re having a bad day.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Frog for the times when you need to jump to it,” one side reads, while the others suggest Trent eat a Sherbie for when he’s lost all his “fizz” and a banana “for the days when you have ‘gone round the bend’”.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, he said it was the last option that left him “disgusted”, as it reads, “Bullet — take when all else fails.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The concerned father told <em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/perth-dad-furious-after-daughter-given-disgusting-fathers-day-gift-from-teacher/c5e7f47f-fa77-477f-86af-b02aa314ec26#:~:text=A%20Perth%20dad%20has%20been%20left%20furious%20after,%22a%20bullet%20%5Bto%5D%20take%20when%20all%20else%20fails%22.">9News</a></em> that the gift is very worrying for his young daughter as it “promotes suicide”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“If you’ve had enough, shoot yourself, what else does it say? I have a weird sense of humour, that’s not part of any sense of humour to anybody,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Trent and his wife, who “have suicide in [their] families”, complained to their daughter’s school over the tone deaf project, which has since apologised to all parents and promised to never recreate the activity.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They wanted to be funny, that was my interpretation of what the teacher had said to me. It wasn’t funny,” Trent’s wife Renea said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Howard said the gift highlighted a flippant attitude towards suicide and mental health issues, as he said, “It’s not cool, it needs to stop.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The Department of Education told <em>9News</em> the Father’s Day gift “showed a serious lack in judgement”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: 9News</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Disturbing footage of dingo attacks revealed

<p dir="ltr">Disturbing footage of dingo attacks have been released by rangers following multiple attacks in a popular camping spot that occurred just weeks apart.</p> <p dir="ltr">Tourists have been warned to be wary of the wild animals after shocking footage emerged of a tourist being nipped while sunbathing.</p> <p dir="ltr">The video comes just weeks before a 10-year-old boy was attacked and dragged underwater by a dingo at K’gari Island – formerly known as Fraser Island – on June 16.</p> <p dir="ltr">The boy sustained puncture wounds to his shoulder and bruises to his collarbone because of the accident, which happened in front of a popular camping spot on the island.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The boy’s 12-year-old-sister who was nearby reacted quickly and ran to assist him,” Assistant principal ranger Danielle Mansfield said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The family treated the boy for puncture wounds to his shoulder and arms and scratches and bruises on his collarbone and arm.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mansfield also said that rangers were closely monitoring the dingo responsible for the attack, which had blood splatters across its face and paws following the attack, although there are currently no plans to euthanise it.</p> <p dir="ltr">Two months ago, a similar attack occurred where a primary school-aged girl was<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/child-hospitalised-from-dingo-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> hospitalised following a dingo attack</a> while swimming. The girl suffered bites to her head and fingers after the dingo attempted to drag her underwater.</p> <p dir="ltr">Rangers have also released dashcam footage of another dingo chasing a young boy and an adult male, in an area close to where the 10-year-old boy was attacked, just two weeks before the unfortunate incident.</p> <p dir="ltr">The dingo was euthanised for “poor behaviour”.</p> <p dir="ltr">This comes a few weeks after another dingo was euthanised following a string of attacks, including a sunbathing tourist, a seven-year-old boy and a 42-year-old woman.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dingoes are native to K’gari Island, but a few of them fail to show any wariness towards people, and are increasingly brazen as a result of people deliberately or unintentionally feeding them, rangers said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We have increased patrols in the region to monitor the wongari’s (dingo’s) behaviour and pass on dingo-safe messaging to campers and visitors,” Mansfield said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“These animals are capable of inflicting serious harm, and they have bitten children and adults, and some are quite brazen and are not fleeing when yelled at or when someone brandishes a stick.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“People think it won’t happen to them, but it can happen to anyone and that’s why rangers are providing dingo-safe information to as many people as possible,” she added.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We don’t want any incidents on K’gari, and people must understand that dingoes are wild animals and should never be fed or interacted with.”</p> <p><em>Images: Queensland Department of Environment and Science / News.com.au</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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When your house has a (disturbing) history, what should buyers be told about its ‘past’?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/eileen-webb-95332">Eileen Webb</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p>Imagine you have just bought a home. You have moved in and, during a friendly chat with the neighbours, you find out the property had been the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-07/what-is-stigmatised-property-and-what-are-your-rights/9911608">scene of a serious crime</a> or <a href="https://www.aicnsw.com.au/our-dream-house-was-a-meth-lab/">used to manufacture</a> methamphetamine.</p> <p>How would you react? Is this something you would want to have known prior to the sale? If you had known, would this have affected you decision to buy the property? And was the real estate agent or vendor <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/what-do-agents-have-to-reveal-about-a-home8217s-history-20170810-gxcm5k/">under any obligation</a> to let you know?</p> <p>In most cases, the answer is (somewhat surprisingly to buyers) “no”. However, amendments to Victoria’s Sale of Land Act 1962 <a href="https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/latest-news/sale-of-land-changes-in-effect-legislation-update">have now broadened the matters</a> that must be disclosed to buyers prior to a sale, including where a serious crime has occurred. Renters who find they have entered into a stigmatised property must resort to the consumer protection laws discussed below.</p> <h2>Why were the laws required?</h2> <p>The ancient doctrine of <em>caveat emptor</em> (let the buyer beware) still impacts on real estate transactions. It means the buyer bears the responsibility of making their own enquiries about the property.</p> <p>Property inspections are usually confined to the physical condition of the property. While it would be possible, at least theoretically, to arrange for a person to investigate its “background”, this can be a difficult process, especially if such information is concealed or hard to come by.</p> <p>As a result, each state and territory has introduced laws that provide for some level of disclosure to the buyer during the conveyancing process. The extent of disclosure required and the nature of matters that must be disclosed varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction.</p> <p>Furthermore, section 18 of the Australian Consumer Law <a href="http://classic.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/caca2010265/sch2.html#_Toc32223214">considers conduct</a> as misleading or deceptive where a matter is not disclosed but, in the circumstances, there is a reasonable expectation it would be.</p> <p>The problem is that while disclosure may be required in matters involving, for example, a structural fault or a road-widening proposal, such information is confined to physical issues affecting the property.</p> <p>However, what happens when the matter involves not a physical defect but a psychological or stigmatising one, such as a murder, for example? Such information may be of considerable importance to potential buyers who, for personal or religious reasons, would find living in a property where such an event occurred intolerable. On a more mercenary note, the impact on resale value of the property <a href="http://journalarticle.ukm.my/7237/1/115-293-1-PB.pdf">could be significant</a>.</p> <h2>The nature of ‘stigmatised’ property</h2> <p>Concern about the effect of stigma on property is not a recent phenomenon. Courts in several jurisdictions, including Australia, <a href="https://api.research-repository.uwa.edu.au/portalfiles/portal/1218611/3632_3632.pdf">have had to grapple</a> with buyers who had discovered, after purchase, that the property had been the scene of a serious crime or criminal activity, a suicide had occurred, persons had been suffering from certain illnesses, or a sex offender lived nearby.</p> <p>In one case a young man had murdered his parents and sister in their Sydney home. The property was later sold to a young couple. After discovering the tragic events that had occurred in the home, they sought to withdraw from the sale on religious grounds.</p> <p>There was a <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/estate-agents-fined-over-triple-murder-house-20041220-gdz86g.html">significant amount of criticism</a> of the real estate agent for not informing the buyers about what had occurred there. After considerable public pressure and an investigation by the NSW Office of Fair Trading, the contract was set aside.</p> <p>On a more ethereal note, there have been a series of cases in the United States where buyers have sought, in some cases successfully, to have a sale rescinded <a href="http://zillow.mediaroom.com/2019-10-29-Selling-a-Haunted-House-Heres-What-You-Need-to-Know">because the house</a> was (allegedly) haunted or the subject of <a href="https://casetext.com/case/stambovsky-v-ackley">paranormal activity</a>.</p> <h2>Disclosure laws regarding stigma</h2> <p>The Victorian legislation clarifies obligations for estate agents and vendors regarding <a href="https://www.consumer.vic.gov.au/latest-news/sale-of-land-changes-in-effect-legislation-update">the disclosure of “material facts”</a>.</p> <p>In summary, an estate agent or vendor cannot knowingly conceal any material facts about a property when selling land. The legislation is supported by guidelines that clarify the nature of a material fact. This includes circumstances where, during the current or previous occupation, the property was the scene of a serious crime or an event that may create long-term potential risks to the health and safety of occupiers of the land.</p> <p>Specific examples include extreme violence such as a homicide, the use of the property for the manufacture of substances such as methylamphetamine, or a defence or fire brigade training site involving the use of hazardous materials. Relevant factors can include the reaction of other potential buyers to the fact, including their willingness to buy in light of the revelation.</p> <p>Significant penalties and even imprisonment await vendors and real estate agents who do not comply.</p> <h2>Will the laws work?</h2> <p>As with any new legislation, we will have to wait and see how this plays out. However, some preliminary comments can be made.</p> <p>First, it will be interesting to see how the term “knowingly” is interpreted. Could an agent or vendor avoid the provisions if they merely suspect an issue but do not look further into it? The term “wilful blindness” comes to mind.</p> <p>Second, a fact can be material in either a general or a specific sense. The general sense seems straightforward, as it refers to information most people would consider when deciding whether to buy a property.</p> <p>However, how serious must a crime be to be material? What if the situation involves cultivation of marijuana rather than a more egregious substance?</p> <p>More complex is where a material fact may be of importance to a specific buyer but not buyers generally. For example, in the case discussed above, the buyers’ religion made it impossible for them to live in a home where a violent murder had occurred. In this case, the onus seems to be on the prospective buyer to ask questions about matters of concern to them.</p> <h2>What now?</h2> <p>Although one suspects that buyers of an allegedly haunted house might not succeed under this legislation, the laws address a significant gap regarding disclosure of psychological considerations in the purchase of a property rather than the traditional physical ones.<!-- 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/132766/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><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/eileen-webb-95332">Eileen Webb</a>, Professor of Law and Ageing, School of Law, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: 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/when-your-house-has-a-disturbing-history-what-should-buyers-be-told-about-its-past-132766">original article</a>.</em></p>

Real Estate

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"I am not a monster": Disturbing reason police have seized phone of woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann

<p>Polish woman Julia Faustyna who went viral over <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/woman-shares-evidence-that-she-is-madeleine-mccann" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claims she could be Madeleine McCann </a>has had her phone seized by US police over claims it contains explicit images of children.</p> <p>The phone was given to authorities by a former spokesperson for Faustyna and psychic private investigator Fia Johansson.</p> <p>The phone was reportedly left with Johansson when she brought Faustyna, 21, to the US for <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/julia-faustyna-takes-dna-test-to-prove-wild-identity-claims" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DNA and family ancestry test results</a> over her claiming to be the missing toddler.</p> <p>The results confirmed that Faustyna was “absolutely, 100 per cent from Poland".</p> <p>Johansson handed the phone over to police during a search and seizure as part of an investigation, but the reason behind what prompted the pursuit remains unknown, according to the <em>New York Post</em>.</p> <p>Wroclaw police in Poland were contacted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and were informed that they were in possession of a phone thought to belong to Faustyna, according to a <em>RadarOnline.com</em> report.</p> <p>“Our investigation is taking a deep look into it and we’re going to let them do their investigative duties and then from that point let the judicial system take over – if it needs to,” department spokesman Sergeant Mike Woodroof said.</p> <p>Johansson reportedly added, “I’m told an investigator from the Sheriff’s Department is personally taking the device to Poland to make sure it doesn’t get lost or misplaced.”</p> <p>She also shared an image of a denied release of case information form from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department on social media, including a statement regarding the investigation.</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/CrJh_DVvl3i/?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/CrJh_DVvl3i/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Dr. Fia Johansson (@persianmedium)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“There will be no comment or discussion at this time or moving forward concerning the active ongoing investigation with Orange County Sheriff’s Department and special public affairs division due to protocol and the sensitivity and nature of the intelligence that has been gathered and rendered,” she said.</p> <p>“It’s an active investigation and DA will not comment out of concern for the safety of the victims.”</p> <p>After Faustyna received her DNA test results and appeared on Dr Phil, Johannson revealed she travelled back to Poland to live with her father.</p> <p>The DNA results prompted <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/madeleine-mccann-s-parents-speak-out-after-dna-test-results" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Madeleine McCann’s parents to break their silence</a> after months of emotional turmoil.</p> <p>Faustyna now denies all the allegations against her to reporters.</p> <p>“I didn’t have child pornography on my phone. I am not a paedo and I never tried to encourage any teenagers to do anything illegal and bad and disgusting,” she told <em>The Sun</em>.</p> <p>“Just think carefully, if someone is a paedo, I believe this person would never go by himself to a police station or this person would never talk about what I was talking in public to the whole world because it would be very dangerous for this person.</p> <p>“It is not logical ... I am saying the truth and I will make my name clean because I am not a monster.”</p> <p>She told <em>The Sun</em> she had purchased the phone from an unknown person, saying that if there were explicit images on her phone they were put there by someone else.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram</em></p>

Legal

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"It's quite disturbing": Woman receives messages from dead husband

<p>A widow has been left feeling "distressed" after receiving cryptic messages from her husband's Facebook account, two years after he died. </p> <p>Jenny Singe said her husband's social media account had become active earlier this year, when online hackers began messaging friends and family and posting on her husband's timeline.</p> <p>"It's quite disturbing really," Singe told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/social-media-hack-woman-left-disturbed-after-receiving-messages-from-latehusbands-facebook-account/8c9dab63-11a6-4912-ba5c-61a06f51dd8e" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Nine News</em></a>. </p> <p>Jenny said most of the posts were cryptic advertisements, further distressing her friends and family who were still in mourning. </p> <p>"My husband died almost two years ago and I am still grieving," she said.</p> <p>"I keep getting Facebook messages from (the hackers) and the first time was very distressing."</p> <p>Jenny attempted to contact Facebook to get her late husband's account taken down permanently, but said the social media platform was incredibly "unhelpful".</p> <p>"I have been through enough with losing my husband and now they were asking me to prove that he was dead," she said.</p> <p>"Facebook wanted me to provide them with all these details including his death certificate and all these other additional things."</p> <p>"Yet the hackers can continue on their merry way. I just thought, 'Why do I have to do all these things when I have done nothing wrong?'"</p> <p>"It's just not good enough."</p> <p>Protocols are currently in place for how to handle Facebook profiles of deceased people, however they must be either set up by the account holder prior to their death, or a family member must submit a death certificate online to the company.</p> <p>Family members can also memorialise an account which will prevent anyone from logging into it and will keep it visible on Facebook - however, it must be applied for with evidence of death. </p> <p>A Meta spokesperson told <em>Nine News</em> that the matter was being investigated.</p> <p>"We extend our heartfelt condolences to Jenny Singe for her loss. Meta is committed to protecting our community from hackers and the distress they cause, and the matter is being investigated," the spokesperson said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Aussie tourist makes disturbing claim about Fiji resort where young boy was killed

<p>An Aussie tourist has spoken out about an injury he sustained while holidaying at Club Wyndham Denarau Island resort in Fiji, where an 8-year-old boy died last week. </p> <p>Cairo Winitana passed away while on holiday with his family, after he was chasing frogs in the five-star resort’s flower garden when he allegedly touched a light that delivered him a fatal electric shock. </p> <p>Now, an Aussie tourist who visited the resort last year says he too received an electric shock on the grounds of the luxury villa. </p> <p>The unnamed holiday-goer says he was shocked by an exposed light fitting, where wires were draped between two lampposts where they got wet from the rain. </p> <p>The damaged light delivered a hefty shock to the tourist, but he walked away relatively unharmed. </p> <p>After Cairo was found unresponsive in the gardens of the resort, desperate guests tried to revive him, as they shared the distress for the young boy. </p> <p>Thomas Meier told <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_WRE170_a_NEW&amp;dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailytelegraph.com.au%2Fnews%2Fnsw%2Fsydney-boy-cairo-waitana-dies-at-fiji-resort%2Fnews-story%2F0da28333a98b983059b5e07871498679&amp;memtype=anonymous&amp;mode=premium&amp;v21=dynamic-low-control-score&amp;V21spcbehaviour=append" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a> that he found the youngster unconscious in a garden bed.</p> <p>He told the publication he believed the child had been fatally injured after innocently playing with frogs near a bolt which was screwed into the ground where a live current was coming from.</p> <p>“As we were walking through the gardens we just saw this boy face down in the garden,” Mr Meier, 24, said.</p> <p>“My uncle went up to him and we were trying to tap him on the shoulder to see if he was responsive and he wasn’t moving.”</p> <p>He explained that his uncle received an electric shock as he assisted Cairo, before bystanders rushed to help.</p> <p>The child’s mother, Amber de Thierry, was soon found by resort guests, with Mr Meier describing her intense distress.</p> <p>“Eventually the mum turned up and she was screaming, crying, calling out to her son Cairo. She had one of her relatives hugging her,” he said.</p> <p>“We were all just sitting around hoping this little boy is going to wake up after a couple of shots of this defibrillator.”</p> <p>A post-mortem examination on Tuesday day confirmed Cairo’s cause of death was electrocution, as previously suspected.</p> <p>A devastated Ms de Thierry has also shared an <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/my-heart-aches-mum-of-young-boy-who-died-in-fiji-speaks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emotional tribute</a> to her beloved boy on social media.</p> <p>“I loved you my son, from the moment I found out I was carrying you and will love you forever more my beautiful blue eyes,” she wrote.</p> <p>Loved ones have since set up at <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/qte4ja-help-bring-our-boy-home" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page to help Ms de Thierry and her partner Clarke Winitana bring Cairo’s body home.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook / GoFundMe</em></p>

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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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Disturbing twist in children's suitcase homicide

<p dir="ltr">The two suitcases that contained the bodies of siblings in Auckland were reportedly moved from one unit storage to another before the harrowing discovery. </p> <p dir="ltr">Two children’s bodies were discovered in suitcases by an Auckland family who purchased the bags at an auction on August 11.</p> <p dir="ltr">It has now been revealed that the suitcases were moved in the second half of 2021 between different storage units at the same SafeStore Papatoetoe facility, <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/suitcases-containing-childrens-remains-were-moved-between-storage-units-a-year-before-harrowing-discovery/RWQQNLAU6HINPF6A5L6F2EOMIQ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ Herald</a> reported.</p> <p dir="ltr">A worker told the publication that there were dead flies and rats around the bags but no smell to indicate anything more damning.</p> <p dir="ltr">A SafeStore spokesperson refused to comment due to the ongoing police investigation in which a woman from South Korea, believed to be the children’s mother was arrested. The ​​42-year-old <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/woman-arrested-in-relation-to-dead-children-found-in-suitcases" target="_blank" rel="noopener">woman was arrested</a> by local police following a request from NZ Police. </p> <p dir="ltr">"South Korean authorities arrested the woman today on a Korean arrest warrant pursuant to two charges of murder relating to the two young victims," Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Vaaelua said at the time of the arrest.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The arrest warrant was issued by the Korean Courts as a result of a request by NZ Police for an arrest warrant under the extradition treaty between New Zealand and the Republic of Korea (South Korea).</p> <p dir="ltr">“NZ Police have applied to have her extradited back to New Zealand to face the charges and have requested she remain in custody whilst awaiting the completion of the extradition process.”</p> <p dir="ltr">At the time, Detective Inspector Vaaelua suggested that the children were aged 10 and five respectively when they died four years ago.</p> <p dir="ltr">The family who purchased the property where the suitcases were found are not involved in the deaths and have asked for privacy.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: NZ Herald</em></p>

Legal

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Cleo Smith’s parents share disturbing new details

<p>The parents of four-year-old Cleo Smith have shared terrifying new details about their daughter's abduction from a Western Australia camping site. </p><p>Ellie Smith and Jake Gliddon opened up about the horrific ordeal in an exclusive interview with <em>60 Minutes</em>, which will reportedly see the parents pocket $2 million.</p><p>Looking back on the abduction, Ellie believes that Cleo's pink bike at the campsite may have been what caught her captor's attention. </p><p>“Cleo had a bike at the front which indicated we had a child in that tent and that was all he needed to know,” Ms Smith said.</p><p>“How are we meant to know putting a little girl’s bike out the front of our tent indicated for someone to get her?”</p><p>Cleo's mother also revealed that her and Jake's side of the tent had been unzipped at some stage through the night.</p><p>“He obviously didn’t know what side of the tent she was in. He must have looked in ours ... might have put his head through and realised, ‘Yep, she’s not on this side’, and gone on the other side and that’s where she was,” she said.</p><p>“He’s taken a step in there, grabbed our child and we were sleeping right next to it all ... we were a metre away from them and it was just so gut-wrenching that someone could step into a tent and take our child.”</p><p>Ellie claimed that Cleo hadn't said much about her time with her captor, but told her parents she was scared. </p><p>“She was locked in a room and she was scared and she didn’t know where we were,” she said.</p><p>“She’s blocked out a lot as to what’s happened. She kind of went into survivor mode and pushed it very far away.”</p><p>In a bizarre twist, when Ellie was reunited with Cleo, she realised her hair had been cut and dyed. </p><p>“We had seen that her hair was cut and her hair was dyed. I guess we kind of saw the little things other people didn’t,” she said.</p><p>“I was just angry that someone tried changing her to kind of fit what they wanted.”</p><p>The family are planning to move away from Carnarvon so their little girl can have an “amazing life.”</p><p>“Hopefully we find somewhere that is pretty similar to what we love and what we do because we don’t want to let go of everything that we are and who we are,” Ms Smith said.</p><p>“We want to build our girls’ childhoods the way we wanted with fishing and camping, we’re just going to do it on the road for a little bit.”</p><p>Cleo was first reported missing on October 16th last year, before she was found 18 days later in the home of Terence Darrell Kelly. </p><p>Kelly has pleaded guilty to child stealing, and is due to appear in court again in March for sentencing. </p><p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Disturbing figures show child abduction rates in the past year

<p><span>As the search for missing 4-year-old Cleo Smith continues, some alarming statistics have emerged on the number of child abductions in Western Australia in the past 12 months.</span></p> <p>According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.police.wa.gov.au" target="_blank">WA Police</a> records, there were 15 seperate incidents of kidnapping and "child stealing" in the last financial year.</p> <p>Seven of those incidents have occurred this year alone. </p> <p><span>Four happened in the Perth metro area, but one happened in the Mid West/Gascoyne region where Cleo disappeared in the early hours of October 16th. </span><span></span></p> <p><span>The disturbing figures show there have been a total of 328 abductions in Western Australia since </span>January 2007. </p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">Thirteen of those have occurred in the Mid West/Gascoyne region where Cleo Smith was last seen. </p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">Despite these confronting figures, a WA Police spokesperson said <span>Cleo’s suspected abduction is “highly unusual” and “incredibly rare” because of the specific circumstances.</span></p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">They went on to say that most kidnapping and child-stealing incidents are usually related to family custody matters. </p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">The WA Police website defines kidnapping or child-stealing as “the abducting of a person against their will and depriving them of their personal liberty.”</p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">This can include the taking of minors with the intent to deprive a person of the “lawful care of the child,” as well as “fraudulently enticing the child away” and “receiving/harbouring a child”.</p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">At this stage of the investigation into Cleo Smith's disappearance, police have named no suspects, and believe her parents are not involved.</p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020">Cleo <span>went missing from a family tent at the Blowholes campsite at Macleod, near Carnarvon, in the early hours of October 16th. </span></p> <p class="css-1316j2p-StyledParagraph e4e0a020"><em>Image credits: 7News </em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Disturbing new tactic adopted by anti-maskers putting us all at risk

<p dir="ltr"><span>Throughout the pandemic, COVID-deniers and conspiracy theorists have been adopting a range of unusual and dangerous tactics to avoid sticking to lockdown rules and distancing guidelines. </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>Now, anti-maskers have resorted to mocking up fake exemption stickers in what is being  called a "disturbing" strategy to avoid important coronavirus regulations. </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>The news comes alongside whispers of an app which enables users to create fake QR code check-in pages to give the false idea they have recorded their presence into a premises. </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>While mask exemption stickers or badges are available, you must have a valid medical excuse from your GP to gain access to one. </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath has called out rule breakers in her state who are said to have created fraudulent mask exemption badges.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>“People shouldn’t be finding ways to work around the rules,” Ms D’Ath said to Channel 9.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>“If you don’t have a mask on, you are risking yourself getting the virus; it is not worth trying to come up with a fake excuse not to wear a mask.”</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>She also expressed her concern about the fake QR code check-in app that is being passed around on conspiracy theorist online forums. </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>The app can duplicate pages for NSW, Queensland and Victoria, giving users the tick to enter a premise, without sending their details to the state government, and will be unable to trace close contact COVID-19 cases. </span></p> <p dir="ltr"><span>“This simple workaround creates what looks like a covid QR tick of approval, but it doesn’t send your private information to the government,” one website plugging the app stated.</span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

Caring

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"Disturbing" Rebel Wilson ad slammed by experts

<p><span>An ad starring Australian starlet Rebel Wilson has been deemed “disturbing” by financial counsellors.</span><br /><br /><span>The Afterpay advertisement stars Wilson telling a young girl that “if credit cards and cash had a baby you could pay it over time without ever paying interest”.</span><br /><br /><span>Financial Counselling Australia chief executive Fiona Guthrie said the campaign has gone a step too far.</span><br /><br /><span>“It minimises the risks of using buy-now, pay-later products and the fact she is talking to a young child, explaining a credit product, is very disturbing,” Ms Guthrie said on Tuesday.</span><br /><br /><span>She went on to say financial counsellors are seeing more and more people who use the buy-now, pay-later scheme calling into increasing debt.</span><br /><br /><span>“People think they’re harmless, but the reality is they are a form of credit and should be treated that way,” she said.</span><br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_rCu47xQN34" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> <br /><span>FCA has written a number of complaints about the Wilson clip to Ad Standards, which manages complaints about advertisements under the industry’s self-regulated system.</span><br /><br /><span>“We want it discontinued as soon as possible,” Ms Guthrie said.</span><br /><br /><span>She went on to say the AD is one of several that Afterpay is currently running.</span><br /><br /><span>“Why these celebrities want to associate themselves with a product that can cause such harm is beyond us,” Ms Guthrie said.</span><br /><br /><span>“ASIC’s 2020 report found that one in five people are missing payments. It also found that as a result some people are cutting back, or going without essentials, such as food.”</span><br /><br /><span>“These slick and expensive campaigns only serve to lull consumers into using buy-now, pay-later more. There is a high risk of getting into debt, especially if you are using the product multiple times or have more than one account.”</span><br /><br /><span>In her complaint to Ad Standards, Ms Guthrie said Afterpay wasn’t available for people under 18.</span><br /><br /><span>“It would not be acceptable to explain the benefits of personal loans or credit cards to children in an advertisement and it should not be acceptable in this case,” she said.</span><br /><br /><span>“The use of children is gratuitous and inappropriate.”</span><br /><br /><span>She said the ad also failed to show how buy-now, pay-later products worked.</span><br /><br /><span>She also went on to say that anyone who missed an instalment would cop late fees.</span><br /><br /><span>“We urge Ad Standards to review this advertisement and ensure it is discontinued from all platforms in Australia as soon as possible,” she said.</span><br /><br /><span>Earlier this week, Afterpay and its competitor Zip Co claimed that banks were forcing mortgage applicants to delete their accounts before approving home loans.</span><br /><br /><span>In a statement to TND Afterpay defended its advert, saying it was proud to divert Australians away from credit cards.</span><br /><br /><span>“Afterpay has strict controls in place to ensure that only consumers who are 18 and over can use our product. We verify the identity of all our customers,” the spokesperson said.</span></p>

Money & Banking

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"Disturbing and disgusting": Five men charged after cenotaph damaged

<p>Five men have been arrested and charged after the cenotaph in Martin Place was vandalised in Sydney's CBD over the weekend.</p> <p>Police on Monday appealed for public to help identify the men seen on CCTV climbing on the cenotaph and sitting on the shoulders of the bronze statue of a soldier about 3:10 am on Saturday.</p> <p>The group is accused of vandalism that damaged the soldier's bayonet.</p> <p>The five men turned themselves in to the police after a few short hours and one even issued an apology on camera to "all the diggers".</p> <p>Josh Gilbertson apologised for his role in the display and blamed it on excessive alcohol use.</p> <p>“One too many drinks and before I knew it the boys were up there and I just decided to follow,” he told<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://7news.com.au/" target="_blank">7NEWS</a>.</p> <p>“To all the diggers that served our country, I’m very thankful for what you’ve done.</p> <p>“If I could turn back time, I wouldn’t do it again of course.”</p> <p>One man, aged 21, was on Monday afternoon charged with damaging property and committing an offensive act on a war memorial.</p> <p>He was granted conditional bail to appear before Downing Centre Local Court on June 28.</p> <p>Three others, aged 19, 20 and 21, were issued court attendance notices for desecrating a protected place.</p> <p>The fifth man, also 21, was issued a court attendance notice for offensive conduct.</p> <p>The act of vandalism sparked outrage, with RSL NSW President Ray James telling 7NEWS it was “disturbing and disgusting” and was a “personal attack on all members of the community, all members, all Australians”.</p> <p>“It’s a very special memorial and it’s a special memorial for all Australians. Not just veterans, but all Australians,” he said.</p> <p>Earlier Premier Gladys Berejiklian also condemned the vandalism, saying it’s important to understand the sacrifices made by veterans.</p> <p>“I think it’s really hurtful that a small number of Australians don’t appreciate the sacrifices many Australians made, who lost their lives and lost their livelihoods over many, many decades for our freedoms,” Berejiklian told reporters.</p> <p>“It’s incumbent on us to make sure that every single Australian citizen is aware and grateful for the sacrifices made by our ex-servicemen and women.</p> <p>“Anyone who defaces what is sacred to all of us will receive the full force of the law,” Berejiklian said.</p>

Legal

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"Sick and violated": MasterChef star Laura Sharrad's disturbing messages

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>MasterChef star Laura Sharrad has called out a message sent via Instagram, saying that it left her feeling "sick and violated".</p> <p>She didn't share the contents of the message with her Instagram followers but explained she was "not okay" after reading it.</p> <p>“Today I opened a really disturbing message sent to me on Instagram,” the 25-year-old wrote on her Instagram Stories.</p> <p>“It was something no woman should ever have to read. I feel so sick. I feel violated. I feel unsafe. I feel disgusted. I feel a lot of things. All of them bad things. Simply, it’s not okay.</p> <p>“I thought about posting this all afternoon as I rarely share things about how I’m actually feeling. This is meant to be a happy place. Today I am not okay.”</p> <p>Sharrad appeared on MasterChef in Season 6 before returning in last year's<span> </span><em>Back To Win</em><span> </span>series, where viewers criticised her for her "bad attitude".</p> <p>Other viewers suggested she received favourable treatment as she previously used to work with judge Jock Zonfrillo.</p> <p>Her fellow contestants, Brendan Pang and Khanh Ong, defended her when claims came out.</p> <p>“She’s a really close friend of mine and I was really surprised by how much backlash she got because I think it’s unfair," Ong said to<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nowtolove.com.au/reality-tv/masterchef/masterchef-khanh-ong-defends-laura-sharrad-64262" target="_blank"><em>Now To Love</em></a>.</p> <p>“Social media seems to jump on a beautiful woman and I think that’s what it is. They found her and instead of attacking her because they just don’t like that she’s on TV again, they’re attacking her for pasta. That’s not the reason that you’re angry, I honestly think that. It happened to Chloe (Carroll) in my year and I think it’s so unfair.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

TV

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"Deeply disturbing": Police officer arrested on suspicion of murder

<p>UK Police have announced that a serving London Metropolitan Police Officer has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 33-year-old-woman went missing last Wednesday.</p> <p>Sarah Everard, 33, has not been seen since she left her home in south London last week.</p> <p>The arrested officer remains in police custody in a London police station.</p> <p>Assistant Commissioner Nick Ephgrave described the arrest of the officer as "both shocking and deeply disturbing."</p> <p>The recent discovery of yet-to-be-identified human remains prompted Detective Chief Inspector Katherine Goodwin to say: "This is a significant development in our inquiry."</p> <p>"I know how shocked and worried Londoners are by Sarah's disappearance and the developments in the case," Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said in a statement.</p> <p>"All women and girls should be able to feel safe on the street of London at all times."</p> <p>While the remains have not yet been formally identified, UK police believe they likely to belong to Sarah.</p> <p>The case has been intensely followed by the public and the media in the UK, as extensive searches have been conducted across where Everard was last seen.</p> <p>Everard's cousin Tom said that the family want to "focus on the facts as they emerge".</p> <p>"I want to encourage people to come forward with anything they might have, and to continue supporting the police investigation," the 36-year-old added.</p>

Legal

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High-profile horse trainer suspended over disturbing photo

<p><span>An image of top horse trainer Gordon Elliott posing for a photo while sitting on a dead horse has resulted in horror and anger from the public and British racing circles on Monday.</span><br /><br /><span>The Irishman is one of the sport’s most celebrated figures and has apologised for the disturbing image after it resurfaced on Saturday.</span><br /><br /><span>It depicted him sitting on a horse that had just died of a heart attack after a training run.</span><br /><br /><span>Elliott has since been suspended from horse racing, as reported by the <em>BBC</em>.</span><br /><br /><span>One of his most high-profile employers, Cheveley Park Stud, said they are "truly horrified" by the image.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7840081/daily-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a5af72eeb8b8423abfbf5ad18536013a" /></p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em><br /><br /><span>Bookmaker Betfair dropped Elliott as an ambassador, saying his actions were not consistent with its "values".</span><br /><br /><span>A scathing statement from the British Horseracing Authority slammed the star.</span><br /><br /><span>"People who work in our industry believe their values — of caring for and respecting our horses — have been deeply undermined by this behaviour," the statement read.</span><br /><br /><span>The BHA said it was "appalled" by the image, saying: "On behalf of all horse-lovers, we say loudly that British horseracing finds this totally unacceptable."</span><br /><br /><span>Elliot defended his actions, saying the incident occurred “some time ago” and the picture was taken while he waited for the body of the horse to be taken away.</span><br /><br /><span>He went on to explain that he had received a phone call and had sat down on the dead animal “without thinking”.</span><br /><br /><span>The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board is investigating the incident and the BHA said it is "considering its own regulatory options".</span><br /><br /><span>Both bodies have temporarily banned Elliott.</span><br /><br /><span>Elliott has been a Grand National-winning trainer three times, first taking the prize in 2007 with Silver Birch.</span><br /><br /><span>He would go on to train Tiger Roll to become the first back-to-back winner of horse racing's most gruelling jumps race — in 2018 and '19 — since Red Rum in the 1970s.</span><br /><br /><span>He has trained 32 winners at the Cheltenham Festival.</span><br /><br /><span>Tiger Roll owner, Michael O'Leary, is one of the few to come out in support of Elliott.</span><br /><br /><span>"We accept that this photograph was a grievous but momentary lapse of judgement by Gordon," said O'Leary, who runs the Gigginstown House Stud operation and is also CEO of budget airline Ryanair.</span><br /><br /><span>He continued: “and not in keeping with our 15-year experience of his concern for and attention to the welfare of our horses.</span><br /><br /><span>"We all make mistakes, and what is important is that we learn from them and ensure we do not repeat them. We accept Gordon's sincere, profound and unreserved apology and we will continue to support him and his team."</span><br /><br /><span>The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board has said their investigation will be dealt with "as quickly as possible".</span></p>

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“Arrogant hypocrites”: Chinese media's new attack on Australia with disturbing cartoon

<p><span>China has continued its relentless criticism against Australia’s outrage with another shocking cartoon that was shared by Chinese state media.</span><br /><br /><span>The disturbing graphic shows a bloodied kangaroo which is portraying military murder.</span><br /><br /><span>The Chinese artist Fu Yu – known as Wuheqilin has spoken out about the disturbing graphic that first received fury from SCOMO.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839020/china-scott-morrison.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/66d372e9039d40d083478af50a07d98d" /><br /><br /><span>He spoke out about the original doctored image, posting a video from Beijing Capital International Airport where he advised Mr Morrison to “face reality”.</span><br /><br /><span>In his new column for the Global Times, he said: “I am the one who illustrated the cartoon that pissed off Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.</span><br /><br /><span>“It is totally hard to believe that a head of state like Morrison got totally bent out shape about my computer graphics work. I am flabbergasted that he even organised a press conference to fume about it.”</span><br /><br /><span>The artist said he created the image, which he labels a cartoon, on the night of November 22.</span><br /><br /><span>Earlier this week, the faked image was published to Twitter by China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian, who said he was “shocked by murder of Afghan civilians and prisoners by Australian soldiers”.</span><br /><br /><span>It has led to global outrage and criticism against Beijing.</span><br /><br /><span>“Morrison called my cartoon ‘fabricated’,” Wuheqilin wrote.</span><br /><br /><span>“Some overseas netizens claimed it was doctored. I’d like to tell them that their focus should not be on whether or not it is a real picture or an artistic creation. It is an incident embedded in a cartoon.”</span><br /><br /><span>The latest cartoon depicting a bloodied kangaroo in a suit with a bloodied knife next to it, was created by a different artist, Chen Xia.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7839018/china-scott-morrison-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ed82bf76f9824324a9c8012c09e13291" /><br /><br /><span>The publication posted a series of tweets overnight about Australia, with one including a graphic listing Australia’s alleged war crimes.</span><br /><br /><span>The tweets have been simply flagged: “China state-affiliated media.”</span><br /><br /><span>In the latest Global Times piece defending Wuheqilin, writer Yu Luxu said: “A cartoon is cartoon. It is not a photo. So how can it be ‘faked’ as Morrison and some Australian outlets claim?</span><br /><br /><span>“Cartoon has characteristics that exaggerate some points with an emphasis on artistic expression and visual shock. This is very common around the world. This is far from fabricating facts. Still, Wuheqilin’s work is based on facts.”</span><br /><br /><span>The article went on to demand Mr Morrison and the Australian Government to “take full responsibility for the deteriorating relationship with China”.</span><br /><br /><span>It further claimed “Australia exaggerated and distorted Zhao’s comment and use of cartoon over the crime of Australian troops”, calling it “a false image”.</span><br /><br /><span>“The country that owes an apology is Australia – to China. And to Afghanistan first and foremost for slaughtering their innocent people.</span><br /><br /><span>“It should also apologise to the Chinese artist, whose work was groundlessly smeared as a ‘false image’.</span><br /><br /><span>“It needs to seriously reassess the damage done its own international optics caused by this double standard outburst regarding ‘freedom of speech’ and ‘human rights’.”</span></p>

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Mother sacks babysitter over disturbing nanny cam footage

<p>A mother has not been able to hold back her disgust after sacking her nanny.</p> <p>The mum said that she was shocked to discover that the nanny she hired to look after her 10-month-old son and five-year-old daughter had secretly been breastfeeding the son. </p> <p>The nanny started attempting to nurse the baby after the mother had confided in her about her issues with breastfeeding.</p> <p>“During a conversation that we had recently (maybe two weeks ago), I mentioned that I don’t produce much milk which forces me to rely on donor milk to feed my son,” the mum confessed <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/comments/hnm9j2/wibta_if_i_fired_my_nanny_for_breastfeeding_my_son/" target="_blank" class="_e75a791d-denali-editor-page-rtflink">in the Reddit post</a>.</p> <p>“She was very sympathetic and inquisitive about the situation, and I was happy to answer all of her questions while simultaneously thinking nothing of it.”</p> <p>It was only after the mother checked the nanny cams that were set up in the house that she made the discovery.</p> <p>“I have nanny cameras set up in the living room and in my bedroom that my husband and I can access at anytime when we’re not home, but I never feel compelled to check for the simple fact that I trust my nanny,” she explained.</p> <p>“However, I was having a rough day yesterday and wanted to see what the little ones were up to so I decided to pop in. My nanny was sitting on my bed, rocking my son, and attempting to breastfeed him.</p> <p>“I almost felt sick, it just seemed so inappropriate. I decided to wait until I got home to confront her about it, and when I asked she was incredibly apologetic. She said she wanted to help me because of my milk production issues and never meant any harm.”</p> <p>The mother initially accepted the apology, but became suspicious and went through old footage.</p> <p>To her horror, she discovered that the nanny breastfeeding her son wasn't a one-off occurrence. </p> <p>“She unplugs the camera in my bedroom when she goes to put him down for naps and plugs it back in when she leaves,” she added.</p> <p>“After reviewing our recordings this wasn’t the first time she attempted to breastfeed my son, among a few other questionable things (closing my daughter in the pantry, leaving my son in the backyard unattended, etc).”</p> <p>If that's not bad enough, the mother also discovered that some treasured baby items were missing. </p> <p>“A couple of my son’s first outfits (first onesie, first Halloween costume) were gone as well as a small blanket that belonged to my daughter, and a box of old baby clothes I was going to donate,” she added.</p> <p>“These were returned to me by [the nanny’s] father minus the blanket because she can’t find it.”</p> <p>The mother said she’s been left "heartbroken" by the incident.</p> <p>“We’ve decided to let her go, obviously, and I’m going to be taking a few weeks of leave to take my kids in for check-ups,” she added.</p> <p>“My husband and I are horrified and heartbroken that we facilitated a situation in which our children’s safety was put at risk.”</p>

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Disturbing quarantine loophole confirmed

<p>Victoria Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton has revealed there is a loophole which allows Victorians who test positive for COVID-19 to leave their home while they are supposed to be in isolation. </p> <p>Sutton addressed the media on Tuesday to speak about the 384 new cases that occurred over night and the six deaths — four of which were linked to aged care.</p> <p>One reporter asked the CHO one question however that uncovered a loophole that permits those with COVID-19 to leave their home. </p> <p>“Those in quarantine because they have tested positive, are they allowed to leave for exercise?” she asked.</p> <p>“They are, otherwise it is detention and we do not have detention for cases in Victoria,” Professor Sutton confirmed. </p> <p>“They are entitled to exercise within their home and their garden, ideally.”</p> <p>The reporter commented that the direction “would appear to go against what we have been hearing for months about what people should be doing in quarantine”.</p> <p>Prof Sutton rebutted and said that the advice had not changed and related only to people who have limited space in their home to exercise.</p> <p>“People who have no garden and have no other option … have a right to exercise,” he said.</p> <p>“So the Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities is clear that if you are not giving people an option to exercise then you are effectively putting them in prison and that is not something that can be done for a case of coronavirus or for anyone else for that matter.”</p>

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