Category: News

John Dumelo captured in grief at his father’s funeral

One of the heartbreaking moments captured at John Dumelo’s father’s funeral was when several shots displayed him in an emotional state.

The actor cum politician, visibly grief-stricken, was seen in a black-and-white outfit, with a failed attempt to conceal his sorrow behind a pair of sunglasses.

In some of the photos, he was spotted with his head bowed down, a silent expression of his deep sadness.

Prior to this, John Dumelo, while reading his father’s tribute, disclosed that he was not only a parent but also his best friend and gossip partner.

The funeral service of the late John William Kudzo Anato-Dumelo Snr, held at the Holy Spirit Cathedral in Adabraka, saw the presence of several prominent personalities, including Randy Abbey, Sonnie Badu, and Ibrahim Mahama, among others, who came to express their condolences.

He announced the death of his father earlier in January.

Mr John Dumelo snr died at age 75.

Meanwhile, watch as Ibrahim Mahama, Eden Agbana, Randy Abbey spotted at Dumelo’s father’s funeral:

JHM/EB

The mother of Late Late Show host Patrick Kielty has passed away peacefully at home today in Dundrum, Co Down.

The news was confiirmed just hours after the TV presenter fronted the latest episode of the popular talk show on Friday night.

Mary Kielty is survived by her three sons Patrick, John and Cahal. Her husband John Kielty was murdered by the UFF in 1988.

A death notice described Mrs Kielty as a “loving mother” and “devoted grandmother”.

It added that she “will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her entire family circle, neighbours and friends”.

Not long after he took over as host of the Late Late, Kielty said: “Mary Kielty is secretly delighted but not making any real public statements.”

Speaking during an appearance at the Amgen Irish Open in County Down, he explained how his mother still offers to do his laundry.

“I think Irish mummies never really understand what age their youngsters actually are. So you do get a lot of offers like ‘Do you have any washing’ and I would be like ‘Well no, no that’s done, I’m 53 mum,” he said.

Mrs Kielty’s funeral will take place on Monday.

WORCESTERSHIRE’S adoption service is calling for more families to adopt amid a national shortage of adoptive parents.

Adoption Central England (ACE) which also covers Herefordshire, Warwickshire, Solihull and Coventry is currently looking to place around 60 children with new families.

Established in 2018 ACE was one of the earliest regional services to come together to improve opportunities for children through adoption and is celebrating its seventh anniversary this month.

The service not only prepares and assesses people who are wishing to adopt, it also recognises that importance of offering longer term support to adoptive families.

ACE recognises that adopting a child who has been in the care of a local authority is not going always going to be plain sailing, which is why longer-term support is available through its experienced and therapeutically trained team.

Since 2018 more than 580 adoptive families have been approved by the ACE with more than 720 children having the benefit of a secure family life and upbringing through adoption as a result.

Brenda Vincent, Head of Adoption Central England explains that people from all sections of the community can be considered for adoption.

It does not matter what race, religion or sexuality potential adopters are, or whether they are married or single, in or out of work.

She said: “We need many more people to come forward with plenty of patience, humour and energy who can meet the different and diverse needs of those children who are desperately waiting to join their new families.

“Many adopters have commented on the thoroughness of process but recognise the necessity of this as they prepare themselves for family life through adoption.”

Currently there is a national shortage of adoptive parents, due in part to financial considerations and the uncertainty that this may involve for people.

Councillor Steve Mackay, Worcestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Children and Families said: “Over the past seven years, ACE has played a vital role in forming new families by successfully matching children with adopters who truly understand their needs and can offer the care and support they deserve.”

Adoptive parents are also encouraged to consider adopting siblings, helping brothers and sisters stay together whenever possible.

Visit www.aceadoption.com or call 0300 369 0556 for more information.

Reality star Jessa Duggar Seewald is growing her family! The 19 Kids and Counting star is expecting her sixth baby with her husband Ben Seewald. The news comes just over one year after the couple welcomed their fifth baby.

To announce her pregnancy news, Jessa shared a string of sonogram images to her Instagram and added in the caption, “Halfway to holding you in our arms! ” The pink emojis could signify the couple is expecting a girl, but Jessa didn’t go into any further details about the couple’s little one. The Counting On star’s pregnancy coincides with her sister Jinger Duggar’s pregnancy. Jinger is due this month and her sister Jessa helped her reveal her baby’s sex, a boy.

The reality star and her husband share five children together. They share three sons: Spurgeon Elliot, born in 2015, Henry Wilberforce, born in 2017, and George Augustine, born in 2023. The couple also share daughters Ivy Jane, born in 2019, and Fern Elliana, born in 2021. Six months before they announced Jessa was pregnant with George, the couple shared that Jessa had suffered a miscarriage. “Nothing could have prepared me for the weight of those words in that moment,” she shared at that time.

Jessa and Ben first met in April 2013, began pre-courting one month later, and they courted officially in September of that year. The couple went on to tie the knot in November 2014 in Bentonville, Arkansas three months after getting engaged in August 2014. Last month, the reality shared a picture of her husband while the two enjoyed date night and gushed over him in the caption writing, “My fav person in the whole wide world.”

Congratulations to Jessa and Ben on the news of their sixth baby! We wish them lots of love as they prepare to welcome their newborn.

In both, “I Want to Talk”, directed by Shoojit Sircar, and choreographer-turned-filmmaker Remo D’Souza’s “Be Happy”, Bachchan plays the role of a single father.

“I don’t remember too many films that are made on the father-daughter dynamic. And what happens in a family’s life if the mother isn’t there? In this film, the father-in-law, son-in-law, and granddaughter cope with that situation. The void left by the mother figure not being in somebody’s life is huge.

“But to see a dynamic in which the father has to step up and try and fill that void, I thought that was interesting. We don’t have too many films that speak about that, so that was very refreshing and nice. We also realise nobody can ever replace a mother; you try and do your best. Every parent wants to do whatever they can in their power and a bit beyond that to fulfil their wishes and their desires,” the actor told PTI in an interview.

Packed with sharp wit and bittersweet moments, “Be Happy” is billed as a poignant tale of a devoted single father called Shiv , navigating life’s highs and lows with his wise-cracking yet deeply affectionate daughter, Dhara .

Bachchan said his real-life experiences with 13-year-old daughter Aaradhya Bachchan enriched his portrayal of Shiv.

“As actors, you’re always trying to find something that you can emotionally latch on to, and you do that with all your films. So, all your films are personal. But it just makes it that much easier if you can draw a parallel to your life or if there’s an emotion over there that you have experienced,” the 49-year-old actor added.

“Be Happy” reunites Bachchan with child actor Verma, his co-star from the 2020 comedy-drama “Ludo”.

Sharing her admiration for Bachchan, Verma said the “Guru star” paid attention to understanding the nuances of the script.

“Abhishek bhaiya used to teach me many things. In one of the scenes of ‘Be Happy’, I had two dialogues in and Abhishek bhaiya had a lot of dialogues. Abhishek bhaiya and I would rehearse, and he would read his entire script. I would tell him, ‘Don’t say the entire script, just give me the last cue, and I’ll say my dialogue’.

“Abhishek bhaiya explained it to me so well and said, ‘What is this behaviour, Inayat? You have to read the full script’. I was like, ‘I’ve read the full script, I’m reducing your work’. He is a very knowledgeable person,” Verma said about the “Guru” star.

“Be Happy”, also featuring Nora Fatehi, Nassar, Johny Lever and Harleen Sethi, will premiere on Prime Video on March 14.

The film is produced under the banner of Remo Dsouza Entertainment Pvt Ltd by D’Souza’s wife, Lizelle Remo D’Souza.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.

Mary Kielty, who was aged in her 80s, died peacefully at home today.

She was from Dundrum in Co Down.

The news emerged hours after Patrick Kielty fronted the latest episode of RTE’s Late Late Show last night.

Mrs Kielty’s funeral will take place on Monday.

Despite her son’s public profile, Mary Kielty always stayed out of the limelight.

Shortly after taking over as host of the Late Late, Patrick said: “Mary Kielty is secretly delighted but not making any real public statements.”

He also revealed how his mother took a no-nonsense approach to his fame.

“Whenever my mother leaves Mass on Sunday and someone says, ‘Mary you must be very proud of your son,’ she will reply, ‘Which son? I’ve got three of them and I’m proud of them all’.”

Speaking during an appearance at the Irish Open in Co Down, he also revealed his mother still offers to do his laundry.

“I think Irish mummies never really understand what age their youngsters actually are. So you do get a lot of offers like ‘Do you have any washing’ and I would be like ‘Well no, no that’s done, I’m 53 mum,” he revealed.

Patrick Kielty’s father Jack was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries in 1988. He was just 16 at the time.

Speaking on a BBC programme in 2018, he revealed that the IRA offered “revenge” for his father’s murder.

He stressed his family rejected the IRA’s offer “in no uncertain terms”.

In ‘My Dad, the Peace Deal and Me’, he said: “My dad died for nothing – he wasn’t a political figure, he wasn’t taking a stand.

“He had a building firm, he employed both sides.

“That wouldn’t be considered a stand anywhere else. He was just doing the right thing.”

Three men were convicted in connection with the killing, but freed after the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

More to follow

Jordan Chiles’ mother, Gina, has always been her fiercest supporter. During a tough time when Jordan faced online criticism after missing out on an individual medal in the women’s floor exercise at the Paris Olympics, Gina took to X to defend her daughter. “My daughter is a highly decorated Olympian with the biggest heart and a level of sportsmanship that is unmatched,” she wrote, standing firmly by Jordan’s side—exactly where a mother should be. The star gymnast’s father is no far behind, never missing an opportunity to showcase support for his daughter

 He closely follows her gymnastics journey, and this year he went to the Pauley Pavilion to watch the UCLA Bruins take on Illinois. But he didn’t just watch—he went a step further. Timothy stood in the autograph line like any other fan, waiting for his daughter’s signature on his jacket.  But this lovely parent-daughter dynamic wasn’t always like this.

 But there was a time when despite their unwavering love, the proud parents of Jordan Chiles felt powerless.  What happened during that difficult chapter? Let’s just say it had everything to do with her former coach—Coach X.

Jordan Chiles reveals the dark past when she had to fight alone 

 “My parents could see I was under a lot of pressure. But I didn’t tell them the full extent of Coach X’s extreme behavior.”, the 23-year-old wrote in her book, I’m That Girl: Loving the Power of My Dreams. A young Jordan Chiles felt trapped and disempowered. Even her parents, Gina and Timothy Chiles, who had always been by her side, found themselves powerless. They saw their daughter’s light dimming, her joy fading. And yet, they couldn’t bring themselves to say no. Why? Because they had been made to believe that they couldn’t.

“Coach X told us over and over that, having trained gold medalists and elite gymnasts in the past, she was the only person who could take me to the next level,” Jordan revealed. Without her, Coach X assured them, Jordan Chiles ‘would be nowhere.’  The ex-coach wasn’t just coaching the gymnast, she was going a step further to control her and making her believe that the pain, the humiliation, and abuse were a part of the training and would contribute to her success. After all, the pain was just one of the prices a Region 2 gymnast had to pay.

Region 2 carried a reputation that followed Jordan Chiles throughout her gymnastics journey. According to her, the area she came from, Oregon—and the gym where she trained—weren’t trained for producing elite gymnasts or top-tier coaches. This wasn’t just her perspective, it was a belief widely shared within the American gymnastics community. Even Jordan’s parents had heard the same sentiment time and time again: “Nothing good comes out of Region 2.” This background further necessitated the need to put up with the abuse of Coach X. 

But eventually, the pain became too much to endure, taking an enormous toll on her mental health.

The continuous mental battle led to having suicidal thoughts 

Harsh coaches are not unknown to us, Coach X? She was built different. Much unlike words of encouragement that you would expect from a coach, the 23-year-old was hit with the worst kind of abuse, such as, “Stinkerbell, you’re lazy,” as Jordan Chiles recounted in her book. With every insult, the young gymnast’s confidence crumbled, and the sport she once loved no longer felt like home. She desperately needed an outlet.

“I wanted to get it off my chest. I wanted to let people know that I had really, really down times. I’ve been in the dark, I’ve been in the deepest part of the ocean.”, she confessed in her interaction with People in February. So bad was Chiles’ experience of training under Coach X, that she was driven to the very edge, and had to struggle with suicidal thoughts. Simone Biles’ hype woman, the one who keeps the entire UCLA Bruins women’s gymnastics team motivated, was pushed down to her lowest point by her ex-coach. Eventually, things took a turn for the worse.

When the Oregon native did not make it to the Senior World Team in 2018, it seemed as if the world had crashed down on her. Doubt, disappointment, and years of silent suffering under Coach X threatened to break her completely. But just when she needed it most, Simone Biles reached out her hand.

Simone didn’t just offer advice—she offered an escape, a fresh start, a lifeline. She brought her best friend to the World Champions Centre, a place where she could finally train without fear and cruelty. For the first time in a long time, Chiles felt hope. The gymnastics GOAT had proved to Jordan Chiles that she was not just a teammate, or a mentor. She was her best friend, in the truest sense of the term.

Dozens of families have been left scrambling for new childcare providers after being told last week that the Ranelagh branch of the Nest Creche and Montessori is to close in the summer.

About 50 children, ranging in age up to six years, attend the facility which provides preschool, as well as full- and part-time care, but parents say it has a waiting list of up to two years said to include the names of 200 children whose parents had expected to use the service in the future.

On Tuesday, however, manager Colm Bowers wrote to parents to say the building in which the creche is located is to be redeveloped for residential use and so the facility will close on August 29th.

Mr Bowers said the operators do not expect to find an alternative facility but parents have approached local politicians with a view to exploring whether another suitable building might be found, while many families have already embarked on a scramble to find new places for their children.

Mother of two Sorcha Hanratty said last week’s announcement came as a shock, not least because the creche and its staff are very well regarded by the families whose children attend. She said she appreciates the situation may be beyond the control of the company behind it, which runs four other facilities around Dublin, but that even with six months’ notice many families, especially those with the youngest children, are going to struggle to find new places.

“I’m probably in a more fortunate position in that one of our boys is going to school in September while the other is getting to Montessori age, that little bit older, where there seems to be a few more places around.

[ Childcare: ‘I never knew how tough it was to be a working mother in this country’Opens in new window ]

“A friend of mine has a one-year-old, though, and she is really struggling. Trying to get a space for a baby is so difficult.”

Arie Fisher said he has received a string of “straight nos” from other providers to inquiries regarding a place for his two-year-old daughter since being told the Nest would close. Both his older children went there in recent years and, like the other parents who spoke to The Irish Times, he was very happy with it. Now, finding an alternative for his youngest is proving to be a real challenge.

“I’ve contacted just about every childcare facility in the area and beyond but most won’t even accept applications on to the waiting list because they say they are so long, there would be no point.”

“A few say I can put her name down but they have no availability for the next couple, but that’s the most positive thing I have been told so far.”

Another parent impacted, Brian Savage, said the owners have been approached but he is unaware of any engagement. He said he hopes other premises can be found but is sceptical because of the regulatory requirements in the sector and likely rental rates in the area.

About 90 creches closed across Ireland last year, roughly the same as opened, the first time since the current system of annual monitoring began in 2017 the numbers did not decline. Despite the overall numbers having stabilised, however, each closure results in a scramble for alternative sources, often in areas where there is already an acute shortage.

[ Why so many creches have been closing and what can be done about itOpens in new window ]

Local councillor Dermot Lacey said he hopes a meeting for parents in Ranelagh can be arranged for this week but admits he is not optimistic regarding the prospects of finding a solution.

“We will see if we can find a place but it’s difficult and I don’t think the situation is helped by the strict regulations put in place by the department and Tusla. It’s not that I want low standards but I do think it is time we had a discussion about the standards being set and whether they can be met, particularly by community creches, which we should be encouraging.”

Ms Hanratty said she accepts that more housing is required and so buildings will be repurposed or redeveloped but “there is all the talk about the need for people to be working but then there aren’t the amenities required for people to actually work and, yes, we need more homes for people but those people need amenities like this”.

“It needs to be better thought out. Allowing amenities like this to be lost doesn’t make sense to me.”

The management of the Nest did not respond to attempts to contact them.

PeeCee’s mother has always been vocal with her interviews and statements, and recently she opened up on actress’ botched surgeries and how it affected her and her family.

Priyanka Chopra’s botched plastic surgery

In the early 2000s, the actress underwent nose surgery to remove a nasal polyp, but unexpected complications dramatically changed her appearance. Reflecting on the incident, Madhu shared how Priyanka’s father remained a pillar of support during the difficult time.

Talking to Pinkvilla, she said, “She was upset, of course. She felt like, ‘I went for one thing and came back with another.’ But her father reassured her, saying, ‘There’s nothing we cannot fix. Don’t worry; this is a very small thing.’”

Despite the setback, Priyanka’s confidence and charisma remained unshaken—she went on to win Miss World with the same face. Calling it an ‘accident’ and a ‘mishap’, Madhu emphasized that it was ultimately correctable.

In her 2021 memoir, Unfinished, she revealed how her confidence plummeted after certain industry insiders urged her to undergo multiple cosmetic enhancements.

On personal and professional front

Also, the Mujhse Shaadi Karoge actress has always been open about sharing how losing her father in 2013 reshaped her perspective on grief. Speaking on the Read the Room podcast, she reflected on how such pain never truly fades but instead becomes a lifelong companion.

For the unversed, Dr. Ashok Chopra fought a prolonged battle with cancer before passing away in 2013 at the age of 62. His loss left a profound impact on Priyanka Chopra, shaping her perspective on grief and resilience.

On the work front, Priyanka is making waves with her upcoming collaboration with acclaimed filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli. She is set to star alongside Mahesh Babu in the highly anticipated SSMB29.

Katie Price has given a devastating update on her mother as she faced a grueling battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). 

The former glamour model, 46, explained that her mum Amy, who was diagnosed in 2017, is ‘switched on but cannot do things like she used to’. 

Amy had a lung transplant in 2022 but explained that she has some good days and she has some bad days.  

Katie spoke about her mother’s ongoing challenges on a recent episode of The Katie Price Show, which she hosts alongside her sister Sophie.

Katie said to her mother: ‘I do feel you for you mum, because people have to understand what my mum’s gone through, like her brain is just so active and still switched on. She can’t do the things that she used to do, which is frustrating for her.’

‘Now here’s an example, because I am a patient person but when my mother teases me and says let’s go look at the shops in Isle of Wight, shall I take my walker or wheelchair and I’m like ‘no we’re taking your wheelchair because I’m not taking an hour’.’ 

The former glamour model, 46, explained that her mum Amy, who was diagnosed in 2017, is ‘switched on but cannot do things like she used to’ (pictured in 2019)

Amy responded: ‘It’s not doing me any good because I’m meant to walk to help myself.’ 

Recently, Katie told fans she is giving up a ‘disrespectful’ habit due to her mum’s ongoing health problems.

Posting on Instagram the mother-of-five announced she is quitting vaping after a year of the habit.

She cited her mum Amy’s battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a terminal lung disease, as the reason behind her decision.

‘I have a big confession to make, and if there’s anyone out there who wants to join me, do it.

‘I’ve been vaping for a year, and it’s no good for you – especially when my mum has had a lung transplant. It’s disrespectful doing this in front of my mum,’ she told the camera. 

‘I’ve decided that today is the day I am throwing this battery, chemical, addictive, horrible thing away. I am now doing vapes no more from today.’

‘I’ve got the strength to get rid of them. Join me. It’s going in the bin, that’s it. I’ve cleared all of my vapes out of the car and everything.’ 

Amy had a lung transplant in 2022 but explained that she has some good days and she has some bad days

Katie spoke about her mother’s ongoing challenges on a recent episode of The Katie Price Show, which she hosts alongside her sister Sophie  (left)

Recently, Katie told fans she is giving up a ‘disrespectful’ habit due to her mum’s ongoing health problems, revealing she had quit vaping 

When Amy was diagnosed, medics told her she had a life expectancy of up to five years. 

Giving an update on her health in November, she told the Daily Star: ‘It’s a slow process and it’s taken a while. I’ve had quite a few setbacks but that’s to be expected but I’m in the right direction.

‘The trouble is when you have a lung transplant it’s so easy to sit because you still get a bit breathless but if I don’t exercise, I won’t move forward.

‘I had a single lung transplant but it would cease up so I’ve got to exercise to get it working.’ 

Amy explained how the disease ‘robs people of breath and life’ as Katie stressed the importance of raising awareness as concerning data shows that it’s on the rise.

‘I’ve been vaping for a year, and it’s no good for you – especially when my mum has had a lung transplant. It’s disrespectful doing this in front of my mum,’ she told the camera