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"Inhumane" sign at airport shocks travellers

<p>A sign at a New Zealand airport has sparked outrage among travellers, with the policy controlling people's emotional farewells. </p> <p>Photos of the sign at Dunedin Airport have gone viral, with the sign reading, "Max. hug time 3 minutes. For fonder farewells please use the car park,” in an attempt to combat airport traffic congestion. </p> <p>Despite the reasons behind the unusual signage, some users on Facebook slamming the “inhumane” limit on travellers’ allotted time to say goodbye to loved ones.</p> <p>“You can’t put a time limit on hugs! that’s inhumane,” one person wrote.</p> <p>Another person chimed in, “I love it. It shows warmth and compassion. My local airport it would be ‘you can’t stop there’ – there’s a £100 fine if you stop and a minimum £5.00 to drop someone off in the drop-off zone. I love Nice airport – they have ‘Kiss and Fly.’”</p> <p>Others also joined in poking fun at the strange new rule, with one person writing, “I can see the airport worker now … 2:56, 2:57, 2:58, 2:59 OK time to break it up!”</p> <p>Another joked, “In America, they don’t even want you to stop. Just come to a slow roll and push your passenger out.”</p> <p>The airport's CEO Daniel De Bono said that it redesigned its drop-off zone to improve safety and congestion around the terminal, telling New Zealand’s <em>RNZ</em> radio the change was made due to space considerations.</p> <p>He said, “There’s only so much space we have in that drop-off area and too many people are spending too much time on their fonder farewells in the drop-off area. There’s no space for others.”</p> <p>De Bono then citied a study that suggests a measly 20-second hug is enough to get the oxytocin and serotonin release people get from hugging, saying, “We’re not here to tell people how long they should hug for. It’s more a message of, ‘Please move onwards.’ If you’re going to spend however long, sit in the car park. You get 15 minutes free and it provides space for others who only want a 20-second hug.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Grandparents found hugging after being killed by fallen tree

<p>Marcia Savage, 74, and Jerry Savage, 78, had already turned in for the night as Hurricane Helene roared outside. </p> <p>Their 22-year-old grandson, John Savage, had checked in on them to make sure they were fine after he heard a snap. </p> <p>“We heard one snap and I remember going back there and checking on them. They were both fine, the dog was fine." he recalled. </p> <p>But not long after disaster struck and John and his father heard a "boom" as one of the largest trees on their property in Beech Island, South Carolina came crashing down on top of his grandparents' bedroom, killing them. </p> <p>“All you could see was ceiling and tree,” he said. “I was just going through sheer panic at that point.”</p> <p>John said his grandparents were found hugging one another in the bed, in what he described as a final heroic act from Jerry who tried to protect his wife. </p> <p>“When they pulled them out of there, my grandpa apparently heard the tree snap beforehand and rolled over to try to protect my grandmother,” he said.</p> <p>Jerry did all sorts of handy work but worked mostly as an electrician and carpenter. Jerry went “in and out of retirement because he got bored”. </p> <p>“He’d get that spirit back in him to go back out and work," his grandson said. </p> <p>Marcia was a retired bank teller who was very involved in their church. </p> <p>Their daughter Tammy Estep said Marcia loved cooking for her family, especially for Thanksgiving, and was known for her banana pudding. </p> <p>The couple were high school sweethearts and were married for more than 50 years, with Tammy recalling that "their love was immediate, and it was everlasting”.</p> <p>“They loved each other to their dying day,” John said.</p> <p>The couple are among more than 150 people confirmed dead in one of the deadliest storms in US history. </p> <p>A GoFundMe organised for their funeral expenses says that they were survived by their son and daughter, along with their four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. </p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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

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

Caring

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What your hugs say about your relationships

<p>When you go in for a hug with a loved one (or a not-so-loved one), chances are you aren’t thinking too much about it. It’s a sort of natural, automatic response, right? Well, it turns out your hugs actually say a lot about your relationship with the person you’re embracing.</p> <p><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00426-018-0985-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A study</a><strong> </strong>has found that the side we lean to when hugging someone speaks volumes about how we feel towards them.</p> <p>German researchers analysed more than 2,000 hugs in departures and arrivals at an airport and compared them to 500 embraces between strangers.</p> <p>What they found was that during more intense, emotional hugs we lean to the left with our left arm reaching out first to our partner’s right arm, while in less emotionally-charged embraces we turn to the right, extending our right arm to our partner’s left arm.</p> <p>“This is because of the influence of the right hemisphere, which controls the left side of the body and processes both positive and negative emotions,” lead author, Julian Packheiser of Germany’s Ruhr University Bochum, said.</p> <p>“When people hug, emotional and motor networks in the brain interact and cause a stronger drift to the left in emotional contexts.”</p> <p>However, the rules change when it comes to two men embracing. In this case, researchers noticed a strong inclination towards the typically more emotionally-charged left-side hugs even when in neutral situations.</p> <p>“Our interpretation is that many men consider embraces between men to be something negative; therefore, they tend to perceive hugs as negative even in a neutral situation, such as saying hello,” the study’s co-author Sebastian Ocklenburg explained.</p> <p>However, some are sceptical as to the accuracy of the study, which assumed that people hugging in airport departures were feeling negative emotions while those hugging in arrivals were experiencing positive emotions.</p> <p>“I personally don’t buy that,” body language and communication expert Dr Lillian Glass told <em><a href="http://www.newsweek.com/show-me-how-you-really-feel-hugging-left-right-reveals-your-true-emotions-says-791417" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Newsweek</span></strong></a>.</em> “When you hug someone there’s a great deal of various emotions that are involved. Also, most people are statistically right-handed, so you’re going to go to the right side.”</p> <p>So, the next time you give someone a hug, try and notice which side you’re leaning towards and see if these findings apply to your relationships.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p>

Relationships

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Health benefits of hugging, backed by science

<p><strong>Hugs may have more benefits than you realise</strong></p> <p>The benefits of hugs go beyond just spreading joy and enjoying a good squeeze with someone you care about. It’s important to note that not everyone feels comfortable with the same level of physical touch, but, in many cases hugs are thought to positively impact both your mental and physical health.</p> <p>Read on for reasons you should get – and give – more hugs on the daily (under appropriate circumstances, and with consent of course).</p> <p><strong>Hugs may boost immunity</strong></p> <p>If you feel under the weather, hugging may help. A study published in 2014 in the journal Psychological Science found that hugs may help reduce the severity of cold symptoms. Experts from Carnegie Mellon University intentionally exposed adults in this study to a common cold virus. Then, they examined ‘the roles of perceived social support and received hugs in buffering against interpersonal stress-induced susceptibility to infectious disease.’</p> <p>The results? Social support and frequent hugs seemed to predict ‘less-severe illness signs.’</p> <p><strong>Hugs may lower stress</strong></p> <p>The next time you feel a conflict coming on, you may want to hug it out. A study published in PLOS ONE in 2018 found that ‘[…]both men and women may benefit equally from being hugged on days when conflict occurs.’</p> <p>While additional research is needed to more fully support this stress-alleviating idea, it can’t hurt to reap this specific benefit of hugging.</p> <p><strong>Hugs may increase your self-esteem</strong></p> <p>If your self-esteem needs a boost, consider the benefits of hugs. It stands to reason that the feel-good gesture may help a low mood. After all, human touch signifies bonding and social connection. As a result, hugging may bolster your self-esteem by reinforcing your own ability to give and receive love.</p> <p><strong>Hugging promotes trust</strong></p> <p>A surge of the hormone oxytocin is yet another benefit of hugging. Oxytocin alleviates stress and promotes relaxation. It may also play a role in your ability to trust and be trusted.</p> <p>For example, an older study published in <em>Nature</em>, a leading international weekly journal of science, points to an association between oxytocin and a “substantial increase in trust among humans, thereby greatly increasing the benefits from social interactions.”</p> <p><strong>Hugging may reduce depression</strong></p> <p>Hugging can be critical to emotional well-being and actually helps release our own natural “anti-depressant,” serotonin, according to relationship expert, Dr Deb Castaldo. “We also know that hugging our loved ones promotes healthy emotional attachment and intimacy, which is the foundation of a happy, healthy long-term relationship,” she says.</p> <p><strong>Hugging may be critical for survival, in some cases</strong></p> <p>While most adults will be fine without a hug (although they are nice), physical touch is sometimes critical to physical and emotional survival. Dr Castaldo explains that babies, and sometimes even animals, that are deprived of physical touch may become so depressed they stop eating. “This condition is called ‘failure to thrive.’ To boost your well-being and health and ensure happy relationships, get your hugging on,” Dr Castaldo says. “I recommend hugging until you’re completely relaxed, a minimum of six minutes per day.”</p> <p>Add six seconds of kissing to the mix, and she says “you’re good to go.”</p> <p><strong>Hugging shows appreciation</strong></p> <p>In a relationship, it’s easy to take your better half for granted. One of the overlooked benefits of hugging is that it can re-affirm your love. “It’s valuable to know that something as simple as time spent touching or hugging can have measurable neuro-biological consequences,” explains marriage and family therapist, Dr Stan Tatkin. Hugging can also be a great way to smooth over a disagreement. “Moreover, giving each other the touch you need may well have the capacity to reverse damages,” he says. Plus, giving hugs is one of the many ways to boost your self-confidence instantly.</p> <p><em><span id="docs-internal-guid-82146b05-7fff-57a3-f399-884c8a8128b6">Written by Erica Lamberg. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/culture/health-benefits-of-hugging-backed-by-science" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.co.nz/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=articles&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a></span></em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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Man makes “cuddle blanket” to hug his gran amid coronavirus pandemic

<p><span>A man in the United Kingdom has shown he will go to great lengths to make sure his loved ones still get their daily dose of happiness despite the strict social distancing measures in place due to coronavirus.</span><br /><br /><span>29-year-old plasterer Antony Cauvin’s came up with an innovative method to maintain social distancing rules by placing a humble shower curtain between him and his granny.</span><br /><br /><span>Antony altered the curtain to have arms so he could still hug his nana without touching her.</span><br /><br /><span>He dubbed his ingenious invention as the “Cuddle Curtain” with his wife posting a video of it in use on Facebook on the weekend.</span><br /><br /><span>Since then the clip has gone viral, with over 68,000 likes.</span><br /><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fmiriam.butt.92%2Fvideos%2F10163787073690551%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=267" width="267" height="476" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe> <br /><span>Cauvin explained to Sky News that he first tested the idea with his parents.</span><br /><br /><span>“We giggled about it but thought, “this could actually work”,” he said.</span><br /><br /><span>In the touching video, Cauvin gets to hug his gran Lily for the first time in months.</span><br /><br /><span>Cauvin disinfects the sleeves after every hug and requires that he and his grandma wear gloves for hygiene purposes.</span><br /><br /><span>“We never touched any part of Grannan at all – I’m a believer in social distancing and don’t want to put anyone at risk,” he said.</span><br /><br /><span>“When you’ve known someone all your life, to be able to hug that person again… it brought a tear to everybody’s eye.”</span></p>

International Travel

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Just hug me: Rare light-hearted moment for Meghan Markle caught on film

<p>It is safe to say it has not been a smooth week for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex after the release of their documentary<span> </span><em>Harry &amp; Meghan: An African Journey. </em></p> <p>However, in typical royal style, the Duchess took it in stride when attending the One Young World Summit’s opening ceremony at the Royal Albert Hall in London. </p> <p>It was there she shared a beautiful and heartwarming moment when she insisted a presenter hug her instead of curtsying. </p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B39GdQtneUM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B39GdQtneUM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by HELLO! Magazine (@hellomag)</a> on Oct 23, 2019 at 1:57am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>A video posted to the Sussex Royal Instagram Account showed the moment a founder of the nonprofit, Kate Robertson, began to dip into a respectful curtsy to greet the Duchess. </p> <p>However the royal mother had her arms outstretched in preparation to embrace Robertson, who she has known since 2014. </p> <p>The Duchess appeared to shake her head "no" as Robertson began to curtsy, instead pulling her up to finish the warm hug. </p> <p>It is the first appearance Markle has made since the release of her’s and Prince Harry’s controversial documentary which outlined their struggle of being a modern royal couple. </p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B37w7v7pHzy/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B37w7v7pHzy/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal)</a> on Oct 22, 2019 at 1:26pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Both the Duke and Duchess were incredibly candid about navigating a relationship so closely followed by the British press. </p> <p>The Duchess revealed a friend warned her to end her relationship with Prince Harry when they first began dating. </p> <p>"My British friends said to me, 'I'm sure he's great, but you shouldn't do it, because the British tabloids will destroy your life,'" she recalled.</p> <p>"And I very naively - I'm an American and we don't have that there - said, 'What are you talking about? That doesn't make any sense! I'm not in tabloids!' I didn't get it."</p> <p>Markle also revealed that while she "really tried to adopt the British sensibility of a stiff upper lip," she has struggled with the ongoing scrutiny. </p> <p>"It's not enough to just survive something, right?" she said. </p> <p>"That's not the point of life. You've got to thrive, you've got to feel happy."</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see Duchess Meghan’s sweet moment in pictures. </p>

Beauty & Style

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"I miss to be hugged": Celine Dion's emotional confession

<p>Award-winning singer Celine Dion has confirmed that she’s still “not ready to date” after her husband <span>René's</span> passing back in 2016.</p> <p>Dion sat down with NBC’s Sheinelle Jones on the<span> </span><em>TODAY</em><span> </span>show and admitted that she pours herself into her work and a new tour instead of dating.</p> <p>“I don't date,” Dion said matter-of-factly.</p> <p>“I'm not ready to date. I'm very lucky and happy to have so many people in my surrounding to make me — they make me laugh, but I miss to be touched.”</p> <p>Dion also said that she misses being “hugged”.</p> <p>“I miss to be hugged. I missed to be told "you're beautiful." I miss what a boyfriend and I miss what a husband would do.'”</p> <p>Dion also recalled her last conversation with her husband of more than 12 years back in 2016.</p> <p>“He called me before a show and give me a little message: ‘I love you’ and when I came home that night, it was very, very late ... And I didn't want to come and wake him up to give him a kiss, to wake him up and then he can't find sleep again. </p> <p>“And the next morning, he was gone. So, we talked before. And he sent me a text message. So we said goodbye.'”</p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPO3dQkgotI/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BPO3dQkgotI/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Il y a un an, le 14 janvier 2016, René Angélil nous quittait. Son souvenir reste à jamais gravé dans nos cœurs. Today, January 14th, it’s been a year since René left us. He will always be in our hearts. -Team Céline ❤</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/celinedion/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Céline Dion</a> (@celinedion) on Jan 13, 2017 at 9:01pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Despite Dion focusing on the love and support of her close friends and her three children, she still finds things difficult.</p> <p>“This is my first English album without René,' she said. 'When I say without René, without René physically, because René will always be part of me.”</p> <p>“Before I talk, he goes through my mind,” she said. 'Would he do that? Is it too edgy? Would he be like approving that?’ I believed in him so much. And I still do. </p> <p>“But there's a point that he's not here anymore. I have to take charge of my life.”</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery to see Celine Dion, her late husband René and their three children through the years.</p>

Music

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"Racism is taught": Heartwarming video of toddlers hugging each other goes viral

<p>A video of two toddlers running down the street to give each other a hug has gone viral, garnering headlines across the globe.</p> <p>The video, posted by Michael Cisneros to social media last week, shows his two-year-old son Maxwell running towards and hugging his best friend Finnegan after unexpectedly spotting him on the New York street.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMichaelDCisnerosNYC%2Fvideos%2F10217659556234176%2F&amp;show_text=0&amp;width=476" width="476" height="476" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>Cisneros told <em>CBSN New York</em> that the two boys hug every time they see each other.</p> <p>The father said the video has attracted thousands of views and shares online because of the growing racial tensions in the US and around the world.</p> <p>“Honestly, I think it has gotten so big because of the race issue in our country and also around the world,” Cisneros said.</p> <p>“Racism is taught. Hatred is taught. These two boys don’t see anything different within each other. They love each other for who they are and that’s exactly how it should be.</p> <p>“We just want to raise loving, caring boys, and I think the world likes to see a little bit of hope.”</p> <p>Cisneros said Maxwell and Finnegan first became friends when their parents met at a restaurant a year ago.</p> <p>He added that today the toddlers celebrate their birthdays together and are always “super excited to see each other, even if they’ve only been apart for a day or two”.</p>

Caring

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Mick Schumacher hugs F2 driver Anthoine Hubert’s family after tragic death

<p>Motorsport is mourning the death of Formula Two driver Anthoine Hubert, who was killed in a heavy crash during a race at the Belgian Grand Prix on Saturday.</p> <p>Drivers observed a minute’s silence in memory of Hubert alongside the late French racer’s mother and brother with heads bowed in the Spa-Francorchamps paddock on Sunday.</p> <p>Mick Schumacher, son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, embraced Hubert’s family before they stood in silence to honour the young sportsman.</p> <p>Schumacher was taking part in the same F2 qualifying session when Hubert’s collision occurred. He joined other racing drivers in paying their respects to the Frenchman.</p> <p>“Fate is brutal. The loss is endless. Anthoine, we miss you already,” Schumacher wrote on Twitter.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Fate is brutal. The loss is endless. Anthoine, we miss you already.</p> — Mick Schumacher (@SchumacherMick) <a href="https://twitter.com/SchumacherMick/status/1167870176613715969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 31, 2019</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Mick Schumacher, Anthoine Hubert family, Belgian Grand Prix tragedy <a href="https://t.co/zBtkn8YR7P">https://t.co/zBtkn8YR7P</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sports?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sports</a></p> — THE PRESS (@pres5ar) <a href="https://twitter.com/pres5ar/status/1168150008069316608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>Five-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, who led a minute’s silence ahead of the Grand Prix, shared a tribute on his Instagram account.</p> <p>“Yesterday a great young talent passed away here. Let’s remember him today,” he wrote on Sunday. “Rest in peace Anthoine Hubert.”</p> <p>Ferrari F1 driver Charles Leclerc said Hubert’s death was “a big shock”. “We lose someone on track, a track where you need to race the day after. It’s obviously quite challenging to then close the visor and go through the exact same corner [where the crash happened].”</p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B11gQn0oWAI/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B11gQn0oWAI/" target="_blank">I can't believe it. Rest in peace.</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/charles_leclerc/" target="_blank"> CHARLES LECLERC</a> (@charles_leclerc) on Aug 31, 2019 at 10:01am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Hubert died at the age of 22 after his car collided with 20-year-old US driver Juan Manuel Correa’s car at an estimated speed of 160mph (257kph).</p> <p>Correa suffered fractures to both his legs and a minor spinal injury, and is recovering in intensive care at the CHU Liege hospital.</p>

Caring

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How the power of a hug can help you cope with conflict

<p>Friends, children, romantic partners, family members – many of us exchange hugs with others on a regular basis. New research from the United States, <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0203522">published in <em>PLOS</em></a>, now shows hugs can help us to cope with conflict in our daily life.</p> <p>Hugs are considered a form of <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1088868316650307">affectionate touch</a>. Hugs occur between social partners of all types, and sometimes even strangers.</p> <p>They often arise in positive contexts – while greeting, celebrating an achievement, or simply enjoying the presence of a loved one – but they can also occur in negative contexts when support is needed.</p> <p>Affectionate touch buffers anxiety associated with potential negative events. For instance, in one <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01832.x">study</a>, brain activity among participants who held their romantic partner’s hand during a stressful situation reflected less intense threat responses compared to that of participants who held a stranger’s hand, or no hand at all.</p> <p><strong>Hugs and conflict</strong></p> <p>The <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0203522">research</a>, led by Carnegie Mellon’s <a href="https://murphypsychology.com/about/">Michael Murphy</a>, reveals the important role that hugs can play in buffering against the negative impact of interpersonal conflict such as disagreements and arguments.</p> <p>This study used data from 404 generally healthy adults. They were interviewed via phone by a researcher at the end of the day, each day, for 14 days.</p> <p>Participants indicated whether or not they had experienced any interpersonal tension or conflict during their day, and whether anyone had hugged them in the past 24 hours. They also rated their experience of both positive affect (such as happy, calm, cheerful) and negative affect (for instance, unhappy, angry, tense) that day.</p> <p>Most participants (93 per cent) reported receiving a hug on at least one day of the interview period. The same was true for interpersonal conflict (69 per cent). Four per cent of total days of interview data involved conflict with no receipt of a hug. Ten per cent of days involved conflict and receipt of a hug.</p> <p>How did interpersonal conflict and hugs contribute to emotional experience? On days when individuals experienced conflict when they had had a hug, they experienced less negative affect and more positive affect than on days when they experienced conflict when they had had no hug. The pattern for negative affect even carried over to the next day.</p> <p>You might wonder how robust these results were. When the researchers examined participant sex, they found a few overall results (e.g., men reported both more conflict and more hug receipt than women), but the key finding above held for both sexes.</p> <p>Further, in all analyses, the researchers controlled for participants’ age, ethnicity, marital status, education, and the number of unique individuals participants had interacted with on a given day – thus ruling out many alternative explanations.</p> <p>What we don’t yet know is the causal order of this relationship. The study design only assessed whether a hug was received and whether interpersonal conflict had occurred. So, it’s unclear whether the hug preceded or followed from the conflict.</p> <p>We also don’t know whether the hug and the conflict involved the same person, nor do we know the type or severity of the conflict. So we should be careful about advocating “<a href="https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hug%20it%20out">hugging it out</a>”.</p> <p>Those caveats aside, this research fits within a broader <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0149763408001723">field of research</a> that points to the importance of affectionate touch – for both physical and social wellbeing. For instance, other <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0956797614559284">findings</a> from this research team show that receiving hugs reduces the likelihood of catching the common cold, and reduces the severity of symptoms even if infected.</p> <p><strong>Why are hugs beneficial?</strong></p> <p>Why might hugs be beneficial? Being hugged leads to release of the hormone <a href="https://health.usnews.com/health-news/health-wellness/articles/2016-02-03/the-health-benefits-of-hugging">oxytocin</a>, setting off a range of downstream outcomes that could explain the benefits of hugging. Oxytocin is involved in a <a href="https://www.nature.com/news/neuroscience-the-hard-science-of-oxytocin-1.17813">complex range</a> of social processes, but has been implicated romantic bonding and trust.</p> <p>Other research suggests the benefits of hugs and affectionate touch more generally rest within the cardiovascular system. One <a href="https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/1802/c19b1e7fb2e3a61966e37101c9ed0b329c32.pdf">study</a> found lower systolic blood pressure in the husbands of couples asked to increase the frequency of affectionate touch with one another. Other <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301051104001632">research</a> documents lowered blood pressure and heart rate among women who receive frequent hugs.</p> <p>Psychologically, hugs and affectionate touch more generally communicate social support.</p> <p>We hug to convey that we care, that we’re grateful for a benefit received, that we share in an achievement. Receiving a hug therefore serves as a signal that the social relationship is characterised by closeness and concern. It’s no surprise then, that relationships characterised by frequent affectionate touch are <a href="http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0146167213497592">happier relationships</a>.</p> <p><strong>Hug specifics</strong></p> <p>Not all hugs are alike. Does variability in hug characteristics matter?</p> <p>Does giving hugs carry similar benefit as receiving hugs? Some <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938417301336">research</a> indicates that being on the receiving end of affectionate touch has the most benefit. Chances are, though, that fully reciprocal hugs are equally beneficial.</p> <p>Can the benefits of affectionate touch carry beyond humans? The answer is yes. Hugging and affectionate touch with <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/8172336">robots</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/therapy-dogs-can-help-reduce-student-stress-anxiety-and-improve-school-attendance-93073">therapy dogs</a> and <a href="http://time.com/4728315/science-says-pet-good-for-mental-health/">pets of all types</a> produce a range of positive outcomes, likely supported by the same underlying mechanisms as human to human touch, such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3408111/">oxytocin release</a>.</p> <p>Does the number of hugs and the number of people you hug matter? More hugs are better, at least among <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15740822">romantic couples</a>, but we don’t yet know if more frequent hugs with a larger number of people is important.</p> <p>Does the duration of the hug matter? Most hugs are <a href="https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2011/01/hugs-follow-3-second-rule">three seconds</a> long, but evidence suggests that hugs of <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4131508.stm">20 seconds</a> are those that kick off the cardiovascular benefits mentioned above.</p> <p>So seek out a hug. Chances are, you’ll be better for it.<!-- 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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/104318/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: http://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em>Written by <span>Lisa A Williams, Senior Lecturer, School of Psychology, UNSW</span>. Republished with permission of </em><a href="https://theconversation.com/the-power-of-a-hug-can-help-you-cope-with-conflict-104318"><em>The Conversation</em></a><em>. </em></p>

Relationships

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Helen Mirren wows in figure-hugging red gown

<p>Helen Mirren has stepped out in a stunning figure-hugging red gown to promote her new horror movie <em>Winchester</em>.</p> <p>The 72-year-old looked typically glamorous in a floor-sweeping red frock with sequined sleeves that showed off her curves. She finished the look with statement earrings and perfectly coiffed hair.</p> <p><img width="375" height="563" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/14/11/492F053500000578-5389865-All_eyes_on_Helen_The_stunning_star_showcased_her_effortless_ele-a-5_1518608470340.jpg" alt="All eyes on Helen: The stunning star showcased her effortless elegance as she arrived  in a gothic-inspired bus to the screening" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-45201de0638c3e"/></p> <p><img width="368" height="553" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/14/11/492F074D00000578-5389865-Capping_it_off_Her_look_was_completed_with_red_peep_toe_heels_an-a-7_1518608470398.jpg" alt="Capping it off: Her look was completed with red peep toe heels and a box clutch" class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-b9ddd0561ac80760"/></p> <p> </p> <p>Promoting the thriller in Italy, Mirren, who plays an eccentric heiress haunted by lost souls, got right into character posing for photos holding a dagger.</p> <p><img width="363" height="546" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2018/02/14/09/492F678D00000578-0-image-a-30_1518598912464.jpg" alt="Menacing: Helen Mirren was pictured playing up to her new menacing role in Winchester on Tuesday, as a party was held to celebrate the film in Rome, Italy " class="blkBorder img-share b-loaded" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" id="i-92ceb181b261fc94"/></p> <p> The film Winchester will be out in cinemas next week. </p>

Beauty & Style

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Why you shouldn’t force children to hug or kiss relatives this Christmas

<p>The Girl Scouts of America have released a reminder to parents in the lead up to Christmas not to force children to hug or kiss relatives this holiday season.</p> <p>The organisation published a <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.girlscouts.org/en/raising-girls/happy-and-healthy/happy/what-is-consent.html" target="_blank">blog post</a></strong></span> this week arguing that forcing kids to hug relatives and family friends could muddy the waters when it comes to the notion of consent later in life.</p> <p>“Have you ever insisted, ‘Uncle just got here—go give him a big hug!’ or ‘Auntie gave you that nice toy, go give her a kiss,’ when you were worried your child might not offer affection on her own? If yes, you might want to reconsider the urge to do that in the future,” the blog post reads.</p> <p>The blog continues: “Think of it this way, telling your child that she owes someone a hug either just because she hasn’t seen this person in a while or because they gave her a gift can set the stage for her questioning whether she “owes” another person any type of physical affection when they’ve bought her dinner or done something else seemingly nice for her later in life.”</p> <p>Of course, many children will want to hug and kiss their family members, but the organisation urges parents and guardians to read their children and if they’re reticent, not to force them.</p> <p>The blog post adds: “Of course, this doesn’t give [children] license to be rude! There are many other ways to show appreciation, thankfulness, and love that don’t require physical contact.” </p>

Family & Pets

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"Can I give you a hug?" Prince William shows soft side while comforting victims

<p>In recent years, Prince William (along with Prince Harry and the Duchess of Cambridge) has made it his mission to raise awareness of mental illness and put an end to bullying. So, when he met up with two victims of cyberbullying – an issue close to his heart – the dad-of-two was understandably emotional.</p> <p>The 35-year-old hosted campaigners Lucy Alexander, who lost her son to suicide due to online abuse, and Chloe Hine, who attempted suicide herself at the age of just 13 as a result of cyberbullying, at Kensington Palace.</p> <p>“It is so brave of you both to speak so honestly about it," the prince told Lucy and Chloe, who shared their heartbreaking stories in the video below.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-video"> <p dir="ltr">You can watch The Duke share his motivation to tackle cyberbullying with Lucy and Chloe here → <a href="https://t.co/FFWwQMy1Tc">pic.twitter.com/FFWwQMy1Tc</a></p> — Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/930811035526860800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 15, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>“I know it can’t have been easy, but I can’t thank you enough. I only wish that neither of you had gone through what you’ve gone through.”</p> <p>At the end of the touching clip, William proved he’s certainly inherited his mother Princess Diana’s empathy, asking, “Can I give you both a hug?"</p> <p>Watch the video for yourself and tell us in the comments, what do you think of the young royals’ crusade against bullying?</p> <p><em>Image credit: @KensingtonRoyal/Twitter.</em></p>

Caring

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Don’t underestimate the value of a hug

<p><strong><em>Celena Ross’s plans to ramp up her celebrant businesses were compromised when she found herself part of the sandwich generation of caring for her elderly mother and grandchildren. Faced with a loss of identity in her transition to semi-retirement, Celena established her website <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.retireematters.com.au/" target="_blank">Retiree Matters</a></span> to assist others.</em></strong></p> <p>After a couple of long, emotional weeks, as mum struggled with her health and I struggled with the hours and stress of caring, Mum said, “I need a hug! I just need to be held and hugged!”</p> <p>We hugged tightly.</p> <p>We are on this journey together. One which we know will end. When we don’t know. We do know that there are many ups and lots of downs and struggles to go through. A hug. A simple hug between a mother and a daughter. A memorable moment in time.</p> <p>It made me thing about touch. No matter our age we all love to have our hand held, our backs rubbed, or the feel of a warm embrace. How often do we go long periods without touch, without a healing, reassuring love?</p> <p>Seniors who live alone often do not experience the simple act of touch on a daily basis. The reasons vary: spouses and close friends have passed away, families live in other states, or physical limitations may affect activity and contact with others.</p> <p>In our busy lives, it is often easy to forget to show feelings of affection. For the elderly – and single people – a loving touch can make a big difference in their lives.</p> <p>How often do we stop and reach out and touch each other? Hug each other? So much care, support in that hug. It means, you are not alone. It says: I feel your pain. I feel your struggle. I am here for you.</p> <p>According to researchers at Ohio State University, hugging and physical touch becomes increasingly important with age. “The older you are, the more fragile you are physically, so contact becomes increasingly important for good health,” University psychologist Janice Kiecolt-Glaser told USA TODAY. Studies have shown that loneliness, particularly with age, can also increase stress and have adverse health effects. By hugging someone, we instantly feel closer to that person and decrease feelings of loneliness.</p> <p>I feel uplifted each time I see my granddaughters and we hug. I will often reach out to my daughter and give her a hug. And my son – he is like hugging a big teddy bear. But I am reflecting now, I don’t do it enough. </p> <p>A hug also says I love you. I am proud of you.</p> <p>A hug provides solace, safety and tenderness and an overall sense of wellbeing.</p> <p>Touching someone you love often conveys a message in a way words cannot.</p> <p>So although I am so busy, I must now remind myself, to reassure mum, by giving her a hug when I see her. It will help both of us in this journey with ups and downs, together.</p> <p><em>Follow Celena Ross on <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/Retireematters/" target="_blank">Facebook here.</a></span></strong></em></p> <p><strong><em>If you have a story to share please get in touch at <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="mailto:melody@oversixty.com.au" target="_blank">melody@oversixty.com.au</a></span>.</em></strong></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/relationships/2016/09/robyn-lee-on-living-on-my-own/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">I love being on my own</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/relationships/2016/08/beautiful-quotes-about-friendship-from-over60/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Beautiful quotes about friendship</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/relationships/2016/09/6-ways-to-deal-with-aggressive-people/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">6 ways to deal with aggressive people</span></strong></em></a></p>

Relationships

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This woman hugs pandas for a living

<p>A professional panda hugger is a real job at China’s Giant Panda Protection and Research Center.</p> <p>Well, maybe not panda hugger, but a panda caretaker rakes in USD32,000 to look after China’s most famous (and endangered) animals. So what does the job entail?</p> <p>China Daily, describing the job requirement, writes, “Your work has only one mission. Spending 365 days with the pandas and sharing in their joys and sorrows. You need perseverance for this job. We expect that the applicants will be mainly white-collar workers from big cities. They are used to eating whatever they want, but inside the giant panda base, the choices will not be plentiful.”</p> <p>Brush up on your panda hugging skills by watching the video of the job in action above. </p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/photos-of-animals-hitchhiking/">Hilarious photos of animals hitchhiking</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/kids-crying-over-funniest-reasons/">Gallery: Kids crying over the funniest reasons ever</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/01/cat-and-dog-friends/">These cats and dogs prove that love conquers all</a></em></strong></span></p>

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