Latest news with #Owen
The Advertiser
2 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Trail bike 'wheelie' causes carnage on suburban street near playground
Police are hunting a trail bike rider who crashed into three cars at Kahibah during school pick-up on Monday while doing a wheelie down a suburban street. The crash happened in Hexham Street shortly before 4pm and only metres from Hilltop Kahibah Takeaway and Kahibah Memorial Park, which was filled with children playing at the playground after school. The rider was heading west and initially hit a Mitsubishi Outlander SUV head-on before crashing into two parked vehicles. Several bystanders rushed towards the rider, who miraculously seemed to escape injury. Videos circulating on social media appear to depict the rider fleeing the scene by pushing his bike down Hexham Road as he screamed "don't touch me" to bystanders giving chase. Kahibah resident Mel Owen was at the playground with her children when she heard the trail bike revving up Hexham Street. "He was up on one tyre, going along for a few metres and then crashed into a car that was pulling out from a parked position," Ms Owen said. "He nicked that car and then fell off the bike as he and the bike crashed into two parked cars, which had people in them." Ms Owen said several bystanders rushed towards the trail bike rider, believing he had been seriously injured. "I ran over and he gets up and says, 'Ow'," she said. "He then gets up, pulls his bike up off the road and starts running away from everyone, pushing the bike along and running as fast as he could." Dudley resident Neil Keene was sitting in his car waiting to pick up his son from the school bus when the trail bike crashed into the back of his vehicle. "I heard this screech and a bang and he has bounced off a car he hit front-on, because he was doing a wheelie, and then he hit my car and tried to regain control but couldn't and hit another car and was on the ground," Mr Keene said. The collision damaged Mr Keene's bumper and popped a tyre. Lake Macquarie police were called to the scene and a short time later they located the unregistered motorbike unattended at a housing complex in Hexham Street. The rider was not located, and inquiries to identify the rider are ongoing by Lake Macquarie Police. Mr Keene said illegal trail bike riding has increasingly become a menace across the eastern suburbs of Lake Macquarie. "I almost had a serious collision with a trail bike on a road in Windale when he went straight through an intersection and if it was one second later, he would have T-boned my car," he said. "He obviously would have come off far worse. "I've seen it at Belmont with guys doing wheelies in the middle of the highway." Anyone with information or dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Police are hunting a trail bike rider who crashed into three cars at Kahibah during school pick-up on Monday while doing a wheelie down a suburban street. The crash happened in Hexham Street shortly before 4pm and only metres from Hilltop Kahibah Takeaway and Kahibah Memorial Park, which was filled with children playing at the playground after school. The rider was heading west and initially hit a Mitsubishi Outlander SUV head-on before crashing into two parked vehicles. Several bystanders rushed towards the rider, who miraculously seemed to escape injury. Videos circulating on social media appear to depict the rider fleeing the scene by pushing his bike down Hexham Road as he screamed "don't touch me" to bystanders giving chase. Kahibah resident Mel Owen was at the playground with her children when she heard the trail bike revving up Hexham Street. "He was up on one tyre, going along for a few metres and then crashed into a car that was pulling out from a parked position," Ms Owen said. "He nicked that car and then fell off the bike as he and the bike crashed into two parked cars, which had people in them." Ms Owen said several bystanders rushed towards the trail bike rider, believing he had been seriously injured. "I ran over and he gets up and says, 'Ow'," she said. "He then gets up, pulls his bike up off the road and starts running away from everyone, pushing the bike along and running as fast as he could." Dudley resident Neil Keene was sitting in his car waiting to pick up his son from the school bus when the trail bike crashed into the back of his vehicle. "I heard this screech and a bang and he has bounced off a car he hit front-on, because he was doing a wheelie, and then he hit my car and tried to regain control but couldn't and hit another car and was on the ground," Mr Keene said. The collision damaged Mr Keene's bumper and popped a tyre. Lake Macquarie police were called to the scene and a short time later they located the unregistered motorbike unattended at a housing complex in Hexham Street. The rider was not located, and inquiries to identify the rider are ongoing by Lake Macquarie Police. Mr Keene said illegal trail bike riding has increasingly become a menace across the eastern suburbs of Lake Macquarie. "I almost had a serious collision with a trail bike on a road in Windale when he went straight through an intersection and if it was one second later, he would have T-boned my car," he said. "He obviously would have come off far worse. "I've seen it at Belmont with guys doing wheelies in the middle of the highway." Anyone with information or dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Police are hunting a trail bike rider who crashed into three cars at Kahibah during school pick-up on Monday while doing a wheelie down a suburban street. The crash happened in Hexham Street shortly before 4pm and only metres from Hilltop Kahibah Takeaway and Kahibah Memorial Park, which was filled with children playing at the playground after school. The rider was heading west and initially hit a Mitsubishi Outlander SUV head-on before crashing into two parked vehicles. Several bystanders rushed towards the rider, who miraculously seemed to escape injury. Videos circulating on social media appear to depict the rider fleeing the scene by pushing his bike down Hexham Road as he screamed "don't touch me" to bystanders giving chase. Kahibah resident Mel Owen was at the playground with her children when she heard the trail bike revving up Hexham Street. "He was up on one tyre, going along for a few metres and then crashed into a car that was pulling out from a parked position," Ms Owen said. "He nicked that car and then fell off the bike as he and the bike crashed into two parked cars, which had people in them." Ms Owen said several bystanders rushed towards the trail bike rider, believing he had been seriously injured. "I ran over and he gets up and says, 'Ow'," she said. "He then gets up, pulls his bike up off the road and starts running away from everyone, pushing the bike along and running as fast as he could." Dudley resident Neil Keene was sitting in his car waiting to pick up his son from the school bus when the trail bike crashed into the back of his vehicle. "I heard this screech and a bang and he has bounced off a car he hit front-on, because he was doing a wheelie, and then he hit my car and tried to regain control but couldn't and hit another car and was on the ground," Mr Keene said. The collision damaged Mr Keene's bumper and popped a tyre. Lake Macquarie police were called to the scene and a short time later they located the unregistered motorbike unattended at a housing complex in Hexham Street. The rider was not located, and inquiries to identify the rider are ongoing by Lake Macquarie Police. Mr Keene said illegal trail bike riding has increasingly become a menace across the eastern suburbs of Lake Macquarie. "I almost had a serious collision with a trail bike on a road in Windale when he went straight through an intersection and if it was one second later, he would have T-boned my car," he said. "He obviously would have come off far worse. "I've seen it at Belmont with guys doing wheelies in the middle of the highway." Anyone with information or dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Police are hunting a trail bike rider who crashed into three cars at Kahibah during school pick-up on Monday while doing a wheelie down a suburban street. The crash happened in Hexham Street shortly before 4pm and only metres from Hilltop Kahibah Takeaway and Kahibah Memorial Park, which was filled with children playing at the playground after school. The rider was heading west and initially hit a Mitsubishi Outlander SUV head-on before crashing into two parked vehicles. Several bystanders rushed towards the rider, who miraculously seemed to escape injury. Videos circulating on social media appear to depict the rider fleeing the scene by pushing his bike down Hexham Road as he screamed "don't touch me" to bystanders giving chase. Kahibah resident Mel Owen was at the playground with her children when she heard the trail bike revving up Hexham Street. "He was up on one tyre, going along for a few metres and then crashed into a car that was pulling out from a parked position," Ms Owen said. "He nicked that car and then fell off the bike as he and the bike crashed into two parked cars, which had people in them." Ms Owen said several bystanders rushed towards the trail bike rider, believing he had been seriously injured. "I ran over and he gets up and says, 'Ow'," she said. "He then gets up, pulls his bike up off the road and starts running away from everyone, pushing the bike along and running as fast as he could." Dudley resident Neil Keene was sitting in his car waiting to pick up his son from the school bus when the trail bike crashed into the back of his vehicle. "I heard this screech and a bang and he has bounced off a car he hit front-on, because he was doing a wheelie, and then he hit my car and tried to regain control but couldn't and hit another car and was on the ground," Mr Keene said. The collision damaged Mr Keene's bumper and popped a tyre. Lake Macquarie police were called to the scene and a short time later they located the unregistered motorbike unattended at a housing complex in Hexham Street. The rider was not located, and inquiries to identify the rider are ongoing by Lake Macquarie Police. Mr Keene said illegal trail bike riding has increasingly become a menace across the eastern suburbs of Lake Macquarie. "I almost had a serious collision with a trail bike on a road in Windale when he went straight through an intersection and if it was one second later, he would have T-boned my car," he said. "He obviously would have come off far worse. "I've seen it at Belmont with guys doing wheelies in the middle of the highway." Anyone with information or dashcam footage is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
South Wales Argus
5 hours ago
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Welsh Government grant helping adult learners in Wales
The Welsh Government Learning Grant for Further Education, now open for applications for the 2025/26 academic year, supports learners aged 19 and over with the costs of further education including books, equipment, and travel. Full-time students from households earning £18,370 or less could receive up to £1,919 per year, while part-time learners may be eligible for up to £959. Vikki Howells, minister for further and higher education, said: "Education should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial circumstances. "The Welsh Government Learning Grant for Further Education provides vital support for adult learners, and I am proud that we have been able to increase the amount given to learners to better support them in their educational journey and help make a difference to their future. "I strongly encourage anyone aged 19 or over in further education to check their eligibility for this grant and apply now." The grant has been increased this year to help learners cope with rising living costs. Owen, a motor vehicle learner at Brecon College who currently receives the grant, said: "The Welsh Government Learning Grant has greatly benefited my educational experience due to it providing the necessary financial support to excel in my course." Since receiving funding, Owen has achieved 100 per cent attendance and continues to work toward his qualifications. The grant is non-repayable and aims to remove financial barriers for adult learners who might otherwise struggle to continue their studies. More information is available on the Student Finance Wales website.
Scottish Sun
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
My mum's being scammed by AI deepfake of ‘Owen Wilson' who paid her £7 to ‘prove' his identity – would you fall for it?
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A WOMAN is seeking help after noticing her mum fall for an AI deepfake scam of Owen Wilson. The woman was sure it was easy to spot it was fake, but can you tell from watching the video above? Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 The mum was convinced she now had the actor as an online friend Credit: Getty 4 Can you spot what's wrong with the video? Credit: Reddit 4 The Hollywood actor is currently filming in Australia Credit: Getty The unnamed woman took to Reddit, revealing both she and her sister had failed to convince her mum that the man she was chatting to was not the real actor. According to her mum, she had met Owen while playing an online game of Yahtzee. She decided to share the AI deepfake video her mum had been sent by 'Owen Wilson' with the title 'Owen Wilson befriended my mother.' The Reddit user said she tried to convince her mum that it was the work of artificial intelligence after finding a 'plethora of red flags', such as the man mainly contacting her mother via WhatsApp voice calls. In the 10-second clip, the robotic image of a man resembling Owen Wilson seemed to speak directly to the poster's mother. "I'm making this video so you know I'm real," said the 'scam' actor. "I'd never do anything to hurt you. I respect you for your patience and understanding since we crossed paths. You're an amazing woman." Some viewers were quick to point out that the video looked off, with the image never making eye contact. Things had taken a weirder turn when he offered a 'job' with Warner Bros and paid her £7 for her work. The daughter added: "He 'got her a job' with Warner Bros where she can make $5000 a month but liking social media posts. The job has sent her a couple $10 payments through Cashapp for her first trainings. "She says they'll send her $1,000 through CashApp when she finishes training." The 'fake' Owen Wilson then proposed that the poster's parents move into a new house he bought so that they could keep watch as 'caretakers' while he was away working. 4 Her daughter was eager to show her mum it wasn't real Credit: Reddit Fears AI will destroy entire justice system by sending innocent people to JAIL with fake CCTV evidence & deepfakes Currently, the 56-year-old is in Australia filming his latest action thriller, Runner. She added: "He's now buying a house in our small coastal town & wants her AND MY DAD to live there & be caretakers when he's not there. He had an actual realtor from this gated community call her to discuss their options. "We believe this part because the realtor mentioned my sister in law's mother's uncommon name(we have no connection to her on social media) when my mother brought up my brother's wedding reception being held in the neighborhood." How to protect yourself from scams BY keeping these tips in mind, you can avoid getting caught up in a scam: Firstly, remember that if something seems too good to be true, it normally is. Check brands are "verified" on Facebook and Twitter pages - this means the company will have a blue tick on its profile. Look for grammatical and spelling errors; fraudsters are notoriously bad at writing proper English. If you receive a message from a 'friend' informing you of a freebie, consider whether it's written in your friend's normal style. If you're invited to click on a URL, hover over the link to see the address it will take you to – does it look genuine? To be on the really safe side, don't click on unsolicited links in messages, even if they appear to come from a trusted contact. Be careful when opening email attachments too. Fraudsters are increasingly attaching files, usually PDFs or spreadsheets, which contain dangerous malware. If you receive a suspicious message then report it to the company, block the sender and delete it. If you think you've fallen for a scam, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use its online fraud reporting tool. She concluded her post by asking fellow users for advice to prove to her mum it was a scam. One person wrote: "Wow that's scary, you can tell the tone is off and robotic. Face also looks slightly different than Owen but wow, that's crazy for someone who wouldn't know any better." Another commented: 'Jesus Christ. What a frustrating situation. Be careful not to alienate her. It can make these situations more difficult." "Tell her to watch his nose lol," penned a third. Meanwhile, a fourth said: "This AI doesn't even use the lady's name at all, just generic "compliments" to keep the target complacent. Wonder how many targets they've sent this to that the celebrity "really" loves them. Don't trust online, meet in real life and then judge based on that meeting." "It's not Owen Wilson. As mentioned elsewhere, the voice is robotic and look at his face. He's all over the place and he never called her by her name. Because the scammer had another 1000 victims to play,' claimed a fifth. Someone else added: 'This is wild! Gosh, keep looking out for her. It's unfortunate how advanced these scams have gotten." Fabulous will pay for your exclusive stories. Just email: fabulousdigital@ and pop EXCLUSIVE in the subject line.
The Irish Sun
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
My mum's being scammed by AI deepfake of ‘Owen Wilson' who paid her £7 to ‘prove' his identity – would you fall for it?
A WOMAN is seeking help after noticing her mum fall for an AI deepfake scam of Owen Wilson. The woman was sure it was easy to Advertisement 4 The mum was convinced she now had the actor as an online friend Credit: Getty 4 Can you spot what's wrong with the video? Credit: Reddit 4 The Hollywood actor is currently filming in Australia Credit: Getty The unnamed woman took to Reddit, revealing both she and her sister had failed to convince her mum that the man she was chatting to was not the real actor. According to her mum, she had met Owen while playing an online game of Yahtzee. She decided to share the The Reddit user said she tried to convince her mum that it was the work of artificial intelligence after finding a 'plethora of red flags', such as the man mainly contacting her mother via WhatsApp voice calls. Advertisement READ MORE REAL LIFE STORIES In the 10-second clip, the robotic image of a man resembling Owen Wilson seemed to speak directly to the poster's mother. "I'm making this video so you know I'm real," said the 'scam' actor. "I'd never do anything to hurt you. I respect you for your patience and understanding since we crossed paths. You're an amazing woman." Some viewers were quick to point out that the video looked off, with the image never making eye contact. Advertisement Most read in Fabulous Things had taken a weirder turn when he offered a 'job' with Warner Bros and paid her £7 for her work. The daughter added: "He 'got her a job' with Warner Bros where she can make $5000 a month but liking social media posts. The job has sent her a couple $10 payments through Cashapp for her first trainings. "She says they'll send her $1,000 through CashApp when she finishes training." The 'fake' Owen Wilson then proposed that the poster's parents move into a new house he bought so that they could keep watch as 'caretakers' while he was away working. Advertisement 4 Her daughter was eager to show her mum it wasn't real Credit: Reddit Fears AI will destroy entire justice system by sending innocent people to JAIL with fake CCTV evidence & deepfakes Currently, the 56-year-old is in Australia filming his latest action thriller, Runner. She added: "He's now buying a house in our small coastal town & wants her AND MY DAD to live there & be caretakers when he's not there. He had an actual realtor from this gated community call her to discuss their options. "We believe this part because the realtor mentioned my sister in law's mother's uncommon name(we have no connection to her on social media) when my mother brought up my brother's wedding reception being held in the neighborhood." Advertisement How to protect yourself from scams BY keeping these tips in mind, you can avoid getting caught up in a scam: Firstly, remember that if something seems too good to be true, it normally is. Check brands are "verified" on Facebook and Twitter pages - this means the company will have a blue tick on its profile. Look for grammatical and spelling errors; fraudsters are notoriously bad at writing proper English. If you receive a message from a 'friend' informing you of a freebie, consider whether it's written in your friend's normal style. If you're invited to click on a URL, hover over the link to see the address it will take you to – does it look genuine? To be on the really safe side, don't click on unsolicited links in messages, even if they appear to come from a trusted contact. Be careful when opening email attachments too. Fraudsters are increasingly attaching files, usually PDFs or spreadsheets, which contain dangerous malware. If you receive a suspicious message then report it to the company, block the sender and delete it. If you think you've fallen for a scam, report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use its She concluded her One person wrote: "Wow that's scary, you can tell the tone is off and robotic. Face also looks slightly different than Owen but wow, that's crazy for someone who wouldn't know any better." Another commented: 'Jesus Christ. What a frustrating situation. Be careful not to alienate her. It can make these situations more difficult." "Tell her to watch his nose lol," penned a third. Advertisement Meanwhile, a fourth said: "This AI doesn't even use the lady's name at all, just generic "compliments" to keep the target complacent. Wonder how many targets they've sent this to that the celebrity "really" loves them. Don't trust online, meet in real life and then judge based on that meeting." "It's not Owen Wilson. As mentioned elsewhere, the voice is robotic and look at his face. He's all over the place and he never called her by her name. Because the scammer had another 1000 victims to play,' claimed a fifth. Someone else added: 'This is wild! Gosh, keep looking out for her. It's unfortunate how advanced these scams have gotten." Fabulous will pay for your exclusive stories. Just email: fabulousdigital@ and pop EXCLUSIVE in the subject line . Advertisement What are deepfakes? Here's what you need to know... Deepfakes use artificial intelligence and machine learning to produce face-swapped videos with barely any effort They can be used to create realistic videos that make celebrities appear as though they're saying something they didn't Deepfakes have also been used by sickos to make fake porn videos that feature the faces of celebrities or ex-lovers To create the videos, users first track down an XXX clip featuring a porn star that looks like an actress They then feed an app with hundreds – and sometimes thousands – of photos of the victim's face A machine learning algorithm swaps out the faces frame-by-frame until it spits out a realistic, but fake, video To help other users create these videos, pervs upload "facesets", which are huge computer folders filled with a celebrity's face that can be easily fed through the "deepfakes" app
Economic Times
20 hours ago
- Business
- Economic Times
NRIs in the Gulf are showing keen interest in Indian real estate industry. But why?
After a period of rapid growth, India's property market is showing signs of price stabilization, creating a potential window for NRI investors in the UAE and Gulf. While affordable housing faces supply constraints, luxury options dominate new developments. Improved financing options and fractional ownership opportunities are also influencing NRI investment decisions as market dynamics shift. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Indian expats in the UAE and Gulf may find this a timely moment to invest in the Indian property market, as major cities show signs of slowing price growth after three years of rapid gains. High demand from local buyers had previously created strong competition for Non-Resident Indians (NRIs), but market dynamics are beginning to shift, according to a report by Gulf change is prompting many NRIs in the Gulf to re-evaluate whether to invest in Indian real estate or explore property purchases locally in the UAE. 'More than ever, Gulf's NRI buyers are worried whether it makes any sense to buy or build a costly home in India and have it rented out or kept vacant,' said a property deciding factor is education. Expats increasingly base new home purchases in India on whether their children are pursuing higher studies in the country. Meanwhile, city markets are tightening, especially in the affordable and mid-range segments. 'Several cities – including Mumbai , Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Delhi-NCR – are now facing a genuine crunch in entry-level inventory,' said Azaz Motiwala, founder of Ikon Marketing Consultants to Gulf News. 'This supply tightening is most evident in the affordable and mid. segments, where steady demand is not being matched by fresh launches.'While cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad posted modest 5% price increases in early 2025, they remain below the double-digit gains of previous years. Overall, price growth in most metros has slowed to single the investment front, NRIs are also showing interest in fractional ownership of commercial properties, especially in the Rs 1 million to Rs 2.5 million range. These investments are reportedly yielding 8–10% annual returns, according to rates have also begun to shift in favor of buyers. 'Leading banks in India have reduced their lending rates by 5–10 bps in May 2025 (from the peaks in mid-2024),' said Owen. 'However, loan demand is not linked solely to interest rates – overall sentiment, which is significantly influenced by the geopolitical environment, also plays a big role.'Luxury and ultra-luxury housing continue to dominate new supply. 'Driven by steady demand, luxury and ultra-luxury homes – priced from Rs 15 million – dominated new supply in Q1-25 with a 42% share,' Owen prices cooling, financing improving, and supply shifting, NRIs may find new opportunities in India's evolving real estate market.
