The world has lost a true Hollywood legend, Olivia Newton John has passed away at the age of 73
Olivia rose to stardom for her remarkable performance in hit musical “Grease” where she co-starred alongside Actor John Travolta, in 1978.
She was just 29 years of age, playing the role of an innocent teen in love with the bad boy.
Together, they won hearts across the world, bringing in a whopping $395 million USD from the box office.
A movie star turned cancer advocate, Newton-John spent much of her later years fiercely fighting for awareness and further research.
We take a look back on her life, her legacy and the hole she is leaving behind
Long before Olivia Newton John became a household name in Hollywood, she started from a home in Melbourne.
Born in Cambridge 1948, her family emigrated to Australia. The youngest of three children. Her teenage years saw her became a major drawcard on the Happy Show.
But the bight lights of Melbourne in the 1970s could never contain that voice.
She moved to the UK and in 1974 represented the Britain in the Eurovision song contest.
Australian trailblazer Helen Ready encouraged Olivia to move to the United States where she quickly climbed the charts.
She certainly had somewhere else to go – Rydell High.
She scored the role in the film adaptation of the Broadway hit, despite her concerns about being 29, playing a high school senior, insisting on a screen test with John Travolta.
Now the girl from Melbourne, was now a Hollywood star.
And there was nowhere to hide – Grease became the biggest box office hit of 1978. Olivia Newton John’s career soared
Just like Sandys transformation in the film, Olivia was ready for a new spandex clad image, just in time for the 80s.
Pioneering an iconic look and telling us all…”let’s get physical”
Physical smashed the charts, before she starred alongside Gene Kelly in her second major film, playing the star.
In 1986 she gave birth to her daughter Chloe and resumed her career in the early 90s, before she was diagnosed with cancer – receiving the diagnosis the same weekend her father died.
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 19: Actress/singer Olivia Newton-John (L) and daughter actress/singer Chloe Lattanzi attend ‘Dancing with the Stars’ Season 21 at CBS Televison City on October 19, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)
She survived and became an advocate for breast cancer research, teaming with the Victorian government to create the Olivia Newton John cancer wellness and research centre in Melbourne.
Leading a three week, 230km walk along the great ocean road to raise funds.
Forever passionate about the environment. She cancelled a tour of Japan over the slaughter of dolphins.
She battled in her personal life too. Her partner Patrick McDermott disappeared on a fishing trip in 2005. Her daughter faced health problems
Through all her battles, she continued performing.
An immortal Australian performer, a passional advocate for health, the voice of a generation.
Trump confirms U.S. strikes on Iran as Israel targets top Iranian leaders
Trump confirms U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear sites amid rising tensions; Israel intensifies operations, Iran vows to continue enrichment, and Houthi militants threaten U.S. shipping.
Trump confirms U.S. strike on Iran’s nuclear sites amid rising tensions; Israel intensifies operations, Iran vows to continue enrichment, and Houthi militants threaten U.S. shipping.
President Trump has confirmed that U.S. forces successfully struck three nuclear facilities in Iran – Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan – with all aircraft safely exiting Iranian airspace. The mission, involving B-2 stealth bombers, comes amid rising tensions over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its military operations, killing three top Iranian military leaders and striking a major nuclear facility in Isfahan. The Israeli chief of staff warned the operation may lead to a prolonged and complex war.
Iran responded by vowing to continue uranium enrichment and said talks with the U.S. are off the table unless Israel halts its attacks. In a parallel move, Houthi militants threatened U.S. and commercial ships in the Red Sea if American strikes continue in support of Israel.
Adding to the volatility, an Iranian drone hit northern Israel, with the IDF confirming the incident—though no casualties were reported. The U.S. State Department is now organising flights to evacuate Americans from Israel.
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Trump announces successful U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, while Israel intensifies its military campaign against Iranian leadership.
In Short:
President Trump announced U.S. strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran, confirming all aircraft left Iranian airspace after the operation. Meanwhile, Israel ramped up its military actions against Iran, leading to warnings from Iranian officials and Houthi militants regarding potential escalations.
President Trump announced on Saturday that the United States had successfully completed strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan.
This military action was preceded by the deployment of stealth B-2 bombers from Missouri, capable of carrying the GBU-57 bunker buster, a powerful weapon considered effective against the Fordow uranium-enrichment facility.
Trump had earlier indicated to senior aides that he approved attack plans for Iran, awaiting Tehran’s decision on its nuclear program.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military intensified its operations against Iranian military leaders and nuclear sites, announcing the elimination of three senior Iranian figures and strikes on the Isfahan facility. Israel’s military chief warned of a potentially prolonged conflict, describing it as the nation’s most complex military undertaking.
In response, Iranian officials stated their refusal to halt uranium enrichment and indicated that negotiations with the U.S. would only occur if Israel ceased its attacks.
Additionally, the U.S. State Department announced the initiation of flights to facilitate the return of American citizens from Israel.
Houthi militants also issued a warning to target U.S. and commercial vessels in the Red Sea should American attacks in support of Israel commence.
Amidst this, an Iranian drone attack recently damaged a building in northern Israel, marking an acknowledged drone strike by the Israeli military during the ongoing conflict. No casualties were reported from the incident.