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Mother booted off ride share app for her unusual name

<p>A young Sydney mother has been booted off popular ride sharing app Uber, after they deemed her birth name too inappropriate. </p> <p>Swastika Chandra's first name means good luck and prosperity in her native Sanskrit language, and holds a lot of cultural significance and connection to her Hindu heritage. </p> <p>However, to global transport app Uber, her name was deemed too offensive to be let on the platform, as they said her name violates their terms and conditions. </p> <p>The 35-year-old grew up in Fiji, where she says her name was commonly heard in classrooms throughout her childhood.</p> <p>"It is a very common name. I personally know four or five other girls with the same name," she told <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/uber-bans-sydney-woman-from-using-service-because-of-her-first-name/2771dd1f-b9fd-4ba6-8045-671145bc0c02" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>A Current Affair</em></a>. </p> <p>"In school, we had two or three other girls with the same name. It means good luck. It means good things for me."</p> <p>Chandra didn't run into any issues using her name on her birth certificate, Australian citizenship paperwork, her health care card or her driver's licence. </p> <p>However, last October Uber banned her account, claiming her name was a violation of their terms of use due to its appropriation by Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party and neo-Nazis.</p> <p>Coinciding with the start of the Israel-Hamas war, Uber brought in new guidelines on words that could be offensive - including swastika.</p> <p>Inadvertently caught up in the middle of a policy which had the best of intentions, Chandra was told she would have to change her name to get back on the app.</p> <p>"I was putting in an order for food one afternoon and went to the payment stage and this pop-up came up saying, 'Your first name is in violation and you need to change your name on the app'," she explained.</p> <p>Chandra has a deep understanding of her name's very troubling double meaning, but she says the community needs to know the word's origins.</p> <p>"They don't know that the Hindus used it for thousands of years before Hitler used it in the wrong way," she said.</p> <p>"A bit of education, I think, is needed. I'm very proud of my name. I believe in the good that comes with it and I'm not changing it for anyone."</p> <p>Five months later, Uber has backed down from their decision and allowed her to rejoin the app, although it took intervention from Australia's peak Hindu body, The Hindu Council, support from the Jewish community and the NSW attorney-general to make it happen. </p> <p>The Jewish Board of Deputies also backed Chandra's fight, telling A Current Affair: "There is a difference between Ms Chandra innocently using her name and the deployment of a sinister symbol."</p> <p>The young mum has a message for all the other young girls who might have a different name to others, saying "Don't let the past be a stepping stone for your future."</p> <p>"Be proud of your name. It's your identity - it's who you are."</p> <p><em>Image credits: A Current Affair </em></p>

Legal

Viewers stunned after Denise Drysdale booted from I'm a Celeb

<p>The first celebrity has been voted out of this year's <em>I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here!</em></p> <p>Aussie TV legend Denis Drysdale became the first shock elimination of the 2024 series after arriving late in the jungle. </p> <p>While fans and campmates were shocked when Robert Irwin announced the star's name, she was more than happy to return to civilisation. </p> <p>“Oh, it was more than what I expected,” she told the show's hosts, Irwin and Julia Morris. </p> <p>When asked if she felt "bittersweet" about being the first celebrity booted out of the show, she admitted: “Can I say not so bitter?! It’s sweet! I’m sorry, I have to be – I have to be completely honest!”</p> <p>“It is s**t in there!” she continued. “It is s**t, it’s unbelievable! The dunnies, the dirt! Now I’m a clean person – there’s dirt upon dirt upon dirt upon dirt.”</p> <p> “But I’m so glad that I’ve done it. I’ve done it and I’m proud of myself. So I must say thank you to the Celebrity people for giving me the opportunity to prove to myself I can go in there and do it," she added. </p> <p>A few fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their shock at the decision. </p> <p>“What on earth?!” wrote one. </p> <p>“People saved Callum over DENISE??” added another. </p> <p><em>Images: Network Ten</em></p>

Gina Rinehart snaps up another iconic Aussie brand

<p>Not long after being crowned<em> The Australian Financial Review’s (AFR)</em> Business Person of the Year, Gina Rinehart has made another big move in the fashion industry. </p> <p>The mining magnate has purchased heritage shoe brand Rossi Boots, which has been operating since 1910, as part of her “commitment to preserving iconic national brands”. </p> <p>“(This) ensures that Rossi’s manufacturing excellence remains in Australian hands and will see it expand into new markets,” Rinehart’s company S. Kidman and Co said. </p> <p>Rossi Boots was founded by Arthur Rossiter, and sell high-quality leather boots for both men and women.</p> <p>They even supplied hundreds of boots to Australian soldiers during World War I and World War II, which Rinehart said is a “recognition of our national history”.</p> <p>“Rossi Boots is more than just a brand, it represents a cherished part of rural Australia’s way of life,” she said.</p> <p>“We are committed to nurturing its legacy by maintaining operations in Australia and are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead for Rossi Boots under the umbrella of S. Kidman and Co.”</p> <p>The acquisition of Rossi's boots follows Rinehart's recent purchase of another heritage fashion brand, Driza-Bone, known for their oil-skin jackets, which has been a staple in Aussie wardrobes for 125 years. </p> <p>“We want to keep and preserve its magnificent past but we also want to rejuvenate it,” she said. </p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

Crowd cheers as fan booted from US Open after vile Nazi slur

<p>During a US Open tennis match held early on Tuesday morning, a spectator found themselves ejected from the event following an incident involving German tennis player Alexander Zverev.</p> <p>The disruption arose when Zverev, seeded number 12, was locked in a fierce fourth-set battle against Italy's Jannik Sinner, seeded number six.</p> <p>At a critical juncture in the match, just as he was about to serve, Zverev approached chair umpire James Keothavong and pointed out a fan situated right behind the umpire's chair.</p> <p>Zverev raised the issue, stating, "He [the fan] just said the most famous Hitler phrase there is..."</p> <p>Zverev then expressed his strong disapproval, exclaiming, "It's unacceptable, this is unbelievable."</p> <p>In response to Zverev's concerns, Keothavong scanned the crowd and repeatedly asked, "Who said that? Who said that?" amid raucous boos from the audience.</p> <p>The umpire swiftly made a decision, asserting, "We're going to get him out," much to the relief of those watching in Arthur Ashe Stadium.</p> <p>Keothavong also took a moment to remind the crowd to maintain respect for both players. Shortly after, during a changeover, spectators seated near the offending fan identified him, and security promptly removed him from the venue. The crowd responded with cheers as the fan was escorted up the stadium stairs.</p> <p>A US Tennis Association spokesperson, Chris Widmaier, confirmed the incident, stating, "A disparaging remark was directed toward Alexander Zverev. The fan was identified and escorted from the stadium."</p> <p>Despite the disruption, Zverev went on to triumph over Sinner in a gruelling five-set match and secured his spot in the quarterfinals, where he would face the defending US Open champion, Carlos Alcaraz.</p> <p>This epic match, which Zverev won with scores of 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, endured for an impressive four hours and 41 minutes, making it the lengthiest match of the tournament up to that point. The contest concluded at 1:40 am local time in New York.</p> <p>Reflecting on the incident in the post-match press conference, Zverev revealed that while he had encountered fans making derogatory comments before, this was the first time he had experienced an incident involving Hitler.</p> <p>He shared: "He started singing the anthem of Hitler that was back in the day. It was ‘Deutschland über alles’ and it was a bit too much.</p> <p>"I think he was getting involved in the match for a long time, though. I don’t mind it, I love when fans are loud, I love when fans are emotional. But I think me being German and not really proud of that history, it’s not really a great thing to do and I think him sitting in one of the front rows, I think a lot of people heard it. So if I just don’t react, I think it’s bad from my side.”</p> <p>Despite the disturbance, Zverev remained composed and noted, “It’s his loss, to be honest, to not witness the final two sets of that match.”</p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

News

"You've been bumped": Vietnam vet slams Qantas for booting him from business class

<p dir="ltr">Qantas has come under fire for booting a Vietnam war veteran from his paid seat in business class so that a young Qantas "tech" – later revealed to be a pilot – could travel in the luxury seat in his place.</p> <p dir="ltr">Stephen Jones, 78, and his wife were travelling home to Adelaide after a holiday in Christchurch. Their flight was passing through Melbourne on its way to their home in Adelaide, and the pair were enjoying coffee in the Melbourne airport lounge – just 30 minutes before they were set to continue their journey – when they were given the bad news by Qantas staff.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I went up to the desk and the Qantas employee there said, 'I've got some bad news for you, you've been bumped'," Mr Jones told Melbourne’s <em><a href="https://www.3aw.com.au/vietnam-war-veteran-booted-from-business-class-for-younger-qantas-employee/">3AW</a></em> radio program with Ross & Russ. </p> <p dir="ltr">"It didn't register at first," continued Mr Jones. "I wasn't quite sure what 'bumped' meant... I said, 'What?', and she said, 'Yes, I'll have to re-issue your ticket for economy class. We have a tech who's flying to Adelaide and his contract states that he must fly Business Class."</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Jones then explained that while he retreated to his economy seat, the Qantas employee was seated next to his wife up in business class, and that "he wouldn't even look at her".</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Jones went on to explain that, after filing a letter of complaint, he was offered 5000 Frequent Flyer points in return for the downgrade and an apology.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Jones, who served in Vietnam in a combat unit in the 1960s, claimed he turned down the offer of 5000 points, saying, “I don’t think anything is going to change until there’s ramifications for Qantas, or costs for Qantas when they upset their customers.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Justin Lawrence, Partner at Henderson Ball Lawyers, later told the 3AW radio show hosts that there’s little customers can do about such a move by the airline and said it was “standard operating procedure”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Unfortunately, their terms of carriage allow them to do this sort of thing – this happens so often they’ve actually got a term for it, buckle up, they call this 'involuntary downgrading,'” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They’ll overprescribe business class or first class, they will need to bump someone out, and they’ll do it almost immediately prior to the flight – not just Qantas, they all do it."</p> <p dir="ltr">“Any time you go to a travel agent or online to Qantas to buy a seat, and we think we’re buying a seat in a particular class, there are no guarantees that when that plane takes off, you’ll be sitting in that class.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Jones said he understood that Qantas pilots were entitled to rest comfortably on their way to another flight, but the ordeal was “unsettling and made me a little irritable”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Ellen DeGeneres shares throwback snap to mark special milestone

<p dir="ltr">Ellen DeGeneres shared a sweet throwback snap of her August 2008 wedding with Portia de Rossi, to mark a very special milestone for LGBTQIA+ love.</p> <p dir="ltr">The 65-year-old comedian took to Instagram to honour the eight anniversary of the Supreme Court legalising same-sex marriages in the United States.</p> <p dir="ltr">"8 years ago today marks an important moment. It's when the Supreme Court said "yes" to letting everyone feel the same joy I got to feel in this moment," she wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ellen shared a black-and-white snap of her embracing Portia during their 2008 nuptials.</p> <p dir="ltr">It’s been almost 15 years since the pair got married, and they previously celebrated their love in February 2023, when they <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/ellen-degeneres-surprise-wedding-news" target="_blank" rel="noopener">renewed their vows</a> at their California home.</p> <p dir="ltr">Portia even wore the same wedding dress she wore in their 2008 wedding when surprised Ellen with a double celebration - her own birthday party and their vow renewal ceremony.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair have been head over heels for each other since they first met in the early 2000s, and they continue to choose each other.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many fans took to the comment section to share their love and gratitude towards the couple.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Love you and thanks for all your work for the LGBTQIA community. One love 😍” wrote one fan.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This was a defining moment for Ellen and Portia! Congratulations to you both!” commented another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Love will always win!!🙌🏽✨” wrote a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Thank you for making a difference in the world!" commented a fourth.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Relationships

Ellen DeGeneres’ surprise wedding news

<p>Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi have fallen in love all over again while renewing their vows to each other at home in California. </p> <p>Ellen, best known for her self-titled talk show, was left speechless when her wife pulled off the surprise of the year - a vow renewal ceremony at her own birthday party. </p> <p>The couple were married in 2008 at their Beverly Hills home, with a small number of guests in attendance. It was a similar affair this time around, albeit with a few more familiar faces - the likes of Kris Jenner, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle were there to celebrate.</p> <p>While a full length video was posted to Ellen’s YouTube account, highlights of the day were shared to her Instagram account. </p> <p>“Portia surprised me at her birthday party by renewing our vows,” she captioned the post, “thank you @KrisJenner for officiating and @BrandiCarlile for performing, and Portia for being the greatest gift to me, even on your birthday.”</p> <p>The clips featured Portia in a wedding dress (the same one she wore to their 2008 wedding), walking through their friends and family to reach Ellen with a bouquet of white roses. </p> <p>Portia led Ellen to the front of the room, where they were joined by their friend and reality TV star Kris Jenner. </p> <p>“Welcome to Portia’s birthday party,” Kris opened, “and to the newest home of one of my favourite couples, two of my BFs, and the record holders for the most homes ever purchased in one city, ever.”</p> <p>“These two are couple goals, who continue to amaze me with how cute they are together. A match made in heaven. Two peas in a pod,” she went on, “their love and commitment to one another is amazing, and it makes me so happy that they have each other to love and cherish and grow old with."</p> <p>Kris also took to Ellen’s comment section to share her love for them, writing there that it was the “best day ever!!! What an honour to be there for two of my BFF’s who I adore and who love each other so much!”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CoKnrPQjtFd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CoKnrPQjtFd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Ellen DeGeneres (@ellendegeneres)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Love was certainly the theme of the day, and carried through every word of Portia’s prepared vows for Ellen. </p> <p>"Surprise," she began, to laughter from their delighted guests. "You don't have to say anything at all, but when I was thinking about what would make my birthday really special, apart from being with family and friends, it was reminding you that you're the most important thing in the world to me in front of family and friends. </p> <p>“I was thinking about my life, my accomplishments, as you do with a big birthday, and it all just kept leading back to you, and I just thought, 'What greater accomplishment could I ever, ever, ever have in my life than being loved by someone who is so magnificent, by someone as incredible as you?’</p> <p>“Also I feel like we're on a new journey - this is a new chapter. After 24 houses in 18 years, this is our first home. This is it, and we're settling down, finally, and we're planting roots, and we're taking better care of ourselves and each other than ever before. And I'm just so excited about the future, where we just get to do whatever the hell we want for the rest of our lives.</p> <p>“On our wedding day in 2008, I quoted Walt Whitman. And I said that it is a great thing to be loved, but it is profound to be understood. And back then, after knowing each other for four years I thought we understood each other, but now 14 years later, I can truly say we understand each other, we accept each other. And how lucky am I to be with somebody who accepts me for exactly who I am, who loves me for exactly who I am?</p> <p>“It's you. It always has been. You cheer me up when I'm down. You make me feel seen. You make me feel safe, cherished, loved. I love you. I will always, always, love you. I'm so honoured to be your wife." </p> <p>The wives then shared a kiss to the cheers and celebration of their guests. </p> <p>“I just adore you," an emotional Ellen finally managed, despite her wife’s assurance that she didn’t have to say anything. "I love you and I would not be on this earth without you. You save me every day. Thank you for saving me every day. I'm the lucky one."</p> <p><em>Image: YouTube</em></p>

Relationships

Fed up neighbours band together to boot out squatters

<p>A group of resourceful residents living in a cul-de-sac on the New South Wales Central Coast have banded together to kick out a mob of squatters who had been wreaking havoc on and in the vacated home of a disabled man.</p> <p>Walls had been destroyed, a car had been set alight – and the community had finally said they'd had enough.</p> <p>"For the last several months we've had squatters living in our cul-de-sac running a 24-hour a day, drive-through drug den," local resident Christy told A Current Affair.</p> <p>Christy claimed squatters and drug users have been a problem next door for years.</p> <p>"Lots of fighting, brawling, threats to kill each other, to shoot each other," she said.</p> <p>"(They say), 'Bitch better have my money', you know, constantly."</p> <p>Christy then told the programme that things had ramped up recently, and it all culminated in the lighting of a dangerous car fire.</p> <p>"The flames were like two storeys tall. My whole house reeks of burned tyres and we've all had enough. We all have little girls ... and we can't let our kids out," Christy said.</p> <p>"My partner woke me up in the morning (and said), 'Oh my god, there's a car fire' so we ran out and looked out the window and yeah, that was too far," another neighbour, Dean Rainback, said.</p> <p>Rainback said the fire was the final straw for him and his young family.</p> <p>"There's trees over there where the car is and that house right next door could have caught fire," he said.</p> <p>"I'm from Texas, we don't put up with this kind of crap," Christy said. "So we decided we would take things into our own hands and get them out ourselves."</p> <p>Christy said she gave her unwanted neighbours "a verbal warning" to let them know the "jig is up, we've had enough".</p> <p>"I also shouted it in the house - 'Tomorrow's the day. It's over'," Christy said.</p> <p>True to her word, Christy and the other neighbours confronted the squatters and kicked them out!</p> <p>The group of frustrated neighbours then surveyed the damage and were shocked by what they saw.</p> <p>After removing all the junk, they boarded up the house, so no one could get back inside.</p> <p>The unit belongs to a disabled man named Terry who is now living with his mother after disability support workers who were paid to care for him failed to do so.</p> <p>"I think that is a disgrace, that it has been left to neighbours to do this," she said.</p> <p>The neighbours have now organised a council pick-up to get rid of the squatters' mess.</p> <p><em>Images: A Current Affair</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Ellen DeGeneres’ multimillion-dollar property portfolio REVEALED

<p dir="ltr">Ellen DeGeneres and her partner Portia de Rossi have a well-known passion for property, and have made a reputation as some of the most prolific buyers and sellers of South Californian homes.</p> <p dir="ltr">During DeGeneres’ 17-year run on<span> </span><em>The Ellen Show</em>, the duo have built a portfolio of properties<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://nypost.com/article/a-look-inside-all-of-ellen-degeneres-homes/" target="_blank">reportedly</a><span> </span>worth $630 million or $NZD 670 million ($USD 450 million) that has been separate from her TV earnings.</p> <p dir="ltr">Currently, DeGeneres and de Rossi own the Rancho San Leandro and Dennis Miller homes, both in Santa Barbara, California, and worth a total $90 million ($NZD 96 million).</p> <p dir="ltr">Here is a run-down of the pair’s<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/a-timeline-of-ellen-degeneres-and-portia-de-rossis-600-million-property-portfolio-1114593/" target="_blank">extensive</a><span> </span>property portfolio, past and present.</p> <p><strong>Current: Rancho San Leandro</strong></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7847122/ellen1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/62e5da2f557b4e40900739d2e958d091" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Zillow</em></p> <p dir="ltr">After initially buying the Montecito home for $US 7.2 million in 2017 and selling it for $USD 11 million a year later, the pair eventually bought it back for a whopping $AU 20 or $NZ 21 million ($US 14.3 million) - almost double what they first bought it for.</p> <p dir="ltr">The property, which dates back to the 1800s, features two homes - one of which is one of the oldest and most authentic adobe homes in California.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7847121/ellen2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/84b0747e696d437a8a1b4f1eef64d89c" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Zillow</em></p> <p dir="ltr">The adobe home has a single master bedroom with its own ensuite, as well as two bathrooms, a kitchen, breakfast room, and subterranean wine cellar.</p> <p dir="ltr">The second ‘Monterrey’ house is slightly larger with three bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, a dining area, formal library, gym, and terrace with a fireplace.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Current: Dennis Miller’s Cape Dutch compound</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">If you thought $20 million was a lot for a house, the $AU 70 or $NZ 74 million ($US 49 million) Ellen dropped on this private compound will leave you gobsmacked.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 0px; height:0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7847120/ellen3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/72815ea69d334591bb78208ee7834462" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Slim Paley (Instagram)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Though the number of bedrooms and bathrooms on the 4.3-acre estate is unknown due to its private listing, we do know that it features a guest house, infinity pool, pool house and a barn.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dirt.com/entertainers/performers/dennis-miller-house-montecito-1203349300/" target="_blank"><em>Dirt</em></a>, a 9,000-square-foot mansion also sits on the property, and has been built in the South African Cape Dutch architectural style.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7847119/ellen4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c96d19fe59f24363a2bbadab4c08cce7" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Slim Paley (Instagram)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Outside, the buildings surround a lily pond complete with fish and a rowboat, and there are walkways, organic vegetable gardens, and hidden outdoor seating areas the couple is sure to enjoy.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Sold 2021: Adam Levine’s former Beverly Hills home</strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7847118/ellen5.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f0cf3d21553a40e3b66cdd6279b448a8" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Mansion Global</em></p> <p dir="ltr">DeGeneres and de Rossi sold the 1930s home, formerly belonging to popstar Adam Levine, in early 2021 for $AUD 66 or $NZD 70 million ($US 47 million).</p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7847117/ellen6.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f44deb50ddb94b42899035edd8d6f414" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Mansion Global</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Despite selling it for $US 6.5 million below their initial asking price, the couple still made a tidy $US 2 million profit on the two-storey, five bedroom, five bathroom home.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Sold 2020: Ariana Grande’s English Tudor mansion</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Originally two barns built in Surrey in the 1770s and brought to the US in the 1980s, the home is a legitimate English Tudor property that the couple intended to flip for a profit.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7847116/ellen7.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ef239d4f762a44dcbf575092550a6590" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Realtor.com</em></p> <p dir="ltr">According to<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/ellen-degeneres-and-portia-de-rossi-flipping-montecito-california-home-214527" target="_blank"><em>Mansion Global</em></a>, this home was the first they bought with the intention of renovating and selling without living in it.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7847115/ellen8.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c590d8ade7814bdcb0ffa55e3d4dc309" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Realtor.com</em></p> <p dir="ltr">After their handiwork was complete, the pair sold the home to Ariana Grande for $AU 9.5 million or $NZ 10.1 million ($US 6.75 million) in 2020, making a $US 3.15 million profit.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @portiaderossi (Instagram)</em></p>

Real Estate

Teacher locks son with Covid in car boot

<p dir="ltr">A Texas teacher has been arrested and charged with endangering a child after locking her Covid-positive son in the boot of her car in order to protect herself from exposure to the virus as they drove to a testing site.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sarah Beam, 41, was arrested after a witness called police and told them they heard someone in the vehicle’s trunk on January 3 at a testing site in Harris County, Texas. Beam reportedly opened the boot to reveal the 13-year-old boy lying inside.</p> <p dir="ltr">She explained that her son had tested positive for COVID-19 and that she was taking him to a testing site at Pridgeon Stadium for a second test to confirm the result. She reportedly said that she had placed her son in the boot as she did not want to be infected herself.</p> <p dir="ltr">A health worker told her that no test would be administered until the boy was allowed to sit in the back seat of the car.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Beam has been working as a teacher at Cypress Falls High School since 2011, but is now on administrative leave.</p> <p dir="ltr">CY-Fair ISD Police Department said in a statement, "CFPD was alerted that a child was in the trunk of a car at a drive-thru Covid-19 testing site earlier this week. Law enforcement conducted a full investigation, resulting in a warrant for arrest. Thankfully, the child was not harmed."</p> <p dir="ltr">Sergeant Richard Standifer, of the Texas Department of Public Safety, told reporters that the boy could have been seriously injured if the vehicle had been involved in an accident. He added, "I have never heard of somebody being put in a trunk because they tested positive for anything.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Silvia Bianchini</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi celebrate 13 years of marriage

<p><span>August 16th marks the 13-year wedding anniversary for Ellen DeGeneres and Aussie actress Portia de Rossi.</span><br /><br /><span>The couple began dating in 2004, but met four years earlier – an encounter de Rossi claims is the night she knew her wife was the one.</span><br /><br /><span>"[I knew Ellen was the one] when I first laid eyes on her," de Rossi told Oprah Winfrey in 2005.</span><br /><br /><span>It took her three years to let DeGeneres know how she felt however, as the actress was not publicly out about her sexuality.</span><br /><br /><span>DeGeneres came out during an episode of her sitcom Ellen and again on the cover of TIME magazine in 1997.</span><br /><br /><span>Sadly, the TV host came under a lot of scrutiny and was often criticised for her open discussions on her sexuality.</span><br /><br /><span>DeGeneres revealed to the Associated Press back in 2017 that the public criticism almost ruined her.</span><br /><br /><span>“Nobody really understood how dark it got for me. I was really, really in a deep depression.</span><br /><br /><span>“I had never been so down in my life. I was depressed. I was broke. I felt attacked. It was everything that you just fear in life, like nobody loving you."</span></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/Bmi67Ipj3jv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/Bmi67Ipj3jv/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Portia de Rossi (@portiaderossi)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which will end in 2022 after almost 20 years on air, is what would make her a global face.</span><br /><br /><span>When same-sex marriage was legalised in California in 2008, DeGeneres and de Rossi quickly wed in a small and incredibly intimate ceremony.</span><br /><br /><span>With just 21 guests, including themselves, it is a wonder how the pair managed to keep the affair so private.</span><br /><br /><span>DeGeneres popped the question to de Rossi with a three-carat horizontal marquise diamond ring.</span><br /><br /><span>It also had a claw set centre stone and pink diamond pavé set shoulders – a ring which the designer, Neil Lane, said was “one-of-a-kind”.</span><br /><br /><span>"Ellen wanted a ring that, like Portia, is beautiful and one-of-a-kind, so we chose a marquise diamond, set sideways, and sprinkled with pink diamonds," the designer told InStyle in 2019.</span><br /><br /><span>De Rossi's engagement ring, also created by Lane, is estimated to be worth US$100,000 (approx. $136,000).</span><br /><br /><span>DeGeneres proposed to de Rossi while they watched the goldfish they had rescued swim around in its new habitat.</span><br /><br /><span>Reportedly, the talk show host said, "This is a pretty romantic moment, right?" to which de Rossi replied, "Every moment with you is romantic".</span><br /><br /><span>The romantic situation led them to their intimate candlelit ceremony where they both said “I Do” in 2008.</span></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/BX3e2qkFl1_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/BX3e2qkFl1_/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Ellen DeGeneres (@theellenshow)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>The pair initially wanted a big wedding but became overwhelmed by the stress and decided on a small event at their home while surrounded by their families, pets and close friends.</span><br /><br /><span>"It's where our hearts are," de Rossi said at the time.</span><br /><br /><span>The ceremony was officiated by the late Wayne Dyer, who was a philosopher and self-help guru.</span><br /><br /><span>"Today we have taken a giant step forward toward the ideal that all of us, with no exceptions, are not only created equal, but we each have the unalienable right to pursue our own happiness," Dyer said on their 10-year anniversary.</span><br /><br /><span>"I have often said that true nobility is not about being better than anyone else, it's about being better than you used to be.</span><br /><br /><span>“With your exchange of vows today, you symbolise for many who have gone before you, who were forced to live their lives in quiet desperation, lurking in the shadows, that we as a people, are truly becoming better than we used to be."</span><br /><br /><span>On the day, DeGeneres told People that her "soul mate" made her feel like "the luckiest girl in the world."</span></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/BjiHU7tDKa-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/BjiHU7tDKa-/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Portia de Rossi (@portiaderossi)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>De Rossi reportedly said “It is good to be loved. It is profound to be understood" in her vows.</span><br /><br /><span>"To me, that's everything. What 'I love you' really means is 'I understand you,' and she loves me for everything that I am," DeGeneres explained years later.</span></p>

Relationships

“Appalling” act sees British commentator booted from Australia

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Far-right British commentator Katie Hopkins will be deported from Australia, following thousands of people signing a petition calling for her departure.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After it was revealed Hopkins was flown to Australia last week to take part in </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Celebrity Big Brother Australia</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a wave of online hatred and calls to remove her from the programme have been aimed at Channel 7.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, a video she uploaded to her social media profile over the weekend has intensified the calls and prompted an investigation into whether her visa was still valid.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the now-deleted video, Hopkins admitted to deliberately undermining hotel quarantine rules.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The police officer who checked me in told me when they knock on my door I have to wait 30 seconds ‘til I can open the door [to receive food],” she said in the Instagram Live video.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Then I can open the door but only if I wear a face mask.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“[To] frighten the s**t out of them and do it naked with no face mask. What I want is the sergeant in the foyer to come up and tell me off so that I can stand there naked while he tells me off.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In another video, Hopkins calls the lockdowns the “greatest hoax in human history”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The clip attracted widespread criticism from government and opposition politicians, as well as Aussies still suck overseas who questioned how she was able to score a spot in hotel quarantine in Sydney.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The controversy also resulted in Channel 7 dropping her from the show, which they confirmed in a statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Seven Network and Endemol Shine Australia confirm that Katie Hopkins is not part of Big Brother VIP. Seven and Endemol Shine strongly condemn her irresponsible and reckless comments in hotel quarantine,” the network said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.change.org/p/sendhopkinshome-don-t-let-katie-hopkins-stay-in-australia" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Change.org petition</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> calling for her departure from the country has also been started, and has received more than 31,000 signatures.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews ordered an urgent review of Hopkin’s visa to determine whether her stunt breached visa conditions.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Andrews has since revealed Hopkins’ visa had been cancelled.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We will be getting her out of the country as soon as we can arrange that,” she told </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">ABC News Breakfast</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite being granted a visa based on potential benefit to the economy, Ms Andrews described Hopkins’ act as “despicable”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m with you, it’s appalling this individual behaved the way she did,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“All visa holders must abide by the health directions issued by our health officials - we won’t tolerate those who don’t.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Hopkins hasn’t been the only source of controversy for the Channel 7 show, after the news broke that Caityln Jenner was also flying into the country to partake in the show.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Katie Hopkins / Instagram</span></em></p>

News

Ellen’s wife recovering after being rushed to hospital

<p><span>Ellen DeGeneres’ wife, Portia de Rossi, is resting at home after she was rushed to hospital and underwent an unexpected surgery last week.</span><br /><br /><span>The actress is in recovery after a health scare revealed she had appendicitis.</span><br /><br /><span>A representative for the couple told People Magazine that the actress, 48, is “doing well”.</span><br /><br /><span>“Ellen rushed Portia to the hospital on Friday night, she was in a lot of pain,” the statement read.</span><br /><br /><span>“It was appendicitis and she had surgery.”</span><br /><br /><span>They added that DeGeneres, 63, is “taking care of her. It was a scare at first, but all good now.”</span></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/B3kRZP3pN59/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/B3kRZP3pN59/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Portia de Rossi (@portiaderossi)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>de Rossi’s health scare follows just three months after DeGeneres had her own concerning medical diagnosis, admitting to the world she had tested positive for coronavirus.</span><br /><br /><span>“Hi Everyone, I want to let you all know that I tested positive for COVID-19,” the television personality wrote.</span><br /><br /><span>“Fortunately, I’m feeling fine right now. Anyone who has been in close contact with me has been notified, and I am following all proper CDC guidelines.”</span><br /><br /><span>She added, “Please stay healthy and safe.”</span><br /><br /><span>It has been a rocky year for DeGeneres indeed, who praised her wife and thanked her for her support.</span><br /><br /><span>“I couldn’t have gone through everything I went through without her,” she told People, following toxic workplace allegations against the Ellen DeGeneres Show.</span><br /><br /><span>“It was a horrible time in my life, and she was a rock. She kept me going and tried to help me put things in perspective.”</span><br /><br /><span>de Rossi added: “We’ve grown together as a couple, and we really consider each other and put our relationship first.”</span><br /><br /><span>DeGeneres and de Rossi met in 2000 and have been together for 15 years.</span><br /><br /><span>The pair married in 2008.</span></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/B6uBfQQJtYr/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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/B6uBfQQJtYr/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Portia de Rossi (@portiaderossi)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>de Rossi told Oprah in 2005: “(I knew Ellen was the one) when I first laid eyes on her, but it took me three years to actually tell her how I felt about her because I was on Ally McBeal at the time and I was not living as an openly gay person.</span><br /><br /><span>“I was closeted and very, very afraid that if I talked about being gay, it would be the end of my career, so I wasn’t about to date the most famous lesbian in the world.”</span><br /><br /><span>The couple married in 2008 after the Supreme Court of California legalised same-sex marriage in 2008.</span></p>

Caring

Portia de Rossi speaks out on wife Ellen deGeneres

<p>Portia de Rossi is standing by her wife Ellen DeGeneres as scandals and controversy continue to surround the daytime talk show <em>The Ellen DeGeneres Show</em>.</p> <p>There have been multiple reports about the toxic work culture and environment on the show, with many former staffers speaking anonymously about the culture of "racism, fear and intimidation".</p> <p>This didn't stop de Rossi from expressing her support for her wife on Instagram.</p> <p>"To all our fans, we see you. Thank you for your support," she wrote. The Australian actress concluded her post with the hashtags #stopbotattacks, #IStandWithEllenDeGeneres, #IStandByEllen, #IstandByEllenDeGeneres and #bekindtooneanother, the phrase DeGeneres uses to close out her show.</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/CDb1I_Jp2S1/?utm_source=ig_embed&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/CDb1I_Jp2S1/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">To all our fans....we see you. Thank you for your support. #stopbotattacks . #IStandWithEllenDeGeneres #IStandByEllen ‪#IstandByEllenDeGeneres ‬ . . #ellendegeneres #ellen #theellenshow #ellenshow #bekindtooneanother</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/portiaderossi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Portia de Rossi</a> (@portiaderossi) on Aug 3, 2020 at 10:03am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>De Rossi's attempt might have backfired, as angry fans were quick to comment.</p> <p>“This can’t be real. Have some accountability. It isn’t made up when it’s dozens of employees and years of bad stories. Stop acting like she is a victim when there are real victims,” one user wrote in a comment which attracted nearly 2,000 likes.</p> <p>“Do you think those employees who are coming out and complaining are liars?” another asked.</p> <p>Her post comes just one week after WarnerMedia announced it was launching an internal investigation into the talk show after the accusations went viral.</p> <p>Ellen DeGeneres also addressed the accusations in an apology to her employees.</p> <p>"My name is on the show and everything we do and I take responsibility for that," she wrote. "Alongside Warner Bros, we immediately began an internal investigation and we are taking steps, together, to correct the issues. As we've grown exponentially, I've not been able to stay on top of everything and relied on others to do their jobs as they knew I'd want them done. Clearly some didn't. That will now change and I'm committed to ensuring this does not happen again.</p> <p>"We all have to be more mindful about the way our words and actions affect others, and I'm glad the issues at our show were brought to my attention. I promise to do my part in continuing to push myself and everyone around me to learn and grow. It's important to me and to Warner Bros. that everyone who has something to say can speak up and feels safe doing so."</p> <p>Dozens of former employees from the show have also spoken out about alleged incidents of sexual misconduct and harassment by top executives as well as outraged stage crew who had been kept in the dark about their employment on the show but watched on as non-union crews helped Ellen run the show from her home.</p>

Relationships

Man found in car boot trying to cross Queensland border

<p>Police stationed at Wallangarra on the New South Wales/Queensland border crossing have had a surprise when they discovered a man hiding in the boot of a small car.</p> <p>"Oh, haha … well, hello buddy," an officer can be heard saying</p> <p>"Why are you trying to sneak across mate?</p> <p>The man was issued a fine of $4,003 for attempting to enter Queensland without a Border Declaration Pass.</p> <p>"If you can't get in through the right way, then don't try the back way," said Southern Downs Mayor Vic Pennisi.</p> <p>"I'm mayor of a region of more than 66,000 people and I don't want one person to get sick because someone's cheating.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FQueenslandPolice%2Fvideos%2F927880784342720%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p> <p>"We don't want a second spike like there has been in other states."</p> <p>Two other women in their 20s were also in the vehicle at the time.</p> <p>All three were not permitted to enter Queensland.</p> <p>Since Friday, July 3, anyone entering the state is required to complete a Border Declaration Pass, which is valid for seven days, or until the person’s circumstances change.</p> <p>"Our beer is better without a doubt, and so are our football players, so I can see why people want to come here," Mr Pennisi said.</p> <p>"But this is not about an individual, this is about our nation.</p> <p>"We need to do what is right for all of us and I hope everyone pays heed to this."</p> <p>Queensland Police released a statement saying it was committed to making sure everyone followed public health directions.</p> <p>"Vehicles will continue to be intercepted at random where police will verify declarations with identification," it said.</p> <p>"Providing false information on the declaration, or entering Queensland unlawfully, could result in a $4,003 fine.</p> <p>"Since July 10, 16 people have been fined for failing to comply with the COVID-19 Border Direction."</p>

Travel Trouble

Prince Charles plans to “boot several royals” when he becomes King

<p>According to recent reports from<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/kingprincecharlesto-kick-out-more-royal-20989538" target="_blank">The Daily Star</a>, Prince Charles, 71, has plans to boot several royals out of the Royal Family when he becomes King.</p> <p>It is said that he wants to cut the number of working royals to the bare minimum after the fallout of the Prince Andrew scandal.</p> <p>The scandal, which thrust Prince Andrew’s friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has people now paying attention to Prince Charles’ plans.</p> <p>Royal experts have said that Prince Charles s moving forward with his plans for a reduced working monarchy.</p> <p>Brittani Barger, deputy editor of Royal Central, spoke to<span> </span>The Daily Star<span> </span>about the plans.</p> <p>“I think the Andrew crisis has definitely strengthened Prince Charles's desire for a slimmed-down monarchy,” she said.</p> <p>“Prince Andrew is now out of the picture. I don't see him ever undertaking royal duties again, and any hope that his daughters would is now gone.</p> <p>“So the process of slimming the monarchy has already begun as we know Charles was pushing his mother to meet with Andrew and have him step back from his royal duties.”</p> <p>Barger thinks that the future working monarchy will be Charles, his children and his grandchildren.</p> <p>“I think when it's all said and done, the monarchy will be Charles and his children and grandchildren.</p> <p>“Of course, a valid argument could be made for keeping the Princess Royal as a working royal considering how hard-working she is.</p> <p>“However, I see her and the Wessexes continuing to visit patronages and all under the reign of Charles like the Kents and Glouchesters have done under The Queen's reign - as non-working royals.”</p> <p>Charlie Proctor, editor of Royal Central, says that the crisis has strengthened the desire for a smaller monarchy.</p> <p>“I should imagine there were plenty of people sceptical of reports that Prince Charles wanted a slimmed down monarchy when he became king,” he told Daily Star Online.</p> <p>“It was widely thought that his siblings and other extended members of The Royal Family provided valuable work, so might have been opposed by some.</p> <p>"It is still true that the extended royals perform valuable work. Princess Anne and the Earl & Countess of Wessex for example are some of the hardest working royals, and a slimmed down monarchy would see them as casualties.”</p> <p>Proctor said public support has shot up after the BBC Newsnight interview.</p> <p>“However, since the Prince Andrew debacle and the events surrounding his Newsnight interview, I should imagine support for a slimmed-down monarchy have shot up overnight.</p> <p>"For all the positive work royals do in their line of work, it takes only one incident for everything to unravel.</p> <p>“Prince Andrew would probably have been sidelined during King Charles’s reign anyhow, but his expulsion from public duties has now been sped up.</p> <p>"Charles only wants his immediate family conducting engagements. This consists of himself, Camilla, William, Kate, Harry & Meghan. In time, the Cambridge children will also become part of ‘The Firm’.”</p>

News

Inside Ellen DeGeneres' luxury $10 million Santa Barbara home

<p>Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi have dropped the price of their gorgeous vintage farm near Santa Barbara, California. </p> <p>The property had over $1 million slashed from its price back in July and is now going for AUD$10 million. </p> <p>The prolific home owners purchased the home for AUD$9.8 million a little over a year ago and turned it into a posh, design-savvy home that is hard to resist! </p> <p>With three bedrooms and three and a half bathrooms with an additional barn house for a lucky guest, the 10.5 acre mountain and ocean-view property has become a haven for any potential buyer looking for seclusion in comfortable luxury. </p> <p>Built in 1917, the main floor has an open layout with wide, beautiful plank oak floors throughout to give a real farmhouse feel. </p> <p>The kitchen has a unique touch with all black granite counter tops, grey cabinetry, stone slabs and sleek, stainless steel appliances. </p> <p>The living and dining area also carry a dark tone with a painted stone fireplace. </p> <p>The master suite offers a size that is unlike any other - with vaulted ceilings, custom lighting and a french doors leading to a verandah it is the type of airy and spacious part of the home a haven. </p> <p>The property also comes with a century-old barn as well as a spa, various terraces pastures that give a view worth looking at. </p> <p>The equestrian estate is located between Montecito and Carpinteria - areas DeGeneres and her wife de Rossi are familiar with. </p> <p>The couple have spent an estimate of $145 million flipping homes.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see Ellen's gorgeous home. </p>

International Travel

Obsessed with property! Ellen DeGeneres buys $64.7 million Beverly Hills mansion

<p>Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi have opened their colossal cheque book again to buy Adam Levine’s $64.7 million mansion.</p> <p>The Maroon 5 singer and his Victoria Secret model wife Behati Prinsloo lived in the home for just one year before offloading the Beverly Hills mansion in LA.</p> <p>The sprawling 10,376 square foot home is a five-bedroom, 12-bathroom property and seems to be the perfect addition to DeGeneres’ growing collection of pricy real estate.</p> <p>Levine reportedly sank $11.5 million into upgrading the home during the 12 months he owned it.</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/BwnnqX9gVOs/" 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/BwnnqX9gVOs/" target="_blank">Here we go! 💪 Who's ready to stare down these #VoiceCrossBattles results? 😏</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/nbcthevoice/" target="_blank"> NBC's The Voice</a> (@nbcthevoice) on Apr 23, 2019 at 6:00pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>It’s unsure what DeGeneres and de Rossi plan on doing with the mansion, but the final deal was just a couple of million short of Levine's $68.3 million asking price. It was well above the $48 million the Maroon 5 frontman and<span> </span><em>The Voice USA</em> judge paid for the home.</p> <p>The property was built in 1933 in the traditional American vernacular style of the time and the three-storey home has crown moulding in many of the common living areas on the first floor.</p> <p>There are also multiple areas for lounging in the backyard around the in-ground pool.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to take a tour inside the $64.7 million Beverly Hills mansion.</p> <p><em>Photo credits: <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mansionglobal.com/articles/adam-levine-sells-45-million-beverly-hills-mansion-in-five-weeks-203346" target="_blank">Mansion Global</a> </em></p>

Booted Jacqui Lambie admits struggles: "Living on Vegemite toast"

<p>Controversial Senator-elect Jacqui Lambie, has revealed the struggles she faced after being booted from Parliament.</p> <p>Lambie – who made a stunning comeback after being re-elected in last week’s federal election – shared how she was forced to live off $150 a week after being kicked out of Parliament in 2017 for being a dual citizen.</p> <p>Speaking to <a rel="noopener" href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/" target="_blank"><em>The New Daily</em></a>, Lambie said the sudden unemployment left her with nothing and that she survived by munching on Vegemite toast.</p> <p>After falling behind on her mortgage payments, Lambie decided to take part in reality show,<span> </span><em>I’m</em> <em>A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here</em> to help pay for her political campaign.</p> <p>According to her, she only made $20,000 a year from media appearances and public speaking. Out of that income, she attempted to pay for groceries and home repayments of $1000 a month.</p> <p>“I just had to do it. No new clothes. No make up. I just did it. I had friends who cut their own meat, and (have) veggie gardens. They were giving back,” she said.</p> <p>“You just do it. I was not prepared to go back on the dole queue.</p> <p>“I don’t run around in Armani, sweetie.”</p> <p>In 2017, Lambie outed herself as a dual citizen, forcing her departure from Parliament.</p> <p>“There was no pay out. Because we were imposters. It was just walk out and you’re finished,” she said.</p> <p>After being re-elected in Tasmania, Lambie will now earn a cool $200,000 a year. Out of that hefty amount, she plans on devoting $1500 a month to putting a stranger through drug rehabilitation – a cause that’s close to her heart as her own son fought an ice addiction.</p> <p>Talking about son Dylan, the 48-year-old said, “That was four years ago now. He’s holding down a good job and all the rest. He gets tested where he is for drugs.”</p> <p>“I just like to give back. My son spent 18 months in long-term rehab and now I want to sponsor someone again.</p> <p>“It’s long-term rehab – $1500 a month. Soon as I get paid, I was talking to them yesterday, I will sponsor someone again.”</p> <p>And regarding her love life? Lambie says there’s nothing to look forward to.</p> <p>“Mate, I was broke, I was unemployed, I don’t think that’s very attractive to blokes,” she said.</p> <p>“It’s been a while now. It’s been about 15 years.”</p>

Retirement Income

Inside Ellen and Portia's $25 million Beverly Hills mansion

<p>Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi have put their massive Beverly Hills mansion back on the market just six months after buying it.</p> <p>They’ve put the home up for sale at a cool $17.95 million (AUD$25,278,985) after they originally bought it for $15 million (AUD$21,124,500).</p> <p>Apparently, Ellen and Portia spruced up the place by spending $1 million on renovations.</p> <p>The regency-style home was built in 1962 and was designed by John Elgin Woolf, who was the architect to the stars at the time.</p> <p>With the mixture of luxury and vintage touches scattered throughout the mansion, it brings the home into the 21st century, thanks to design firm Marmol Radziner.</p> <p>With web patterned wood ceilings and original Pullman entry doors, this property is bound to be snapped up quickly.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to take a tour inside the incredible home.</p> <p><em>Photo gallery credits: Westside Estate Agency and Nourmand </em></p>

International Travel

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