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Rebecca Loos claims Beckham is "playing the victim" over affair scandal

<p>Rebecca Loos, the woman at the centre of the alleged <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/woman-at-the-centre-of-alleged-beckham-affair-breaks-silence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">affair scandal</a> with iconic football legend David Beckham, has recently shared her thoughts on the new <em>Beckham</em> docuseries, which was released on Netflix.</p> <p>Loos, now 47 and residing in Norway with her husband and two children, expressed her concerns regarding the way the affair was handled in the docuseries, which was produced in collaboration with Beckham's production company.</p> <p>In the early 2000s, Loos gained notoriety for her claims of a romantic involvement with David Beckham during his time as a football superstar. In the docuseries, the Beckhams primarily discussed the media frenzy that ensued following Loos' revelations in 2003, but skirted around the specifics of the affair itself.</p> <p>It was during that tumultuous period that Loos had declared her connection with the football player while working as his personal assistant, even suggesting that the Beckhams had been dealing with marital issues before her involvement came to light. At the time, the celebrity couple vehemently denied any wrongdoing and even considered legal action against Loos.</p> <p>Victoria Beckham, 49, revealed in the docuseries, "It was the most unhappy I have ever been in my entire life," while David Beckham, 48, tearfully stated, "Victoria is everything to me. To see her hurt was incredibly difficult… what we had was worth fighting for."</p> <p>Loos, however, took issue with David's statement. In a <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-12657157/rebecca-loos-affair-david-beckham-netflix.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">candid interview with the Daily Mail</a>, she expressed her frustration: "The [worst] bit for me is that he says he didn't like seeing his wife suffer. That bothered me. Because he's the one that's caused the suffering. He can say whatever he likes, of course, and I understand he has an image to preserve, but he is portraying himself as the victim and he's making me look like a liar, like I've made up these stories. He is indirectly suggesting that I'm the one who has made Victoria suffer."</p> <p>Loos also argued that the docuseries had thrust the affair back into the spotlight, an issue that many had forgotten about since the news first broke 20 years ago, thereby further impacting her reputation. She emphasised, "Yes, the stories were horrible, but they're true. He talks in the documentary about this ultimately being his private life, shutting it down. I think it's one thing to keep your private life to yourself. It's another thing to mislead the public."</p> <p>She suggested that David could have chosen to acknowledge that it was not one of his proudest moments or characterised it as a challenging period and moved on from the subject. However, she felt that he continued to phrase his statements in a way that indirectly shifted the blame onto her.</p> <p>"If you don't want to take responsibility for things because of your family and your children, that's absolutely fine," Loos commented, "But he specifically made it look like… my fault, that he had nothing to do with this."</p> <p>Loos, after the 2003 allegations, embarked on a path as a media personality, participating in various English and Dutch TV shows. In 2008, while filming the Dutch TV show <em>71 Graden Noord</em>, she crossed paths with her future husband, Norwegian doctor Sven Christjar Skaiaa. After becoming pregnant, the couple decided to relocate to Norway in 2009. Today, she works as a yoga teacher and a massage therapist in Norway while raising her two sons and only occasionally making media appearances.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

TV

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Wayne Carey's flippant comment on past cheating scandal

<p dir="ltr">Wayne Carey has made a series of astonishing remarks about the high profile affair that ended his career, as he engaged with cheeky fans on X, formerly known as Twitter. </p> <p dir="ltr">The exchange began when the former AFL player made a seemingly innocent statement about AFL teams trading players. </p> <p dir="ltr">“If your club gets a player that plays your position? That should always be used as motivation to have the best preseason you have ever had,” the former Kangaroos star wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Difference between being good and great? Absolutely nothing beats hard work #tradeshow.”</p> <p dir="ltr">But fans were quick to recall Carey changing clubs back in 2002, as one person cheekily asked, “How come you traded clubs?” to which Carey replied, “Really?”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Didn’t work hard enough?” another added to the banter.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many others added to the virtual pile on, until one fan recalled the reason why he had to change clubs 21 years ago. </p> <p dir="ltr">“He slept with his teammate's wife!” the account wrote, to which the footy star responded with “3 times”. </p> <p dir="ltr">The rogue posts didn't stop there, as the same fan then jokingly asked if the footy star was “back on the bags”, referring to Carey's <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/it-s-not-a-great-look-afl-legend-caught-with-mysterious-substance-at-crown-casino" target="_blank" rel="noopener">incident at Perth Crown Casino</a>when a suspicious looking bag of white powder fell out of his pocket while he was gambling.</p> <p dir="ltr">On last year’s season of <em>SAS Australia</em>, Carey spoke candidly about the affair scandal. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I slept with a teammate’s wife. It’s haunted me for 20 years,” he said at the time. </p> <p dir="ltr">“My integrity will always be questioned. I’m not trying to prove anything to the public — it’s to myself." </p> <p dir="ltr">“People can change. They evolve. Hopefully this can help me.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Relationships

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Major twist in BBC presenter scandal

<p>A damning scandal surrounding a high-profile BBC presenter has grown after a second victim has come forward against the anonymous personality. </p> <p>Just days after an exclusive report from <em>The Sun</em> claimed a well-known presenter for the public broadcaster had paid a teenager for explicit images, another woman has now claimed she was contacted online by the star. </p> <p>She said the presenter sent “abusive and menacing” messages online, and “felt threatened” when she refused to meet up with the presenter in person. </p> <p>They recognised the presenter after connecting on a dating app and, the BBC reported, “hinted they might name” them which led to a number of “abusive expletive filled messages”.</p> <p>“The young person said they had been scared by the power the presenter held,” BBC News reported. </p> <p>“They said the threats made in the messages … had frightened them, and they remain scared.” </p> <p>The person, in their early twenties, has no connection to the first person who came forward with the allegations. </p> <p>The presenter, who has yet to be named, has not commented on the allegations. </p> <p>These new allegations come just days after the first victim's family <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/bbc-presenter-suspended-over-deeply-concerning-allegations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">came forward</a> and accused the anonymous presenter for sending their teenager a total of £35,000 ($67,000AUD) for explicit pictures over a three year period.</p> <p>The correspondence with the presenter allegedly began when the first person was just 17 years old, with the mother of the person, now in their twenties, saying the money was funding a dangerous drug habit. </p> <p>The mother said of the BBC presenter, “When I see him on telly, I feel sick. I blame this BBC man for destroying my child’s life.”</p> <p>In a statement on Sunday, the BBC confirmed that it "first became aware of a complaint in May".</p> <p dir="ltr">"New allegations were put to us on Thursday of a different nature and in addition to our own enquiries we have also been in touch with external authorities, in line with our protocols," it added.</p> <p dir="ltr">The statement said that "a male member of staff has been suspended".</p> <p dir="ltr">"This is a complex and fast moving set of circumstances and the BBC is working as quickly as possible to establish the facts in order to properly inform appropriate next steps," the BBC added.</p> <p dir="ltr">London's Metropolitan Police released a statement later on Sunday confirming the BBC contacted it over the matter, "but no formal referral or allegation has been made".</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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Pop star discovered tragically dead at 33 in the wake of scandal

<p>South Korean pop star Choi Sung-bong, who was caught running a notorious cancer scam has passed away at age 33.</p> <p><em>The Korean Times</em> reported that Choi was found by police at his Seoul home on the morning of June 20. He was pronounced dead soon after.</p> <p>Authorities have reportedly ruled the singer’s cause of death as a suicide.</p> <p>According to the Hollywood Reporter, after years of online fame stemming from a 2011 performance on Korea’s Got Talent, Choi confessed he had tricked his fans into donating money to him after claiming he needed funds for cancer treatment.</p> <p>Choi had claimed he had been battling multiple forms of cancer to obtain the donations, however, his claims were later exposed as a hoax.</p> <p>He also claimed he had returned all donated funds from a false fundraiser.</p> <p>Choi later issued a grovelling apology and vowed to return all of the donations sent by his fans.</p> <p>One day before his alleged suicide, Choi posted a note on his YouTube channel apologising for “foolish mistakes” in the past, according to The Mirror.</p> <p>The chilling letter said he needed to "repay for his sins with his life” and showed the address of where his body would be after taking his life.</p> <p>“My body can be found at [his home location]. I don’t know how to write a final message, so I will just write it in my own style. Even though my breath may have stopped now, I have no regrets about the brilliant journey of my life. I have lived my life to the fullest and made efforts to find happiness every day. Age thirty-four," (as per Korean age system), he said.</p> <p>Choi was best known for competing in Korea’s Got Talent in 2011, coming in at second place.</p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIy99OT2BAQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vIy99OT2BAQ"></iframe></a></p> <p>A clip of him singing a cover of Nella Fantasia by Ennio Morricone quickly went viral online, thrusting him into the spotlight  – <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">with singing sensation Justin Bieber even acknowledging his talent.</span></p> <p><em>Image credit: YouTube</em></p>

Caring

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Pip Edwards breaks silence on Michael Clarke scandal

<p>The woman at the centre of Michael Clarke's alleged cheating scandal has spoken candidly about the dramatic events in Noosa. </p> <p>The P.E. Nation fashion designer made a stunning appearance at the Australian Open on Saturday ahead of the women's final, where she was grilled about the now-viral fight. </p> <p>Edwards told <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/pip-edwards-hits-out-at-the-carnival-of-the-michael-clarke-scandal-and-says-she-is-focused-on-business-pe-nation/news-story/8d91cfabae96e43b78b24e3414775dbb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a>, “It is definitely not my circus and I would like to say the carnival is over.”</p> <p>“The carnival is over and, to be honest, the focus for me is on the global expansion of P.E. Nation."</p> <p>“The carnival is done.”  </p> <p>A video of Clarke fighting with his girlfriend Jade Yarbrough went viral, in which Yarbrough accused the cricketer of cheating on her with his ex-girlfriend Edwards. </p> <p>After the scandal made headlines, photos emerged of Edwards at the pool, and some media outlets published them with a headline reading, “revenge body”.</p> <p>Pip quickly dispelled the sexist headlines, stating, “I have had this body for a very long time.”</p> <p>“I work on my body. It is part of my mental health. It is part of my stability. It is part of how I conquer my day. I live and breathe what I do. I thought that (headline) was a very interesting take."</p> <p>“As a woman in business, as a single mother, as someone who has worked very hard her whole life, the aesthetics of me are literally the cherry on top. It is the iceberg underneath that is what I am doing."</p> <p>“First and foremost I am a mother and a businesswoman, I just come with a body."</p> <p>“It is not out of revenge, it is not out of anything other than being healthy, fit and active.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

News

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Why do people overshare online? 5 expert tips for avoiding social media scandal

<p>Social media are increasingly blurring the lines between our personal and professional lives, leaving us at risk of posting sensitive information that could have ramifications far beyond our “friends” list.</p> <p>Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin recently found this out the hard way after a video of her <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/finnish-pm-sanna-marin-seen-partying-in-leaked-video/news-story/ee2c1b2a86add23a7d693598a20d2631" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dancing and drinking</a> with friends, first posted to a private Instagram account, was leaked to the press. Marin was forced to apologise, and even volunteered for a drug test, after enduring a worldwide media storm.</p> <p>Other kinds of oversharing can have consequences, too. In 2020, police in Australia shared photos of <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/thirteen-victoria-police-employees-suspended-or-transferred-over-dean-laidley-photos-20200717-p55d39.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrested ex-footballer Dani Laidley</a> in a private WhatsApp group, and the photos were then made public. Thirteen officers were suspended or transferred, with some facing charges for privacy and human rights breaches.</p> <p>Many employers are <a href="https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7877807/parliament-house-crackdown-on-public-servants-social-media/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introducing policies</a> to reduce this kind of risk. <a href="https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2021/user_behaivors/user_behaivors/5/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Our research</a> shows what drives much online oversharing – and we can offer some tips to keep yourself clear of social media scandal.</p> <p><strong>The personal and professional risks of oversharing</strong></p> <p>People have different preferences for boundaries between their professional and personal lives. Some prefer to keep their work relationships formal, while others treat colleagues as friends.</p> <p>However, even if we choose to maintain strong boundaries between our professional and personal lives, we may still find details of our lives divulged on social media by others.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">'I am a human ... But I have not missed a single day of work, a single task, and I never will' — Finnish PM Sanna Marin continued to defend herself from the fallout of several leaked videos showing her drinking and partying with personal friends <a href="https://t.co/sA82YnpNxJ">pic.twitter.com/sA82YnpNxJ</a></p> <p>— NowThis (@nowthisnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/nowthisnews/status/1562835718195630080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p><a href="https://www.webroot.com/gb/en/resources/tips-articles/hey-teens-chances-are-youll-regret-oversharing-information-online" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Research</a> has reported more than half of us feel anxious about family, friends and colleagues sharing information, photos or videos we do not want to be shared publicly. Yet many of us also reveal an inappropriate amount of detail about our own lives (“oversharing”) on social media, and regret it later.</p> <p>Beyond the potential for embarrassment, indiscriminate sharing on social media can have significant negative consequences for your professional life. Many employers actively use social media to <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/more-than-half-of-employers-have-found-content-on-social-media-that-caused-them-not-to-hire-a-candidate-according-to-recent-careerbuilder-survey-300694437.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research job candidates</a>, while some employees have <a href="https://careers.workopolis.com/advice/6-people-who-were-fired-for-social-media-posts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lost their jobs</a> due to social media posts.</p> <p><strong>Emotions drive oversharing</strong></p> <p>Why are so many of us prone to oversharing? <a href="https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2021/user_behaivors/user_behaivors/5/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Our research</a> suggests emotions are central.</p> <p>When we feel strong emotions, we often use social media to communicate with and get support from friends, family and colleagues. We might share good news when we feel happy or excited, or anger and frustration might drive us to vent about our employers.</p> <p>When emotional, it is easy for us to cross the boundary between work and social life, underestimating the consequences of social media posts that can quickly go viral.</p> <p>We have five simple tips for people to avoid oversharing and creating a social media scandal for themselves or others.</p> <p><strong>1. Set clear boundaries between personal life and work</strong></p> <p>Be clear about the boundaries between your social life and work. Set rules, limits and acceptable behaviours to protect these boundaries.</p> <p>Let your friends, colleagues and family know your expectations. If someone oversteps your boundaries, raise your concerns. Consider your relationship with individuals who do not respect your boundaries.</p> <p>You can also establish boundaries by maintaining separate professional and social accounts on different social media platforms, and only sharing things relevant to work on your professional account.</p> <p><strong>2. Respect the boundaries of others</strong></p> <p>Be aware of and respect the boundaries of others. Don’t share photos or videos of others without their permission.</p> <p>If someone doesn’t want their photo to be taken, video to be recorded or their name to be tagged, respect their wishes. Treat others on social media the same way you would like to be treated.</p> <p><strong>3. Lock down your social media accounts</strong></p> <p>Adjust your privacy settings to control who can view your profile and posts.</p> <p>Most social media platforms provide features to help users protect their privacy online. Facebook’s “<a href="https://www.facebook.com/help/443357099140264" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Privacy Checkup tool</a>”, for example, lets you see what you’re sharing and with whom.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Facebook revamps "privacy checkup" to help manage data settings<a href="https://t.co/nUMsnB7ACk">https://t.co/nUMsnB7ACk</a> <a href="https://t.co/jd1NAWdWkU">pic.twitter.com/jd1NAWdWkU</a></p> <p>— Mashable (@mashable) <a href="https://twitter.com/mashable/status/1214232258963488769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2020</a></p></blockquote> <p>Also consider what information you place in your profile. If you don’t want your personal social media profile associated with your employer, do not list your employer in your profile.</p> <p><strong>4. Share consciously to avoid mistakes</strong></p> <p>Do not use social media when you feel emotional. Especially if you are feeling strong emotions like hurt, anger or excitement, give yourself time to process your feelings before posting.</p> <p>Ask yourself: How many people will see this post? Would anyone be hurt? Does anyone benefit? Would I feel comfortable if my colleagues or supervisors saw this?</p> <p>Assume what you share can be seen by your friends, enemies, colleagues, boss and another 5,000 people. Stop if you don’t want any of them to see what you’re thinking about posting.</p> <p><strong>5. If you do overshare, try to remove unwanted content</strong></p> <p>Oversharing and accidental posting are not uncommon. If you have posted unwanted content, remove it immediately.</p> <p>If you are concerned about information about yourself on someone else’s social media, raise your concerns and ask the person who posted to remove it.</p> <p>If the information has spread through multiple sources, it is a bit tricky, but it is worth trying to contact the website or service that hosts the information or image to remove the content.</p> <p>If you need further assistance with removing online content, you can also try a <a href="https://www.contentremoval.com/about" target="_blank" rel="noopener">content removal service</a>.</p> <p><strong>Posting is forever</strong></p> <p>Be aware that nothing shared over social media is private. Even “private” messages can easily be forwarded, screenshotted, posted and shared elsewhere.</p> <p>You should treat social media content like your personal brand. If you wouldn’t say it to your colleagues and managers, don’t post it online.</p> <p>Social media can enrich our professional and personal lives, but ill-considered posts and oversharing can be damaging to yourself and others. Being smart on social media is something we need to get better at in our professional lives, just as much as our personal lives.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/189528/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/van-hau-trieu-1372977" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Van-Hau Trieu</a>, Senior Lecturer in Information Systems, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/deakin-university-757" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deakin University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/vanessa-cooper-1374731" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vanessa Cooper</a>, Professor, Information Systems, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-people-overshare-online-5-expert-tips-for-avoiding-social-media-scandal-189528" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Technology

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Brian Houston resigns from Hillsong amid more scandal

<p dir="ltr">Brian Houston’s reign as the head of Hillsong Church has come to a shocking end, after it was announced he resigned from the global megachurch.</p> <p dir="ltr">The church’s founder resigned as Global Senior Pastor after an internal investigation into two incidents involving Brian found he had breached the church’s code of conduct, as reported by <em><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/hillsong-church-brian-houston-resigns-as-head-of-megachurch/f4ead2f0-5292-418f-a38a-5c579ee2680b" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Dear Church, we would like to advise you that Pastor Brian Houston has resigned as Global Senior Pastor of Hillsong Church and the board has accepted his resignation,” a statement from the church read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Irrespective of the circumstances around this, we can all agree that Brian and (his wife) Bobbie have served God faithfully over many decades.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We ask that you continue to pray for them, and the entire Houston family, during this challenging time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The church revealed last week that Brian had breached its moral code following the investigation.</p> <p dir="ltr">He allegedly sent inappropriate text messages to a staff member a decade ago, and entered a woman’s room at a conference in 2019 after mixing medication and alcohol.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The first issue was approximately a decade ago and involved inappropriate text messages from Pastor Brian to a member of staff, which subsequently resulted in the staff member resigning,” last week’s statement read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At the time, Pastor Brian was under the influence of sleeping tablets, upon which he had developed a dependence.</p> <p dir="ltr">Hillsong said Brian apologised to the staff member and received help from the church for his use of sleeping pills.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Following an in-depth investigation, it was found that Pastor Brian became disoriented after a session at the Hillsong Conference, following the consumption of anti-anxiety medication beyond the prescribed dose, mixed with alcohol,” the statement said of the second incident.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This resulted in him knocking on the door of a hotel room that was not his, entering this room and spending time with the female occupant.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Although members of the church were likely rocked by the news on Wednesday afternoon, this moment has been a long time coming for critics of the church and its leader.</p> <p dir="ltr">Brian Houston‘s resignation as Global Senior Pastor of the church comes just a month after he stepped down as the church’s figurehead last month while facing charges of concealing historic child sex abuse offences committed by his father, Frank.</p> <p dir="ltr">He was charged with concealing a serious indictable offence of another person in October last year, pleading not guilty to the charges after he returned to Australia from the US.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Hillsong’s external legal counsel gave the board advice regarding the current charge I’m facing and that it would be best practice for me to step aside completely from church completely during court proceedings,” Brian previously said.</p> <p dir="ltr">These aren’t the first scandals Hillsong has been embroiled in either, with accusations of homophobia, celebrity pastor infidelity, and the accepting of millions in tax-free donations from attendees being just a few.</p> <p dir="ltr">“With that tax-free status must come greater responsibility. If you don’t pay taxes, like you and me, then you ought to be more accountable,” former Senator Nick Xenaphon told <em><a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/hillsong-church-critic-reacts-to-leader-brian-houstons-resignation/fe878186-9fa6-4b1b-adf1-345478595282" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Obviously there’s a lot to unravel here but if you’re the leader then the buck must stop with you.”</p> <p dir="ltr">With Brian’s resignation, Phil Dooley and his wife Lucinda have now taken over leading the church.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, it’s still possible that this will simply be an interim measure until a new leader is appointed.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-0b1858bb-7fff-6b2b-a4e0-f89b17a71040"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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Peng Shuai T-shirt scandal puts Tennis Australia in hot water

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Australian Open organisers are at the centre of even more criticism over their handling of spectators with items asking “where is Peng Shuai?”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Tennis Australia (TA) has </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis/australian-open/tennis-australia-destroyed-over-peng-shuai-tshirt-scandal/news-story/cb7c1678360dd16a87bbf8e996924083" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">stood by</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> its decision after footage emerged of security and police requesting a fan remove her shirt calling for the Chinese tennis player’s fate to be addressed.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ms Shuai gained worldwide attention after she “disappeared” following a post she shared on social media containing allegations of sexual abuse against a former high-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though she has since been seen <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/missing-tennis-star-makes-public-appearance" target="_blank">in videos and photos</a> shared by Chinese state media, many have expressed concerns that those were staged and activists have questioned whether she is able to act freely.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The video of the scene at Melbourne Park ended with police saying TA was permitted to confiscate any material referencing Ms Shuai.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A TA spokesperson told News Corp Australia that the organisation feared for Ms Shuai’s safety, but that fans were not allowed to make political statements with clothing at the Australian Open.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Under our ticket conditions of entry we don’t allow clothing, banners or signs that are commercial or political,” the spokesperson said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Peng Shuai’s safety is our primary concern. We continue to work with the WTA (Women’s Tennis Association) and global tennis community to seek more clarity on her situation and will do everything we can to ensure her wellbeing.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Interestingly, journalists can ask questions about the Peng Shuai situation to players, but fans, seemingly, aren't allowed to.... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AusOpen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AusOpen</a> <a href="https://t.co/SCqNlH2bOx">pic.twitter.com/SCqNlH2bOx</a></p> — Matt Walsh (@MattWalshMedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/MattWalshMedia/status/1485052235251957760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Drew Pavlou shared footage online of his friend Max Mok and another person being asked by security about their clothes - including shirts which said “Where is Peng Shuai?” - and later by police.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Mok slammed the TA’s reaction, telling </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theage.com.au/sport/tennis/tennis-australia-confiscate-where-is-peng-shuai-shirts-banners-at-open-20220123-p59qi2.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Nine newspapers</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> it was a hypocritical decision.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I can remember him  (the security guard) saying over and over that he had been instructed by someone higher up to confiscate (the Peng items),” Mr Mok said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“On top of that, he also kept saying - and I don’t think this was in the video - but he kept saying he had eyes and ears everywhere, you can’t hide, things like that. Who exactly am I hiding from?</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He said someone found it political and reported it, but couldn’t say who.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I would be surprised if someone at the ground reported us.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Pavlou also spruiked a GoFundMe page to print more “Where is Peng Shuai?” shirts, revealing on Twitter that it had amassed nearly $6,000 in donations.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Wow, in less than 24 hours we have raised almost $6000 to print a thousand “Where Is Peng Shuai” shirts to hand out for free at the Australian Open women’s final. <a href="https://twitter.com/TennisAustralia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TennisAustralia</a> good luck keeping your $25 million corporate sponsorship from China <a href="https://t.co/BN9oi6mPdl">https://t.co/BN9oi6mPdl</a> <a href="https://t.co/iNiVxDrwP8">pic.twitter.com/iNiVxDrwP8</a></p> — Drew Pavlou For Senate (@DrewPavlou) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrewPavlou/status/1484846760669638660?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Mok said the TA’s treatment of him was hypocritical considering its claims that Ms Shuai’s safety was its “primary concern”, and hoped that more people would follow their lead and show their support for the tennis star.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Hypocrisy is an understatement. It’s not sincere, and it’s just a way for them (TA) to avoid a PR disaster,” he told Nine.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“You can see that from the huge amount of support that we’ve got from the public. If we had less support, this could have gone very wrong.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If Tennis Australia is serious about the movement, they’ll let people in (with Peng-related items). Time will tell which side they’re on.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Regardless, it’ll be a good message to send not just to Australia, but internationally. Imagine a whole court filled with ‘Free Peng Shuai’ shirts?”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many have shared their criticisms of the organisation online, while some have pointed out the double standard between spectators and journalists with questions about the missing player.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Interestingly, journalists can ask questions about the Peng Shuai situation to players, but fans, seemingly, aren’t allowed to,” journalist Matt Walsh wrote.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">I get if a hotel says 'No thongs', asks you to leave and then calls the police if you don't because the police can see that you're wearing thongs. I don't think the police can look at a 'Where is Peng Shuai?' t-shirt and just as easily tell that it's a political statement. <a href="https://t.co/hTmkcF7EXB">pic.twitter.com/hTmkcF7EXB</a></p> — Shaun Micallef (@shaunmicallef) <a href="https://twitter.com/shaunmicallef/status/1485115549718048771?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Comedian Shaun Micallef also weighed in, questioning why asking about Ms Shuai’s whereabouts was a political statement in the eyes of TA.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Only in mainland China would asking after somebody’s whereabouts be regarded as a political statement,” he wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I get if a hotel says ‘’No thongs’, asks you to leave and then calls the police if you don’t because the police can see that you’re wearing thongs. I don’t think the police can look at a ‘Where is Peng Shuai?’ T-shirt and just as easily tell that it’s a political statement.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Multiple players have been asked about Ms Shuai during the first week of the competition, with Aussie star Ash Barty saying she hoped she was doing OK.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Hopefully it’s not too long until we see her back out here,” Barty said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">When asked whether she was concerned that something “sinister” was at play, Barty said she didn’t have the knowledge to answer.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Belarusian Victoria Azarenka, who is a member of the WTA Player Council, also spoke about Ms Shuai, saying the association’s main goal was to hear from her personally, while Japan’s Naomi Osaka said she hadn’t heard any news either.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m not sure if that’s concerning or not,” she said. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I feel like it’s a situation where we need more information, which is definitely really hard. Kind of, I think everyone’s waiting.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: @CaraMia200 (Twitter)</span></em></p>

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Barnaby Joyce's fiancée shares the story of their scandalous relationship

<p>Barnaby Joyce's fiancée has shared the tumultuous story of the pair's relationship, which hit turbulent times after their affair was make public. </p> <p>Vikki Campion, who is 18 years younger than the National's leader, feared she would have to give birth alone and "walk away" from judgemental friends when she was secretly pregnant to the now Deputy Prime Minister.</p> <p>In 2018, Vikki gave birth to their son Sebastian and their second son Thomas a year later. </p> <p>The very public affair between the MP and his staffer forced Barnaby to step down from his role in politics, only to be reinstated years later. </p> <p>Despite the couple's relationship beginning with a rocky start, the pair got engaged in Coffs Harbour last week, with Vikki comparing their relationship to a "great love throughout history".</p> <p>Vikki admitted that the early days of their relationship "wasn't perfect", but also insists that she doesn't regret the drama surrounding their infidelity. </p> <p>In a column for <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/vikki-campion-on-bended-knees-barnaby-asked-me-i-melted/news-story/10307fbe332d4a99bf9c3103ecfa763a" target="_blank">The Daily Telegraph</a>, Vikki said, "<span>Even until the day he said in Parliament that I was his partner, I didn’t believe it to be accurate. He said he would be there in the labour ward and I didn’t believe that either."</span></p> <p><span>The mother-of-two went on to explain that during a whirlwind of "twisted mistakes" and "</span>humiliation", she was forced to "walk away" from her friends before they got the chance to "exile" her. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">"You swap your job for harsh stares, paparazzi and paranoia, schoolyard ­rumours cooking up in Ultimo newsrooms, many without a yolk of truth and you stop answering the door," she said.</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">"He has asked me a thousand times: 'Would you go through it all again?' And my answer has always been yes."</p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">In December 2017, Barnaby Joyce used the distraction fo the parliamentary debate on same sex marriage to confirm he was no longer with Natalie, his ex-wife of 24 years and mother to his four daughters. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">After photos emerged of a heavily pregnant Vikki, his then staff member, the pair were forced to confirm their relationship, sending Barnaby's political career into disarray. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font">After spending several years forced to the backbench of Parliament, Barnaby was reinstated as the leader of the Nationals party in June 2021. </p> <p class="mol-para-with-font"><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

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Voicemail and a car crash: How Tiger Woods’ cheating scandal emerged

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite becoming the first athlete to make $USD 1 billion in 2009, it was also the year that saw Tiger Woods’ life crumble around him as </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://honey.nine.com.au/latest/tiger-woods-cheating-scandal-details-elin-nordegren-what-happened-explainer/b93a94da-8d22-4398-a9d3-2c4d58a26c11" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">it was revealed</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> he had been cheating on his wife Elin Nordegren with multiple women.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In November of that year, tabloids reported on Woods’ affair with nightclub manager Rachel Uchitel. Several days later, he crashed his car outside his Florida mansion at 2am, with rumours emerging that he had tried to flee after being confronted by Nordegren.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the news of his crash, reports of his infidelity continued to surface from a number of women.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some outlets also reported that Nordegren made the discovery while looking at Woods’ phone.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A voicemail allegedly left by Woods for one of the women he was seeing was later published by </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">US Weekly</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Hey, it’s Tiger,” a man said in the message. “I need you to do me a huge favour. Can you please take your name off your phone? My wife went through my phone and may be calling you.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Woods initially denied the claims, he later admitted they were true and apologised.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Over the next few months, women continued to come forward with claims of sleeping with Woods during his eight-year relationship with Nordegren.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He would go on to speak about the situation and share new details at a press conference several months later.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I was unfaithful, I had affairs and I cheated. What I did was unacceptable,” he said at the time.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife’s family, my friends, my foundation and kids all around the world who admired me.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A year later, Woods and Nordegren announced they would be getting a divorce.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Daily Beast</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the couple had a prenuptial agreement that would see Nordegren receive $20 million after 10 years of marriage.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Woods allegedly tried to negotiate their existing prenup to get Nordegren to stay – allegedly including an immediate $5 million payment and an added $55 million to the original value - the divorce was finalised. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to TMZ, she received $USD 100 million ($AUD 129 million or $NZD 106 million).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite their marriage ending, Woods and Nordegren have maintained a good relationship.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The former couple share two children: Sam Alexis, 14, and Charlie Axel, 12.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We communicate so much better now, it’s incredible,” Woods told </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">US Weekly</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in 2019. “I wish we would have done that earlier on, but it’s been incredible to have a best friend like that.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

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George Calombaris admits to “crying a lot" during wage theft scandal

<p dir="ltr">Former<span> </span><em>MasterChef<span> </span></em>judge and restaurateur George Calombaris has opened up about his wage theft scandal in 2019, admitting that he “cried a lot” as it unfolded.</p> <p dir="ltr">Talking to Sam Newman and Don Scott for their<span> </span><em>You Cannot Be Serious<span> </span></em>podcast, Calombaris said of the scandal, “It was brutal and I cried a lot.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In 2019, the Fair Work Ombudsman ordered his hospitality group, Made Establishment, to pay back $7.8 million to workers after failing to pay them penalty rates for several years. Calombaris was also personally penalised $200,000 for the underpayments. His decade-long stint as a judge on<span> </span><em>MasterChef<span> </span></em>was brought to an end that year, after contract negotiations between judges Calombaris, Matt Preston, and Gary Meighan, and Network Ten, broke down.</p> <p dir="ltr">Throughout the scandal, he maintained that it was a mistake caused by inexperience. In addition, as the scandal was unfolding, Calombaris was charged with assault after shoving a 19-year-old at the 2017 A-League grand final for heckling him about the controversy.</p> <p dir="ltr">Early last year, it was announced that Made Establishment had entered voluntary administration. Calombaris admitted on the podcast that he drank during this time, and was an “emotional wreck”. He said, “I drank a lot, I really did. When I drink, I don’t get aggressive, but when I drink excessively like I did in that period, I’m an emotional wreck.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I probably should have opened up more. I was trying to fix it all behind a closed door and I was literally fist-punching myself internally and emotionally.”</p> <p dir="ltr">In 2017, Made Establishment calculated that its current workforce had been underpaid $2.6 million and publicly disclosed the issue, immediately repaying 162 people and committing to working with Fair Work Australia to ensure the matter was finalised.</p> <p dir="ltr">It eventually came out that the problem was much worse than that, however, with the company being informed in 2019 that they had underpaid staff by $7.8 million, affecting 515 employees over a six-year period. Of the revelation, Calombaris said, “We went to Fair Work and said, ‘Guys we found these issues, we’re paying up, every cent, but we also want to give it to a journalist to talk the story.”</p> <p dir="ltr">"Hopefully that will get everyone else in an industry that is rife with payments under tables and stuff like that, for everyone to pull their socks up. That turned. That became, ‘George Calombaris the wage thief’, ‘George Calombaris in his Toorak mansion living the big life’, blah blah. It went disgustingly bad.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Unfortunately, the name George Calombaris, when it was high, everyone was flying and loved it, everyone wanted to be around it. But when they did that list I became this poster boy as the wage thief. It punched us right in the face.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Daniel Munoz/WireImage</em></p>

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Monica Lewinsky discusses her mental health during the Clinton scandal

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Monica Lewinsky became a household name after she famously had an affair with President Bill Clinton during the 1990s while interning at the White House.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a recent </span><a href="https://edition.cnn.com/audio/podcasts/axe-files?episodeguid=b0c4a76a-a89d-47ce-becf-adb3002a2a6a"><span style="font-weight: 400;">podcast interview with CNN</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Lewinsky discussed how the investigation into the scandal, along with the global pressure from the media, drove her to have suicidal thoughts. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I just couldn't see a way out. And I thought that maybe that was the solution," she said, explaining how she had asked lawyers working for then-independent counsel Ken Starr about what would happen if she died.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">At the worst moment of her life, when she was seized by the FBI, questioned about her affair w/Bill Clinton &amp; threatened W/prison, <a href="https://twitter.com/MonicaLewinsky?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MonicaLewinsky</a> couldn’t see a way out. “What if I die?” she asked the lawyers interrogating her.<br />New <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AxeFiles?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AxeFiles</a>!<br />Pod here👉<a href="https://t.co/6gfKHZOtJ7">https://t.co/6gfKHZOtJ7</a> <a href="https://t.co/4Yqq2pZygW">pic.twitter.com/4Yqq2pZygW</a></p> — David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidaxelrod/status/1443565658575409153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thinking back on her experience, she asks, "How was there not a protocol?" to deal with a unique situation like hers. "That's a point where you're supposed to bring a psychologist in or, you know, something," she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The interview comes as new light is being shed on the affair in a dramatised FX series called </span><a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-08/monica-lewinsky-impeachment-american-crime-story-how-to-watch/100436458"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Impeachment: American Crime Story</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, for which Lewinsky is a producer. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Monica told the interviewer that after being dismissed by Ken Starr, she began seeing a forensic psychiatrist that helped her get through the ordeal.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I think a lot of people who have ever had suicidal ideations find themselves in a moment where it's just – it's a moment of grace, like, you know, two roads diverged in the woods," she said. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"And the forensic psychiatrist picked up the phone. And so I was, you know, pretty, pretty lucky."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In an essay published by </span><a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2014/05/monica-lewinsky-speaks"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Vanity Fair in 2014</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, Monica said she had never attempted suicide but that she had "strong suicidal temptations several times during the investigation and one or two periods after."</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Monica told the podcast that she constantly had to fight to not be defined by the affair after her views of the situation changed in the wake of the #MeToo movement. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"My narrative was stolen and then I lost it by trying to recede, trying to run away from everything that had happened for many years," she said, adding that part of "the work" she had to put in was accepting that she would have to face her past.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">She said that through working on the series, she was able to reclaim her story in the eyes of the public. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"This story is about real people and I'm involved in it, but it's also about something bigger. It reflects something bigger in our society. And so as our society changes, there are different ways that this story feels relevant," Lewinsky said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Check out the trailer for the series here:</span></p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rtipQ3EsGWo" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p>

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“I felt like a loser”: Sam Burgess spills on cheating scandal

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">NRL star Sam Burgess has admitted to having an affair during his four-year marriage to Phoebe, with the details to be revealed on Monday night’s episode of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">SAS Australia</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The retired Souths captain has <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/former-nrl-star-sam-burgess-bombshell-cheating-confession-on-sas-australia/news-story/e2228fa0f76c9c04044d0b34ccaad7c2" target="_blank">finally spoken out</a> about the incident, three years after becoming embroiled in a sexting scandal with a Melbourne woman who alleged he had cheated on Phoebe with her in 2017.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The last 18 months I felt like a loser, my marriage broke down, I had just retired from sport, my ex-father in law had taken out an AVO against me, and whether you like it or not, losing can become a habit, so I’m here because I want to show myself I can still be a winner,” Burgess says on the show.</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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CTT9fS0P7y8/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/CTT9fS0P7y8/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Sam Burgess (@samburgess8)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The identity of Burgess’ mistress has never been made public.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Burgess and Phoebe ended their marriage following the scandal and three weeks after their second child was born.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After briefly reconciling in 2019, the couple ended their relationship again that same year.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843971/0449a964731e489d1fb3981bbf290243.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/ebdc4c23d7a945d69350afcbba190e72" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: SAS Australia</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Burgess is one of 18 recruits set to appear on the second season of Channel 7’s </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">SAS Australia</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which promises to be filled with drama.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Producers are hoping to outdo the success of the previous season, with a controversial tear gas stunt and a recruit getting caught cheating among some of the dramas.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The recruits will be tested by former Special Forces soldiers Mark ‘Billy’ Birmingham, Jason ‘Foxy’ Fox, Ollie Ollerton, and chief instructor Ant Middleton.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Other recruits include </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Neighbours </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">actor Bonnie Anderson, Bra Boy gang member Koby Abberton, model Erin Holland, retired tennis player Mark Philippoussis, and former Labor politician Emma Husar.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

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“Sh*ts me up the wall!” Scott Cam’s furious ramble over cheating scandal

<p><span><em>The Block</em> host Scott Cam has spoken up about the cheating scandal that has plagued the show, complaining that he has been “scrambling to save” the program.</span><br /><br /><span>While having a chat with <em>Fitzy and Wippa</em> on <em>Nova</em> on Wednesday morning, Cam unleashed when questioned about the controversy.</span><br /><br /><span>Several contestants admitted to viewing and sharing a photo of the show’s secret production schedule.</span><br /><br /><span>Having access to the schedule earlier than other contestants gives an unfair advantage, as it would allow them to plan their rooms weeks in advance.</span><br /><br /><span>“I love <em>The Block</em> and I don’t love anyone messing with it, and that’s messing with it. This is a competition to win $100,000 plus more – up to $900,000 is the record. People have left their homes, their kids, in an attempt to make some life-changing money,” the TV host said.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843609/the-block-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/51f46743ad8c44cda2bbcb9b5898b95d" /></p> <p><em>Left to Right: Kirsty and Jessy, Josh and Luke, Tanya and Vito on The Block. </em><br /><br /><span>“[Contestants] Kirsty and Jesse, the country singing duo – these guys are battlers and this is a really big moment for them.</span><br /><br /><span>“And to have someone cheat and get an advantage, to me is un-Australian, no good and it’s got to be weeded out.”</span><br /><br /><span>Twins Josh and Luke were the first to be called out for cheating, and later they demanded couple Tanya and Vito come forward as well.</span><br /><br /><span>Tanya went on to claim the photo had been sent to her “anonymously” by an ex-tradie on <em>The Block.</em></span><br /><br /><span>“We’ve never seen anything like it on <em>The Block</em> before,” he said.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843610/the-block-4.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b2833f1e475f4daba088064e408d73ab" /></p> <p><em>Tanya and Luke. Image: The Block</em><br /><br /><span>The radio hosts also played Cam an audio clip of Josh and Luke’s interview on Tuesday.</span><br /><br /><span>It revealed the twins had accused Cam of “going easy” on other contestants who also had knowledge of the photo.</span><br /><br /><span>The twins went on to say Cam allowed them to “get away with it”.</span><br /><br /><span>Cam also refuted the twins’ claim that they’d done anything wrong.</span><br /><br /><span>“Those boys are absolutely kidding themselves,” Cam said of Josh and Luke’s remarks.</span><br /><br /><span>“I am scrambling to save this series, that’s what I’m doing, because people at home will be going ‘this whole thing is not fair, this whole thing is a joke’.</span><br /><br /><span>“So I’m scrambling to save my show because of what they have done.”</span><br /><br /><span>“And if he’s referring to Ronnie and Georgia, you’ve got to be joking. Tanya and Vito had the photo, the boys had the photo, they knew all along what the schedule was.</span><br /><br /><span>“The ball was in their court, certainly not mine and for them to say that that sh*ts me up the wall.”</span><br /><br /><span>Meanwhile, Tanya, who is at the centre of the cheating scandal, told <em>news.com.au</em> that she believes the entire controversy had been a “set up.”</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843608/the-block-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2a58281d055842748465bb9495971675" /></p> <p><em>Tanya and Vito. Image: The Block</em><br /><br /><span>The contestant says the production schedule had been placed in an easily accessible area, which could perhaps have been purposeful in an effort to tempt contestants.</span><br /><br /><span>“Obviously the photo did end up in my possession, but it was actually in a really obvious spot,” she said.</span><br /><br /><span>“Most of us came by [the schedule] because it was right by the toilet, it was right there on a massive board.</span><br /><br /><span>“It was right there in front of us, so I felt very singled out, like I was the only one who saw it but plenty of others used the toilet that day.</span><br /><br /><span>“It felt almost like it could have been set up.”</span></p>

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Ronnie and Georgia let loose on The Block: “Biggest cheating scandal in TV history”

<p dir="ltr">Fellow contestants on <em>The Block</em>, Ronnie and Georgia, have let loose on Josh and Luke.</p> <p dir="ltr">The twin brothers, who previously made a splash on <em>Love Island</em>, have become embroiled in the “biggest cheating scandal in TV history” after they were accused on Sunday’s episode.</p> <p dir="ltr">The controversial boys have made themselves a reputation of bending the rules on <em>The Block,</em> including leaving their tradies to paint while they went partying and even having Luke’s fiance to help style their master bedroom and wardrobe.</p> <p dir="ltr">The brothers scooped up the win for week three, and gained praise for their risky design which saw them build on the designated garage space.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843548/the-block-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/96889c31c5af43f1bdd4ca29c542b9c0" /></p> <p dir="ltr">George and Ronnie came fourth place, and were quick to call the boys out for allegedly cheating.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I guess it helps to cheat,” Ronnie said in a post-judging interview.</p> <p dir="ltr">The long-time couple delivered a master bedroom with lofted ceilings and impeccable finishes, earning Neill Whittaker to dub it the “best room in Block history”.</p> <p dir="ltr">However the couple lost points with their walk-in wardrobe as it was not quite completed.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair struggled to hide their fury after being beaten by the rookie twin brothers, with Ronnie claiming the boys had a secret advantage that helped them win.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s amazing that you know exactly the full schedule of what rooms are coming up, they know when the challenge days are coming up … so I guess it helps to cheat. That’s great, beautiful,” Ronnie said sarcastically as Georgia begged, “Don’t go there.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The producer asked: “Do you think they’ve found out some way,” to which Ronnie responded: “They’ve known from day one.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“So you really think the boys have found out?,” the producer went on to press.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Mate, I don’t f**ing really think, I know for a fact,” the reality star shot back in a furious reply.</p> <p dir="ltr">The new episode is set to air on Monday night and it will be jam packed with drama.</p> <p dir="ltr">A wild confrontation between Mitch, Mark, Luke and Josh was also shown in the promo video.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You disgusting ignorant young piece of filth,” Mitch is seen yelling in the promo.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Rude, rich, snob,” Josh fired back.</p> <p> </p>

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“Vile”: Nickia blasts Farmer Will over pregnancy scandal

<p><span><em>Farmer Wants A Wife</em> drama is continuing to heat up, after contestant Nickia slammed reality star Will Dwyer for his insensitive statement surrounding pregnancy rumours.</span><br /><br /><span>He has been embroiled in scandal for the last two weeks after another contestant, Hayley Love, revealed she and Dwyer had a short, tumultuous relationship after filming for the finale episode ended.</span><br /><br /><span>The fling quickly came to an abrupt end after she told him she was pregnant.</span><br /><br /><span>Dwyer had been at the receiving end of criticism, and his response to the allegations have left him in a less-than-favourable light with fans.</span><br /><br /><span>Taking to Instagram to share a vintage photo of his own father, he wrote, “My family is my world, and my parents were the perfect role models. When the time comes, I will be the best Dad I can be.</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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CSEJwV-HB5M/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/CSEJwV-HB5M/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Will Dwyer (@farmerwillau)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>“If this is in fact my child, I’ll be there whenever the child needs me. Even if as parents we can’t be a couple, our family will be filled with love for our child.</span><br /><br /><span>“But one thing I learnt from my Father is that discretion is the better part of valour. I’m sad that this has played out in public. I want only the best for Hayley.</span><br /><br /><span>“I’ll say what needs to be said in private and let my deeds do the talking.”</span><br /><br /><span>Nickia, who is close friends with Hayley, 25, and is also a contestant on <em>Farmer Wants A Wife</em>, has berated Dwyer for his “vile” statement.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842856/will-dwyer-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/550d2b54f8bc4fe1848df4e23aecea4f" /></p> <p><em>Nickia was a contestant on Farmer Wants A Wife. Image: Instagram @nickiacerneka</em></p> <p><span>She said in an Instagram story that the 39-year-old should have stepped up when Hayley first revealed she was pregnant.</span><br /><br /><span>Nickia also accused him of “vile” private conversations with the pregnant contestant.</span><br /><br /><span>Referencing Dwyer’s choice of words, Nickia responded, “When the time comes? The time came six months ago buddy when Hayley fell pregnant.”</span><br /><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842857/will-dwyer-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/52036c8802834ccaaa17d5875db3b27b" /></p> <p><em>Image: Instagram @nickiacerneka. On the show, Nickia was matched with Farmer Sam Messina, but they failed to find love. </em></p> <p><span>She added, “Majority of what Will has said ‘in private’ has been vile. And I know because I’ve read it.”</span><br /><br /><span>Hayley went public last week about her pregnancy, stating the rumours that had circulated for weeks, made her feel like an “absolute wreck”.</span><br /><br /><span>“I am speaking my truth before it gets misconstrued by the public and tabloids who don’t know the full story,” Hayley, who had been paired with farmer Matt Trewin for the show, explained.</span><br /><br /><span>“This is my story to tell.”</span><br /><br /><span>She also revealed that she would gladly raise the baby by herself.</span><br /><br /><span>“I’ve tried to keep things amicable with (Will), to be clear on what his involvement with our child will be,” she said.</span><br /><br /><span>“At the end of the day I have decided to keep the baby because I have enough love for this child with or without a biological father. I will be enough for him or her.”</span><br /><br /><span>The <em>Farmer Wants A Wife</em> reunion special is set to air next Wednesday August 11 on Seven.</span><br /><br /><span>All eyes will be watching Will, who during the finale, was loved-up with his original “pick”, Jaimee.</span></p>

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Will Dwyer finally issues statement about pregnancy scandal

<p><span><em>Farmer Wants A Wife</em> heart throb Will Dwyer has issued a public statement after contestant Hayley Love announced she was pregnant with his baby.</span><br /><br /><span>Dwyer has said he is “sad” the issue has played out in public, but didn’t fail to question whether the child “is in fact” his.</span><br /><br /><span>Love went public last week about her scandalous pregnancy earlier this month.</span><br /><br /><span>She had been paired with Farmer Matt Trewin for the show, however claims that she secretly started a relationship with Dwyer after filming wrapped up.</span><br /><br /><span>She went on to say their short, fiery relationship came to a halt after she revealed she was pregnant.</span><br /><br /><span>Dwyer, 39, took to Instagram to say he wants “what’s best for Hayley” but also values “discretion” about their situation.</span><br /><br /><span>Sharing a vintage photo of his own father, he wrote: “My family are my world, and my parents were the perfect role models. When the time comes, I will be the best Dad I can be. If this is in fact my child, I’ll be there whenever the child needs me. Even if as parents we can’t be a couple, our family will be filled with love for our child.</span><br /><br /><span>“But one thing I learnt from my Father is that discretion is the better part of valour. I’m sad that this has played out in public. I want only the best for Hayley. I’ll say what needs to be said in private and let my deeds do the talking.”</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/CSEJwV-HB5M/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/CSEJwV-HB5M/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Will Dwyer (@farmerwillau)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>In her original statement to news.com.au, Love, 25, admitted why she had decided to come forward with her story.</span><br /><br /><span>“I am speaking my truth before it gets misconstrued by the public and tabloids who don’t know the full story,” she said.</span><br /><br /><span>“This is my story to tell.”</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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CRIHon6iHJq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/CRIHon6iHJq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Farmer Wants A Wife (@farmeraustralia)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>She went on to reveal that she was prepared to raise the baby by herself: “I’ve tried to keep things amicable with (Will), to be clear on what his involvement with our child will be,” she said.</span><br /><br /><span>“At the end of the day I have decided to keep the baby because I have enough love for this child with or without a biological father. I will be enough for him or her.”</span><br /><br /><span>In another statement, Love revealed she had been “absolutely terrified” to come forward.</span><br /><br /><span>“I was absolutely terrified to come out with a statement as I am struggling with my mental health,” she wrote.</span><br /><br /><span>“While the rumours were spreading I became a complete wreck. I removed myself from social media to recover from all the awful comments I was reading about myself and even other girls/farmers.”</span><br /><br /><span>The Farmer Wants a Wife reunion episode is set to air next Wednesday, August 11 on Seven.</span></p>

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The dress that caused a scandal before Princess Diana's wedding

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The dress Diana wore in her first outing as a royal fianc</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">é</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">e propelled her into the spotlight and saw the start of her image as a global fashion icon who was willing to break the rules and ignore royal protocol.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On March 9, 1981, Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer were making their public debut following the announcement of their engagement by Buckingham Palace.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">As guests of honour at Goldsmiths Hall, in aid of The Royal Opera House, Diana wore a black low-cut strapless gown designed by David and Elizabeth Emmanuel, who would go on to design her wedding dress.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a newsreel from the next day, a reporter said of Diana: “The palace did not know in advance of the dress she chose to wear … by normal royal standards, it was fairly revealing.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ken Gavin, former chief photographer for </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Mirror</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, was stationed at the top of the stairs to snap the couple as they walked up towards the press pack.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“When she came out in that black dress, cleavage and everything [nearly] falling out everywhere, she was, she looked sensational,” Gavin said in the new documentary </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Diana’s Decades</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which aired overnight.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“She came up the stairs and we were waiting for her. I knew that I had a page-one picture, there was no question about that.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think she would have known she was going to get a lot of attention [but] I don’t think she realised how low that dress was until she saw the stills the next day.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">While most took issue with the cut of Diana’s dress, Prince Charles instead disapproved of its colour.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Princess Diana later told her biographer Andrew Morton how her fiance reacted when he first saw the gown, just as they were due to leave for the ball.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I remember my first engagement so well,” Diana said. “So excited. I got this black dress from the Emmanuels and I thought it was OK because girls my age wore this dress.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I hadn’t appreciated that I was now seen as a royal lady, although I’d only got a ring on my finger as opposed to two rings.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I remember walking into my husband-to-be’s study, and him saying: ‘You’re not going in that dress, are you?’</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I replied: ‘Yes, I am.’ And he said: ‘It’s black! But only people in mourning wear black!’ And I said: ‘Yes, but I’m not part of your family yet.’</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Black, to me, was the smartest colour you could possibly have at the age of 19. It was a real grown-up dress. I was quite big-chested by then, and [the Press] all got frightfully excited.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Diana also told Morton how Princess Grace of Monaco, who was also attending the ball, helped her cope with the newfound attention.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I learned a lesson that night. I remember meeting Princess Grace and how wonderful and serene she was,” Diana said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“‘Don’t worry,’ Princess Grace joked. ‘It will only get worse.’</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It was a horrendous occasion. I didn’t know whether to go out of the door first. I didn’t know whether your handbag should be in your left hand or your right hand.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I was terrified, really - at the time everything was all over the place. I remember that evening so well. I was terrified - nearly sick.”</span></p>

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Main Madeleine McCann suspect claims "unbelievable scandal"

<p>The main suspect in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann has slammed German prosecutors of an "unbelievable scandal" by prejudicing the case against him.</p> <p>Christian Brueckner, 44, has not been charged in relation to the 2007 disappearance of McCann but was publicly identified as a suspect last year.</p> <p>He broke his silence in a handwritten letter from prison where he is serving a sentence for the rape of a 72-year-old woman in Portugal in 2005.</p> <p>“Charging someone with a crime is one thing,” he said in the letter, according to the UK Telegraph.</p> <p>“It is something completely different - namely an unbelievable scandal - when a public prosecutor starts a public prejudicial campaign before proceedings are even opened,” Brueckner added.</p> <p>“You have proved worldwide, through arbitrary convictions in the past and through scandalous prejudicial campaigns in the present, that you are unsuitable for the office of an ‘advocate for the honest and German people who trust in justice’, and that you bring shame to the German legal system.”</p> <p>Brueckner was accused last year of raping the woman in the same seaside town where McCann disappeared.</p> <p>Prosecutors in the case have previously said they do not yet have enough evidence to arrest him.</p>

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Queen’s cousin caught in royal scandal

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The royal family has been hit with another scandal after the Queen’s cousin was accused of selling access to the Kremlin.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A joint undercover investigation by The Sunday Times and Channel 4 reportedly caught Prince Michael of Kent admitting he was willing to use his royal status for personal gain.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The sting involved reporters posing as investors of a fake South Korean gold company who approached Prince Michael seeking contacts in the Kremlin to further its business in Russia.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though the investigation is yet to be aired, clips were posted on Channel 4’s Twitter account that revealed snippets from the recorded conversations.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">He said he was willing to accept $200,000 from our fake company in return for making the speech. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoyalForHire?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoyalForHire</a><br />3/ <a href="https://t.co/qODD4Wta5e">pic.twitter.com/qODD4Wta5e</a></p> — Channel 4 Dispatches (@C4Dispatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/C4Dispatches/status/1391078183265525765?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the clips, Prince Michael allegedly told the journalists by Zoom that he would record a speech giving their company his royal endorsement for a fee of $US 200,000 ($254,000).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 78-year-old royal also said he was happy to use his home in Kensington Palace as a backdrop for the endorsement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The royal’s business partner, Simon Reading, reportedly said the prince could be hired for 10,000 pounds ($17,800) a day to make “confidential” discussions with Mr Putin on behalf of the fictitious gold firm.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If [Prince Michael] is representing the House of Haedong, he could mention that to Putin and Putin would find the right person who is interested in South Korea or interested in gold,” Mr Reading told the undercover reporters.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It just opens the door, you know, which is so helpful.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Vladimir Putin “regards Prince Michael as a friend of Russia.”<br />We asked Lord Reading if Prince Michael’s relationship with Putin has been damaged by growing tensions between Britain and Russia. <br /><br />He said “It hasn’t.” 6/ <a href="https://t.co/r4tyH1GKDs">pic.twitter.com/r4tyH1GKDs</a></p> — Channel 4 Dispatches (@C4Dispatches) <a href="https://twitter.com/C4Dispatches/status/1391078794841272320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He also described Prince Michael as “Her Majesty’s unofficial ambassador to Russia”.</span></p> <p><strong>Royal response</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prince Michael, who is tied to Russia through grandmother and speaks Russian, has since issued a statement.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the royal’s office, Prince Michael “has no special relationship with President Putin” and that he “has not had contact with him or his office” since they last met in 2003.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since Prince Michael isn’t a working royal and doesn’t receive public funds, his office also pointed out he “earns his living through a consultancy company that he has run for over 40 years.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Lord Reading is a good friend, who in trying to help made suggestions which Prince Michael would not have wanted, or been able, to fulfil,” his office continued.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Reading said he regretted his “over-promise” in trying to facilitate an introduction to Michael.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He told reporters, “I made a mistake and over-promised, and for that I am truly regretful.”</span></p>

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