Helen Clark, the former New Zealand Prime minister colloquially known to a generation of Kiwis as ‘Aunty Helen’, has told The Australian Women’s Weekly in an exclusive interview why she believes she is the best woman for the job as UN Secretary-General.
“We live in a troubled world with huge inequalities,” she says. “There is discrimination and marginalism, there is a lot of conflict.
“My argument has been, with the world the mess is in, you need someone with a leader profile who can really take the organisation forward.”
And Helen might just be the right woman for the job. She’s already the number three ranked bureaucrat at the United Nations with an impressive track record as the Administrator of the UN Development Programme tacking poverty and sustainability world-wide.
While she is widely acknowledged as one the front runners for the job, to be decided in October, some believe it should go to a leader from Eastern Europe.
She declined to comment on the suitability of Kevin Rudd as a candidate, nor would she comment on her own chances of success. “I’m acknowledged as a very serious candidate, but in the end, this is about geopolitics,” she says.
You can read Helen Clark’s full interview in the September issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly, on sale August 4.
With Rio less than a week away, Olympic fever is heating up!
But before we celebrate this year’s nail-biting achievements, let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable underdogs of the Olympics. The unlikely heroes and disadvantaged sports stars who took on the favourites and blew everyone away with their sheer determination and even inspired a movie!
Because there’s nothing the world loves more than a good ol’ underdog.
Brought to you by Eddie the Eagle, out now on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital
Michael “Eddie the Eagle” Edwards become everyone’s favourite underdog during the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics where he competed as Britain’s first ever Olympic ski jumper. He might have finished last, but he cemented his status as a national treasure. The unlikely hero even got the Hollywood treatment this year when a movie about his life, Eddie the Eagle, starring Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman was released.
Speed skater Steven Bradbury was considered the outsider in the short track 1000m final at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. What the crowd didn’t count on was all four of his competitors crashing at the last minute, leaving him to claim gold! Relive Steven’s victorious moment in the next slide. Gallery continues after the video!
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Mariel Zagunis didn’t qualify for the 2004 Athens Olympics, but ended up in the tournament when Nigeria pulled out. While all hopes were pinned on her fellow American (and the world #1 in women’s fencing) Sada Jacobson, underdog Mariel won gold becoming the first American to win an Olympic gold for fencing in 100 years. How’s that for a story!
Wild-card Eric “The Eel” Moussambani Malonga from Equatorial Guinea took part in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, despite having never seen or swam in an Olympic-sized pool before. After his two competitors were disqualified, Eric had to swim his heat solo. He was slower than anyone in Olympic history and, at one point didn’t look like he would finish, but the crowd got behind him because he was a battler.
No one expected Japan to beat the American softball team in the finals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but they underestimated pitcher Yukiko Ueno. Her performance is still hailed as one of the best in the game and it resulted in one of the sport’s greatest upsets in Olympic history. Go, Yukiko!
Even Misty Hyman herself couldn’t believe that she’d beaten Susie “Madame Butterfly” O’Neill to take out gold during the final of the 200m butterfly at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Just look at that face!
Setting a new world record at the Olympics is impressive enough. But when you consider that South Korean archer, Im Dong-hyun, has 20/200 vision, legally making him blind, it makes his new world record at the 2000 London Olympics that bit more remarkable.
Sure, you know her as the gold-medal-winning pro snowboarder, but Torah Bright didn’t make the podium during her Olympic debut at the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics. Never one to let anything stand in her way, Torah came back bigger and better taking out gold at Vancouver four years later.
In a nail-biting battle for gold with the Russians at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, American gymnast Kerri Strug proved how worthy she was of a medal when she performed a second vault to help her teammates clinch first place, despite seriously injuring her ankle on the previous attempt.
Back in 1996 at the Atlantic Games, Kieren Perkins wasn’t in his best shape. He scraped into the final by a fraction of a second, but the underdog spirit put some fire in his belly and he had the swim of his life, earning a gold medal all the way out in lane eight.
The Jamaican bobsled team were considered the ultimate underdogs when they entered the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics, even having to borrow spare sleds to compete. The team may not have taken away any medals (ever) but they did compete in five more Winter Olympics.
They summered in Byron, partied with Hemsworth clan and vegged out in LA – but now Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth have most definitely taken their relationship game to the next level.
Miley shared an adorable video of the pair, joined by the beautiful Beagle, Barbie, belting out Justin Bieber’s Love Yourself – you guessed it, in the car!
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Liam, 26, might not have the best pipes, but what he lacks in vocals, he makes up in charm.
Attempting to scare his maybe wife/fiance/girlfriend, Thor’s little bro lets out a resounding “Argh!”
Mellow, no more, Miley remarks ,”Babe stop, seriously!”
The duo met back in 2010 on the set of their feature film, The Last Song.
Following a momentary split in 2013, the couple rekindled their romance last year.
Fans couldn’t help but notice how much the clip reminded them of the duo during their Last Song days.
The pair, who met on the set of the 2010 film, share a super cute scene where Miley is very unimpressed with Liam’s singing ability.
Speaking candidly to The Sunday Times, the High School Musical actor confessed that, despite being a teen heartthrob, he finds the dating pool just as daunting as you do.
“Dating is something I’ll never be able to do,” he told the publication. “As in the dictionary definition of dating, because one way or another I’ve impacted that person’s life and they’ll soon realize it.”
“A date has to be very long to dispel whatever people think about me.”
Somehow we don’t think Zac will have much trouble landing a date…
Admitting, that like many millennials, he tried and failed to find love on dating app Tinder, he said: “Amazingly, when I signed up for Tinder, nobody swiped me!”
Explaining the reason why, he added, “They thought it was fake … That never happened.”
Watch Zac Efron attempt an Australian accent in the video player below! Post continues…
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The blue-eyed beau became the Hollywood crush of just about every teen when he landed a starring role in the hit 2005 Disney film, High School Musical*.
After five years dating co-star Vanessa Hudgens, the 28-year-old began a two-year relationship with model Sami Miro.
The pair split earlier this year.
What went wrong? Zac deleted all traces of his ex from social media after their split.
I wouldn’t go so far to say that I’m a fitness junkie but I love trying new health programs, classes and exercises to keep things fun – otherwise my motivation plummets and I end up living on a diet of Mars Bars and pasta.
So I came across former Bachelor Tim Robards’ program – TRM (The Robards Method) – and thought I’d give it a go for a month.
I signed up and got a starter pack with a t-shirt, wooden gymnastic rings and accompanying straps, and a resistance band. I downloaded the app and was itching to go!
Eating
The program is quite easy to follow; there are three workouts (with some exercises using the rings and band) and a healthy eating plan in the form of a 7-2-1 fuel philosophy – 70% super clean, 20% sensible, 10% relaxed.
I’ll be honest and say that sticking to a diet isn’t easy for me; I seem to have almost zero willpower when it comes to saying no to burgers or sweets. But, I was pleasantly surprised with this eating plan (found under the Nutrition Bible on the website and app). The meals are easy to make and seriously delicious. I’ll keep making the corn fritters and Thai beef salad all the time because they’re just so yummy.
Oh, and the best thing? Friday and Saturday nights are your choice of meal! So yes, you can still indulge but only in small portions.
The Nutrition Bible is a treasure trove of info on food and you guessed it, nutrition, and you can read up on what snacks you can eat while on the program. You also have the option of trying the ‘Super Clean’ eating plan if you want to be really strict on yourself.
Exercise
There are three different workouts each week – Strength, Power and Rings – that are accessed through the app. Plus, there’s a short video of Tim doing each exercise to show you how it’s done. That’s some pretty great motivation in itself (am I right?!).
The workouts have specific exercises and movements with a target of reps, and you can do it all at your own pace. What appealed to me the most was that the fitness program isn’t hugely cardio based. There’s no running or steps to climb (I seriously hate running), it’s mostly about strengthening and toning. Despite the lack of cardio, however, I was still sweating like crazy and had muscle soreness after each workout.
The one thing I found difficult was being able to get down to the local park to complete the Rings session. To use the gymnastic rings you need a high parallel bar or tree branch to hang the straps off, and I found that when I couldn’t get down to the park, I was at a standstill. I’d already completed the other two workouts for the week and couldn’t click back into them to exercise.
TRM is quite accommodating in the way that if you don’t hit the target reps, you can still record your progress and try to beat your score the next time. After completing all the workouts in the four-week period, you get to an ‘exam’. It’s not daunting, so don’t be put off by the name! It’s just a small workout (no time limit) to see how well you’ve progressed and if you ‘graduate’, then you go onto the next stage with a whole bunch of other workouts.
Cost
Anyone can join TRM and it’s great for all fitness levels. There are two options – a Fitness starter pack of $99 or the Fitness and Nutrition complete package for $149, both of which offers the equipment and T-shirt. Plus, your partner can join your plan for just $50 so you can motivate each other!
Results
I really enjoyed the program and loved the food options – I’ll definitely be working the recipes into my daily life even after finishing the program. After four weeks, I didn’t see a huge change on the scales (I lost 1.5kg) but my stomach was flatter and I was looking leaner. I felt fantastic, I noticed that I could power through the workouts the more the weeks passed, and my strength was definitely increasing.
The app has the function of tracking your progress in terms of weight change, etc, if you input the data. In terms of motivation, what would have given me more drive would be if there was a social media community of people just like me who were doing the program. Even just a Facebook group would be hugely beneficial to help spur people on and bring us all together!
Otherwise, I think TRM is a smart choice for those wanting a challenge, to build muscle tone and to eat well without completely cutting out all the slightly naughty treats! Plus, watching videos of Tim do the exercises isn’t so bad either.
Ashton is proudly supporting Mila's cause! "The effort to overcome gender bias is a battle in which we all have a role to play," he said.
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis’ daughter, Wyatt, is walking and talking… and swearing!
Ashton, 38, took to Instagram on Monday, Aug. 1 to share a funny story about his 22-month-old little girl dropping the F bomb — and making her parents crack up!
“When your 22-month-old drops and F bomb and it is (not funny) except it’s really funny and you can’t laugh. #BadDads #BadMoms,” the actor captioned a selfie, referencing his 32-year-old pregnant wife’s latest movie, Bad Moms.
Ashton and Mila — who married in July 2015 — previously welcomed Wyatt in October 2014. The couple recently announced they are now expecting Baby No. 2!
Celine Dion recently sat down for a candid game of ‘This or That’ with The Scene, where she was asked to weigh in on number of topics, from fashion and Justin Bieber, to her favourite city.
When asked about her preference between tattoos or piercings, the 48-year-old confessed that she herself is considering a permanent ink tribute to her late husband.
“Since my husband passed away, they can make the tattoo as his heartbeat,” she said, tracing the pattern of Rene Angelil’s wavelength with her own finger.
“So, I might have his heartbeat on my body for the rest of my life.”
Watch the sweet moment for yourself in the video player below! Post continues…
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Up until the death of the icon’s loving husband, who lost his battle with throat cancer in January, the singer hadn’t planned to ink her body due to reservations about aging skin.
“In tattoos, I’ve seen so many people that, they have tattoos when they’re young and they get older and the name changes,” she explained.
“You know, it used to be ‘Louise’ and now it’s like, ‘Louis.’ You are goin’ down! It’s gravity, baby. It’s goin’ down!”
But six months on from saying goodbye, she feels that now is as good a time as any to ensure that his heart will truly go on forever.
The couple married in 1994, when Celine was 26-years-old.
Over the last couple of months, and after some much-needed family time with her three children, the singer has stepped out in good spirits as she promotes her upcoming album.
With a new stylist and the brightest smile we’ve seen in a long time, the mother-of-three is determined to move forward with her life, taking comfort in the fact that she found the man who “always made me feel that we were on our first date.”
Celine has been out and about smiling.
Speaking recently of her daily battle to US talk show host Kathie Lee Gifford, who too lost her husband Frank Gifford less than a year ago, she said: “I lost the man of my life.”
“But I cannot live thinking this way. I have to say, ‘I found the best man in the world,'” she concluded just as Kathie began to tear up.
Turning to the Today show host, she added, “Like you did for yourself. We were both extremely lucky.”
A new report from French newspaper Sud Ouest claims Prince William, Duchess Catherine and their two children, Prince George, three, and Princess Charlotte, one, spent a night at the Hotel du Palais in Biarritz, France, on their recent summer break.
The upmarket seaside town is a hugely popular tourist destination and the five-star hotel would certainly keep the young royal family busy with a state of the art spa, a slew of Michelin star restaurants, palatial rooms and the beach all on offer.
The five-star resort is nestled right on the beach. (Image via/hotel-du-palais.com)
It features ornate interiors and plush furnishings. (Image via/hotel-du-palais.com)
A deluxe double room with one queen bed, a twin bed and a cot costs around $1043 per night.
Boasting a 4.6/5 star rating on Expedia, the hotel is often booked out months in advance.
“We’ve stayed in some lovely hotels with first class service but this tops the lot. Cannot fault it. All staff went the extra mile to be of service to make our stay the wonderful experience it was from start to finish,” one happy customer penned on Expedia of their time at Hotel du Palais.
A deluxe double room will set you back around $1043 per night. (Image via/hotel-du-palais.com)
The Cambrdiges whisked their family away on holidays last week. (Image via/hotel-du-palais.com)
“We stayed here for 10 days and it was 10 days of heaven! This hotel totally deserves its 5 star rating. It was palatial and yet warm. Our room was large and beautifully decorated. The staff was friendly, helpful and attentive to every conceivable need,” another Expedia review explains.
The hotel truly is fit for royalty with Napoleon The Third and his wife Eugenie de Montijo using it as their imperial residence in 1855.
Dubbed on their website as “the Queen of resorts and the resort of Kings”, this marks the Cambridge’s second holiday to France this year.
Find out about Prince William and Duchess Catherine’s next royal tour in the player below! Post continues after the video…
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With impeccable service, we bet the royal kids are having a ball. (Image via/hotel-du-palais.com)
Guests can float about in this tranquil pool (Image via/hotel-du-palais.com)
In January they enjoyed a low-key long weekend to the French Alps – the first getaway with their two young children.
Last week, the family of four boarded a private Cessna plane for a much needed break.
The plane, worth $15 million, belonged to family friend, the Duke of Westminster.
Sports-mad Wills and Kate could enjoy a spot of golf! (Image via/hotel-du-palais.com)
The best part? It’s situated right on the beach (Image via/hotel-du-palais.com)
According to a French newspaper, on their arrival, the royals were greeted by a full security detail, including royal protection officers and a group of Scotland Yard personnel.
Local publications reported that the family of four were visiting France to drop in on friends and relatives in the country.
We’re sure Prince George and Princess Charlotte would love running around the sprawling hotel grounds.
Eva Mendes is normally very guarded in the press about her family life, but the star has opened up about the pain of losing her brother.
The 42-year-old revealed that her brother Carlos Mendes passed away just days before she gave birth to her second child Amada Gosling.
The Latina actress says she wouldn’t have gotten through that tough time without the love and support of her family.
“Losing my brother brought our family closer, and we were already close to begin with,” she admitted.
Carlos lost his battle with cancer at the age of 53.
Eva and her partner Ryan Gosling have two daughters together.
“So to just see everybody be there for one another and show up, I feel so lucky to have them,” she explains.
And baby Amada, her second child with Ryan Gosling after Esmerelda, was born just 12 days after Carlos passed away.
“We had a funeral service for him and that same week I had the baby. It was really, really intense and obviously beyond heartbreaking, but also kind of beautiful.”
The brunette beauty admits she still hasn’t had the time to process her grief yet.
With two little girls in tow, both under two, she doesn’t really have much time.
“My older little girl is not yet 2 years old. My little one is still an infant, and right now it’s really about surviving those nights and trying to enjoy this time as much as possible with them, and start the bond between Esmeralda and Amada,” she explains.
“It’s a really, really special time. I’m loving it.”
Watch Ryan gushes about baby number 2. Post continues!
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The actress explains that both Esmeralda and Amada were named after special members of Eva’s family.
“My grandmother’s name is Amada, and Esmeralda Amada is the name of our oldest,” she says.
“We had a few names picked out for our new baby, and when she was born, we didn’t feel like those names were her. We came up with a few more, even that morning, and tried them out. We were like, ‘What about Viviana?'” she explains.
Eva revealed opened up about her personal life for Latina magazine.
But she says even though her eldest was already using the name Amada, they just kept coming back to it. “In true Latin fashion, we reuse names all the time. I used to know five sisters that were all Maria del Carmen, Maria Elena, Maria liliana,” Eva says.
“So we went with Amada because it was something we kept going back to. And it was an emotional time with the passing of my brother. We thought how beautiful to go with what made us emotional and with what felt like her. When we looked at her, we thought, ‘Aww, Amadita.'”
The stunning blonde beauty kindly informed the world that she has Prince Harry’s mobile number. And she chooses to not yield to this great power.
During a sit-down interview with Extra TV, Margot explained how it’s no biggie.
Watch the chat in the player below… Post continues!
The 26-year-old joked that they do indeed message, but much to everyone’s dismay, apparently she takes some time to respond.
“He’s pretty quick on text actually,” she quipped, adding (much to her fellow interviewee Will Smith’s amusement), “Unlike me – I write back four days later, weeks later sometimes.”
Margot was first introduced to the prince by her Suicide Squad co-star, Cara Delevingne.
“They’ve know each other for years, and we met through friends,” the Aussie beauty mused.
At that party!
Margot first met the fifth-in-line-to-the-throne, at Suki Waterhouse’s housewarming party.
Just as you overcome the shock of the former Neighbours star not messaging him back with a sonnet or declaration of love, apparently she didn’t even recognise him.
Check out Margot attempt to explain herself to Jimmy Fallon in the video player below… Post continue afterwards!
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It does, indeed, get worse… She thought he was another famous ginger-haired Brit instead: Ed Sheeran.
“He got really offended,” she told Jimmy Fallon back in March.
In her “defence”, she tried to protest, “He wasn’t wearing a crown though! Like, I don’t know it’s a prince!”
Not good enough Robbie!
Margot has come a long way since Ramsay Street.
Cara and Margot play lovable villains in Suicide Squad.
Recently Cara and Margot decided to play a prank on dear ‘ol Captain Wales.
During their photoshoot with LOVE magazine, the model decided it was the perfect opportunity for her and Margot to message Harry and joke that he was in their dreams.
“Ok, what if we both text him saying we had a dream about him last night. Then he’ll be like, what the f*ck? If we both randomly do it?,” Cara cheekily suggested.
Dipping into her Harley Quinn personna, Margot got on board.
The charming royal quickly responded, “You two are obviously together. But I’m extremely glad I was in your dreams.”
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