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Posh and Becks: We’re adopting!

Posh and Becks: We're adopting!

David’s fears for his wife’s health see them ramp up their search for a baby.

It was the worst-kept secret in Hollywood — even David and Victoria Beckham themselves couldn’t keep from hinting that they’re planning to add a fifth child to their famous brood. But this time we won’t be on Posh bump watch. Friends have confirmed in a world-exclusive to Woman’s Day that the couple are deep in the planning stages of adopting! “They were seriously thinking about it in the months before Victoria fell pregnant with Harper,” says our insider, who adds that Posh and Becks were looking at opportunities to adopt a little girl from Africa.

David couldn’t be happier with the idea of baby number five. “If we’re lucky enough, we hope to have one more,” he revealed in a TV interview earlier this year. And our insider says he’s been keen on adoption for years — “but Victoria always resisted because she quite enjoys being pregnant and thought she’d have no trouble having more kids.” But now it’s thought that Victoria, 38 – who last month teasingly told US magazine Glamour she’d “never say never” to another baby – has decided to give up her long-held dream to give birth to the fifth and final member of her brood.

Sources say she could have been warned by doctors not to attempt a fifth caesarean section, with Brooklyn, 13, Romeo, 9, Cruz, 7, and Harper, 13 months, all believed to have been born under the surgical procedure. “Most women can safely have up to three C-sections. Each repeat C-section is generally more complicated than the last,” explains obstetrician/gynaecologist Dr Roger W. Harms, who says the surgery weakens the uterine wall, which could affect future pregnancies.

“The surgical risks must be weighed carefully against the desire for subsequent pregnancies,” Dr Harms says. “Posh felt a family of seven would be perfect and liked the idea of calling it quits by the time she reached 40,” explains the close Beckham insider. “But now David worries that a fifth pregnancy could damage her health, and she too is not sure she wants to put her body through that again — especially because she works so hard to lose weight, and has a busy career.”

Read more about David and Victoria’s adoption plans in this week’s Woman’s Day on sale Monday August 27, 2012.

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A bub for West Tiger’s star Beau Ryan

A bub for West Tiger's star Beau Ryan

NRL Footy Show star Beau Ryan is to wed long-time love Kara and become a dad.

Walking down the aisle seven months pregnant may not be the way Kara Orrell pictured herself marrying the man of her dreams. But her soon-to-be hubby, Wests Tigers star player Beau Ryan, reckons she’ll be the most stunning bride he’s ever seen.

“I find the baby bump is a very sexy thing,” says The Footy Show regular, who will marry Kara at the end of the 2012 NRL season, and can’t wait to be a dad. “I’m big on family. If I could have a million kids, I would, but we’ll probably settle on two or three.” Falling in love at first sight eight years ago, when they were still teenagers, the devoted couple had always planned to start a family, but they thought they’d have a year or two of being husband and wife before the responsibility of parenthood.

“It does seem like everything is happening at once,” says Kara, 27, who decided she’d give her body a rest from contraception pre-wedding and was pregnant within a month. “It was a surprise, but it’s not like we’re complaining. Everything is perfect. We already feel like we’re married anyway.” Falling pregnant may have been a cinch for the pair, but Beau, 27, struggled when it came to proposing while they were on their dream holiday in the US last October.

With a stunning solitaire diamond engagement ring in his pocket and his sweetheart on his arm, he thought New York’s Central Park was the perfect place to pop the question. But, while Kara had no idea what he was up to, she wasn’t making things easy for her nervous Beau.

Read more and find out how Beau proposed in this week’s Woman’s Day on sale Monday August 27, 2012.

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Church wants women to ‘submit’ to their husbands

Should women have to "submit" to their husbands?

The Anglican church in Sydney has changed wedding vows so that women promise to "submit" to their husbands

Women traditionally promise to “obey” their husbands when undertaking marriage vows, but the Anglican diocese in Sydney has decided a woman must now pledge to “submit” when she gets married.

The new wedding vows have been branded sexist by commentators, who say the change in wording is a step backwards for the church.

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The diocese, which also opposes the full ordination of women and supports an exclusively male leadership doctrine, has denied sexism in the new vows written by the liturgical panel of church’s Sydney diocese.

The panel’s chairman, Bishop of South Sydney Robert Forsyth, spoke out in defence of the change saying the choice of the word ‘submit’ has biblical groundings.

“The Bible never said women must obey their husbands but Paul and Peter did say submit, which I think is a much more responsive, nuanced word,” he said.

“I can see why, if you just came upon this, not having read the New Testament about Christ loving the church, the church responding to him, it would look rather odd, just like the word ‘obey’ would look rather odd.”

His explanation has not satisfied critics. Muriel Porter, a Melbourne academic who writes on Anglican Church issues told the Sydney Morning Herald she was horrified at the use of the word which had connotations of slavery.

Related: Julia Gillard defends ‘sexist’ slush fund claims’

“It is a very dangerous concept, especially in terms of society’s propensity for domestic violence,” she said.

The new vows have yet to be approved by the church, but are already being used in in some Sydney parishes.

Your say: Do you think having to promise to submit to your husband is derogatory?

Video: Vow to cheat?

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Bottle feeding ‘like AIDS’, expectant mothers told

Bottle feeding 'like AIDS', expectant mothers told

A leading breastfeeding advocate has sparked outrage by telling expectant mothers that baby formula was “like AIDS”.

The shocking statement was made during an Australian Breastfeeding Association class that an undercover Sunday Mail journalist attended after a pregnant woman called the paper to complain about a previous class.

Couples were also told baby formula killed a child “every 30 seconds” and should be avoided at all costs.

Related: I breastfed my son until he was three

“Formula is a little bit like AIDS,” the instructor — a celebrated member of the association — told the class.

“Nobody actually dies from AIDS; what happens is AIDS destroys your immune system and then you just die of anything and that’s what happens with formula. It provides no antibodies.

“Every 30 seconds a baby dies from infections due to a lack of breastfeeding and the use of bottles, artificial milks and other risky products. Every 30 seconds.”

Medical professionals have furiously rebuked the claims, saying that while breastfeeding is “optimal”, formula feeding is 100 percent safe.

“We highly support breastfeeding,” Royal Australasian College of Physicians spokesperson Susan Moloney said.

“It is the optimal form of nutrition for any human infant. But in the cases where it isn’t able to be done, formula feeding is safe in Australia.”

Parents have also attacked the statement, accusing breastfeeding advocates of “scaremongering”.

“Not all people can, or want to, breastfeed and while there are other options around why should they?” Brisbane father Tim Groves wrote.

“If formula was that bad for infants don’t you think it would have been removed from the market by now? Leave the raising of children to the parents and stop the scaremongering campaign.”

Ipswich mother Dianne Ward agreed, calling for an end to breastfeeding advocates who make mothers feel like “failures” if they can’t breastfeed.

“What a horrible thing to tell an expectant or new mum,” she wrote. “I am a firm believer in breastfeeding, but there are some mums who can’t breastfeed.

“They should not be made to feel like a failure because it happens.”

Related: Should military mums be allowed to breastfeed in uniform?

The Australian Breastfeeding Association has launched an investigation into the comments, with its president Rachel Fuller branding the statements “inappropriate”.

Your say: Have you felt bullied by breastfeeding advocates?

Video: Investigation underway into claims bottle-feeding is “a bit like AIDS”

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Nigella Lawson’s new diet

Nigella Lawson has dropped two dress sizes going from a size 16 to a size 12. The celebrity chef was snapped while promoting her new Italian cook book, Nigellissima.

The 52-year-old, who is said to be on the Bodyism Clean and Lean plan, doesn’t want to lose too much weight.

“I love food and I love cooking so therefore I never deprive myself. Thinness is fantastic for clothes, but I don’t do fashion,” she said.

“There are times when I want to lose weight. I suppose the difference is I don’t want to be as thin. Greed always outweighs my vanity.”

Despite her desire to give into her greed, it seems Nigella is on a high protein diet, tweeting images of her daily meals which include fried eggs, chocolates truffles and smoked salmon.

Nigella Lawson on set promoting her new book.

Before: Nigella back in 2010.

Nigella showed off her size 12 figure while shooting in London.

Nigella tweeted this image of herself on set.

Nigella’s new diet consists of a fried egg sandwich for breakfast.

A lamb rack and vegies for lunch.

And smoked salmon and chocolate truffles for dinner.

Two days later she ate steak and chips for lunch.

And a bagel with avocado, hummus and smoked salmon with a rocket salad for dinner.

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Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux’s wedding plans

Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux's wedding plans revealed

Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux are finally engaged, but the pair have a slight hitch to overcome before they say ‘I do’.

Jennifer, 43, and Justin, 41, both have very different ideas about how and where they should celebrate their big day, with an unnamed friend of the pair telling US Weekly that they can’t decide.

The source says Jen would love a “destination wedding, kind of like eloping with a few friends”.

“There will be the feeling of a vacation, since that’s their favourite thing to do,” the friend adds.

Justin, on the other hand, is hoping to stay closer to home and would prefer “a New York City winter wedding”.

Justin is also said to want a low-key affair rather than celebrating in “high-style”, which is what Jen would prefer.

Although they disagree on the details, both are excited about their big day. “Jen is over the moon about her second chance at a happy marriage,” another source says. “Justin is giving her a solid vow to love.”

This will be the second marriage for Jen, who divorced Brad Pitt in 2005, and the first for Justin, who split from his girlfriend of 14 years, Heidi Bivens, in early 2011.

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Julia Gillard defends ‘sexist’ slush fund claims

Prime Minister Julia Gillard

Gillard answers questions about her past

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has come out swinging against allegations that she was party to a union slush fund scandal in an attempt to put the claims of what she labelled a “very sexist smear campaign” to rest.

Gillard has been mute on the 17-year-old issue since it was uncovered in 2007, but spoke out in her defence yesterday in a marathon press conference telling media she would answer questions on the issue and that would be “the end of it”.

Julia Gillard haunted by Wilson scandal

Addressing the scandal that has dogged her political career, in which she has been accused of setting up a dodgy union fund for her then-boyfriend and alleged conman, former Australia’s Workers Union state secretary Bruce Wilson, the Prime Minister denied wrongdoing but claimed she had been deceived.

Gillard admitted she did not follow protocol by failing to open a file for the account at law firm Slater & Gordon — where she was working as a partner and representing Mr Wilson — which would have given other partners an insight into the funds’ use.

But while she admitted regrets, the former industrial lawyer denied wrongdoing, saying she had no knowledge of the operation or the misuse of its funds.

“I provided advice, as the association has established. I then knew absolutely nothing about its workings until allegations about its workings became the subject of the discussion within the AWU and then more broadly,” she said.

She said she dumped her boyfriend over the issue.

Acknowledging the misjudgement, Gillard assured media she had matured since then and learned from this mistake.

“I am standing in front of you now as a 50-year-old woman. Have I learned a few things across my lifetime? Yes, I have.”

She urged the public not to take notice of the allegations, claiming they had been promoted by “misogynists and nut jobs on the internet”.

Our advice for Julia Gillard

Opposition leader Tony Abbott has so far chosen not to comment on the Prime Minister’s statement, but wants to bring it to Parliament, putting pressure on Gillard to make a formal statement.

Cabinet minister Stephen Conroy has defended the Prime Minister, saying she as victim of “a dirty, filthy, smear by the Liberals.”

Your say: Do you think allegations against the Prime Minister are sexist?

Video: Gillard in heated exchange about her past

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Harry’s bodyguards ‘too busy partying’ to stop naked photos

Harry's bodyguards 'too busy partying' to stop naked photos

Prince Harry

Prince Harry’s bodyguards were too busy “enjoying the party” to stop girls taking naked photos of the royal.

The taxpayer funded Scotland Yard protection officers who accompanied the 27-year-old Prince to Las Vegas “acted like amateurs who were asleep at the wheel” a source has said.

Related: Should Harry be stripped of his royal title?

Instead of asking Harry’s new female friends to surrender their camera phones upon entering the royal suite, the men sat back and watched the incriminating images being taken.

“As one person photographed the Prince, an officer meekly told them ‘Awww, come on … no photos,” the source told gossip website TMZ, which initially published the scandalous nude images.

“They were enjoying the party more than protecting the Prince from himself. Harry’s team acted like a bunch of amateurs.”

Harry’s protection detail costs British taxpayers $3 million a year. They are meant to insist guests surrender their phones and cameras before socialising with Harry to prevent this sort of embarrassing scandal.

A Scotland Yard spokesman refused to comment on the allegations.

Harry arrived back in the UK yesterday to face the media storm over the illicit images, which saw Harry completely naked cavorting with an equally naked woman during a game of “strip billiards”.

The Queen and senior members of the royal family — including Harry’s beloved brother Prince William — are said to be furious with the rebellious Prince.

Related: How the Queen will punish Harry

But Harry is reportedly unrepentant, with friends saying he doesn’t think he did anything wrong.

“He’s not eating an awful lot of humble pie as I understand,” one friend told the UK’s Daily Mail.

Your say: Do you think Harry’s bodyguards are to blame for letting the incriminating pictures be taken?

Video: Harry’s nude scandal

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Matt Golinski: I have no idea why I’m still alive

Survivor Matt Golinski

Matt Golinski alongside a picture of his late wife and three children.

Celebrity chef Matt Golinski who survived a house fire that claimed the lives of his wife and three daughters has spoken publicly for the first time since the Boxing Day tragedy.

Eight months since the former Ready Steady Cook regular escaped the horrific accident with severe burns to 40 percent of his body, he is still searching for a reason behind his miraculous survival.

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“I have no idea why I was spared from the fire but I am determined to look forward and live a life that would make them proud,” he told News Ltd papers.

“To say my world has been turned upside down is an understatement. Although the loss of my family is unfathomable, at this stage of my recovery, I am simply grateful to be alive and to be alive and to have experienced the love of my beautiful wife and three daughters.”

Mr Golinski has said he chose to grant the interview as a way of thanking the local community for their support.

Although he says he appreciates the high level of media interest in the story, he has decided not to comment further as he works out what the next stage of his life might entail and continued his recovery.

“I am thankful for the respect and privacy that has been afforded to me whilst I focus on my recovery and work out what the future may entail. Physically I am getting stronger every day but emotionally it is still very difficult,” he said in a statement to media.

“My world has been turned upside down. Rest, medication, and the time to process all that has happened are important aspects of my healing.”

Mr Golinski has made progress in the eight months since the horrific incident, leaving hospital in April.

A condition common to severe burns survivors which causes bone to form in soft tissue around the joints in his elbows, has caused Mr Golinski limited mobility in his arms, so he has been unable to return to work at his Sunshine Coast catering business, but has managed to get back into some other hobbies.

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Picking up the guitar again has been a source of joy for Mr Golinski , who has strong memories attached to playing the instrument.

“Music was a big part of our family’s life with my wife Rachael, and our daughters Willow, Sage, Starlia and me regularly jamming and dancing in the lounge room,” he said.

“I am finding some solace in being able to play again.”

Mr Golinski said he is very grateful for the support proided to him during these past eight months, and appreciates the interest in his story, but at this point, he isn’t emotionally or physically ready to tell it.

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Oprah abused for her role in Ellen DeGeneres coming out

Oprah abused for her role in Ellen DeGeneres coming out

They are both mega-successful daytime talk-show hosts, but when Oprah Winfrey became involved in Ellen DeGeneres revealing her sexuality, neither was prepared for the backlash they received.

Oprah has given a new interview about the experience, saying that had Ellen not come out of the closet, she wouldn’t have the same impact on her audience.

Back in 1997, Oprah agreed to guest star on Ellen DeGeneres’ sitcom Ellen, playing a therapist to DeGeneres’ character Ellen Morgan. In the episode, Ellen reveals her sexual orientation. At the same time, Ellen came out in real-life, in a Time magazine article titled “Yep, I’m Gay”.

“I did it because she asked me to do it and I wanted to support her,” Oprah tells The Hollywood Reporter.

“It didn’t occur to me that there would be a backlash.”

Following the episode, which was viewed by 42 million people, Oprah received hate-fuelled letters and phone calls.

“It always turns to race. I got all of the, ‘N—–, go back to Africa. Who do you think you are?’” she says.

Show producers were also targeted and advertising for the show was pulled.

As part of her announcement, Ellen also appeared on Oprah’s talk show to speak of her decision to come out.

“She was pretty emotional that day — kind of tense and not fully herself,” Oprah says.

“It’s one thing to be ready to step out, it’s another thing to be ready for the thunderous explosion that occurred after she did.”

But more than a decade later, as Ellen is about to launch into her 10th season of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, her possibly career destroying decision has helped her create a $50 million empire.

“Being able to be free — literally — and to express herself in a way that she can be 100 per cent truthful with the audience has allowed them to fall in love with her,” Oprah says.

“Honest-to-God truth: I don’t believe she would have been as successful as she has become had she not come out.

“The reason why people love Ellen so much is because they see themselves in her. It’s not about gender or sexual preference.”

And it seems she has also paved the way for other gay celebrities — such as Ricky Martin, Glee star Chris Colfer and Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon — who today don’t need a tell-all interview to reveal their sexual preference.

Rosie O’Donnell simply announced her sexuality during a speech at an ovarian cancer benefit saying: “I’m a dyke!”

“I don’t know why people make such a big deal about the gay thing,” Rosie said.

“People are confused, they’re shocked, like this is a big revelation to somebody.”

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