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Brad and Jen race to the altar

Brad and Jen race to the Alter

Jen won’t let the newly engaged Brad and Ange ruin the wedding of her dreams.

Jennifer Aniston had just finished two hours of relaxing yoga when she got a call from friend Sheryl Crow that left her reeling – her ex-husband Brad Pitt had proposed to Angelina Jolie. The news couldn’t have come at a worse time for Jen, 43, who until then had never been happier.

But just days after it was revealed she and new love Justin Theroux had begun planning their wedding in Greece, she was confronted with the reality that she was in a race to the altar with the woman who stole her husband in 2005 – and embroiled them in Hollywood’s most infamous love triangle. After what sources say was 48-hours of agonising over whether she should put off her nuptials, Jen decided it’s all systems go for her Mediterranean marriage. A longtime member of Jen’s inner circle tells Woman’s Day, “Jen thinks the timing is really spiteful. But she won’t be overshadowed, and if she can help it, she will be married first anyway.”

If Jen’s going to pip Brad, 48, and Angelina, 36, at the matrimonial post, she had better get a move on. Those close to the megastar couple say they will marry sooner rather than later – and they’ve already decided on their own exotic venue. Just a week before their engagement announcement, Brad and Ange received word their dream house in the Dominican Republic, five years in the making, was nearly complete. With just the interior finishings of the house, jointly designed by Brad and famed architect Frank Gehry, still to be done, our sources confirm it will almost certainly be their wedding reception location.

“The house is inaccessible without private helicopter, so it’s obviously very private,” a friend of the couple tells Woman’s Day. “They bought land together there in 2007 and began building a house largely out of glass and wood, with a tree growing through one half of it – it’s always been their passion project.”

Read more about Brad and Ange’s secret wedding location in the Dominican Republic in this week’s Woman’s Day on sale Friday April 20, 2012.

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Pippa Middleton under fire

Pippa Middleton under fire

Kate’s sister causes more embarrassment for the royal family.

Pippa Middleton has ruined any chances of being accepted by the royal family after a wild weekend in Paris that is likely to see her questioned by police and possibly even arrested. The Duchess of Cambridge’s little sister was in the French capital to attend the debauched birthday party of a socialite friend when a member of her group pointed a pistol at onlookers in broad daylight.

Despite a recent spate of fatal shootings in France, Pippa seemed to enjoy the poor-taste prank, smirking alongside the gunslinger in a flash sports car. The incident’s caused widespread outrage in Britain, especially inside Buckingham Palace. Royal insiders tell Woman’s Day the Queen is furious at Pippa, as are Prince William and Pippa’s sister, Kate. “This has been a terrible weekend for Pippa,” longtime royal reporter Bill Coles tells us. “She has shown very poor judgment by spending her time partying with people behaving like spoiled Euro-trash with more money than brains.

“Wills and Kate have made great effort to modernise the image of the royal family by being perceived as hard-working and down to earth – and it’s very unhelpful if Pippa is mixing with a bunch of over-indulged brats. “The Queen has really warmed to Kate, but she is furious that Pippa has caused such a scandal. Now Pippa’s put her sister in a difficult position. Kate always defends Pippa when she speaks to the Queen or her palace advisors – but this time she would be defending the indefensible.

“It’s so hard for Kate, because she’s so mild-mannered and timid. She will hate having to talk to Pippa about her actions. Pippa is causing Kate so much stress and worry, when William and the rest of Kate’s family always hoped she’d be a source of support for her.” French authorities are also unimpressed at Pippa’s behaviour, with the Paris Judicial Police set to launch a probe amid a gun clampdown, and Pippa is reported to be in for a grilling.

Read more about Pippa’s partying in this week’s Woman’s Day on sale Friday April 20, 2012.

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Adorable lambs leap around living room

Adorable lambs leap around living room
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How Brad Pitt proposed to Angelina Jolie

Family is important to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie so it's no surprise their six children were involved in Brad's proposal.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt

Family is important to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie so it’s no surprise their six children were involved in Brad’s proposal.

Brad’s manager confirmed the couple were engaged last week and details have now emerged about how Brad popped the question.

The 48-year-old actor reportedly told Angelina, 36, that he had a surprise for her. He then gathered their children — Maddox, 10, Pax, eight, Zahara, seven, Shiloh, five, and three-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne — before presenting Angelina with a small box.

The actress is said to have burst into tears when she realised Brad was proposing. The children hugged her as she put the custom-made $250,000 diamond ring on, and then waited patiently as she showed it to each one individually.

“Angelina cried and smiled,” a source told gossip blogger Perez Hilton. “Everyone hugged once she put on. She went around and showed it to each of the kids.”

Brad and Angelina have repeatedly spoken about their children’s desire to see them tie the knot.

They initially planned to make a political statement by waiting until gay marriage became legal in the US to wed, but said their kids were becoming increasingly desperate to seem them walk down the aisle.

“[Marriage] means so much to my kids, and they ask a lot,” Angelina said in a recent interview. “And it means something to me, too, to make that kind of commitment.”

Angelina and Brad fell in love on the set of Mr and Mrs Smith in 2005, with Brad leaving his then-wife Jennifer Aniston shortly afterwards.

It will be Angelina’s third marriage. She divorced her first husband Jonny Lee Miller in 1999, and her second Billy Bob Thornton in 2003. Brad has been married just once before, to Aniston, whom he divorced in 2005.

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Hilarious celebrity prom photos

Before stylists and designers, there was prom night.
Celebrity prom dresses

We’re used to seeing stars perfectly styled and coiffed but before they had designers offering clothes or make-up artists ensuring they looked their best, their was prom night.

The Weekly takes a look at some hilarious celebrity prom photos that prove that no matter how stylish you becasme, you were once a mere fashion mortal like the rest of us!

Can you relate to these photos? Do you have a bad debut picture lurking somewhere?

Michelle Obama’s daring prom dress. © The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Ellen DeGeneres in her ‘tablecloth dress’. © The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Actress Jennifer Aniston.

Before she was a Black Eyed pea, Fergie was a Long White Glove kind of girl.

Blake Lively channelling Disney Princess on her big night.

Controversial US politician Sarah Palin.

Pop princess Britney Spears.

*Cougar Town* star Courteney Cox.

Cougar Town star Courteney Cox.

A baby-faced Brad Pitt at his prom.

Jimmy Fallon paled at the sight of his prom date’s peachy keen number.

George Clooney with his lucky date at his prom.

Natalie Portman has barely changed since her prom.

Actress Jessica Alba at her prom.

Supermodel Tyra Banks looks like she’s filming a music video at her prom.

Ok, we have to admit it, Angelina still looks pretty good.

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Queen’s extravagant jubilee souvenirs revealed

The Duchess of Cambridge might be able to make people buy dresses, but only Queen Elizabeth could sell an entire shipment of $380 teapots in seconds.

The ornate teapots were the fastest-selling of the 26 special souvenirs released to mark the queen’s Diamond Jubilee, alongside a $380 bowl and a $145 plate.

The most expensive item is a $760 decorative urn, while the cheapest is a $9 tin of mints.

All money made by the souvenirs will be used for the upkeep of the Royal Collection.

Queen Elizabeth and some of the official Diamond Jubilee souvenirs.

This $380 teapot is sold out.

The priciest item, a $760 decorative urn.

This cake stand will set you back $600.

Bargain: This humble tea towel cost just $13.70.

The special tea cup and saucer sells for $75.

This $380 bowl is also sold out.

A commemorative plate costs $150.

This coffee mug costs a modest $38.

A tin of mints is the cheapest item at $9.

This blue velvet cushion sells for $145.

This cute pillbox clock is priced at $100.

Pricey treat: These chocolates cost $24.50.

This limited edition tea caddy costs $269.

Jubilee shortbread will set you back $17.

The decorative box costs a mammoth $607.

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Women are more moral than men

Women are more moral than men

Women are known as the fairer sex and it turns out they are more moral too.

Eminent philosopher Professor Roger Steare has claimed that women have higher values and ethics than men, with women over 30 being the most moral of all.

Steare developed the ‘Moral DNA’ test in 2008 to measure how people’s values and ethics change as the get older and enter the workplace.

Since then, 60,000 people from more than 200 countries have completed the survey, covering every job from housewife to CEO.

The results show that gender and age affect morality, with women and over-thirties being the most moral.

Steare’s test asked respondents to rate a series of statements about themselves, including whether family, friends and colleagues would say they were “honest” or “competent”.

They also had to rate how much they identified with statements such as “I always honour people’s trust in me” and “I am good at exercising self-control”.

These results were used to sort respondents into one of six personality types: Philosopher, Judge, Angel, Teacher, Enforcer or Guardian.

Steare says women were overwhelmingly more moral than men, and they men needed to seriously evaluate their behaviour and show some “compassion” and “humility” or risk failure at work.

“The differences that emerged between men and women are valuable when we look at decision-making in the workplace,” Steare said.

“Women prefer to make their decisions based on how it impacts others — which tends to produce better decisions — while men have a more individual approach and are more self-interested.

“What this shows is that when it comes to work men have to grow up, put their ego to one side and show some humility and compassion — qualities they all too often have in their personal lives but put to one side when they walk into the office.”

The survey also showed that people got more moral as they got older — and less obedient, as they started making decisions based on what they believed was “right” and not just as they were told to.

“What stood out from the answers was that obedience decreased with age, while reason increased — a logical occurrence as we make the transition from youth to experience.

“Interestingly the crossover point occurs around our mid-thirties, which is when we mature as adults. That process then continues until our early sixties, when we’re at the peak of our intellectual and moral powers — yet sadly the age people often end up leaving the workplace.”

Your say: Do you think moral and ethics are still important in the modern era? [email protected]

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Liz Hurley and Shane Warne to marry next year — twice!

Liz Hurley and Shane Warne to marry next year — twice!

Elizabeth Hurley and Shane Warne don’t want to disappoint any friends or family members when they tie the knot next year, so the international couple are planning weddings in both her native Britain and Australia.

The couple, whose first Australian interview together is exclusively in this week’s Woman’s Day (out Friday!), are said to be “extremely happy”.

VOTE: What is the number one thing you love most about Shane Warne since he has been dating Elizabeth Hurley?

“I think we just ‘get’ each other,” 42-year-old Shane told Woman’s Day.

“I understand why Elizabeth and I getting together initially seemed strange to some people and why it created a lot of interest. We are from different worlds, but funnily enough they are very much the same, too.”

Speaking of this week’s exciting Australian exclusive, Woman’s Day editor Fiona Connolly said:

“It doesn’t get much bigger than this for Australian magazines. Shane and Elizabeth are one of the world’s most intriguing couples. The story of their romance, engagement and blended family has remained untold — until now.

“You’ve seen Shane Warne wearing many hats from cricket hero to Aussie larrikin but this is a side of him you could never have imagined.

Woman’s Day readers will be surprised by how honest the couple are about everything from his colourful romantic past, their ex’s, jealousy between the kids, how she’s changed him and even plastic surgery.”

In the article, Elizabeth and Shane also reveal their special names for each other: she calls him the “Big Blond” while his nickname for her is “Luna” — after the fairground Luna Park.

“Elizabeth calls me a lot more than just the Big Blond — she has dozens of names for me, all of them too embarrassing to share,” Shane tells Woman’s Day.

“I have a handful for her, too, but I usually call her Luna as there was a terrible paparazzi picture of her once looming in to kiss me, which reminded me of the massive mouth at the entrance of Luna Park.”

Read the exclusive Shane and Liz interview in this week’s Woman’s Day on sale Friday 20, 2012.

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Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie engaged

After seven years and six children, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are finally engaged.
Brad Pitt and Angelina

After seven years and six children, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are finally engaged.

Brad, 48, proposed to Angelina, 36, with a custom-made diamond engagement ring rumoured to be worth more than $250,000.

Brad’s manager Cynthia Pett-Dante confirmed the news and said the couple’s children — Maddox, 10, Pax, eight, Zahara, seven, Shiloh, five, and three-year-old twins Knox and Vivienne — were thrilled.

“It is a promise for the future and their kids are very happy,” Pett-Dante told People magazine.

Brad designed Angelina’s engagement ring with the help of famous Beverly Hills jeweller Robert Procop.

Procop said he worked on the ring for more than a year, crafting it to perfectly suit Angelina’s delicate hand.

“Brad was always heavily involved, overseeing every aspect of the creative design evolution,” Procop said in a statement.

“The side diamonds are specially cut to encircle her finger. Each diamond is of the highest gem quality.”

Angelina was photographed wearing the sparkler on Wednesday when she attended a private museum viewing in Los Angeles.

Angelina and Brad fell in love on the set of Mr and Mrs Smith in 2005, with Brad leaving his then-wife Jennifer Aniston shortly afterwards.

They are now parents to three adopted children and three biological children and it appears it was their kids who pressured them into tying the knot at last.

“[Marriage] means so much to my kids, and they ask a lot,” Angelina said in a recent interview. “And it means something to me, too, to make that kind of commitment.”

It will be Angelina’s third marriage. She divorced her first husband Jonny Lee Miller in 1999, and her second Billy Bob Thornton in 2003. Brad has been married just once before, to Aniston, whom he divorced in 2005.

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Why the size of your plate is making you fat

Why the size of your plate is making you fat

Twenty years ago, Kit Kats were sold in two-piece packs weighing 20g, today a Kit Kat weighs 78g. Welcome to our supersize world. The result: we’re also supersizing ourselves.

Fancy a biscuit? And how about a coffee to go with it? Twenty years ago, that would have meant a biscuit you could have fitted whole — at a squeeze — into your mouth. Today, it’s the size of your hand and with around 10 times the calories.

The coffee hardly washes that down comfortably, either. In 1991, it was made with water and served in a 200ml cup. Even with milk and two sugars, it had only around 400 kilojoules. Now, we buy a 470ml full-cream milk-based coffee, with more than 2000kJ. Is it really any wonder we’re overweight?

Related: Soft drinks linked to heart disease

“Food portion sizes have increased significantly over the past 20 years, along with obesity,” says dietitian Amanda Clark, author of the books Portion Perfection and Portion Perfection Healthy Snack Bible.

“It’s happened slowly so we just haven’t noticed how much they’ve crept up. We didn’t realise we were eating so much more.”

In the US, the average daily dietary intake has increased by 2520kJ (600 calories) — from 9122kJ (2172cal) to 11,655kJ (2775cal) — over the past 37 years.

Australians are not so far behind, with recent national intake surveys finding that our kids are now eating more than 840kJ (200cal) extra a day than they did 20 years ago. That could mean a 10 kilogram gain in body weight in just one year.

The reasons are various. The average dinner plate has grown by more than 36 percent since 1960. And portions in restaurants and fast-food outlets, where we eat much more regularly, have, in some cases, been supersized to more than double.

In addition, food is now generally sold in much bigger packs and bottles, which consumers embrace because they think they’re more of a bargain. In turn, food producers like to see us buy more, so it becomes a habit.

“It also has a lot to do with advertising and the images we see all the time of food,” says nutritionist and naturopath Tania Flack.

“We’re presented with pictures of Brontosaurus-sized steaks that would be enough to feed three, but they’re for one person. TV commercials show Sunday roasts that are massive. But just think back to the size of the kind of meals our grandparents served up — there’s absolutely no comparison.”

Back when all our energies were taken up with survival, food was only available at certain times, for instance when an animal was killed once every six days, clinical psychologist Sarah Edelman points out. Yet now we eat like it’s our last meal, three times a day.

“We’re designed and wired to look for food, and we haven’t made that evolutionary adjustment,” she says. “Food is also now very much part of our social life and culture, and it’s very comforting to eat, it can really reduce anxiety.”

Related: The age you can give up dieting forever

We’re also far more confused about what a healthy diet involves, says Amanda Clark. Often, we think we can eat endless quantities of the good stuff, not realising that’s still too much.

Plus, adds Tania Flack, people usually kid themselves they’re being healthy by simply adding a small salad to a giant burger. “Instead, they should be adding a small burger to a big salad,” she says. “That’s the long-term solution.”

Your say: Have you noticed our portion sizes getting bigger?

Video: Are you piling too much food onto your plate?

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