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Amanda Knox’s secret prison diary

Amanda Knox's secret prison diary

During her four years behind bars, the woman dubbed “Foxy Knoxy” kept a journal that’s now worth millions.

As Amanda Knox’s jubilant family hung out the Welcome Home signs and global media began scrambling for her exclusive story, details emerged of a secret prison diary kept by the US student during her four-year ordeal in an Italian jail. The 24-year-old language student, dubbed “Foxy Knoxy” during her 2009 murder conviction – now overturned – for the sex-slaying of UK exchange student Meredith Kercher, stands to gain millions from the sale of the diary. It’s likely to be turned into a tell-all book and, possibly, a TV series or movie.

In it, Amanda repeatedly professes her innocence of the brutal murder of 21-year-old Meredith, with whom she shared a house. “I am innocent so I will be free. Free. Free. Free. Freedom. I will have freedom,” she writes. And, in another entry, “Waiting, unfairly, innocent and knowing that outside I’m seen as a sinister monster. Life passes me by. Here is no place for love.”Amanda adds a poignant poem – “Do you know me? Open your eyes and see that when it is said I am an angel, or I am a devil, or I am a lost girl, recognise that what is really lost is: the truth!”

Until last week, when she was spectacularly freed, Amanda faced another 22 years of a 26-year jail sentence. Not surprisingly, she relieved the boredom of prison life by documenting her innermost thoughts in her diary. In notes written recently she declares, “I am not the Monster of Perugia” – a reference to a horrific Italian killer dubbed the Monster of Florence.

In her journal, obtained by Italy’s Corriere della Sera newspaper, she calls herself Foxy Knoxy and reveals that no less than 35 men wrote to her in the first two weeks after her arrest, many of them besotted by her appearance. “Write to me because I want to finally know ‘the girl with the face of an angel’,” pleaded one man in a letter. Another proposed marriage. “I will respond to all, but only when I am out of here,” Amanda writes. Among the papers is a letter to her American boyfriend, with whom she remained in contact during her time in Italy. “Dear DJ, I really feel the need to hold you in my arms right now,” she writes. “I have this knot inside and I feel as if someone really cold and strong is pressing my head. I beg you I cannot stay alone right now.”

Read more of Amanda Knox’s diary entries in this week’s Woman’s Day, on sale October 10, 2011.

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Ashton’s worse than Tiger!

Liz Hurley and Shane Warne: Our dream wedding!

Demi’s friends say Ashton could rival the golfer in the love-rat stakes.

As a devastated Demi Moore desperately tries to salvage her marriage following reports of husband Ashton Kutcher’s infidelity, close friends have warned her that this latest scandal could be just the tip of the iceberg. Ashton’s alleged affair with 23-year-old student Sara Leal on the eve of their sixth wedding anniversary was the most public of his indiscretions, but Demi’s friends fear many more mistresses may be about to come out of the woodwork.

“Hollywood is full of girls who are claiming to have had sex with Ashton in the time he has been married to Demi,” claims one friend, who has known the 48-year-old actress for 11 years. “He could be worse than [golfer] Tiger Woods!” Speaking exclusively to Woman’s Day, the friend adds, “The problem is that Demi still loves him and she will do anything to make it work.” Indeed, there are suggestions that Demi, insecure about their 15-year age gap, had previously agreed to an open relationship. “Given his age, she thought Ashton might still have some wild oats to sow,” a friend tells US magazine InTouch.

The only condition was that her husband be “discreet about it and didn’t embarrass her”. Clearly, their arrangement has backfired spectacularly. The couple was last week seen looking miserable as they arrived, still wearing their wedding rings, at the Kabbalah Centre in LA. They sat apart during a 40-minute Rosh Hashanah service, then met together with a rabbi for their first ession of marriage counselling.

Ashton, 33, had to confess his sins, and was advised to quit drinking and partying. He and Demi will now have private weekly therapy sessions at home, as well as attending Kabbalah services every weekend. According to a Kabbalah insider, the mystical Jewish religion teaches that infidelity does not spell the end of a marriage. The source says, “If a man strays for a brief fling, it does not mean that he doesn’t love her. He can have an affair yet still love and honour his wife.”

Read more about Ashton and Demi’s broken marriage in this week’s Woman’s Day on sale October 10, 2011.

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George Calombaris: Meet my junior masterchef!

George Calombaris: Meet my junior masterchef!

It’s been the most joyous of times for celebrated food judge George Calombaris and his partner Natalie Tricarico.

Something kind of wonderful has happened to George Calombaris, and it has nothing to do with the perfect pressure test, ultimate mystery box challenge or even the most inspired culinary creation. It’s a beautiful baby boy named James George Calombaris, or James, as his parents call their very own Junior MasterChef.

George and his partner, Natalie Tricarico, can’t get enough of their little ray of sunshine. “Excuse my pyjamas,” apologises George when we knock on the door early in the day at the MasterChef star’s bright and stylish terrace house in inner Melbourne. “James has just had a feed, he’s content and now all he wants is to be held and cuddled. Suddenly, I go from running six restaurants with 300 staff to everything being all about James.”

Not that a beaming George, 32, is complaining. It becomes clear that being inducted into parenthood has irrevocably changed the no-nonsense award-winning chef, TV judge and restaurateur. “It makes us strong men who run businesses and do all these things, so soft – we become like marshmallows,” he confesses, cradling his tiny son in his arms in the kitchen while Natalie, 34, prepares steaming mugs of coffee for the Woman’s Day team. “I find myself sometimes just staring into his cot, just looking that he’s breathing. I still can’t believe that we could do something like this. It’s amazing what a new addition to the family does to everyone. It lifts everyone up. It’s really beautiful.”Natalie was just two days short of her due date when she went into labour in the middle of the night. Thankfully, George – who maintains a frenetic schedule due to his television and restaurant commitments – was home at the time, albeit fast asleep!

“I think George was panicking a little internally when I woke him up,” Natalie says, smiling, “but he didn’t want to show me that he was. He was driving a little faster than normal and I was like, ‘It’s OK. We’re not having the baby right now on the road!’” “All I know is that I put Nat in the car very quickly and got her to the hospital at the speed of light,” George recalls, laughing. “We got there about 1.30 in the morning and, unfortunately, the little one was the other way around. So at 6.37am our doctor made the decision to perform a caesarean.”

Read more about George and Natalie’s beautiful baby boy in this week’s Woman’s Day on sale October 10, 2011.

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Liz Hurley and Shane Warne: Our dream wedding!

Liz Hurley and Shane Warne: Our dream wedding!

It was love at first sight for the unlikely pair…now they are heading down the aisle after an old-fashioned proposal and a $100,000 sapphire and diamond “rock”.

It’s easy to see why Shane Warne fell for Elizabeth Hurley – she’s sexy, sophisticated, has a wicked sense of humour and flirts as outrageously as he does. Liz ticks a lot of boxes. Now, the actress, model and former punk rocker, who once sported pink hair and a nose ring and famously said, “I’d kill myself if I was as fat as Marilyn Monroe”, is about to tick the biggest one of all – ‘wife’, ‘spouse’, ‘the other half’, ‘the better half’, ‘the missus’.

What started as the most unlikely celebrity coupling of 2010 has become the love story of 2011, thanks to dozens of Tweet-nothings and a romantic proposal on bended knee from Australia’s most testosterone-fuelled cricketer. How Shane, 42, got Liz, 46, to agree to marry him is the source of much admiration or bemusement, depending on which side of the wicket (or world) one happens to be on. However, there’s no doubt he’s bowled this maiden over. Lovestruck Shane popped the question while the pair were in Scotland for the Dunhill Links Pro-Am Golf Championship, in which Shane competed.

Liz accepted the proposal and, with it, her “Angel” Shane’s promise – implicit in every marriage contract – to love, honour and be a good boy! And it appears he has been… given that he almost lost Liz last December after it was revealed he’d been sending texts to a Melbourne woman while romancing the British bombshell. The couple solved the problem by making a New Year’s Eve “clean slate” pact, reported in Woman’s Day, that excused any romantic indiscretions prior to January 1, 2011, and allowed them a fresh start together. And now that their lusty affair has blossomed into true love, it’s little wonder they couldn’t stop smiling the day after Shane popped the question.

The size of the engagement ring, and Liz’s penchant for stealing the show, make the couple’s visit to Melbourne next month for the Spring Racing Carnival and the opening of Shane’s Club 23 lounge bar at Crown Casino all the more exciting. The Aussie trip will be the perfect prelude to the main event – a summer wedding. There’s no doubt Liz and Shane’s big day will be glamorous and star-studded, and it’s odds on that whippet-thin Liz, who loves white jeans, white tie and a tiara or two, will opt for a big white wedding. It’s unlikely to be small or informal. Nor is it likely to be posh and grand like Liz’s Brit-and-Bollywood double wedding to Arun Nayar, an extravaganza of excess for which she was paid two million pounds by Hello! magazine and which ended in divorce earlier this year.

Read more about Shane and Liz’s wedding plans, their guest list and how Shane’s ex-wife Simone feels about the proposal in this week’s Woman’s Day on sale October 10, 2011.

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George Calombaris: Meet my junior MasterChef

George Calombaris and his partner Natalie Tricarico introduce James George Calombaris!

Born: July 31, 2011. Weight: 3.26kgs.

George Calombaris

George Calombaris and his partner Natalie Tricarico introduce James George Calombaris!

Born: July 31, 2011. Weight: 3.26kgs.

Read more about George’s pride and joy here!

George Calombaris

George Calombaris and his partner Natalie Tricarico introduce James George Calombaris!

Born: July 31, 2011. Weight: 3.26kgs.

Read more about George’s pride and joy here!

George Calombaris

George Calombaris and his partner Natalie Tricarico introduce James George Calombaris!

Born: July 31, 2011. Weight: 3.26kgs.

Read more about George’s pride and joy here!

George Calombaris

George Calombaris and his partner Natalie Tricarico introduce James George Calombaris!

Born: July 31, 2011. Weight: 3.26kgs.

Read more about George’s pride and joy here!

George Calombaris

George Calombaris and his partner Natalie Tricarico introduce James George Calombaris!

Born: July 31, 2011. Weight: 3.26kgs.

Read more about George’s pride and joy here!

George Calombaris

George Calombaris and his partner Natalie Tricarico introduce James George Calombaris!

Born: July 31, 2011. Weight: 3.26kgs.

Read more about George’s pride and joy here!

George Calombaris

George Calombaris and his partner Natalie Tricarico introduce James George Calombaris!

Born: July 31, 2011. Weight: 3.26kgs.

Read more about George’s pride and joy here!

George Calombaris

George Calombaris and his partner Natalie Tricarico introduce James George Calombaris!

Born: July 31, 2011. Weight: 3.26kgs.

Read more about George’s pride and joy here!

George Calombaris

George Calombaris and his partner Natalie Tricarico introduce James George Calombaris!

Born: July 31, 2011. Weight: 3.26kgs.

Read more about George’s pride and joy here!

George Calombaris

George Calombaris and his partner Natalie Tricarico introduce James George Calombaris!

Born: July 31, 2011. Weight: 3.26kgs.

Read more about George’s pride and joy here!

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Mel B exclusive: I miss my six pack!

Mel B exclusive: I miss my six pack!

The straight-talking X Factor judge is determined to get her taut tummy back.

Before falling pregnant with her third child, Melanie Brown was in the best shape of her life. A stint on the US version of Dancing With The Stars, the gruelling Spice Girls reunion tour and starring in her own fitness DVD had honed her sleek pop star’s body to perfection, and regular exercise and a healthy diet kept her looking more Sporty than Scary. “I had a six pack!” laughs Mel, 36, speaking exclusively to Woman’s Day. “I was very lean and fit.”

Fast-forward nine months and the British-born beauty had piled on almost 30kgs, tipping the scales at 82kgs shortly before giving birth to daughter Madison six weeks ago. “I gained a lot of weight,” Mel admits. “My legs, my butt, my tummy, my arms… it’s absolutely everywhere. I’d been eating for England. I was indulging – basking in my pregnancy.” To make matters worse, just two weeks later, she was back in the glare of the spotlight on The X Factor Australia, carrying all that extra post-baby padding on prime-time TV.

Now at 75kgs, Mel has decided it’s time to ditch that excess baggage by signing up as the new celebrity ambassador to weight-loss company Jenny Craig. She aims to lose 15kgs over the next 15 to 20 weeks, to reach her goal weight of 60kgs. “When you’ve just had a baby, you want to get back into shape and remember what you felt like nine months ago,” she explains. “Especially working on camera and being in the public eye, you want to feel like you’re at your best.

“For me, doing Jenny Craig was a no-brainer. With my newborn and working nine-hour days on The X Factor, I already have so much to focus on. I just don’t have the time to think about losing weight.

Read more about Mel’s goal to lose weight in this week’s Woman’s Day, on sale October 10, 2011.

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Paul McCartney marries Nancy Shevell

Paul McCartney married Nancy Shevell in a low-key ceremony at Marylebone Registry Office yesterday, 42 years after he married first wife Linda in the same venue.

The former Beatles singer wed family friend Nancy – who he has been dating since 2007 – in front of 30 guests.

The couple couldn’t stop smiling after the ceremony, which was Paul’s third and Nancy’s second. The ceremony was followed by a reception at the couple’s home in north London.

Paul’s first wife Linda died of breast cancer in 1998. He married former model Heather Mills in 2002, but the union ended in an expensive divorce in 2008.

Paul, 69, and Nancy, 51, arrive at the registry office in central London.

Nancy looked thrilled as she got out of her car.

The bride and groom seemed to enjoy the attention they got from fans.

The new Sir and Lady McCartney.

The couple’s friends and family showered them with rose petals after the ceremony.

Nancy wore a dress believed to be designed by Paul’s daughter Stella McCartney.

Paul’s daughter Stella attended the wedding and the reception.

Fellow Beatle Ringo Starr arrives at the reception.

Paul and his ex-wife Heather Mills before their 2002 wedding.

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Suri Cruise’s weird and wacky life

High heels, handbags and now bright red lipstick. Suri Cruise has added make-up to her fashion mix.

The five-year-old daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, who just started school, is a free-spirit when it comes to fashion and clothes.

So much so, she has a designer wardrobe worth $3.2 million.

But that’s not all Suri is known for — from babychinos to shopping, take a look through these pictures of Suri Cruise’s weird and wacky life.

The 5-year-old celebutot stepped out with bright red lipstick recently.

Suri has a designer wardrobe and is hardly ever seen in the same thing twice.

She is known for her love of high heels and began wearing them at age three.

Too cute for a swim suit, Suri opts to swim in her sundress rather than a costume.

Suri is regularly spotted out shopping wtih mum Katie Holmes.

Earlier this year Suri was spotted with a dummy and always takes her blanket on trips.

And what’s her drink of choice? A babychino, of course.

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Parenting tips: It’s hard to be good

Naughty children and stressed mum

It’s far easier to be a rubbish parent than a good one, the struggle to parent effectively without falling out with your kids can sometimes just feel too hard.

The older they get the more you have to worry about and it sometimes seems much easier just to let them run riot, horrible though the consequences might be. Being constantly on their backs can be exhausting so giving up on discipline for the sake of peace seems very attractive.

But alas we all know this route will inevitably end in some sort of disaster so here’s some tips for managing those tricky parenting problem areas.

With toddler tantrums, go down to the child’s level and speak calmly and clearly, keeping instructions short and simple. Stay consistent, don’t give in to screaming, and be prepared to be friends once it’s over.

Children learn that actions have consequences from around three years of age. Hitting or biting should be dealt with by a time-out, where a child is put to sit by themselves for a minute for every year of their lives, or by withdrawing privileges.

Nurture confidence from an early age by letting them take the lead in shops, learning how to speak politely and clearly and try and eat out sometimes so they know how to talk to people and also realise what’s acceptable in public.

Encourage them to get involved in activities which involve public speaking which mean they have to organise something and make themselves heard, such as taking drinks orders at family gatherings.

Keep communicating, listen to what they’re saying and expect them to do the same to you. Try to be reasonable, compromising on the small things can make it easier to get the more important things done.

So the teenager who resents being picked up by her parents can agree to them waiting around the corner, thus saving face in front of her friends but still being safe.

The issues where compromise won’t work are the hardest, such as not letting young people be exposed to R18+ rated films so you have to explain that some rules are there to keep people safe but be willing to discuss different approaches as they get older. Maybe you won’t have TVs or computers in bedrooms but if a teenager comes up with good exam results that can be discussed again or if younger children can go out to play and be home at the right time, further freedom can be granted.

If the worst happens do it all calmly and without fighting or covering old ground. You’re not meant to be your child’s best friend and rules and limitations are a big part of loving them.

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Gok Wan’s style secrets

Gok Wan's style secrets

Are you an hour glass? Pear shape? No idea? If you’ve never considered what body shape you are UK stylist Gok Wan is here to help.

“In 16 years of dressing women — over 40,000 in my career — I would say the first question any woman will ask me is ‘what body shape am I?'” Gok says.

Gok, who isn’t afraid to take everyday women of all shapes and sizes, young and old, out of their clothing comfort zone, has just wrapped up his second Aussie tour this year.

Teaming up with Westfield, Gok has toured Australian shopping centres doing what he does best — dressing woman and helping them to embrace their body shape.

And it’s clear to see why women love Gok.

“Who wants Aunty Gok to dress them?” He asked an enthusiastic crowd at the launch of his tour in Sydney, before choosing a clearly delighted woman, measuring her up and declaring she is an hourglass body shape.

So, for all the women after some styling advice from “Aunty” Gok himself, we asked him his top styling tips, how to learn your body shape and how to feel confident in your skin, at any age.

Why do you think 93 pe cent of Australian woman are not confident in their clothes?

Because they’ve been dictated to for so long but the revolution has begun, and women are now starting to dress for themselves and not for anybody else!

What’s the best way for woman to get confident in their clothes?

Understand your own personal style, and consider three things — firstly your body shape; secondly — commit to a maximum of two styles per season; and thirdly — make sure the clothes that you’re wearing suit your lifestyle.

Is there a common mistake woman are making when it comes to choosing clothes?

The most common mistake is shopping for trend first and body shape second — it should be the reverse!

Do under garments and the way they fit make a big difference to feeling confident in an outfit?

Underwear is the most powerful part of a woman’s wardrobe, because you would never build a house on soggy soil!

How can older woman keep their outfits young and fun without dressing too young for their age?

There is no such thing as dressing too young for your age — ever. I don’t believe in it — I think it’s about dressing for your body shape first.

Once woman know how to dress do they get a confidence boost?

Yes — absolutely 100 percent — I think that the best accessory any women can wear is her confidence.

Do you have any stand out success stories?

I’d like to think all my dressing of women has been successful, but perhaps the most notable was when I dressed Di Cramer, who is a blind woman in the UK and I taught her about colour for the first time since she was 17. She’s in her 60s now and that was quite remarkable.

Westfield have launched a body shape calculator, can you explain how this tool works?

Go to westfield.com.au/bodyshapecalculator and you input your details for your bust, your waist and hips, and it calculates your individual shape instantly — in just moments. It’s a tool that every single person should use to determine their individual shape — it is easy, very effective and will change the rest of your lives when it comes to shopping.

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