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Mel Gibson flaunts pregnant lover

The unrepentant actor parades his new lover as baby talk grows.

Mel Gibson has outraged his estranged wife and their seven children by shamelessly flaunting his new love — who is reportedly pregnant — on the red carpet.

Less than three weeks after the Australian actor’s long suffering wife Robyn officially called an end to their 28-year marriage, Mel, 56, showed off his Russian-born mistress, 39-year-old former lingerie model and singer-pianist Oksana Grigorieva, at the Los Angeles premiere of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Aware that the very public move would be seen as a sign that the couple’s clandestine affair is now serious, a defiant Mel smiled proudly as he walked the red carpet with his younger lover by his side.

Rubbing salt in Robyn’s wounds, Mel’s rep then stated, “Mel has been single for almost three years and it’s nice to see him getting out and enjoying himself.”

Three years or not, renowned body language expert Dr Lillian Glass believe Mel is besotted. “He is like a schoolboy in love. He holds on to her hand tightly and passionately, with their fingers interlocked. His face looks relaxed and he has a Cheshire Cat grin on his face.”

Despite claims Mel cheated on his wife with multiple women, Dr Glass says Oksana’s body language indicates she is no fleeting romance for the Braveheart star. “She looks like a princess and it is obvious that Mel treats her like one,” says Lillian. “She knows the power she has over Mel, as indicated by her smug, knowing smile.”

But the move has infuriated his 53-year-old ex, Robyn, who insiders reveal feels humiliated by how quickly Mel has moved on from his marriage.

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Rebecca Gibney: My roller-coaster year

By Lucy Chesterton

The television icon is feeling triumphant after a year of dramatic ups and downs.

Calm and restrained definitely aren’t words you’d use to describe the past 12 months for Rebecca Gibney.

The beloved Packed To The Rafters actress has survived a whirlwind year filled with tears and triumphs both on and off screen. And to cap it all off, her smash-hit show was nominated for a massive 10 TV Week Logies, and Rebecca herself was nominated for the coveted Gold Logie.

Speaking to Woman’s Day before the event, Rebecca said she was both thrilled and terrified to be nominated in three categories this year.

“I’m told I’ve had about 20 nominations [over the years] and only one win. So just to be nominated for Gold is an honour. I’m actually terrified.”

By her own admission, the runaway success of the show, which saw Rebecca and her family relocate to Sydney, has resulted in “an incredibly emotional year.”

“No-one could have predicted the success of Rafters. We’ve been completely overwhelmed by it all!”

While Rebecca’s success is certainly well deserved, it has come at a personal cost. For Rebecca, 44, joining the series meant moving away from her treasured home in Tasmania’s Tamar Valley, where she has lived for six years with her production designer husband Richard Bell and their son Zac, 4.

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Nicole and Keith’s icy Sunday morning

The frosty body language was obvious as the star pair stepped out on the eve of Keith’s five-month tour.

They may be spending more time together these days, but the body language between Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban appeared decidedly cold as they left a Starbucks near their home outside Nashville, Tennessee.

Onlookers say the morning began well for the couple, who took their usual gym session together — but a post-workout coffee run turned sour, with a grim-faced Nicole storming away from her husband, leaving the bemused country music star trailing in her wake.

When he finally caught up with Nicole, there was no hiding their sour expressions and distant body language. Nicole pursed her lips and folded her arms as she spoke with Keith, and it was clear he was in no mood to listen, as he defiantly averted his eyes from her.

The frosty display was a far cry from the loving, openly affectionate couple that fans are used to seeing at red carpet events.

Friends say the pair, who are parents to 10-month-old daughter Sunday Rose, are currently at loggerheads over Keith’s upcoming Escape Together World Tour. The concerts, which kick off on May 7, will stretch for five months, spanning 58 cities in the US and Canada.

In an effort to pacify the Oscar-winning actress, Keith has promised he will do everything he can to make the tour comfortable for his family.

“I’m touring at the moment and this time I have made a point of making provision on the bus so Nic and the baby can come and spend some time with me,” explains 41-year-old Keith.

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Princess Mary’s marriage bombshell

One woman seems hell bent on ruining Mary’s fairytale.

Princess Mary is nervously bracing herself for the release of an explosive new book attacking her luxurious life with Prince Frederik.

For the second time, Mary has come under fire from controversial Danish author Trine Villemann, whose first book, 1015 Copenhagen K, claimed that Mary was Fred’s second choice after his engagement to former lingerie model Katja Storkholm was rejected by the palace.

Now the Crown Princess fears the new book, The King And Queen Of Greenland, will cause an even greater scandal, with Trine seemingly relishing every opportunity to undermine the couple.

“Mary is busy exhibiting her large social heart, but also showing her even larger designer wardrobe,” Trine sniped to Danish website MSN Starlounge.

“The royal couple represents… that vulgar culture of just getting as much as possible. Mary does not hesitate to swindle her position as princess and she offers our old monarchy to the highest bidder in her pursuits.

“While Michelle Obama plants an organic vegetable patch in the gardens of the White House, our Crown Princess flies off on a private jet on one of her holidays.”

Even more heartbreaking for Mary is the seemingly deliberate timing of the May 11 Danish release for The King and Queen Of Greenland, which threatens to overshadow the royal couple’s fifth wedding anniversary on May 14.

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National Heart Week

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National Heart Week

Your Heart: What is it Hungry for?

May 3rd marks the beginning of National Heart Week – a good time to think about looking after our hearts so that we can enjoy a happier, healthier life. Most of us know the things to avoid for a healthy heart, like saturated fat and smoking. But what about the things we can include? What is it that our hearts are really hungry for?

Protective Foods

There are some key superfoods that have been shown to be very heart protective. These include nuts, particularly almonds, foods high in soluble fibre like oats, fruits and vegetables and soy foods. In fact, research published in the highly respected American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that replacing red meat with soy foods in an otherwise healthy diet offered a significant improvement in key risk factors for heart disease, including waist circumference, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure and blood sugar control.

Healthy Activity

Our hearts crave physical activity. People who do moderate physical activity on most days of the week, are half as likely to develop heart disease than those who are not physically active.

Happy Relationships

There is strong and consistent evidence that close relationships are protective for heart disease. And, according to a University of Utah study released in 2006, it is not just having close relationships but the quality of those close relationships that determines our risk of developing heart disease.

Our Tips:

  • ENJOY A HEART PROTECTIVE DIET:Include soy foods like tofu and soy milk, snack on a handful of almonds each day, focus the majority of your diet on fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes, and avoid highly processed foods and foods high in saturated fat and sugar.

  • GET ACTIVE:Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week. If this seems like a lot of time to find in your already busy schedule, start by making small changes to your regular routine to make it as active as possible. Walk to the local shops instead of taking the car, park the car a few blocks away from your destination or take a brisk walk in your lunch break.

  • PUT TIME INTO YOUR RELATIONSHIPS:Good quality relationships take energy and care. Spend time with your family and friends and think about the way you communicate with each other. Relationships based on mutual respect, trust and love are not only good for our hearts, they are good for our whole being, the people around us, and our wider community.YOUR SAY: What do you do to keep your heart healthy? Tell us below…

Include soy foods like tofu and soy milk, snack on a handful of almonds each day, focus the majority of your diet on fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes, and avoid highly processed foods and foods high in saturated fat and sugar.

Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week. If this seems like a lot of time to find in your already busy schedule, start by making small changes to your regular routine to make it as active as possible. Walk to the local shops instead of taking the car, park the car a few blocks away from your destination or take a brisk walk in your lunch break.

Good quality relationships take energy and care. Spend time with your family and friends and think about the way you communicate with each other. Relationships based on mutual respect, trust and love are not only good for our hearts, they are good for our whole being, the people around us, and our wider community.

YOUR SAY: What do you do to keep your heart healthy? Tell us below…

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I slept with my psychiatrist’s son in her clinic!

It all started when my boyfriend of eight years broke up with me. I had planned to spend the rest of my life with him so it was very difficult for me to contemplate life without him.

Even though I tried to get past it, I began to feel depressed. I would often think very negatively and even had thoughts of ending my life. Finally I was convinced by friends and family to speak to someone about it and my doctor referred me to a psychiatrist.

I started seeing Dr Evans on a weekly basis. Even though our sessions helped, I still didn’t feel ready to move on to a new relationship as she had recommended me to do. The receptionist was a dear lady named Mary, but one day when I went in for my session there was a young, attractive man sitting in Mary’s seat.

He gave me a big friendly smile and said “Hi, are you Sarah?” I replied, “Oh yes, I have an appointment at 2pm?” He said, “No problem at all, take a seat, I’m James. Mary’s had a family emergency so I’m going to be filling in for a while.”

I later found out in my session that James was actually my therapist’s son and had just come back from Spain where he had been travelling before starting university this year. James and I started off chatting casually but eventually we started joking about and occasionally flirting. I found myself going to my appointments early so I could chat to him. He was only 19 years old, while I was 30, but I just couldn’t help noticing how handsome, charming and witty he was.

Our talks began to get more and more flirtatious and I started dressing up for my sessions. I hadn’t been with anyone since my break up and I knew it was completely inappropriate for me to be so physically and mentally attracted to someone so young but I couldn’t help myself. Especially one that was my psychiatrist’s son! He was just mature for his age and made me feel at ease. And even though I knew he had a girlfriend in Spain, I couldn’t help flirting back.

One night while I was having a late night session with Dr Evans, she was called out and had to meet a distressed client before our hour was over. She apologised profusely and said she would make up for our session the next week, asking me to make an appointment with James while she rushed off.

As she left, I realised James and I would be in the clinic alone. I had already fantasised many times about what would happen in this situation, but never did I think the opportunity would arise.

I adjusted my dress and sauntered out to reception. It was dark outside the clinic so I knew we were completely alone. As I walked over, I noticed James look me up and down and I knew he was thinking something along the lines of what I was. I leant on the table as he booked the appointment for me.

After handing my appointment card to me he asked me if I was going out on a date tonight since I was looking so hot. I laughed at his comment and said, “No, no, I’ve had a long week. I actually feel more like having a drink.”

Then he gave me a sly look and said, “Hey, why not? I have a bottle of red in the draw, care to join me?”

I laughed again and said, “Hmm, that’s a bit a naughty but why not?”

He exclaimed, “Great!” and off he went to get the glasses.

I sat down in the lounge chair in reception and my heart started racing. I felt like I was doing something very wrong — he had a girlfriend and he was 10 years younger than me — but I just couldn’t help myself!

I hadn’t felt that way about anyone since the break up. James came back in looking as handsome and muscular as ever in his fitted shirt and jeans and offered me a glass. We started drinking and minute by minute he seemed to inch closer to me on the seat.

Eventually after nearly finishing the bottle, James said to me, “I have to confess something. You’re so beautiful, and ever since I first met you I’ve been thinking about you.”

I gasped as I felt his hand on my thigh and then before I knew it, his lips were on mine. I melted. I knew it was wrong in so many ways but nothing else seemed to matter. We ended up in his mother’s office and made love for the first time that night in my doctor’s chair. It was the most exciting and thrilling experience I had ever had and James was so understanding and sweet yet passionate. It was never like that with my ex.

After that night we decided to continue the affair even though he was leaving the clinic in a month. To be honest, it was what I needed. I had just come out of something so serious. The physical part of our relationship was explosive, to be with a man so young and powerful. But we had decided to keep it strictly within the clinic after hours or even in the morning before the clinic opened.

I knew that I would have got into trouble with Dr Evans if she knew I was sleeping with her son of whom she was very protective of. I continued my weekly sessions with her and even let on that I was seeing someone casually. She said I was making great progress, but little did she know it was with her son!

James finally left at the end of the month. We said our goodbyes and I knew that we had to end it then and there. I explained the situation and even though he still wanted to see me he respected my decision. I was glad that Dr Evans never found out but I had finally been able to move on from my ex-boyfriend.

I stopped going to Dr Evans and am now in a loving relationship with a new man. I will never tell anyone about what I did with James in that clinic but it is an experience I will never forget.

All names have been changed. Picture posed by model.

Your say: Have your say about this true confession below…

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Mum and Me

Photography by Julian Kingma. Styling by Marijke Kingma. Hair and make-up by Paddy Puttock

Rove McManus and his mum, Coralie

It’s said that behind every great man there’s a great woman. As Wendy Squires and Sue Williams discover, when it comes to their beloved mums, some of Australia’s most successful male entertainers are only too happy to agree.

Rove is known as the nice guy of Australian TV and hearing him talk about his mum, Coralie, 57, it’s easy to see why. To the 35-year-old TV personality, his homemaker mother of four (Rove has two sisters and a brother) is a saint – “Just ask any of my school friends, they’ll tell you how great she is,” he says.

Rove says the lunches his mum used to pack for him became legend at his Perth primary school, Orana Catholic.

“The other kids at school were so insanely jealous that Mum started packing extra sandwiches and cake every day so none of them would miss out. In winter, she’d toast sandwiches, then actually drive to the school to deliver them still warm!”

To read more about Rove and his mum, Grant Hackett and his mum, Daniel MacPherson and his mum and Merrick and Rosso and their mum’s pick up a copy of the May issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly – out now!

In pictures: Celebrities and their mums

Your Say: What makes your mum so special? Share with us below…

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‘Help me teach my kids to save’

— with financial expert Adrian Raftery

It’s never too early to learn valuable financial lessons.

Most parents think that children are too young to understand the concept of money, but you’d be surprised at how much they learn just by watching you.

When I met Michelle, she said her kids didn’t receive pocket money. I told her that giving them a small amount of pocket money can help them learn about managing their finances.

If they have an income, it allows them to practise spending, saving and budgeting. It’s an important lesson they must go through in order to be more careful when they’re older.

I told Michelle to ask the two eldest (Lauren and Matthew) for some saving goals. Matthew wants a new bike, and Lauren wants an iPod. I got them to start shopping around and looking at the prices for these items. By doing this, they realised the prices varied by as much as 20 per cent.

I developed a budget with them, towards saving for these. They’d need to put aside some pocket money each week.

We also needed to dangle a carrot for their savings plans. How would they feel if they got the opportunity to earn extra pocket money? I told Michelle not to pay the kids extra for doing their general chores, but reward them for tasks such as washing the car or cleaning windows.

Finally, we got the kids to open a savings account which pays eight per cent interest. It’s important they see that money can make more money by earning interest.

    1. Put money into a savings account. Open a small account for them and get them to put any birthday money into it. Teach them the benefits of interest and that “money can make money”. They can each earn up to $1667 per annum before the taxman wants to tax them.
    1. Give them pocket money. It doesn’t have to be much. You just need to start getting them to learn about spending, saving and being responsible with money.
    1. Help set some savings goals. Motivate them to want to save for a future purpose. Sometimes it’s good to get them involved in your own savings goals (eg, house, car) so they can learn first hand from you.
    1. Give extra opportunities to earn money. Give them the chance to do extra chores around the place. This teaches them the value of hard work.
    1. Take them shopping. Most parents think this is the worst thing to do, but it can be a great educational tool for them to see you shop around for bargains. Get them involved and ask them to look at the price of items.
    1. Savings chart. Get them to chart how much they are saving each week, and help them visualise the benefits of saving.
    1. Let them ‘fall off the bike’. Kids need to understand the important lesson of losing money so they appreciate it more in the future. It’s better to learn at a young age rather than later in life.
    1. Show them the household budget. Show what bills are being paid and their cost, and what money is coming in to pay for the bills. It helps give them a better idea of money management.
    1. Simply say no. When they put on a performance at the shops and want something, tell them they have to wait, save up and shop around before they can get it. This gets them out of the habit of impulse purchases, which should stay with them later in life.

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Are my savings safe?

— with financial expert Adrian Raftery

We’ve all seen the stories of overseas banks collapsing and people rushing to the bank to take out their money in case they lose it. Should you do the same? Adrian says you needn’t worry.

“In the unlikely event of …” We hear this phrase all the time when the flight attendant goes through the plane safety procedures, but what about the “unlikely event” of your bank collapsing due to market turbulence?

The financial world has been turned upside down in recent months, with lots of institutions around the globe experiencing severe financial pressure to remain afloat.

Share prices have plummeted, houses have dropped in value and our super funds have felt the brunt as each day we hear of another story in the financial crisis.

But what about your money in the bank? Is it at risk? Should we all go to the bank tomorrow, empty our accounts and stick our funds under the mattress?

My simple answer is that if your money is with one of the big banks then it is pretty safe.

Personally, I feel very comfortable with my money being on deposit within a major Australian bank at the moment.

There are only 18 banks in the world that are AAA rated by international finance analysts Standard & Poor’s, and the good news is that four of them are here in Australia. They are CBA, Westpac, ANZ and NAB.

The Australian banking system is sound, with the major banks exhibiting strong balance sheets, unlike their foreign counterparts.

In simple terms, while our big banks are exposed to risk, they have enough assets behind them to take some hits along the way.

These thoughts have been echoed recently by the Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens as well as Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

However, if you are still worried about a bank collapsing, then I recommend dividing your monies across a few accounts with different banks to spread your risk. It is simple to do and lets you sleep easier at night.

You have worked hard for your money … you deserve to protect it.

In some good news, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced that the Australian Government will guarantee all deposits of Australian banks, building societies, credit unions and Australian subsidiaries of foreign-owned banks. This guarantee will operate for a period of three years.

    1. Don’t look for the big interest rate. While higher interest rates are attractive, you must accept that they also coincide with higher risk.
    1. Check your pension entitlement.If you are retired and your investments have fallen in value, then you should check with Centrelink that you are receiving your full pension entitlement.
    1. Spread deposits across the banks. Although the risk of an Australian bank collapse is very low, it is prudent to spread your risk and not have all your retirement savings in one account.
    1. Keep deposits separate from mortgages. If a bank collapses then they invariably pay off any loans that you have with your deposits, so it is a good idea to have your savings with a different bank.
    1. Stick with the “majors”. CBA, Westpac, ANZ and NAB are considered the four biggest banks in Australia and hence the most secure in this current environment.

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How to save your home

— with financial expert Adrian Raftery

If you’re facing repossession, the first thing to know is that you can get help from various organisations, free. The threat of losing your home is a harrowing experience, but you have to act immediately, or the problem will only grow worse.

  • Talk to a free adviser immediately. Below is a list of places that you can contact for unbiased free advice. They won’t make judgment on you; they simply want to help you. Don’t suffer alone.

  • Whatever you do, don’t just stop making repayments. A crucial point when dealing with banks is to show a good payment record. Banks are more likely to be accommodating if you haven’t missed payments.

  • Don’t try to re-finance at a higher interest rate. Interest rates are high enough already and they are probably what got you in trouble in the first place. Repossession is inevitable if you do this.

  • Avoid those willing to buy your house. There are profiteers who can sniff a distressed borrower a mile away. They are not doing you a favour.

  • As much as possible you need to try to preserve your credit rating. It is the most important part of your financial stability. Having a negative credit rating can impact on your future ability to borrow/extend credit and even negotiate things like car insurance.

“Then, two weeks before our first baby was born, Mac lost his job. We had a small savings account so we knew we would be OK for a few months, but he had trouble finding work.

“Soon we were three months behind paying the mortgage and everything snowballed. After we’d missed another two mortgage payments, we were given a notice of foreclosure. It was humiliating. We’ve now moved in with my mum, and Mac is working part-time for a very low wage. I’ve gone back to teaching. We’ve gone from home owners to nothing in six months.”

Financial Information Service (FIS)

Centrelink’s FIS is an education and information service available to everyone in the community.

FIS helps people make informed decisions about investment and financial issues for their current and future financial needs. FIS is independent, free and confidential and provides services by phone, personal interview and through seminars.

Department of Fair Trading or Consumer Affairs

They can help you get a court order if you are experiencing financial difficulty and arrange a new repayment schedule if your lender isn’t willing to negotiate a new plan.

State Financial Counsellor Associations

NSW www.financialcounsellors.asn.au

Qld www.fcqn.asn.au

WA www.financialcounsellors.org

SA www.users.bigpond.com/safca

Vic home.vicnet.net.au/~vafc/

Tas www.anglicare-tas.org.au

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