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Australian couple killed in the Philippines identified

<p>An Australian couple who were allegedly murdered in the Philippines have been identified. </p> <p>The bodies of 54-year-old David Fisk and his de-facto partner Lucita Barquin Cortez, 55, were found with their hands and feet tied by hotel staff at the Lake Hotel in Tagaytay city, south of Manila, on Wednesday. </p> <p>The body of another woman, Cortez's  30-year-old daughter-in-law Mary who lives in the Philippines, was also found in the room. </p> <p>Hotel staff were alerted to the issue when they knocked on the door repeatedly to tell the couple it was time to check out. </p> <p>Fisk allegedly had his throat was slit with a sharp object that may have caused his death while the two women apparently may have been suffocated using a pillow, Tagaytay police chief Charles Daven Capagcuan told The Associated Press.</p> <p>Ongoing autopsies would verify those initial indications, he said.</p> <p>Fisk's family, based in NSW's Sutherland Shire, issued a statement saying they "pray for answers and the truth in this horrific matter".</p> <p>"The love we have for our Father and Lucita is so dear and this situation is like living a nightmare," the family said.</p> <p>Capagcuan said the motive for the killings was not immediately clear and added some valuables of the victims, including their mobile phones, were not taken by the suspect.</p> <p>"We were shocked by this incident," Tagaytay Mayor Abraham Tolentino said, apologising to the families of the victims.</p> <p>"We're very sorry to our Australian friends. We will resolve this as soon as possible."</p> <p>Tolentino said investigators were interviewing witnesses and examining security cameras at the hotel which could help identify the suspect or suspects, as a suspicious hooded figure was seen in the corridors of the hotel around the time of their deaths. </p> <p>A Filipino relative of the Australian woman told the AP that the Australian couple flew from Sydney to the Indonesian resort island of Bali for a vacation then headed to the Philippines on Monday to visit her two children from a previous marriage in the country.</p> <p>It's understood the Australian couple had been due to fly back home to Sydney on July 13th. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Cavite Provincial Police Office</em></p>

Caring

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French star goes viral for amazing sheer dress

<p dir="ltr">Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, the actress behind<em> Emily in Paris</em>’ Sylvie Grateau, has challenged what it means to be fashionable in a now-viral photo.</p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-839c87bc-7fff-072c-cb80-31aa039568d7"></span></p><p dir="ltr">The 58-year-old actress turned heads at Paris Fashion Week’s Ami Fall 2022 show, posing in a sheer, forest green midi-length dress paired with a slouchy black coat, metallic heels, glittering earrings and scarlet nails.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF;border: 0;border-radius: 3px;margin: 1px;max-width: 540px;min-width: 326px;padding: 0;width: calc(100% - 2px)" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZCxmLWuIvF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"><div style="padding: 16px"><div style="flex-direction: row;align-items: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 40px;margin-right: 14px;width: 40px"> </div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 100px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 60px"> </div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0"> </div><div style="height: 50px;margin: 0 auto 12px;width: 50px"> </div><div style="padding-top: 8px"><div style="color: #3897f0;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: 550;line-height: 18px">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0"> </div><div style="flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center"><div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px;flex-grow: 0;margin-right: 14px;margin-left: 2px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 20px;width: 20px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 2px solid transparent;border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom: 2px solid transparent"> </div></div><div style="margin-left: auto"><div style="width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px"> </div><div style="width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent"> </div></div></div><div style="flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center;margin-bottom: 24px"><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 224px"> </div><div style="background-color: #f4f4f4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 144px"> </div></div><p style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;line-height: 17px;margin-bottom: 0;margin-top: 8px;overflow: hidden;padding: 8px 0 7px;text-align: center"><a style="color: #c9c8cd;font-family: Arial,sans-serif;font-size: 14px;font-style: normal;font-weight: normal;line-height: 17px;text-decoration: none" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CZCxmLWuIvF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Cut (@thecut)</a></p></div></blockquote><p dir="ltr">Though many fans of the show have compared her to her fictional role as the former matriarch of Savoir, the actress says her style doesn’t reflect Sylvie’s at all.</p><p dir="ltr">“I loved being overdressed in Emily, because I don’t do it in real life,” Leroy-Beaulieu said in a 2020 interview with <em><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/09/style/sylvie-emily-in-paris.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a></em>.</p><p dir="ltr">“I wouldn’t wear those heels on Paris sidewalks. But it doesn’t matter. The idea was to push all the fashion higher than real.”</p><p dir="ltr">But, the risque photo has also sparked discussions around the relationship between ageing and fashion.</p><p dir="ltr">In a recent interview with <em><a href="https://www.glamour.com/story/philippine-leroy-beaulieu-drops-her-skin-care-routine" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Glamour</a></em>, Leroy-Beaulieu said we should feel “no guilt or shame around ageing”.</p><p dir="ltr">“A world where people cannot age is a dangerous world,” she told the publication.</p><p dir="ltr">“I had a talk with my daughter who’s 30 about this recently. She said, ‘Mum, I don’t want to live in a world where women cannot age’.</p><p dir="ltr">“I think it’s important to really own this ageing thing and not make it a problem, not make it something we can’t talk about. There’s no guilt or shame around ageing. This is something that happens to everyone, you know?” she said.</p><p dir="ltr">“I understand the insecurity, the pressure that we get, especially in our business. But if somebody doesn’t start saying, ‘This is my age, this is who I am, my wrinkles are my wrinkles, I own my wrinkles, this is my whole life…’ it’s kind of sad.” </p><p dir="ltr">Having landed her first big break at 52, Leroy-Beaulieu knows what it means to be an older woman in an industry that prioritises youth above almost everything else.</p><p dir="ltr">But she wants to pass on this message that getting older doesn’t mean you need to quietly disappear.</p><p dir="ltr">“You know how hard it is when you pass 45 or even 40 and people start thinking, ‘Just get out of the scene’. But there’s so much we can do and transmit,” she told <em><a href="https://graziamagazine.com/us/articles/philippine-leroy-beaulieu-touched-people-love-sylvie/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Grazia</a></em>.</p><p dir="ltr">“We have a lot to teach the younger girls.”</p><p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e77209c7-7fff-2fc9-f3fd-e165f83ee348"></span></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Olympic gold medallist's son dead at 26

<p><span>Cameron Burrell, former NCAA national champion sprinter, has died at the age of 26.</span><br /><br /><span>He was a star at The University of Houston throughout 2013 to 2018, and they announced his sad death.</span><br /><br /><span>The school says he died on Monday.</span><br /><br /><span>Burrell’s father, Leroy Burrell, a former Olympic gold medal sprinter who coaches Houston's track team, released a statement.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6tk8BfAYpC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B6tk8BfAYpC/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Cameron Burrell (@camxburrell)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><br /><span>"My family is extremely saddened with the loss of our son, Cameron," Leroy Burrell said.</span><br /><br /><span>"We are going through profound sorrow and ask that all of our friends, extended University of Houston family and the track and field community in the U.S. and abroad allow us to gather with our closest family and friends.</span><br /><br /><span>“We are profoundly grief-stricken and thank everyone for the outpouring of prayers and support."</span><br /><br /><span>Cameron Burrell won the national title in the 100 metres in 2018 in Eugene, Oregon.</span><br /><br /><span>He went on to earn a second national title with his team that season by running the anchor leg of the 4x100-metre relay.</span><br /><br /><span>"Words cannot express how we feel for Leroy, Michelle and their family. Cameron grew up around the Houston athletics department, worked hard and developed himself into one of our greatest track and field stars," athletics director Chris Pezman said.</span><br /><br /><span>"To lose him so suddenly is tragic. We ask all University of Houston and track and field fans to keep coach Burrell and his family in their thoughts and prayers."</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CE-9h-8AnyV/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CE-9h-8AnyV/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Cameron Burrell (@camxburrell)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>Cameron Burrell was a three-time, first-team All-America in the 60-metre dash (2014, 2017-18) in the indoor season and earned first-team All-America honours three times (2016-2018) in the 100 on the outdoor schedule.</span><br /><br /><span>He also was an All-America honouree as the anchor of the team's 4x100-metre relay in 2014 and 2018.</span><br /><br /><span>He ran anchor on the United States relay team that won gold at the 2018 Athletics World Cup.</span><br /><br /><span>Perhaps one of Burrell’s most notable achievements was when he became the 121st man to run the 100 in less than 10 seconds.</span><br /><br /><span>He posted a time of 9.93 seconds on June 8, 2017.</span><br /><br /><span>The mark was .01 of a second faster than his father's school record.</span><br /><br /><span>Burrell is survived by his father, mother, who is Olympic gold medalist Michelle Finn-Burrell, and brothers Joshua and Jaden.</span><br /><br /><span>Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or beyond blue on 1300 22 4636.</span></p>

News

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Nationals MP George Christensen under scrutiny over Philippines adult bar claims

<p>Nationals MP George Christensen has denied claims that he was a regular at an adult entertainment bar in the Philippines.</p> <p>The claim came as Christensen blocked the release of information about the Australian Federal Police probe into his frequent travels to the Philippines between 2014 and 2018.</p> <p>Christensen was revealed to have taken 28 trips and spent almost 300 days in the Philippines over the four-year period.</p> <p>The manager of bar Ponytails, which identifies itself as an “adult entertainment service”, said the federal politician was a “very regular visitor” and a “big spender” at the venue.</p> <p>“It was well known that he went to other bars in the areas,” manager Marjorie Lamsen told <span><a href="https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/george-christensen-a-regular-at-philippines-adult-entertainment-bar-manager-20191202-p53g57.html">Nine News, <em>The Age </em>and <em>The Herald</em></a><em>.</em></span></p> <p><span>“The weakness of George is women. He would usually give allowances to these people.”</span></p> <p><span>The joint investigation by the outlets also alleged that Christensen’s wife April Asuncion, whom he met in the Philippines in 2017, was an employee at the Ponytails bar.</span></p> <p>In a statement to Nine News, a<span> spokesperson for Christensen said the allegations were “highly defamatory”.</span></p> <p>“Your allegation made about my client’s wife is denied and the so-called documentary proof that you refer to, is therefore either false or fabricated,” the spokesperson said.</p> <p>“Slandering the wife of a sitting member of parliament, who is not in the public eye, is highly defamatory and needless to say the damages would be substantial.</p> <p>“If you should publish anything that is false about my client or his wife, we are instructed to commence defamation proceedings.”</p> <p>The AFP had previously briefed former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull six times on the matter and advised Christensen that his travel could put him at risk of blackmail. However, the organisation’s probe into Christensen’s overseas travel found “no evidence of wrongdoing” and “no evidence of criminal behaviour”.</p>

International Travel

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What you didn’t know about the Philippines

<p>The Philippines has more than 7641 lush tropical islands surrounded by turquoise water. For years, this incredible destination has gone under the radar. But Australian travellers are starting to take note.</p> <p> “It’s an incredible destination that is perfect for Australians’ considering their love of adventure, travel and passion for discovering unexplored destinations,” Norjamin Delos Reyes, Tourism Attaché at Philippine Department of Tourism Australia and New Zealand says.</p> <p>“Our lush, tropical backdrops, stunning sunsets, and dreamy tropical beaches make the Philippines one of the most exotic holiday destinations.</p> <p>“As a destination, it is still relatively undiscovered and offers unparalleled value, so there’s no better time to get to know our tropical archipelago, world-renowned for its abundance of beauty, wildlife and bio-diversity.”</p> <p>Here are 10 things you may not know about the Philippines according to Norjamin:</p> <p>1. The Philippines officially has 7641 islands. The number increased in 2018 when more islands were officially recognised and counted.</p> <p>2. We are a county of smiling, highly skilled, English-speaking people. Don’t be shy about approaching a Filipino and starting a conversation. We’re not just fun, we’re officially friendly too. Forbes.com ranked the Philippines as the friendliest country in Asia and the eighth friendliest place in the world.</p> <p>3. The Philippines is officially home to the ‘Best Islands in the World’, with the stunning destination’s islands consistently recognised in the highly acclaimed Conde Nast Traveller’s Readers’ Choice. In October 2018, the awards were categorised into regions, with the Philippines scooping the top three best islands in Asia: Siargo, Boracay and Palawan were listed respectively.</p> <p>4. The Philippines was also named ‘Asia’s Leading Beach Destination 2018’ at the prestigious World Travel Awards.</p> <p>5. The Philippines offers excellent value for money, with a bottle of beer only $1.</p> <p>6. The town of Vigan in the province of Ilocos Sur was officially inaugurated as one of the Seven Wonder Cities of the World in May 2015.</p> <p>7. The Philippines is the heart of marine biodiversity. The Philippines archipelago is located within the Coral Triangle and has 76 per cent of the world’s coral species, six of the world’s seven marine turtle species and at least 2,228 reef fish species.</p> <p>8. The ‘It’s more fun in the Philippines’ marketing campaign, stemmed from a single question asked to the Department of Tourism ‘why would a tourist want to come to the Philippines?’</p> <p>9. Puerto Princesa Subterranean River is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the new Seven Wonders of Nature.</p> <p>10. The Philippines was named in honour of King Philip II of Spain. Spanish explorer Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, during his expedition in 1542, named the islands of Leyte and Samar Felipinas after the then Prince of Asturias. Eventually, the name Las Islas Filipinas would be used to cover all the island of the archipelago.</p> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.mydiscoveries.com.au/stories/philippines-facts/">MyDiscoveries.</a> </em></p>

Cruising

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10 things you didn't know about the Philippines

<p>The Philippines has more than 7641 lush tropical islands surrounded by turquoise water. For years, this incredible destination has gone under the radar. But Australian travellers are starting to take note.</p> <p>It’s an incredible destination that is perfect for Australians’ considering their love of adventure, travel and passion for discovering unexplored destinations,” Norjamin Delos Reyes, Tourism Attaché at Philippine Department of Tourism Australia and New Zealand says.</p> <p>“Our lush, tropical backdrops, stunning sunsets, and dreamy tropical beaches make the Philippines one of the most exotic holiday destinations.</p> <p>“As a destination, it is still relatively undiscovered and offers unparalleled value, so there’s no better time to get to know our tropical archipelago, world-renowned for its abundance of beauty, wildlife and bio-diversity.”</p> <p>Here are 10 things you may not know about the Philippines according to Norjamin:</p> <p><strong>1. The Philippines officially has 7641 islands.</strong> The number increased in 2018 when more islands were officially recognised and counted.</p> <p><strong>2. We are a county of smiling, highly skilled, English-speaking people.</strong> Don’t be shy about approaching a Filipino and starting a conversation. We’re not just fun, we’re officially friendly too. Forbes.com ranked the Philippines as the friendliest country in Asia and the eighth friendliest place in the world.</p> <p><strong>3. The Philippines is officially home to the ‘Best Islands in the World’,</strong> with the stunning destination’s islands consistently recognised in the highly acclaimed Conde Nast Traveller’s Readers’ Choice. In October 2018, the awards were categorised into regions, with the Philippines scooping the top three best islands in Asia: Siargo, Boracay and Palawan were listed respectively.</p> <p><strong>4. The Philippines was also named ‘Asia’s Leading Beach Destination 2018</strong>’ at the prestigious World Travel Awards.</p> <p><strong>5. The Philippines offers excellent value for money</strong>, with a bottle of beer only $1.</p> <p><strong>6. The town of Vigan in the province of Ilocos Sur</strong> was officially inaugurated as one of the Seven Wonder Cities of the World in May 2015.</p> <p><strong>7. The Philippines is the heart of marine biodiversity.</strong> The Philippines archipelago is located within the Coral Triangle and has 76 per cent of the world’s coral species, six of the world’s seven marine turtle species and at least 2,228 reef fish species.</p> <p><strong>8. The ‘It’s more fun in the Philippines’ marketing campaign,</strong> stemmed from a single question asked to the Department of Tourism ‘why would a tourist want to come to the Philippines?’</p> <p><strong>9. Puerto Princesa Subterranean River is a UNESCO World Heritage Site</strong> and one of the new Seven Wonders of Nature.</p> <p><strong>10. The Philippines was named in honour of King Philip II of Spain.</strong> Spanish explorer Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, during his expedition in 1542, named the islands of Leyte and Samar Felipinas after the then Prince of Asturias. Eventually, the name Las Islas Filipinas would be used to cover all the island of the archipelago.</p> <p>Did you know these facts? Have you ever been to the Philippines? Let us know in the comments!</p> <p class="p1"><em>Written by Editorial Staff.<span class="Apple-converted-space">  </span>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.mydiscoveries.com.au/stories/philippines-facts/">MyDiscoveries</a>.</em></p>

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