India’s exports dipped in February for the third consecutive month by 8.8 per cent to USD 33.88 billion against USD 37.15 billion in the same month last year, according to the data released by the commerce ministry on Wednesday, March 15. Imports also declined by 8.21 per cent to USD 51.31 billion as against USD 55.9 billion recorded in the corresponding month last year. The country’s trade deficit in February stood at USD 17.43 billion. During April-February this fiscal, however, the country’s overall merchandise exports rose by 7.5 per cent to USD 405.94 billion. Imports during the period increased by 18.82 per cent to USD 653.47 billion.
Year: 2023
-
Apple delays bonuses, limits hiring in latest cost-cutting move
Apple Inc. is delaying bonuses for some corporate divisions and expanding a cost-cutting effort, joining Silicon Valley peers in trying to streamline operations during uncertain times, according to people with knowledge of the situation. The shift will reduce the frequency of bonuses for a portion of Apple’s corporate workforce, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plan hasn’t been announced publicly. Separately, the company is freezing hiring for more jobs and leaving additional positions open when employees depart.
In the past, Apple typically doled out bonuses and promotions once or twice per year depending on the division. The twice-a-year teams usually saw that happen in April and October. Under the new plan, that group won’t see bonuses or promotions next month, and all divisions will move to an annual schedule — with the payments occurring only in October. The majority of Apple’s divisions had already moved to a once-a-year schedule for bonuses and promotions, including software engineering and services, but staff in operations, corporate retail and other groups had still been on the outgoing biannual plan. -
YouTube TV launches ‘multiview’ feature for watching multiple streams at once
YouTube TV has launched a new “Multiview” feature that will allow subscribers to watch up to four different programs at the same time. The streaming giant said that early access to multiview will roll out to all YouTube TV members over the next few months. Initially, only select users in the US will gain access to multiview on TV devices. “During early access, some members will begin to see an option to watch up to four pre-selected, different streams at once in their ‘Top Picks for You’ section. After selecting multiview, viewers will be able to switch audio and captions between streams, and jump in and out of a fullscreen view of a game,” YouTube said in a blogpost.
The company said that those who are part of early access will receive an email and see an alert about this feature in their YouTube TV experience. As multi-viewing requires a high-powered device, it will be limited to users who have specific equipment, according to the company.
YouTube intends to monitor feedback from multiview users as more people gain access in the coming months and the NFL (National Football League) season approaches.
The goal is for all subscribers to have access to multiview by the start of the regular season.
YouTube has confirmed the access date for NFL Sunday Ticket, which will start from September 10.Source: IANS
-
WhatsApp’s new ‘text detection’ feature on iOS lets users extract text from images
Meta-owned messaging platform WhatsApp is widely rolling out the ‘Text detection’ feature on iOS which allows users to extract text right out of an image. The company is rolling out this feature to everyone after installing the latest WhatsApp for iOS 23.5.77 update, reports WABetaInfo. When users open an image which contains text, they will see a new button that allows them to copy text from the image.
For privacy reasons, this feature is not compatible with the view once images.
Last month, it was reported that the messaging platform was rolling out a sticker maker tool on iOS, which allows users to convert images into stickers.
Earlier this week, WhatsApp was widely rolling out the ‘voice status updates’ feature on iOS, with which users can record a voice note and share it through Status.
The maximum recording time for a voice note is 30 seconds, and users can also forward voice notes from their chats to status.
WhatsApp to replace phone number with username in groups chat list
WhatsApp is rolling out a new update for group participants which replaces phone numbers with username names within the chat list. After the new update, users will see push names instead of phone numbers if they receive a message from any unknown contact in the WhatsApp group.
In December last year WhatsApp started introducing a new feature which swapped phone numbers with push names within the message bubble of group chats. The feature made it easier for users to recognize the messages from unknown contacts in the group chat window. Now according to WAbetainfp, WhatsApp is bringing this feature to its chat list too so that users get to know from whom they received messages in the group chat. The new update is not that big but will make it easier for recipients to know who the unknown contact is without saving the number in their contact list. The feature might also replace phone number with username even in different sections of the app like the group participants list.
This update will make it easier for users to understand who the sender is in the group especially in the large groups, where it is not possible to save contacts of each and every group member.
Notably, the update will show the username of only the group participants in the preview of messages within the chatlist and not for any personal chats from unsaved contacts. -
Avoid AI chatbots that don’t appear on company’s website or app, warn researchers
Researchers have warned to avoid chatbots that don’t appear on a company’s website or app and be cautious of providing any personal information to someone users are chatting with online, a new report said.
According to the Norton Consumer Cyber Safety Pulse report, cybercriminals can now quickly and easily craft email or social media phishing lures that are even more convincing by using AI chatbots like ChatGPT, making it more difficult to tell what’s legitimate and what’s a threat.
“We know cybercriminals adapt quickly to the latest technology, and we’re seeing that ChatGPT can be used to quickly and easily create convincing threats,” said Kevin Roundy, Senior Technical Director of Norton.
Moreover, the report said that bad actors can also use AI technology to create deepfake chatbots.
These chatbots can impersonate humans or legitimate sources, like a bank or government entity, to manipulate victims into turning over their personal information to gain access to sensitive information, steal money or commit fraud.
To stay safe from these new threats, experts advise users to think before clicking on links in response to unsolicited phone calls, emails or messages.
Further, they also recommend users to keep the security solution updated and ensure that it has a full set of security layers that go beyond known malware detection, such as behavioural detection and blocking.
Facebook-parent Meta planning to launch Twitter rival
Elon Musk’s Twitter could soon face new competition from Facebook-owned Meta. “We’re exploring a standalone, decentralized social network for sharing text updates,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement to Variety.
“We believe there’s an opportunity for a separate space where creators and public figures can share timely updates about their interests.”
The rep said the company had no additional info on the prospective social network to share. News site Moneycontrol first reported on the potential Meta service, which is code-named “P92.”
The new Meta app would be based on — and interoperable with — the framework that powers Mastodon, a Twitter-like service that launched in 2016 and has seen a surge in popularity since Musk’s takeover of Twitter last October.
Meanwhile, Meta recently took another page from Musk’s Twitter playbook. Last month, the tech giant began rolling out Meta Verified, a subscription service for Facebook and Instagram users that includes a verified blue check-mark badge — just like Twitter Blue — as well as other perks.
Source: ANI -
Bring back spark in your relationship
Know who can contribute to greater intimacy
In most couples, one partner values romance more than the other. The person who contributes to greater sexual intimacy has more influence to make changes to promote closeness and playfulness because they are more likely to detect when the romance is waning. Although they are not primarily in charge of keeping an eye on things, their awareness makes them more equipped to have an impact on how deep the connection is.
Unveiling the past
Each partner will need to decide to consciously move forward when a relationship loses its love or when trust has been broken. Try to forgive them and let go of any disappointments, grudges, and resentments. The only thing that is true is this moment, and the only way to genuinely enter the present is to forgive your partner who has hurt you in the past. As you let go of the past, you can love your partner for who they truly are and learn how to maintain a relationship through the highs and the lows.
Sexual intimacy
This is likely among the most common causes of losing the spark in a relationship. When it comes to sexual intimacy, each of us has various fantasies, preferences, and limitations. Make sexual fulfilment your top priority, and learn to talk with your partner openly and honestly about what you two want to do in bed without worrying about being judged. This will clear the way for a fulfilling sexual interaction between the couples and support the maintenance of your love for one another.
Give your love surprises
When you give gifts or mini surprises to your partner without any special occasion they feel very special. By surprising your partner with a gift, you can maintain your love. It might be something small, like a book, chocolates, or flowers, might plan a surprise outing, a movie date, or going out to dinner, or it can be something that is meaningful to both of you or your love.
Respect and gratitude
Gratitude and respect in a relationship are very important. Without respect, no relationship will work. Respecting someone means that you value them. So, to keeping your relationship healthy, you should respect your partner, their feelings, emotions and decisions. -
Make your skin look younger with bottle gourd
Bottle gourd might not sound as a delight for your taste buds but knowing about the benefits it has on your skin, you will surely fall in love with this pale veggie. Bottle gourd (commonly known as lauki/ghiya) not only gives you the right nutrition to your body, but it also ups your beauty quotient. Wrinkle-free skin With powerhouse nutrients such as vitamin C and zinc, bottle gourd helps in tackling premature ageing. The juice helps slow down cell ageing and prevents wrinkles from appearing on the face. You can have the lauki cooked or in the juice form for consumption. You can also apply the juice externally on your face and neck area for beautiful skin.
For that natural glow
Loaded with minerals, antioxidants and vitamins, bottle gourd juice can do wonders to your skin, lending it a healthy glow. Use it as your morning mantra as it aids proper functioning of your digestive system and makes your skin radiant. Have a glass full of bottle gourd juice every morning on a regular basis for better results.
Haircare
You will be shocked to learn that the staple from your kitchen can also tackle and control premature greying of hair. It contains vitamin B that has a cooling effect on your scalp and thus, helps reduce discolouration and frizziness of your natural hair. Regular intake of bottle gourd can also control hair fall. Grate a few pieces of bottle gourd and mix it with yoghurt or apple cider vinegar and use as a hair pack. You will be relieved of your hair problems after regular usage.
Reduces pimples and acne
Bottle gourd juice effectively cleanses the system and keeps dirt, pollution and oil under control. Hence it balances the secretion of oil from the pores which in turn reduces pimples and breakouts. You can consume it cooked or as a juice to combat your skin related problems.
Smooth and clear skin
As bottle gourd purifies the blood, it helps in making the skin smooth and supple. It cleanses the body internally which eventually leads to healthy, glowing and clear skin. Make a smoothening face pack using cucumber and bottle gourd in equal proportions. You can also add besan and curd if you wish. Apply it on your face for around twenty minutes and wash off with warm water. It will nourish your skin to the core and give it a butter-smooth feel at the same time.
Puffy eyes
You can get rid of your eyes bags naturally using bottle gourd. It is the cooling effect and water content of the vegetable that does the trick. The remedy also works to relax and relieve your eyes. Press bottle gourd round slices onto your eyes and lie down relaxed. Wait for 20 minutes and then remove the slices. You will love the soothing impact it will have on your eyes. -
H3N2 virus: Health experts call for masks, better hygiene and flu shot
Even as India is seeing a spurt in Influenza cases, caused by H3N2 virus, health experts on Monday suggested people to take precautionary measures such as use of masks, better hand hygiene, as well as an annual flu shot.
A total of 3,038 lab-confirmed cases of various subtypes of influenza including H3N2 have been reported till March 9 by the states, as per the latest data available on IDSP-IHIP (Integrated Health Information Platform).
This includes 1,245 cases in January, 1,307 in February, and 486 cases till March 9.
“In my opinion, for the time being the government can again make masks mandatory at least in highly vulnerable zones like public transports, hospitals, airports, railway stations and other public conveyances. People should avoid visiting crowded places, or wear a mask whenever in public,” Dr Sunil Sekri, Associate Consultant – Internal Medicine, Max hospital, Gurugram, told IANS.
The respiratory virus “spreads through droplets, so which means that the secretions can spread from person to person, and most people touch their nose and mouth at some point, or that secretions can remain on the fingers and when they shake hands with other people”, it can likely spread, said Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, co-chairman of the Indian Medical Association’s National Covid-19 Task Force, making a case for the need of masks particularly in crowded indoor gatherings.
According to data from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), there has been a combination of respiratory viruses ranging from Covid-19 virus, swine flu (H1N1), H3N2, and the seasonal Victoria and Yamagata lineages of influenza B viruses in circulation.
H3N2 and H3N1 are both types of influenza A viruses, commonly known as the flu.
Some of the most common symptoms include prolonged fever, cough, runny nose, and body pain. But in severe cases people may also experience breathlessness and/or wheezing.
“For the last three years we have learned how respiratory infections can be prevented. Because the infections go out and come in from the nose and mouth, you need to cover this area and that is masking. Proper masks are needed, particularly when you are in crowded places,” said Dr. Iswar Gilada, an infectious disease expert. Source: IANS -
New treatment can enhance cardiac pump function in patients with heart failure
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden discovered that the hunger hormone ghrelin can boost the heart’s pump capacity in patients with heart failure in a clinical investigation. The findings were published in the European Heart Journal.
Millions of people worldwide live with heart failure, a condition in which the pump function of the heart is reduced, such as after a myocardial infarction or angina. In heart failure, the heart muscle is weakened, leaving the heart unable to pump the amount of blood needed to provide the body with sufficient oxygen and nutrients. Treatments are available that slow the progression of the disease, but there are no methods that directly increase the heart’s pump function.
Ghrelin is an endogenous hormone that has many receptors distributed in cardiac muscle tissues. It increases the appetite and stimulates the release of growth hormones. The researchers believe that its receptors are a promising target for enhancing the heart’s pump function.
“Heart failure is the most common cause of hospitalisation in older generations and is associated with a poor quality of life and high mortality,” says principal investigator Lars Lund, professor at the Department of Medicine, Solna, Karolinska Institutet, and senior consultant at Karolinska University Hospital. “If we can find ways to increase the heart’s pump function, we can potentially improve life quality and prognosis for these patients.”
In this double-blind study, 30 patients with heart failure at Karolinska University Hospital’s cardiology unit were randomly assigned to two groups, receiving either active treatment with ghrelin or a placebo given intravenously for two hours. The participants were followed up after two to five days.
After two hours’ treatment, the cardiac output (i.e. the volume of blood pumped by the heart in one minute) had increased by an average of 28 percent in the ghrelin group, which can be compared with a small reduction in the placebo group. The reason for the increase was that more blood was pumped from the heart per beat, as the heart rate remained unchanged or was even slightly slower. At the two- to five-day follow-up, the pump capacity was 10 percent higher in the ghrelin group compared to in the placebo group.
Source: ANI -
Dimming lights 3 hours before sleep could reduce risk of gestational diabetes
Scientists are advising pregnant people to turn off or dim the lights in their homes a few hours before bedtime to reduce the risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus.
The lights in question also include those coming from computer monitor and smartphone screens, according to the research from Northwestern Medicine, Northwestern University, US.
Women who developed gestational diabetes mellitus in the multi-site study had greater light exposure in the three hours before sleep onset, the study said.
They did not differ in their light exposure during daytime or sleep or in their activity levels compared to those who did not develop it.
“Our study suggests that light exposure before bedtime may be an under-recognized yet easily modifiable risk factor of gestational diabetes,” said lead study author Minjee Kim, assistant professor at Northwestern University.
Growing evidence suggests exposure to light at night before bedtime may be linked to impaired glucose regulation in non-pregnant adults. Bright light exposure prior to sleep can come from bright lights in your home and from devices like TVs, computers and smartphones.
However, little is known about the effect of evening light exposure during pregnancy on the risk of developing gestational diabetes, a common pregnancy complication with significant health implications for both the mother and the offspring.
The study, believed to be one of the first multi-site studies to examine light exposure before sleep on the risk of developing gestational diabetes, is published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Maternal Fetal Medicine. “It’s alarming,” Kim said.
“Gestational diabetes is known to increase obstetric complications, and the mother’s risk of diabetes, heart disease and dementia. The offspring also are more likely to have obesity and hypertension as they grow up,” Kim said.
Data show that women who have gestational diabetes are nearly 10 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes mellitus compared to those do not have glucose issues during pregnancy, Kim said. “We don’t think about the potential harm of keeping the environment bright from the moment we wake up until we go to bed,” Kim said.
“But it should be pretty dim for several hours before we go to bed. We probably don’t need that much light for whatever we do routinely in the evening,” Kim said.
Which source of bright light causes the problem is not known yet, but it might all add up, Kim said. “Try to reduce whatever light is in your environment in those three hours before you go to bed,” Kim said.
Source: PTI -
Moong Dal Pakodi
Ingredients
Moong Dal – 1 cup
Onion – 1/4 cup, finely chopped
Green Chillies – 4, finely chopped
Baking Powder – a pinch
Salt as per taste
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Coriander Leaves – few
Oil as required for frying
Method- Soak the dal for 2 hours.
- Drain well.
- Add salt and grind to a coarse paste.
- Add green chillies, onion, coriander leaves, baking powder and cumin seeds.
- Heat oil in a deep frying pan.
- Make small balls of the dough and fry them in hot oil until golden brown.
- Remove and drain excess oil.
Serve hot with sauce or mint chutney.
To make Moong Dal Pakodi Chaat:
Ingredients
Curd – 1 cup, whisked
Sev – 1 cup
Green Chutney for Chaat (recipe here)
Sweet ChutneyCoriander Leaves – few, chopped
Method
Transfer the prepared pakodis to a plate.
Add 2 to 3 tblsp of the whisked curd on top.
Sprinkle sev.
Garnish with green chutney, sweet chutney and coriander leaves.
Serve at once. -
Pakistan yet to confirm India’s invitation to SCO meet
NEW DELHI (TIP): With the ongoing Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) presidency, India has been hosting various meetings and also inviting all members, including Pakistan. However, Pakistan has skipped these meetings, barring once which it attended virtually last week (the Chief Justice meeting) but only after Pakistan downgraded its participation.
India has sent an invite to Pakistan for the Foreign Ministers meet that would be held on May 4 in Goa but hasn’t got a response yet. Invites have also been sent to them to attend the Home Ministers’ meet and National Security Adviser (NSA) meetings on March 29 and Defence Ministers’ meeting on March 27.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesperson, regarding their participation in the foreign ministers meet, had earlier said that the country would revert to the invitation in time before the event.
Earlier in January, Pakistan was the only country among the eight Shanghai Cooperation Organisation members that had not sent any entry for the SCO film festival that took place in Mumbai. Other members had sent 57 entries. The eight-member SCO includes India, Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Pakistan. While Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia are SCO observers and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia and Nepal are SCO dialogue partners.
From the outset, the SCO presented itself as a bulwark against “terrorism, separatism and extremism”, a language that sought to capitalise on the global counter-terrorist consensus of the 9/11 era, as well as reflecting real concerns in Beijing about threats to Chinese Communist Party power.
However, India is part of the four-nation security Quad that includes the US, Australia, Japan and India. (ENS) -
Banned from school, Afghanistan girls turn to madrassas under Taliban rule
KABUL (TIP): In a madrassa in the Afghan capital, rows of teenage girls rock back and forth reciting verses of the Koran under the watchful eye of a religious scholar.
The number of Islamic schools has grown across Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, with teenage girls increasingly attending classes after they were banned from secondary schools.
“We were depressed because we were denied an education,” said 16-year-old Farah, a veil covering her face and hair. “It’s then that my family decided I should at least come here. The only open place for us now is a madrassa.”
Instead of maths and literature, the girls focus on rote-learning the Koran in Arabic — a language most of them don’t understand.
Those who want to learn the meaning of the verses study separately, where a teacher translates and explains the text in their local language.
AFP visited three madrassas in Kabul and in the southern city of Kandahar, where scholars said the numbers of girl students have doubled since last year.
For Farah, her ambition of becoming a lawyer was dashed when Taliban authorities blocked girls from secondary school — and months later banned women from attending university.
“Everyone’s dreams are lost,” she said.
Still, Farah — whose real name has been changed to protect her identity like other students AFP interviewed for this story — counts herself lucky in that her parents allowed her to attend classes at all.
The Taliban government adheres to an austere interpretation of Islam. (AFP) -
Sri Lanka’s economy shrank by record 7.8 per cent last year
COLOMBO (TIP): Sri Lanka’s crisis-hit economy shrank a record 7.8 percent last year as long blackouts and critical fuel shortages put a chokehold on local commerce, official data showed March 16. An unprecedented economic crisis sparked huge protests in the island nation, culminating last July when a mob stormed the home of then president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, forcing him to flee the country and resign.
Since then a new government has worked to repair Sri Lanka’s battered public finances and secure a sorely needed International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout.
Last year’s contraction — the biggest in the country’s 75 years of independence — compared with 3.5 percent growth in 2021 and a 4.6 percent contraction in 2020 as the coronavirus pandemic hit.
It was “caused by the deepening of the economic crisis… frequent power disruptions, shortages in fuel, raw materials, (and) foreign currency”, Sri Lanka’s census and statistics department said in a statement.
The data showed some improvement in Sri Lanka’s fiscal position with inflation moderating to about 50 percent in February, down from a record high of 69.8 percent in September.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has raised taxes and ended generous subsidies on fuel and electricity to boost government revenue after his predecessor defaulted on Sri Lanka’s $46 billion foreign debt last year. The reforms are a precondition of a $2.9 billion rescue package from the IMF, which Sri Lanka expects to finalise next week.
But the tax and price hikes have been roundly unpopular, triggering protests and industrial stoppages around the country. About 40 trade unions warned Thursday that they planned a general strike next week if their demands for concessions on the austerity programme were not met.
Wickremesinghe has said Sri Lanka can expect to remain bankrupt until at least 2026 and insisted his government has no option but to implement the reforms demanded by the IMF. (AFP) -
Lahore HC prohibits Imran Khan’s party from holding rally at Minar-e-Pakistan
LAHORE (TIP): Observing that the recent pitched battles between the security personnel and defiant supporters of former prime minister Imran Khan in Lahore have “tarnished the image of Pakistan across the world”, a top court on March 16 prohibited the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party from holding a rally at the historic Minar-e-Pakistan here.
On Tuesday, Khan, the chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, announced that he would stage a public gathering at the Minar-e-Pakistan — considered the national emblem of the country and an expression of post-colonial identity– on March 19 as part of his party’s ongoing election campaign in Punjab province.
Justice Tariq Saleem Sheikh of the Lahore High Court (LHC) presided over the hearing and said the current situation in the provincial capital “tarnished the image of Pakistan across the world.”
Justice Sheikh ordered that authorities should be informed about a rally at least 15 days in advance so that necessary security arrangements can be made, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.
Justice Sheikh also directed the PTI leadership to hold a meeting with Inspector General Police Punjab and the additional chief secretary to reach a consensus on their concerns that include “implementation of Imran Khan’s non-bailable arrest warrant, security plan and imposition of Section 144”, it added.
Lahore’s upscale Zaman Park area, where Khan, 70, resides, turned into a battleground after his defiant supporters engaged in pitched battles with policemen on Tuesday to stop them from arresting their leader in the Toshakhana case, resulting in injuries to more than 60 people.
Following the LHC order, police and other law enforcers withdrew from Khan’s residence on Wednesday, putting a halt to clashes.
Khan, the former Pakistan Prime Minister has been in the crosshairs for buying gifts, including an expensive Graff wristwatch he had received as the premier at a discounted price from the state depository called Toshakhana and selling them for profit.
Meanwhile, a district court judge in Pakistan said on Thursday that he would halt attempts by the Islamabad police to arrest Khan in a corruption case if the ousted premier surrendered before the court.
Khan, a cricketer-turned-politician, was ousted from power in April last year after losing a no-confidence vote, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China and Afghanistan.
Since his ouster, Khan has been asking for early elections to oust what he termed an “imported government” led by prime minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Sharif has maintained that elections will be held later this year once the parliament completes its five-year tenure. (PTI) -
Kyiv condemns ‘kidnapping, forced adoptions’ as Russians foster Ukrainian kids
KYIV (TIP): At their home in the middle of Siberia, Russian pastor Roman Vinogradov and his wife Yekaterina are the new foster parents of five children from Moscow-occupied eastern Ukraine.
The Vinogradovs are experienced fosterers now raising 16 children, including four of their own, and say they just want to help those who are “very much in need”. But Ukraine and human rights groups have condemned the forced transfer of thousands of children into Russia or Moscow-controlled territory since the invasion last year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week referred to “kidnapping, forced adoption and re-education of Ukrainian children committed by Russia”, calling this “a war crime and a crime against humanity”.
Russia says it is simply taking in “refugee” children from Ukraine.
“I didn’t steal anyone. And they (the children) don’t think they were stolen,” Vinogradov, a 41-year-old Protestant minister, told AFP. The Vinogradovs, who live in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, more than 3,000 kilometres (1,800 miles) east of Moscow, said local authorities asked them to take in Ukrainian children after they requested another child.
“They phoned from children’s services, saying: ‘Will you take children from Ukraine?” said Yekaterina Vinogradova, 38. “We said: ‘Yes, we’ll take them’.” “What difference does it make? Children are children everywhere. It doesn’t matter what nation.”
Four girls and a boy
The couple are now fostering five Ukrainian half-siblings — four girls and a boy aged three to 12, who arrived from Moscow six months ago. They already had seven foster children.
AFP saw the children cheerfully sledging together, clearing snow around the couple’s large house and helping prepare a meal.
The Vinogradovs say the Ukrainian children came from children’s homes in the city of Lugansk, which has been controlled by Russian-backed separatists since 2014. They showed foster papers issued by officials from Lugansk’s pro-Moscow administration.
The children do not remember their mother, who was stripped of her parental rights, Vinogradov said.
“The time will come of course when they ask questions. We’ll have a look (for her). Maybe we’ll organise a meeting,” said his wife. Vinogradov said the children were learning to live in a family and still needed reassurance that “this is their home”.
When the youngest went to nursery school “they were worried about whether we would collect them”, Vinogradov said. “They asked: ‘When will you come? Will you really come or not?’”
According to international law, no party to a conflict should evacuate children to a foreign country except temporarily for a compelling health or safety reason.
‘Russians hide our children’
In a report released on Monday, Human Rights Watch (HRW) called for a “concerted international effort” to return forcibly deported children and urged Russia to publish information on their whereabouts.
“Returning children who were illegally taken by Russian forces should be an international priority,” said Bill Van Esveld, HRW associate director for children’s rights. Ukraine’s presidential commissioner for children’s rights, Daria Gerasymchuk, said Russia was refusing to recognise that these children were “deportees”.
“Russians hide our children,” she told journalists last week.
Kyiv has so far brought back 308 children, Gerasymchuk said, with a “big team of government officials working to this end”.
Ukraine has “many pieces of evidence coming from different cities” and has identified 43 children’s camps in Russia. But children “are being moved around all the time”, she said.
“We have evidence of how much effort was taken by Russia to make it impossible to reunify families.” (AFP) -
‘Prolific shoplifter’ convicted of multiple frauds in UK
LONDON (TIP): An Indian-origin woman, who prosecutors said shoplifted on an industrial scale and deceived shops into refunding her for items that she had never actually purchased, has been convicted by a UK court of multiple counts of fraud and related offences.
Narinder Kaur aka Nina Tiara was convicted of 26 counts on a UK Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) indictment, which included fraud, possessing and transferring criminal property and perverting the course of justice, at the end of a trial last week that lasted four months at Gloucester Crown Court.
The 53-year-old was dubbed a “prolific serial shoplifter” by the CPS, which told the court that Kaur made it her full-time career to travel all over the country, steal items from high street stores, and dishonestly claim refunds on those items, sometimes on multiple occasions, that she was not entitled to.
During two police searches of her home, around 150,000 pounds in cash was found hidden away, as well as stolen goods. The CPS was able to prove that Kaur defrauded the various retailers over a thousand times between July 2015 and February 2019 and she remains in custody until her sentencing.
“Narinder Kaur undertook fraud in a long-standing and wide-ranging manner,” said Giovanni D’Alessandro, a Senior Crown Prosecutor at CPS West Midlands.
“It was a very lucrative full-time job which demonstrably made her over half a million pounds over this period of offending. She went to extraordinary lengths to carry out her deceptions, seeking to find a way of defrauding a retailer and then travelling all over the country to replicate the fraud,” he said.
She also changed her name legally and opened new bank accounts and credit cards with a second identity to avoid detection, he said.
“She now righty faces a significant sentence for her crimes and the prosecution will look to recoup as many of her ill-gotten gains as the law allows,” he added.
A close examination of Kaur’s bank and credit card accounts, of which she had several, showed that she had visited and defrauded several high street retailers by claiming thousands of pounds in refunds — way beyond the amounts she had originally spent in those stores. She also attempted to defraud Wiltshire Council — the local authority for the Cleverton area where she is based in south-west England — of 7,400 pounds by overpaying using stolen credit cards and then contacting the council for a refund, claiming she had accidentally made a payment with too many zeros.
According to the CPS, she worked with a male accomplice to use stolen bank card details to make payments to her own heating oil supplier.
She also instructed several solicitor’s firms to sue her brother and arranged for an accomplice to make payments in the thousands of pounds using stolen card details, which she then asked the solicitors to pay to her.
She also lied to the court and produced false documentations to avoid being convicted of speeding offences and to relax her bail conditions, the court was told.
Working with the police, the CPS said it was able to prove the case using financial data, retail records, witness evidence and CCTV which proved Kaur’s pattern of offending.
She was seen on CCTV entering stores, taking items from the shelves and taking them to the tills as if they had been previously purchased.
A close examination of her accounts confirmed the pattern of purchases and refunds and that the same process seen on the CCTV was being repeated on hundreds of occasions.
The final part of her crime was to lie in the face of court proceedings, in order to mislead the court and try to affect the outcome. Each lie she made to the courts was uncovered piece by piece and disproven so her perversion of justice could be uncovered, the CPS said.
Some of the UK high street retailers and department stores hit by the wide-ranging fraud included Boots, Debenhams, House of Fraser, TK Maxx, Monsoon and John Lewis. (PTI) -
Moscow claims ‘increased’ US spying on Russia led to drone incident
MOSCOW (TIP): The Russian defence minister told the Pentagon chief on March 15 that Washington’s “increased” intelligence gathering against Russia had led to a drone incident, Moscow said.
The United States on Tuesday accused Russia of forcing down one of its Reaper surveillance drones over the Black Sea through a collision with a Russian Su-27 warplane.
Russia denies that it deliberately brought the drone down.
It was the first such incident between Moscow and Washington since President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine in February 2022.
On Wednesday, Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that “increased intelligence activities against the interests of the Russian Federation” and “non-compliance with the restricted flight zone” declared by Moscow due to its campaign in Ukraine had led to the incident, the defence ministry said in a statement.
The ministry in Moscow also warned that it would react “proportionately” to any future US “provocations”.
“Flights of American strategic unmanned aerial vehicles off the coast of Crimea are provocative in nature, which creates pre-conditions for an escalation of the situation in the Black Sea zone,” the ministry said.
“Russia is not interested in such a development of events, but it will continue to respond proportionately to all provocations.”
Separately, the Russian military’s chief of the General Staff Valery Gerasimov spoke to Mark Milley, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, the defence ministry said in a separate statement. No details were immediately provided. (AFP) -
Under fire over legal reforms, Israeli PM Netanyahu to face critics in Berlin
BERLIN (TIP): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, under heavy fire at home over planned legal reforms, was due to arrive March 15 in Berlin where Germany’s leaders will also urge him to reconsider the overhauls.
The German government is under pressure for hosting Netanyahu at a time of the disputed reforms, with critics urging Berlin to scrap the visit.
Netanyahu, speaking before boarding his plane to Germany, said Iran would be the “main issue” of his discussions, along with “other topics important to Israel”.
“The security issues don’t pause, even for a moment,” he added.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, speaking in Tallinn on Wednesday, said he planned to raise the reforms with Netanyahu when they meet on Thursday.
Israel is the “only democracy in the whole region, a country with a strong constitutional state”, he said.
“What I would like to see is that what we have admired about Israel… is preserved.”
Netanyahu’s government, which includes ultra-Orthodox and extreme-right parties, introduced its judicial reform package in January.
The changes would allow lawmakers to override Supreme Court decisions that strike down legislation with a parliamentary majority, and then deny the court the right to review such a move.
It would also make it harder for the Supreme Court to strike down legislation it deems to contravene Basic Laws, Israel’s quasi constitution.
Corruption charges
Netanyahu’s government has argued the reforms are needed to limit judicial overreach, but protesters have decried them as threatening Israel’s liberal democracy by weakening key checks and balances.
Ten consecutive weeks of nationwide demonstrations have followed, with critics also charging that the proposed changes aim to protect Netanyahu as he fights corruption charges in an ongoing court battle.
Ahead of Netanyahu’s departure, critics took their protests to Ben Gurion airport.
“Dictator on the run” and “Don’t come back”, read placards held up by demonstrators near the airport, where a convoy of cars bearing Israeli flags circulated between the terminals, making them difficult to access, an AFP correspondent reported.
Netanyahu’s flight was delayed by five hours as he held talks with his coalition partners.
President Isaac Herzog, who holds a largely ceremonial role, has for weeks been toiling over a proposal to soften the government’s legal overhaul.
‘Worst possible time’
The controversy in Israel puts Germany in an uncomfortable position.
Germany and Israel forged strong diplomatic ties in the decades after World War II, with Berlin committed to the preservation of the Israeli state in penance for the Holocaust.
Successive German governments have described Israel’s national security as a crucial foreign policy priority.
On the eve of Netanyahu’s departure for Germany and ahead of a planned trip to Britain, 1,000 writers, artists and academics wrote to the two nations’ ambassadors urging their governments to scrap the visits, denouncing what they called his “dangerous and destructive leadership”.
In Frankfurt, Meron Mendel, who heads the Anne Frank educational centre named for the teenage Holocaust victim, also said Berlin should have declined the visit. (AFP) -
South Korea hits record-low weddings as birth rate plunges
SEOUL (TIP): The number of South Koreans who tied the knot last year hit a record low, figures showed on march 16, compounding looming demographic woes in a country with the world’s lowest birth rate.
Some 192,000 couples got married last year, according to the data released by Statistics Korea Thursday, down by more than 40 per cent from a decade earlier in 2012, when 327,000 couples had wed.
This is the lowest number of marriages in a year since records began in 1970.
The average age for men getting married for the first time was 33.7 years old, a record high, the data showed, while the age for brides also hit a record high of 31.3 years old for marriage.
They represent an increase of 1.6 years for men and 1.9 for women for first-time marriage from a decade earlier.
Nearly 80 per cent of couples who got married last year were doing so for the first time.
The new data comes as South Korea is grappling with a chronic decline in its birth rate, with the lowest-ever number of babies — 249,000 — born last year, breaking a previous record low in 2021.
South Korea had long ago passed the so-called replacement rate after which the population begins to shrink with a record-low 0.78 births per woman last year.
The government has spent around 280 trillion won ($213 billion) since 2006 in an effort to boost birth rates but the population is projected to fall from about 52 million to 39 million by 2067 when the median population age will be 62.
Experts say there are multiple causes for the twin phenomenon of low marriage and birth rates, from high child-rearing costs and property prices to a notoriously competitive society that makes well-paid jobs difficult to secure.
The double burden for working mothers of carrying out the brunt of household chores and childcare while also maintaining their careers is another key factor, experts say. (AFP) -
Ramadan: A month of fasting and prayer
Ramadan 2023 which begins on March 22 is expected to last 30 days.Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection and community.
The Indian Panorama congratulates followers of Islam on the auspicious occasion.
A Muslim woman prays after breaking fast at sunset at the Islamic Center of Greater Miami.
Lynne Sladky/AP- Every year, Muslims around the world anticipate the sighting of the new crescent moon that signifies the official first day of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and the most sacred month in Islamic culture. The start of Ramadan fluctuates each year because the lunar Islamic calendar follows the phases of the moon. The beginning and end of Ramadan are determined by a moon sighting committee in Saudi Arabia. It begins the day after the committee spots the new crescent moon, which can be tricky since it’s quite faint and can be seen for only about 20 minutes. If the moon isn’t visible to the naked eye because of haze or clouds, lunar calculations are used to predict whether it’s in the sky. This year Ramadan is predicted to begin on March 23, and to end April 21 with Eid al-Fitr celebrations.
Origin of Ramadan
Ramadan, one of the months in the Islamic calendar, was also part of ancient Arabs’ calendars. The naming of Ramadan stems from the Arabic root “ar-ramad,” which means scorching heat. Muslims believe that in A.D. 610, the angel Gabriel appeared to Prophet Muhammad and revealed to him the Quran, the Islamic holy book. That revelation, Laylat Al Qadar—or the “Night of Power”—is believed to have occurred during Ramadan. Muslims fast during that month as a way to commemorate the revelation of the Quran.
The Quran consists of 114 chapters and is taken to be the direct words of God, or Allah. The hadith, or accounts by the companions of Prophet Muhammad’s thoughts and deeds, supplement the Quran. Together they form the religious texts of Islam.
How Ramadan is observed
During Ramadan, Muslims aim to grow spiritually and build stronger relationships with Allah. They do this by praying and reciting the Quran, making their actions intentional and selfless, and abstaining from gossiping, lying, and fighting.
Throughout the month, fasting between sunrise and sunset is obligatory for all Muslims, except for the ill, pregnant, traveling, elderly, or menstruating. Days missed fasting can be made up throughout the rest of the year, either all at once or one day here and there.
Meals are opportunities for Muslims to gather with others in the community and break their fast together. Pre-dawn breakfast, or suhoor, usually occurs at 4:00 a.m. before the first prayer of the day, fajr. The evening meal, iftar, can begin once the sunset prayer, Maghreb, is finished—normally around 7:30. Since the Prophet Mohammad broke his fast with dates and a glass of water, Muslims eat dates at both suhoor and iftar. A staple of the Middle East, dates are rich in nutrients, easy to digest, and provide the body with sugar after a long day of fasting. After the last day of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate its ending with Eid al-Fitr—the “festival of breaking the fast”—which begins with communal prayers at daybreak. During these three days of festivities, participants gather to pray, eat, exchange gifts, and pay their respects to deceased relatives. Some cities host carnivals and large prayer gatherings, too.
But no matter what observers have planned for their traditional suhoor and iftar gatherings this year, the spirit of this centuries-old tradition will remain the same as a time for piety and self-reflection.
The Teachings of Ramadan
As mentioned, Ramadan is observed to honour the fourth pillar of Islam, known as Sawm. As per the history of Ramadan fasting, there are several reasons why Muslims are required to observe Sawm, including:
To demonstrate self-control and restraint
To cleanse their bodies
To be reminded that some people do not have access to food and go hungry every day
To be more compassionate and grateful for what they do have
To strengthen their bond with Allah
Religious practices
The common practice is to fast from dawn to sunset. The pre-dawn meal before the fast is called the suhur, while the meal at sunset that breaks the fast is called iftar.
Muslims devote more time to prayer and acts of charity, striving to improve their self-discipline, motivated by hadith: “When Ramadan arrives, the gates of Paradise are opened and the gates of hell are locked up and devils are put in chains.”
Fasting
Ramadan is a time of spiritual reflection, self-improvement, and heightened devotion and worship. Muslims are expected to put more effort into following the teachings of Islam. The fast (sawm) begins at dawn and ends at sunset. In addition to abstaining from eating and drinking during this time, Muslims abstain from sexual relations and sinful speech and behaviour during Ramadan fasting or month. The act of fasting is said to redirect the heart away from worldly activities, its purpose being to cleanse the soul by freeing it from harmful impurities. Muslims believe that Ramadan teaches them to practice self-discipline, self-control, sacrifice, and empathy for those who are less fortunate, thus encouraging actions of generosity and compulsory charity (zakat). Muslims also believe fasting helps instill compassion for the food-insecure poor.
Exemptions to fasting include travel, menstruation, severe illness, pregnancy, and breastfeeding. However, many Muslims with medical conditions insist on fasting to satisfy their spiritual needs, although it is not recommended by hadith. Those unable to fast are obligated to make up the missed days later.
Suhoor
Each day, before dawn, Muslims observe a pre-fast meal called the suhoor. After stopping a short time before dawn, Muslims begin the first prayer of the day, Fajr.
Iftar
At sunset, families break the fast with the iftar, traditionally opening the meal by eating dates to commemorate Muhammad’s practice of breaking the fast with three dates. They then adjourn for Maghrib, the fourth of the five required daily prayers, after which the main meal is served.
Social gatherings, many times in buffet style, are frequent at iftar. Traditional dishes are often highlighted, including traditional desserts, particularly those made only during Ramadan. Water is usually the beverage of choice, but juice and milk are also often available, as are soft drinks and caffeinated beverages.
In the Middle East, iftar consists of water, juices, dates, salads and appetizers; one or more main dishes; and rich desserts, with dessert considered the most important aspect of the meal.Typical main dishes include lamb stewed with wheat berries, lamb kebabs with grilled vegetables, and roasted chicken served with chickpea-studded rice pilaf. Desserts may include luqaimat, baklava or kunafeh.
Over time, the practice of iftar has evolved into banquets that may accommodate hundreds or even thousands of diners. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, the largest mosque in the UAE, feeds up to thirty thousand people every night. Some twelve thousand people attend iftar at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.
Charity
Zakat, often translated as “the poor-rate”, is the fixed percentage of income a believer is required to give to the poor; the practice is obligatory as one of the pillars of Islam. Muslims believe that good deeds are rewarded more handsomely during Ramadan than at any other time of the year; consequently, many Muslims donate a larger portion – or even all – of their yearly zak?t during this month.
Nightly prayers
Tarawih are extra nightly prayers performed during the month of Ramadan. Contrary to popular belief, they are not compulsory.
Recitation of the Quran
Muslims are encouraged to read the entire Quran, which comprises thirty juz’ (sections), over the thirty days of Ramadan. Some Muslims incorporate a recitation of one juz’ into each of the thirty tarawih sessions observed during the month.
Ramadan celebrations around the world
Indonesia
The Padusan is an act of purification for Indonesian Muslims. Before Ramadan begins, they bathe and cleanse themselves in the natural pools they believe to be holy as part of this purification ritual for cleansing the soul and preparing the body for fasting and prayer during the month of Ramadan.
Egypt
One of the most colorful and beautiful Ramadan traditions around the world is the Fanous or lanterns of Ramadan.
Brightly colored lamps light up the neighbourhoods of Egypt creating a magical sight. Intricately made from metal and glass with unique designs and expert craftsmanship, the Fanous are now universally symbolic of world Ramadan celebrations.
Legend has it that in the year 969, Egyptians welcomed the arrival of Caliph Moezz Eddin Allah to Cairo by lighting his path with hundreds of lanterns.
Another Egyptian tradition is that of the Mesaharaty or night caller. The Mesaharaty walks around the neighbourhood streets, accompanied by the soft beating of the drum, calling for people to wake up.
Turkey
Waking up to the beating of a drum is also common in Turkey. Here, they carry their Davul, or double-sided drum, while dressed in traditional Turkish garb, and beat and call people to wake as the roam the streets.
As a reward for their efforts, many share their suhoor, the meal before dawn and the long day of fasting begins.
Other families offer a modest tip or bahis in return for the delight of being woken to this traditional singing and drumming.
Morocco
The responsibility of waking believers up for suhoor in Morocco falls upon the Nafars. Dressed in the traditional gandora, a hat, and a pair of slippers, the Nafar sings wake-up prayers through the streets and laneways of their town before the sun has risen in the sky.
Kuwait
During the second week of the holy month of Ramadan, Kuwait celebrates the beginning of Gerga’aan. The three-day festival features Kuwaiti children dress in traditional costumes and go to to door showing off their garments and singing songs for sweets and chocolates after the evening prayer.
Neighbourhoods come alive with young people and songs of blessings. This tradition is said to have originated when Fatima, the first daughter of Prophet Mohammed, distributed sweets to people two weeks into one of the very first observances of Ramadan.
Iraq
As the sun sets in Iraq during Ramadan, people of all ages enjoy Iftar feasts of lentil soup, lamb stews with thareed, broken pieces of flatbread dipped. This is followed by post-iftar sweets, shopping and an evening stroll among streets full of colour and lights.
Meanwhile, the men of the local neighbourhood gather together to play the game of Mheibes. Two large groups of between 20 to 250 people take turns to pass a ring among their teammates. One team sits on the ground with tight fists in their lap while the group leader secretly passes the ring to one of his team members. The other team than has to guess who has the ring. Passed down through generations, this game of skill is even played in national championships.
Lebanon
One of the oldest living Ramadan traditions around the world is Midfa al Iftar – the firing of cannons to symbolise the end of the daily fast.
This Ramadan tradition is said to have originated in Egypt almost 200 years ago when ruler Khosh Qadam accidentally fired a cannon at sunset. Across the streets of Cairo, the booming sound reverberated through the city and its people mistook the echoes for a sign to end their daily fasting.
This mistake proved so popular, it came to be a tradition around the gulf countries as a commemoration for breaking fast.
In Lebanon, families often mark Iftar with an abundance of stuffed grape leaves, hummus, fattoush and tabbouleh. Many charities and organisations and businesses host Iftar functions to raise money for the needy while mosques and churches alike host clothing drives and distribute Ramadan provisions.
India, Bangladesh and Pakistan
The last evening of Ramadan is known as Chaand Raat, or night of the moon. Much like the night before Christmas, this eve before Eid al Fitr is a time for last-minute shopping and errands in anticipation of the celebrations ahead.
Streets in South Asia are vibrant with festivity, girls and women flock to jewellery stores and pop-up henna stalls for rows of matching bangles and elaborate henna designs for their hands.
Using dye prepared from the Lawsonia inermis, known as the henna tree, artisans craft temporary body art in the same method people have used since the Bronze Age.
Australia
In Australia, the Chand Raat Eid Festival is one of the biggest multicultural celebrations. Beginning in Sydney in 1998, it has grown to become one of the largest events of its kind in the country. Three major events take place in Sydney, Perth, and Melbourne, which cater to a combined total of more than 50,000 people. Promoting friendship, understanding, interfaith harmony, and multiculturalism for people of all backgrounds, these non-alcoholic events are enjoyable for the whole family.
-
Sara’s next Gaslight was shot in just 36 days, says director Pavan Kirpalani
The trailer for the upcoming film Gaslight featuring Sara Ali Khan, Chitrangada Singh and Vikrant Massey in lead roles was unveiled earlier this week and the director has now revealed that the thriller was shot in just 36 days. The film was shot in at Wankaner Palace in Gujarat and is slated for a digital release on March 31.
Director Pavan Kirpalani said in a press statement, “I have shot Gaslight in 36 days and it’s safe to say I can shoot a film within controlled budgets and tight schedules. With limited locations and detailed prepping, it is easier to shoot.”
Talking about her experience of working on the thriller, Sara had said on the trailer launch that the role was mentally and physically challenging. “She’s a very layered and nuanced character. I hope this film is going to be a thrilling ride for the audience as each scene will keep them at the edge of their seat.” She also labeled Gaslight as “a classic whodunit- set in an eerie yet beautiful palatial estate”.
Actor Chitrangda Singh also said that her character of Rukmini in the film enabled her to explore her own self as an actor. -
When Margot Robbie Said, ‘I Am Officially Off The Market’
Margot Robbie is one of the most talented actors in the showbiz industry that has proved their mantle with her impeccable acting skills. Being a well-renowned actress in Hollywood, Margot has a strict policy on not dating actors from the acting industry. The actress wanted to avoid scrutiny from a high-profile romantic relationship. However, as she married British film producer Tom Ackerley in 2016, read on to find out when she talked about her dating life! When Margot started her career, she made a clear rule about her personal life. As she did not want to be romantically involved with any leading star from Hollywood, she married a British film producer as faith had other plans!
While talking to Marie Claire in an old interview, Margot Robbie said, “I am officially off the market,” while commenting upon her linkups in Hollywood. The actress later adds, “I made a conscious decision, not to date actors, but not because I hate actors. That’s a nasty generalisation to make, and that’s not the case.” -
Brooke Shields says she was sexually assaulted by Hollywood executive
Brooke Shields’ documentary “Pretty Baby” made waves at the Sundance Film Festival, and it’s not just because of the film’s content. Shields’ newest film takes viewers on a journey through her life in the entertainment industry, starting with her rise as a child model and leading up to her roles in films like “Pretty Baby” and “The Blue Lagoon”. But what has really captured audiences’ attention is the revelation that Shields was sexually assaulted by a powerful Hollywood executive in her 20s. In a recent interview with People magazine, Shields opened up about her experience, revealing that she had never gone public with the assault until now because she thought no one would believe her.
She also shared how the assault had affected her, saying: “It’s taken me a long time to process it. I’m more angry now than I was able to be then.” Shields added that she blamed herself for the assault afterward, saying “I kept saying, ‘I shouldn’t have done that. Why did I go up with him? I shouldn’t have had that drink at dinner.’”
The assault took place at a business dinner when Shields was a recent graduate of Princeton University. The unnamed Hollywood executive had invited her to his hotel room, where he proceeded to assault her. Shields said that she froze during the assault and blamed herself afterward. “It was really easy to disassociate because by then it was old hat,” she recalled. “And because it was a fight-or-flight type of choice. Fight was not an option, so you just leave your body. ‘You’re not there. It didn’t happen.’”
Shields hopes that by sharing her story, she can help others who may have experienced similar situations. She wants to encourage people to come forward and seek help, saying “If you’re afraid, you’re rightfully so. They are scary situations. They don’t have to be violent to be scary.”
The two-part documentary, directed by Lana Wilson, has been called “fascinating” and “accomplished” by Variety. In the film, Shields shares her earliest experiences in Hollywood, including her rise as a child advertising model and her sexualization in movies starting at age 12 in “Pretty Baby.” “Brooke Shields: Pretty Baby” is set to debut on Hulu on April 3.
As Shields continues to share her story, she hopes to raise awareness and encourage others to speak out against sexual assault. “I thought I would never work again,” Shields said. “But I’m still here. I’m still working. And I want people to know that they can be, too.” -
Lindsay Lohan announces pregnancy with cute Instagram post
Actress Lindsay Lohan has some exciting news to share! She is expecting her first child with husband Bader Shammas. Lohan’s representative confirmed the news to Page Six, stating that the actress is “feeling great and she is thrilled.” Lohan took to Instagram on Tuesday to announce the news, sharing a photo of a white baby bodysuit with the words “coming soon” printed on it. She also posted the same image on her Instagram Stories, tagging Shammas.
In the caption, Lohan wrote, “We are blessed and excited!”
This news comes after Page Six reported in July 2022 that Lohan and Shammas had secretly tied the knot. Fans had been speculating for a while about the couple’s relationship status, and the photos Lohan shared on her Instagram only fueled the rumors.
In the caption of one of her posts, Lohan gushed, “He found me and knew that I wanted to find happiness and grace, all at the same time. I am stunned that this is my husband. My life and my everything. Every woman should feel like this every day.”
The newlyweds went on a lavish post-wedding vacation in Turkey, which Lohan documented on her Instagram. Last November they made their red carpet debut as a couple at a screening of Lohan’s latest Netflix movie, “Falling For Christmas” in New York City. Lohan’s baby news is not only exciting for her and Shammas but also for her inner circle, as her longtime celebrity friend Paris Hilton recently became a mom as well.
Hilton announced in January that she welcomed her first child, a baby boy named Phoenix, via surrogate with husband Carter Reum. Hilton wrote on Lohan’s IG: “Congratulations love! So happy for you! Welcome to the Mommy Club!”