Gender-neutral clothing challenging societal norms

New Delhi, (IANSlife): In recent years, there has been a remarkable shift in the perception and expression of gender identity, both globally and in India. One powerful aspect of this movement is the rise of gender-neutral clothing, which enables individuals to dress in a way that aligns with their own unique identity, rather than conforming to societal expectations.

The market demand for gender-neutral clothing has been steadily rising. According to a report by GlobalData, the global gender-neutral fashion market was valued at $27 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.5 percent from 2020 to 2027. No wonder, many mainstream fashion brands have started to incorporate gender-neutral collections into their offerings

We have all witnessed the evolving landscape of fashion, where our wives, daughters, and women, in general, are breaking free from the confines of gender-specific clothing. They proudly showcase their prowess in un-gendering fashion and embrace a more fluid and inclusive approach to their attire. Let us take a serious look at how gender-neutral clothing is revolutionizing the fashion industry and creating a more inclusive world for the global LGBTQA+ community, including the vibrant community in India.

Breaking Free from Gender Stereotypes

For far too long, fashion has been confined by rigid gender norms, dictating what is considered appropriate attire for men and women. Gender-neutral clothing defies these stereotypes by offering a more fluid and versatile approach to personal style. It encourages individuals to express themselves authentically without the fear of judgment or exclusion based on societal expectations. By rejecting the idea that clothing should be limited to specific genders, we open the doors to a world where self-expression is celebrated and diversity is embraced.

Empowering Self-Expression

Gender-neutral clothing empowers individuals to define their own sense of style, free from the constraints of gender norms. It provides a platform for creative expression, allowing people to mix and match different styles, colours, and silhouettes without feeling restricted by the gender binary. This freedom to experiment with fashion not only enhances personal expression but also encourages self-acceptance and boosts self-confidence. It enables individuals to present themselves authentically, fostering a sense of belonging within the LGBTQA+ community and beyond.

Gender Neutral Clothing Ensures Inclusivity for All

The impact of gender-neutral clothing extends far beyond the LGBTQA+ community. It promotes inclusivity for people of all genders, including those who identify as non-binary, genderqueer, or genderfluid. By challenging the notion that clothing should be limited to masculine or feminine designs, fashion becomes a more accessible and welcoming space for everyone. This revolution is gradually dismantling the barriers that have long separated fashion by gender, allowing people to wear what they love and feel comfortable in, regardless of societal expectations.

How to Further Generate Education and Awareness?

Social media platforms have played a significant role in popularizing gender-neutral fashion. Influencers and activists on platforms like Instagram and TikTok have created a space for discussions, fashion inspiration, and sharing of gender-neutral outfits. This online community has contributed to the normalisation and acceptance of gender-neutral clothing. Thus, now it comes to basic education - schools, media, and communities can play a vital role in providing comprehensive information about gender diversity and celebrating individuality. By incorporating these topics into curricula, workshops, and public discussions, we can create a generation that is more accepting and understanding of different gender expressions.

What is the Fashion Industry's Role?

The fashion industry plays a pivotal role in driving societal change and fostering inclusivity. In recent years, many designers, brands, and retailers have embraced the concept of gender-neutral clothing. They are not only creating collections that cater to diverse gender identities but also challenging the existing norms by featuring genderqueer models and dismantling traditional fashion presentations. This industry-wide support is instrumental in breaking down stereotypes and promoting acceptance on a global scale.

Design Innovation Amid Gender-Inclusive Sizing and Retail

Fashion designers will continue to push boundaries and explore innovative designs that cater to diverse gender identities. Materials and technologies will advance, allowing for garments that are both stylish and adaptable, accommodating different body types and preferences. Customisable and modular clothing will become more prevalent, enabling individuals to express their unique identities through personalized fashion choices. The fashion industry will move away from the traditional binary sizing system, recognizing the need for gender-inclusive measurements.

Inclusive Representation at Fashion Events

The future of fashion will embrace greater diversity and representation. Designers, brands, and retailers will prioritize inclusivity in their campaigns, fashion shows, and advertisements. Unlike a handful of Rainbow Fashion shows today, the future will have a wider range of LGBTQA+ models who will showcase diverse gender identities, body types, ages, and cultural backgrounds. This inclusive representation will foster a sense of belonging and promote self-acceptance within the LGBTQA+ community and beyond.Gender-neutral clothing represents a significant step towards challenging societal norms and fostering inclusivity. By breaking free from traditional gender expectations, individuals can express themselves authentically and confidently. Let us continue to support and embrace the global LGBTQA+ community, advocating for a world where everyone can dress and live without fear of judgment or exclusion. Gender-neutral clothing challenging societal norms | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

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‘Mile Long Table’ in Denver Seats Thousands of Strangers to Eat and Celebrate Community Together

Mile Long Table in Denver – Credit: Longer Tables

Longer Tables, a nonprofit that believes in the power of shared meals to connect people, welcomed over 3,400 locals who signed up to sit down at the first-ever “Mile Long Table”.

The 5,280-foot long table at the Auraria Campus in downtown Denver, Colorado, served up tons of produce from local farmers, as the perfect side dish for the community on the beautiful Saturday afternoon.

“The community response to our first Mile Long Table has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Tim Jones, founder and executive director of Longer Tables. “It’s really powerful and deeply encouraging to hear guests talk about how eager and appreciative they are to connect with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures.

“Our goal is creating meaningful connections—and the table makes it all possible.”

Hundreds of volunteers set up and served the guests at the ‘Mile Long Table’, named as an homage to ‘the Mile High City’. (See the video below…)

One of the sponsors, Southwest Airlines, even provided 10 surprise roundtrip airline tickets to reconnect loved ones over the scrumptious feast provided by Serendipity Catering.

The airline selected ten people nominated by community members, and also covered lodging costs so they could take a seat at the table—reuniting with loved ones but also creating new friendships.

Credit: Longer Tables

Kim Evans was flown to Denver from Philadelphia to reconnect with Hannah Kahan, a longtime friend who had recently graduated from the University of Denver—and she called the experience “truly a blessing”.

Kim made new friends at the event and plans to stay in touch with her ‘tablemates’.

“The energy at the Mile Long Table was infectious,” said Lexi Muller, a senior manager at Southwest Airlines. “We believe that community is more than a place; it’s the heart of what brings us all together.”

One of the diners, Diana Samet, was “delighted” by the notion of the Mile Long Table and was thankful she attended.

“We met lots of folks and just felt a warm spirit of coming together as a community.”

Longer Tables began its mission of promoting shared meals in 2013. The organization has since hosted more than 100 gatherings in five states to ‘help cities, organizations, businesses and neighborhoods create cultures of connection and belonging’.

The organization vowed to make the ‘Mile Long Table’ for Denverites an annual event. But new tables are also in the works to celebrate the United States’ 250th birthday and Colorado’s 150th birthday—both in 2026. Learn more at longertables.org.‘Mile Long Table’ in Denver Seats Thousands of Strangers to Eat and Celebrate Community Together

WATCH some local news coverage from Denver…

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Famous Pastor John MacArthur Died at 86: Who is He Who Taught the Bible to the World?

By Aamna Aamna: On Monday, John MacArthur died at the age of 86, and it was the end of an era for millions of Christians around the world. The renowned evangelist and Biblical scholar had 50-plus years to interpret the word of God to the masses across the globe. On July 14, after a long fight with pneumonia, John MacArthur passed away around 6 p.m. PT.

John MacArthur was an author and preacher who taught people in a simple but strong manner. He assumed that interpreting one part of the Bible should be done through other parts of the bible. This contributed to making him one of the most respected Bible teachers in America.

John MacArthur’s Early Life and How He Became a Pastor

John MacArthur died after spending his life serving God since childhood. He was the offspring of preachers born on June 19, 1939. His grandfathers, fathers, and great-grandfathers were ministers. John MacArthur would preach even in his backyard when he was just a little boy and he would utilize a box so that he could be high up there as he preach to his friends and other sisters.

MacArthur initially had an interest in football rather than preaching. His aim in attending college was to be in the field as a professional football player. Nevertheless, in a severe car accident where he almost lost his life, he decided to become a pastor instead.

At the age of 29, in 1969 MacArthur became the pastor of Grace Community Church in Los Angeles California. In the process, he transformed the church which had an attendance of 400 people but over the years, it became one of the largest Protestant churches in Los Angeles.

How John MacArthur Became Famous Around the World

John MacArthur passed on as one of the renowned Bible teachers across the world. He was famous when itcames to explaining the Bible without complications. He devoted 30 hours of his week in the process of scripting his sermons and ensured that he concentrated only on what the bible taught.

The church led by MacArthur started recording his sermons and mailing them to individuals in every part of the country. By the late 70s, His taped sermons were being heard by over 100,000 Christians each week. His radio show Grace to You touched millions of individuals.

In 1997, MacArthur released MacArthur Study Bible that was overly popular. The study Bible contained 20,000 notes on hard passages and sold more than 2 million copies. He additionally is the author of a 34-book commentaries on the New Testament selling over a million books.

Although John MacArthur passed away with several people loving and respecting him, not everything ran smoothly in his ministry. He used to differ with other Christian leaders on critical issues.

A huge scandal was one in which MacArthur preached that women were not to work outside the home and needed to concentrate on being wives and mothers. This made a number of his members abandon his church and accuse him of treating women unfairly.MacArthur equally did not see eye to eye with Christians, who held the views about spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues and divine healing. He labelled these beliefs as counterfeit and they were not Christian in nature.Maybe his greatest controversy was his book titled, the gospel according to Jesus. This is because in this book, MacArthur said that lots of individuals who believed they were Christians were not even born again. He added that a person must really accept Jesus not only by believing in him but to also have him as the Lord of his life. Famous Pastor John MacArthur Died at 86: Who is He Who Taught the Bible to the World?

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Japan births in 2024 fell below 700,000 for first time

The number of births in Japan last year fell below 700,000 for the first time on record, government data showed Wednesday.

The fast-ageing nation welcomed 686,061 newborns in 2024 -- 41,227 fewer than in 2023, the data showed. It was the lowest figure since records began in 1899.

Japan has the world's second-oldest population after tiny Monaco, according to the World Bank.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has called the situation a "quiet emergency", pledging family-friendly measures like more flexible working hours to try and reverse the trend.

Wednesday's health ministry data showed that Japan's total fertility rate -- the average number of children a woman is expected to have -- also fell to a record low of 1.15.

The ministry said Japan saw 1.6 million deaths in 2024, up 1.9 percent from a year earlier.

Ishiba has called for the revitalisation of rural regions, where shrinking elderly villages are becoming increasingly isolated.

In more than 20,000 communities in Japan, the majority of residents are aged 65 and above, according to the internal affairs ministry.

The country of 123 million people is also facing increasingly severe worker shortages as its population ages, not helped by relatively strict immigration rules.In neighbouring South Korea, the fertility rate in 2024 was even lower than Japan's, at 0.75 -- remaining one of the world's lowest but marking a small rise from the previous year on the back of a rise in marriages. Japan births in 2024 fell below 700,000 for first time

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Dozens of Free Summer Camps Opened By Paul Newman Give Sick Kids and Their Families ‘Serious Fun’

June marks the start of summer camps opening their doors to kids who want fun in the wild—and for children with an illness or disability, there’s a camp that provides ‘serious fun’ for those who need it most.

The legendary actor Paul Newman started it all with a single summer camp for sick kids back in 1988.

He called it the “Hole in the Wall” camp, a reference to the sharpshooting gang from his iconic Oscar-winning film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

He wanted to provide an escape for children facing serious illnesses—but one that would include their parents and siblings too—where, as Paul liked to say, families could “kick back, and raise a little hell.”

Most important of all, everything was always free.

Since then, the camps have gained a new name—SeriousFun—and have grown into a network of 30 camps across the world. In all, they have provided two million incredible experiences for kids facing medical challenges in 19 different countries.

Paul Newman with his daughter Clea – Credit: Serious Fun

Each of the 30 SeriousFun camps is fully equipped for pediatric care, with a staff that administers medication in a manner that doesn’t disrupt the fun. Camp activities include boating and swimming—but also high-end excitement like high-ropes courses and zip lines. (See the video at the bottom.) Best of all, kids love it…

“You automatically click (with everyone) because you have something in common. You’re not alone in this,” said Alex, a child with Sickle Cell Disease that has attended the SeriousFun Flying Horse Farms Camp in Ohio. “It puts a smile on so many people’s faces. It makes them feel connected. It definitely is the highlight of my year, every year.”

Clea Newman—the youngest daughter of Paul and his wife of 50 years, actress Joanne Woodward—has dedicated the last 12 years of her life to the beloved organization, working enthusiastically to continue her father’s legacy.

Clea Newman – Credit: Serious Fun

“I am so passionate about this work. Our kids and our families are just the most extraordinary people. I learn from them every day, so it’s a gift,” Clea said.

“My father believed in the importance of giving back. He always said we are committed to giving these children one hundred percent… and, in return, the joy of these kids gives back one thousand percent to everyone who works with and supports them.”

All those efforts are paying off for the kids, too. According to surveys conducted by SeriousFun, more than 80% of campers reported that their experience played a role in the development of lasting traits that they use in their everyday adolescent and adult lives. These attributes include a willingness to try new things, self-confidence, perseverance, empathy, compassion, and an appreciation for diversity.

Other benefits for families may be too great to even measure.

“It’s brought the family unit back together,” a parent at the SeriousFun camp at Barretstown in Ireland said.

“It was bringing back an element of fun that had been missing for a long time because all we’d been used to was going in and out of hospitals. It helped heal the kids’ souls. It helped us find that new normal… it’s all about maximum fun in minimum time.”

Proceeds from the Newman’s Own food brand partially fund the camp (along with corporate and private donations), so the next time you’re shopping for frozen pizza, pasta sauce, salad dressing, lemonade, or popcorn, look for Paul’s face and the slogan ‘All profits to charity’. (You can buy their products in the grocery store or on Amazon.)Now you know you’ll always be supporting a seriously fun charity. Check out the heartwarming camp in the video below… Dozens of Free Summer Camps Opened By Paul Newman Give Sick Kids and Their Families ‘Serious Fun’

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Golden Wheat Anniversary: Farmer Uses Crop Field to Create One-Mile Message for Wife of 20 Years

Jesse and Sarah 20 Years (Family photo)

A farmer in Kansas had an idea for an anniversary gift, but it was going to take eight months, one mile of land, and 65 million wheat seeds.

Jesse Blasi and his wife Sarah were set to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary this year. And he was inspired by another Kansas farmer who had planted a field of sunflowers for his wife—a story and video that GNN shared in 2023.

What if Blasi created a message in a wheat field?

He began plotting his surprise back in October. He used some modern farming methods, a John Deere Air Seeder, and two varieties of wheat to outline the message “Jesse + Sarah, 20 Years”.

He nurtured the two colors of wheat and waited for it to grow. It was a labor of love, but just like the old ‘Hall and Oates’ song, he knew it would make Sarah Smile.

“I knew it would make her smile,” Jesse told KAKE in Kansas. “That was kind-of the whole goal, to get the little grin out of her that I like.”

Jesse and Sarah met at a bar while attending Kansas State, and fate led them to the same stoplight on the way home. Their love has been going strong ever since, with a farm that’s been running for two decades and a family that includes two daughters, Reagan and Avery.

Jesse was determined to deliver his ‘golden wheat anniversary’ surprise, but had to work hard to keep it a secret when other farmers saw the message early.

Then, in early June, the couple went up over the fields in an airplane—and when she looked out the window, she saw it.

Jesse + Sarah. 20 Years.

The words were laid out in a red chaff wheat, with a lighter variety serving as the background. In all, the message is about one mile long and a half-mile wide. (Watch the video below…)

The anniversary love note should be visible over Kansas for the rest of the summer growing season—and it could linger all the way into October.

Eventually, the seasons will change and the message will fade, yet they surely will remember it forever.But Jesse insisted: “It’s all the little things that make you happy.” Golden Wheat Anniversary: Farmer Uses Crop Field to Create One-Mile Message for Wife of 20 Years

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Vietnam: Holy relics of Lord Buddha sent from India arrive in Hanoi

Hanoi, (IANS) The sacred relics of Lord Buddha from India were enshrined in the Buddhist temple Quan Su Pagoda in Hanoi on Tuesday with ceremonial ritual and prayers conducted by monks from India and Vietnam. The relics will be displayed in the Buddhist temple till May 16.

“Holy Buddha Relics from Sarnath, India arrived in Hanoi today and enshrined at Quan Su Pagoda till 16th May 2025 with due ceremonies and prayers by monks from India and Vietnam,” Embassy of India in Hanoi posted on X.

External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Monday extended wishes on the Vesak Day, also known as Buddha Purnima, highlighting shared cultural ties with Vietnam, where over one million people prayed at the sacred Buddha relics sent from India.

"On this Vesak Day, also deeply moved to see over one million people in Vietnam pay respects to and pray at the Buddhist Holy Relics which travelled from India. Indeed a clear reflection of our age old connect, shared culture and special ties,” said EAM Jaishankar.

India's sending of the holy relics to Vietnam has been appreciated by Vietnamese President Luong Cuong as a gesture that has further strengthened the strong spiritual and cultural ties between both countries.

The holy relics were brought from India on May 2 by a Union Minister of Parliamentary and Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju-led Indian delegation, which also included Andhra Pradesh Minister Kandula Durgesh and senior monks and officials.

The holy relics will remain in Vietnam until May 21 as part of the UN Day of Vesak celebrations. The relics were earlier displayed at Thanh Tam Pagoda in Tay Ninh and are currently in Hanoi.

Recently, the Consulate General of India in Ho Chi Minh City attended the enshrining ceremony of the Holy Relic of Lord Buddha held at Ba Den Mountain in Tay Ninh province on May 8. The ceremony was witnessed by most venerable monks from India, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and from several other countries as well. Provincial leadership of Tay Ninh also graced the occasion.

“A large number of devotees thronged the venue to welcome the Holy Relic. It is the national heritage of India. Bringing it from India for exposition during UN Vesak Day celebrations in Vietnam is a glaring example of India’s deep-rooted friendship and robust bilateral relations with Vietnam,” the Consulate General posted on X.

--IANSint/scor/as Vietnam: Holy relics of Lord Buddha sent from India arrive in Hanoi | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

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How to learn a language like a baby

Kateřina Chládková, Charles University; Šárka Šimáčková, Palacky University Olomouc, and Václav Jonáš Podlipský, Palacky University Olomouc

Learning a new language later in life can be a frustrating, almost paradoxical experience. On paper, our more mature and experienced adult brains should make learning easier, yet it is illiterate toddlers who acquire languages with apparent ease, not adults.

Babies start their language-learning journey in the womb. Once their ears and brains allow it, they tune into the rhythm and melody of speech audible through the belly. Within months of birth, they start parsing continuous speech into chunks and learning how words sound. By the time they crawl, they realise that many speech chunks label things around them. It takes over a year of listening and observing before children say their first words, with reading and writing coming much later.

However, for adults learning a foreign language, the process is typically reversed. They start by learning words, often from print, and try to pronounce them before grasping the language’s overall sound.

Tuning in to a new language

Our new study shows that adults can quickly pick up on the melodic and rhythmic patterns of a completely novel language. It confirms that the relevant native-language acquisition mechanism remains intact in the adult brain.

In our experiment, 174 Czech adults listened to 5 minutes of Māori, a language they had never heard. They were then tested on new audio clips from either Māori or Malay – another unfamiliar but similar language – and asked to say if they were hearing the same language as before or not.

The test phrases were acoustically filtered to mimic speech heard in the womb. This preserved melody and rhythm, but removed the frequencies higher than 900 Hz which contain consonant and vowel detail.

Listeners correctly distinguished the languages more often than not, showing that even very brief exposure was enough for them to implicitly grasp a language’s melodic and rhythmic patterns, much like babies do.

However, during the exposure phase, only one group of participants simply listened – three other groups listened while reading subtitles. The subtitles were either in the original Māori spelling where speech sounds consistently map onto specific letters (similar to Spanish), altered to reduce sound-letter correspondence (like in English, for example “sight”, “site”, “cite”), or they were transliterated to a script unknown to any of the participants (Hebrew).

The results showed that reading alphabetic spellings actually hampered the adults’ sensitisation to the overall melody and rhythm of the novel language, reducing their test performance. As complete beginners, the participants were able to learn more Māori without textual aids of any kind.

Initial illiteracy helps learning

Our research builds on previous studies, which have found that spelling can interfere with how learners pronounce individual vowels and consonants of a non-native language. Examples among learners of English include Italian learners lengthening double letters, or Spaniards confusing words like “sheep” and “ship” due to how “i” and “e” are read in Spanish.

Our study shows that spelling can even hinder our natural ability to listen to speech melody and rhythm. Experts looking for ways to reawaken adults’ language-learning capabilities should therefore consider the potentially negative impact of premature exposure to alphabetic spelling in a foreign language.

Early studies have proposed that a putative “sensitive period” for acquiring the sound patterns of a language ends around age 6. Not coincidentally, this is the age when many children learn to read. There is also research on infants that shows that starting with the global features of speech, such as its melody and rhythm, serves as a gateway to other levels of the native language.

A reversed approach to language learning – one that begins with written forms – may indeed undercut adults’ sensitisation to the melody and rhythm of a foreign language. It affects their ability to perceive and produce speech fluently and, by extension, other linguistic competences like grammar and vocabulary usage.

A study with first- and third-graders confirms that illiterate children learn a new language differently from literate children. Non-readers were much better at learning which article went with which noun (like in the Italian “il bambino” or “la bambina”) than at learning individual nouns. In contrast, readers’ learning was influenced by the written form, which puts a space between articles and nouns.

Learn like a baby

Listening without reading letters may help us to stop focusing on individual vowels, consonants and separate words, and instead absorb the overall flow of a language much like infants do. Our research suggests that adult learners might benefit from adopting a more auditory-focused approach – engaging with spoken language first before introducing reading and writing.

The implications for language teaching are significant. Traditional methods often place a heavy emphasis on reading and writing early on, but a shift toward immersive listening experiences could accelerate spoken proficiency.

Language learners and educators alike should therefore consider adjusting their methods. This means tuning in to conversations, podcasts, and native speech from the earliest stage of language learning, and not immediately seeking out the written word.

Kateřina Chládková, Assistant professor, Charles University; Šárka Šimáčková, assistant professor, Palacky University Olomouc, and Václav Jonáš Podlipský, Assistant Professor of English Phonetics, Palacky University Olomouc

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Children in need of ‘rescuing’: challenging the myths at the heart of the global adoption industry

Samara Kim, Southern Cross University; Kathomi Gatwiri, Southern Cross University, and Lynne McPherson, Southern Cross University

Korean adoptees worldwide are grappling with a devastating possibility: they were not truly orphans, but may have been made into orphans.

For decades, adoptees were told they were “abandoned”, “rescued” or “unwanted”. Many were told their Korean families were too “poor” or “incapable” to raise them – and they should only ever feel grateful for being adopted.

But these long-held stories are now under scrutiny.

Our recent research interrogates the narratives that have obscured the darker realities of intercountry adoption. Rather than viewing adoption solely through the lens of “rescue”, our work examines the broader power structures that facilitated the mass migration of Korean children to western countries, including Australia.

South Korea’s reckoning with its adoption history

In March, South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission released its preliminary findings after collecting records and testimony from a coalition of overseas Korean adoptee-led organisations (including the Australia–US Korean Rights Group).

The preliminary report revealed a disturbing pattern of human rights violations in the country’s adoption industry, including:

• forced relinquishments
• falsified records
• babies switched at adoption
• inadequate screening processes, and
• deep-rooted institutional corruption.
  

The commission’s chair described finding

serious violations of the rights of adoptees, their biological parents – particularly Korean single mothers – and others involved. These violations should never have occurred.

The commission is expected to release its final report soon, but due to the upcoming presidential election and political uncertainty in South Korea, the timeline remains unclear.

Chilling cases

This is not the first time intercountry adoption has made headlines for irregularities, human rights abuses, or illicit and illegal practices.

While Australia was expanding the number of children for intercountry adoption from South Korea in the 1980s, Park In-keun – director of South Korea’s infamous Brothers Home, an illegal detention facility that sent children overseas for adoption – was arrested for embezzlement and illegal confinement.

He was ultimately acquitted of the most serious charges in South Korea before escaping to Australia. He was then charged again in 2014 for embezzlement, including government subsidies and wages of inmates forced into slave labour in South Korea. He died two years later.

Other allegations of human rights violations and abuses came to light around the same time with the arrest of Julie Chu.

She was accused of facilitating a “baby export” syndicate. Children were believed to have been kidnapped from Taiwan to send to Western countries, including Australia, in the 1970s and 80s. She was convicted of forgery, but denied being involved in trafficking.

Since then, other cases have continued to emerge involving countries such as Chile, Sri Lanka, India, Ethiopia and Guatemala.

What is the adoption industrial complex?

Intercountry adoption is not just a social practice. It’s also an economic and political system sometimes known as the transnational adoption industrial complex.

This network of organisations, institutions, government policies and financial systems created a globalised adoption economy worth billions of dollars. According to numerous investigations, Western nations, as “receiving” countries, drove the demand for the continuous sourcing of children.

As Park Geon-Tae, a senior investigator with South Korea’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission, said:

To put it simply, there was supply because there was demand.

Australia received an estimated 3,600 Korean children from the 1970s to the present, as part of more than 10,000 intercountry adoptions.

Prospective parents typically paid between US$4,500 and $5,000 to facilitate acquiring a child in Australia in the 1980s, equivalent to A$21,000 today.

Since colonisation, Australia has had a long and painful history of child removal. From the Stolen Generations involving First Nations children to the forced adoption of children born to unwed mothers, child separation has been deeply embedded in the nation’s social policy.

While national apologies have acknowledged the irreparable harms caused by these policies, the same ideologies and structures were repurposed as the blueprint for intercountry adoption.

In recent years, other western nations, such as Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland, have begun to investigate their own roles in the intercountry adoption industry. These nations have either suspended their adoption programs, issued formal apologies or launched formal investigations.

Thus far, Australia and the United States have not.

Challenging the ‘rescue’ myth

Intercountry adoption has long been framed as a humanitarian act. The central idea was that children needed “rescuing” and any life in a Western country would be “better” than one with their families in their home country.

Many adoptees and their original families were expected to just move on or be grateful for being “saved”.

However, research shows this gratitude narrative disregards the deep trauma caused by forced separation.

Studies have reported that adoptees experience lifelong ruptures due to cultural, familial and ancestral displacement. Forced assimilation makes reconnection with family and culture complex or nearly impossible.

Many intercountry adoptees have also voiced concerns about abuse, violence and mistreatment in adoptive homes.

Questioning the ‘orphan crisis’ myth

The myth of a global orphan crisis has also been a powerful driver of intercountry adoption.

Adoption groups often reference outdated UNICEF estimates that there are 150 million orphans globally. However, this figure obscures the fact most of the children classified as “orphans” are children of single parents, or children currently living in homes with extended family or other caregivers.

This was the case in South Korea. Most children sent for adoption were not true orphans, but children who had at least one parent or extended family they could have stayed with if they were adequately supported.

The belief that millions of children of single parents were “orphans” in need of “rescue” was used to justify calls for faster, less regulated adoptions.

Labelling these children as “orphans” also helped attract millions of dollars in philanthropic donations. However, donors were rarely interested in supporting children to stay with their families and communities in their home countries.

Instead, the focus was often on removing and migrating them for the purpose of intercountry adoption.

The question then emerges: was this about finding families for babies or finding babies for Western families?

Samara Kim, PhD Candidate & Researcher, Southern Cross University; Kathomi Gatwiri, Associate Professor, Southern Cross University, and Lynne McPherson, Associate Professor, Southern Cross University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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World leaders welcome first US pope

VATICAN CITY - World leaders welcomed the election of Robert Francis Prevost, who, as Pope Leo XIV, becomes the first leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics from the United States.

Tens of thousands cheered as Leo, successor to the late pope Francis, appeared on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica to deliver his first address.

"Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope. It is such an honour to realise that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a great honour for our country," said US President Donald Trump. "I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!"

"This is a historic day for the United States, and we will pray for him as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church and setting an example for so many, regardless of faith," former US president Barack Obama said, congratulating the "fellow Chicagoan."

President Cyril Ramaphosa also congratulated Pope Leo, saying his early emphasis on peace is a call that resonates with most of humanity and is one that honours the legacy of the late Pope Francis.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has hope for 'moral' support.

"At this decisive moment for our country, we hope for the continued moral and spiritual support of the Vatican in Ukraine's efforts to restore justice and achieve a lasting peace."

GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/Getty Images via AFP | SCOTT OLSON

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas sent his best wishes for success to Pope Leo XIV in continuing his noble work and maintaining the legacy of the late Pope Francis and his peace efforts.

Abbas stressed "the importance of the moral, religious, and political role of the Holy See in defending just causes, first and foremost that of the Palestinian people and their right to freedom and independence."

Russian President Vladimir Putin hoped that "the constructive dialogue and cooperation established between Russia and the Vatican will continue to develop on the basis of the Christian values that unite us."

Israeli President Isaac Herzog said he looks forward to enhancing the relationship between Israel and the Holy See "and strengthening the friendship between Jews and Christians in the Holy Land and around the world.

"May your papacy be one of building bridges and understanding between all faiths and peoples," he said.

France's President Emmanuel Macron highlighted "a historic moment for the Catholic Church and its millions of faithful."

"Through your role, you provide hope and guidance to millions of believers around the world in these challenging times," said German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu said "the election of Pope Leo XIV opens a new chapter in the history of the Catholic Church and the values of love, humanity and charity, particularly to the underprivileged that it has consistently projected.""The election of Pope Leo XIV is a deeply profound moment of joy for Catholics in the United Kingdom and globally, and begins a new chapter for the leadership of the Church and in the world," said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. World leaders welcome first US pope

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Neighbors Celebrate 101st Birthday On the Same Day–Living Next Door to Each Other For 4 Decades

Neighbors Josie Church (L) and Anne Wallace-Hadrill outside their homes in Oxford will celebrate their 101st birthdays on April 1 – SWNS

Two longtime English neighbors are celebrating their joint 101st birthday, born on the same day in 1924.

Josie Church and Anne Wallace-Hadrill have lived side-by-side in Oxford since the 1980s, and the great-grans have celebrated their birthdays together for years.

“I think life has gone quite quickly,” said Josie. “I don’t think we’ve thought much about the time passing. It’s just passed.”

Both women threw themselves into volunteering and creative activities after their husbands died—and the women have been fast friends ever since.

“Anne was very busy when she was younger—so was I—always very productive and creative.

“She did a lot of painting and tapestry, and she was always busy, and I was always busy doing something else, somewhere else, because that’s the sort of life we live.”

Anne, studied English at St. Hilda’s College, Oxford University, and served in the Women’s Royal Naval Service as a radio mechanic during the Second World War. After graduating, she worked as a lexicographer for the Oxford English Dictionary.

“I was always interested in words. It was my trade.”

She was very proud to receive a medal for her service from the Royal Navy last year, described as “long overdue” by the representative who gave it to her.

Anne Wallace-Hadrill (R) and Josie Church – SWNS

Josie was trained in nursing for three years at Preston Royal Infirmary and remembers the introduction of the National Health Service.

“In those days,” Josie said, “You had to live (on campus) and you couldn’t get married, and it was very strict. People wouldn’t put up with that sort of life now.” Neighbors Celebrate 101st Birthday On the Same Day–Living Next Door to Each Other For 4 Decades

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10-Year-old Paramedic Teaches Adults Lifesaving Skills and CPR as ‘The Mini Medic’

10-yo paramedic Jack Dawson teaches lifesaving skills – SWNS

Meet the 10-year-old paramedic who teaches adults life-saving procedures as an in-demand mini-medic.

Jack Dawson was just two-years-old when it became obvious he was interested in becoming a paramedic.

His grandfather owns a first response company in Staffordshire, England, and Jack would ride along in his ambulances with the flashing blue lights. By age three, he would start “randomly performing CPR on his teddies, pumping the bear’s chest”.

“So, at the same time he was learning to speak, my husband and I decided to teach him first aid,” said his mother, Danielle. “He was like a sponge. He just picked everything up so quickly.”

Jack, quickly grasped the act of CPR, understanding the different recovery positions, and learned how to use a defibrillator.

Then, at age seven, the youngster started to lead workshop sessions of his own, overseen by his father and other trainers for their charity, Tamworth Have A Heart, which aims to make automatic defibrillators publicly accessible and train people to use them confidently.

Jack teaches both children and adults how to perform CPR and use defibrillators, while also patrolling his town centre and checking that the public defibrillators’ pads and batteries are up to date and fit for use. (Watch a demonstration at the end of the article…)

“His motto was ‘if I can save a life, then you can’,” says Danielle.

The sessions often draw 20-40 people and sometimes Jack gives presentations teaching in front of 100 people.

10-yo mini-medic Jack Dawson teaches lifesaving skills to adults – SWNS

He does step-by-step walkthroughs on how to perform CPR with practice dummies laid on the floor, informing people about the dangers—including “looking into patients airways before pumping, in case of vomit or blood”. He gives tutorials on how to operate defibrillators which are used to revive someone from sudden cardiac arrest.

“He absolutely loves teaching,” Danielle told SWNS news agency. “I’ve never seen him so confident before and the fact he’s helping people to save a life determines him even more.”

“People are very surprised. He gets a lot of positive feedback and even special requests to teach people.

“I think people appreciate the information coming from a child, as it makes them think that if a 10-year-old can do it, then they can.”

Under the name ‘Mini Medic’, Jack has a YouTube channel and a page on TikTok posting medical tutorials and training nights for those unable to attend.

As a result of his community work, the 10-year-old is a finalist for Children of Courage Birmingham Awards.

Looking forward, Danielle said he’s enthusiastic about going to university and being a paramedic. “It’s all he thinks about!”WATCH the video below from the news agency SWNS.com… 10-Year-old Paramedic Teaches Adults Lifesaving Skills and CPR as ‘The Mini Medic’

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Priceless ninth-century masterpiece Bible returns to Swiss homeland

SWITZERLAND - The Moutier-Grandval Bible, an illustrated ninth-century masterpiece considered one of the finest manuscripts in the world, is back in Switzerland, where it miraculously survived the ages in impeccable condition.

The priceless Bible was produced in Tours in France in around 830-840, before making its way to Moutier-Grandval Abbey, in the mountainous Jura region in northwestern Switzerland.

Now in the care of the British Library, the 22-kilogramme (50-pound) manuscript is being loaned for three months to the Jura Museum of Art and History in the region's tiny capital Delemont.

It is only the second time it has been loaned from London, after being shown at the Jura Museum in 1981, when 32,000 people flocked to see it.

"We could even call it a miracle: this mediaeval masterpiece has survived the ages, the circumstances of history; it has escaped ransacking, wars, fires, revolutions, and has reached us in remarkable condition," said the museum's director Nathalie Fleury.

When it returned on Tuesday, "the emotion was palpable: more than 1,200 years of history were in our hands", she said.

Around 100 Bibles were produced during the same period in Tours, of which 18 have survived intact, including only three that are illustrated. The Moutier-Grandval Bible is the best-known.

- 'Joy, awe and wonder' -

The Bible is going on show in the museum's basement, behind a thick steel door. Sealed inside a glass cabinet, it is the only object in the bare, darkened room.

AFP | SEBASTIEN BOZON

It is open on the first page, showing a vivid illustration of the story of Adam and Eve - its colours still remarkably bright - from the Book of Genesis.

For optimum conservation conditions, only five people at a time are allowed in the room, for five minutes only.

"The Moutier-Grandval Bible really is a masterpiece of scribal and artistic endeavour," said Claire Breay, head of ancient, mediaeval and early modern manuscripts at the British Library.

"It is one of the greatest treasures of the British Library," where it is periodically displayed on rotation.

"This spectacular, 1,200-year-old, hand-written Bible, with this wonderful decoration, is still bringing people together and bringing, joy, awe and wonder to everyone who sees it."

The 450 leaves, or 900 pages, measure 50 by 37.5 centimetres (20 by 15 inches), with text written in two columns of 50 to 52 lines each. The skins of 210 to 225 sheep were required to produce the parchment.

AFP | SEBASTIEN BOZON

It contains four full-page illustrations and around 20 copyist monks worked on the text, written in Latin in highly legible Carolingian minuscule script.

"It's very emotional to see it in real life: it's completely different from seeing a reproduction of it in a book or online," said book historian and co-curator Angeline Rais.

"People can see how big it is, how beautiful the colours and the gold still are," she told AFP.

- Unravelling the mysteries -

"There's a lot of mystery around the Bible," said Rais.

How it came to Moutier-Grandval remains uncertain.

AFP | SEBASTIEN BOZON

The Bible was left behind by canons and forgotten about until it was found, according to legend, in a Delemont attic in the late 1810s or early 1820s. It was sold to an antiques dealer in 1822.

It was eventually sold to the British Museum in 1836 for £750, or $93,600 in today's money.

With much of its back story so little known, the Bible even today remains shrouded in a degree of mystery: how it was transported from London to Delemont, and all matters of security, remain a guarded secret.

Rais said it had "enormous" resonance for the region.

The founding of Moutier-Grandval Abbey, in around 640, is seen as the starting chapter in local history.

"There is a really, really strong link between the community here of Delemont, of Jura, and the Bible," Rais told AFP.

AFP | SEBASTIEN BOZON

The exhibition opens to the public from Saturday until June 8.

Research continues on the Bible, notably on the parchment and the pigments used in the illustrations.

The museum's experts hope that the Bible will be displayed in the Jura again, and when it does, that studies will have finally unravelled the mysteries of its long journey.By Robin Millard Priceless ninth-century masterpiece Bible returns to Swiss homeland

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Most Single Americans Look for Partners With These Career Values and Passions: New Dating Poll - Good News Network

A survey of 2,000 single Americans revealed that 56% of respondents agreed it’s important that their partners have the same career values that they do.

In terms of ambition, 44% would prefer someone whose career ambitions were the same as their own, while 34% are looking for someone who is even more ambitious.

Regarding salary, 39% of all respondents—which were equally divided between men and women—said they would prefer to be an equal “breadwinner” with their partners. Unsurprisingly, this was much more common for women, with 45% of females preferring salaries to be equal, compared to 33% of men.

Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of the dating app The League, the survey also looked at the most desirable careers for 2025.

29% of men and women agreed that those in the health care field make the best partners, while careers in education ranked as the second most attractive for the men surveyed (28%).

21% of women are interested in dating an entrepreneur, 19% were interested in an educator, while finance guys and artists were desirable for 18%.

Also ranking in the top most dateable jobs for both genders are lawyers (24%), scientists (16%), and careers in tech, like web or software developers (14%).

The poll also explored the ideal time to have “the career conversation” with potential partners. Nearly a quarter of respondents (22%) said that, ideally, they’ll have a conversation about goals and aspirations before going on a first date—but most will bring up the conversation by the end of their first date.

“Transparency is more attractive than ever,” said Rachel DeAlto, a dating expert at The League. “While there may be no perfect time to talk about careers and ambitions, bringing it up in conversation sooner than later in the dating process allows singles to determine if they share similar values and life goals from the start.”

Despite many respondents being eager to speak with potential partners about their career, that doesn’t mean single Americans are “all work and no play.” 40% of singles surveyed want their potential partners to have a passion for what they’re doing but also prioritize a work/life balance.

Gabriella Clare Marino

Additionally, over one in five respondents are looking for partners who have a desire to leave a positive impact on society or other people.

64% are willing to date someone in graduate school, further demonstrating the appeal of having drive and goals, no matter where your career is at the moment.

“When partners share similar aspirations and value the same things in life, they’re better equipped to support and understand each other. The key is to stay open to finding that alignment,” said DeAlto.

On the flip side, constant burn-out (32%), long overtime hours (29%) and switching jobs every year (25%) are some of the top career “red flags.” Interestingly, being an “influencer” was also a “red flag” for more than one in five respondents (22%).

WHAT CAREER VALUES ARE IMPORTANT IN A POTENTIAL NEW PARTNER?

• Passion for what they’re doing — 40%
• Prioritizing work/personal life balance — 34%
• Understanding that there is always more to learn/ways to improve — 28%
• Ability to work well with others and build relationships with colleagues — 25%
• Desire to leave a positive impact on society or other people — 21%
• Competitiveness or wanting to be successful — 19%
• Desire to leave a positive impact on the environment — 15%
• Desire to be a good manager or leader — 15%
• Commitment to pushing the boundaries and paving new roads — 15%, Most Single Americans Look for Partners With These Career Values and Passions: New Dating Poll - Good News Network

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Dealing with love, romance and rejection on Valentine’s Day

Lisa A Williams, UNSW Sydney

Take care lovers, wherever you are, as Valentine’s Day is soon upon us. Whether you’re in a relationship or want to be in a relationship, research over a number of years shows that February 14 can be a day of broken hearts and broken wallets.

A study by US psychologists in 2004 found that relationship breakups were 27% to 40% higher around Valentine’s Day than at other times of the year. Fortunately, this bleak trend was only found amongst couples on a downward trajectory who weren’t the happiest to begin with.

For stable or improving couples, Valentine’s Day thankfully didn’t serve as a catalyst for breakup. (That said, science has more to say on the predictions of any breakup in a relationship.)

But it’s hard to avoid the pressure of Valentine’s Day. This time of year, television, radio, printed publications and the internet are littered with advertisements reminding people of the upcoming celebration: Buy a gift! Make a reservation! Don’t forget the flowers! And by all means be romantic!.

Think you’re safe and single? Not so fast – ads urging those not in romantic relationships to seek one out (namely, via fee-based dating websites) are rife this time of year.

The origins of Valentine’s Day go back many centuries and it is a time of dubious repute. Originally it was a day set aside to celebrate Christian saints named Valentine (there were many). The association with romantic love was only picked up in the UK during the Middle Ages. Thank you, Chaucer and Shakespeare.

Mass-produced paper Valentines appeared on the scene in the 1800s, and it seems that the commercialisation of the day has increased ever since. Now, many refer to Valentine’s Day as a “Hallmark Holiday” – a reference to the popular producer of many Valentine’s cards.

No matter the history, or whether you are a conscientious objector to the commercialisation of love, it is difficult not to get swept up in the sentiment.

Despite the research (mentioned earlier) that Valentine’s Day can be calamitous for some, other research speaks to how to make this day a positive and beneficial one for you and your loved ones.

My funny Valentine

For those not in a romantic relationship, it’s hard to avoid the normative message that you are meant to be in one. But is it worth risking social rejection by asking someone for a date on Valentine’s Day?Unfortunately, science can’t answer that one. What we do know is that social rejection hurts –- literally – according to Professor Naomi Eisenberger, a social psychologist and director of the Social and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory at UCLA. She found that being socially rejected results in activation in the same brain areas that are active during physical pain.

Even though we may treat physical pain more seriously and regard it as the more valid ailment, the pain of social loss can be equally as distressing, as demonstrated by the activation of pain-related neural circuitry upon social disconnection.

A low dose of over-the-counter pain-killer can buffer against the sting of rejection. And, as silly as it seems, holding a teddy bear after the fact can provide relief.

If you do decide to seek a partner, dating websites and smartphone apps are a popular option. In 2013, 38% of American adults who were “single and looking” used dating websites or apps.

Dating websites such as eHarmony even claim to use scientific principles in their matching system (though this claim has been heavily critiqued by relationship researchers).

On this point, US psychology professor Eli Finkel provides a timely commentary on smartphone dating apps such as Tinder. He says he can see the benefits but he also points out that “algorithm matchmaking” is still no substitute for the real encounter.

As almost a century of research on romantic relationships has taught us, predicting whether two people are romantically compatible requires the sort of information that comes to light only after they have actually met.

The multi-billion dollar dating website industry would have you think it is a path to true-love. Though the fact of the matter is, despite several studies, we simply don’t know if dating websites are any more effective than more traditional approaches to mate-finding. So, on this point, single-and-looking payer beware.

Can’t buy me love

Speaking of money, the consumerism surrounding Valentine’s Day is undeniable. Australians last year spent upwards of A$791 million on gifts and such. Americans are estimated to spend US$19 billion (A$24 billion) this year.

Spending in and of itself, however, isn’t a bad thing. It turns out it’s how you spend that matters.

First, given the choice between buying a thing and buying an experience – ongoing research by Cornell University’s psychology professor Thomas Gilovich favours opting for the latter. Chances are, you’ll be happier.

In the case of Valentine’s Day, spending on a shared experience will make your partner happier too – research from US relationship researcher Art Aron suggests that spending on a shared experience will reap more benefit than a piece of jewelry or a gadget, especially to the extent that this shared experience is new and exciting.

Second, if you’re going to part with that cash in the end, you might as well spend it on someone else. Across numerous experiments (see here, here, here, here and here), individuals instructed to spend on others experienced greater happiness than those instructed to spend the same amount on themselves.

The effect is even stronger if you spend that money on a strong social bond, such as your Valentine.

Third, if you do give a gift, you’re best to pay heed to any dropped hints by your partner about desired gifts.

This is especially the case if your loved one is a man. In one study, men who received an undesired gift from their partners became pessimistic about the future of their relationship. Women didn’t react quite so poorly to a bad gift.

All you need is love

Of course, don’t think that love is just for lovers – even on Valentine’s Day.

Love Actually anyone?

Given the robustly supported conclusion that close non-romantic friendships can be just as rewarding (and health promoting) as romantic relationships, an alternative is to treat Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to celebrate all of your social relationships.

Scientific research supports the benefits of the following, simple (and free) acts:

• a thank you note can boost relationships of all types

• a hug can make both parties happier and even less stressed

• simply engaging in chit-chat with those around you could be extremely rewarding

• just a few minutes of loving-kindness mediation – wishing for happiness for yourself and those around you – can lead to a sense of deeper connection with others.

If all else fails on Valentine’s Day, then settle back and listen to Stephen Stills’ classic song Love The One You’re With: “If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with.”

Lisa A Williams, Lecturer, School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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World's oldest person dies in Japan at 116

Tokyo, (IANS) Japanese media on Saturday reported that 116-year-old Tomiko Itooka, recognised as the world's oldest person, has died of old age.

Itooka died earlier this week at a nursing home in the city of Ashiya in western Japan where she resided, the city government in Hyogo Prefecture said, reported Kyodo News.

The Japanese woman was born on May 23, 1908, in Osaka as the eldest of three siblings.

"At the special nursing home in the city where she resided, she enjoyed drinking her favourite lactic acid beverages and often said Thank you to the staff," reported Japanese daily 'The Mainichi' on Saturday.

Ashiya Mayor Ryosuke Takashima commented, "Through her long life, she gave us great courage and hope. I express my deepest condolences."

Itooka became the oldest living person in Japan in December 2023 following the death of Fusa Tatsumi, a 116-year-old in Kashiwara, Osaka Prefecture.

Fusa Tatsumi was born on April 25, 1907, and had spent most of her last days in bed at a nursing home in Kashiwara.

Tatsumi had become the oldest living person in Japan in April 2022 following the death of a 119-year-old woman in Fukuoka.

Itooka was subsequently recognised as the world's oldest living person by Guinness World Records in September 2024, following the death of the previous holder, Maria Branyas Morera, a 117-year-old from Olot, Catalonia, Spain.

Morera was born on March 4, 1907, according to the Guinness World Records.

Japanese average life expectancy had peaked in 2020, at 87.71 years for women and 81.56 years for men.

The average life spans had decreased in 2021 and 2022, due to rising death tolls from the coronavirus.

The average life expectancy of Japanese people rose in 2023 for the first time in three years, due to a decline in deaths from the Covid-19 pandemic, a government data had showed.The average life expectancy of women in Japan came to 87.14 years, up 0.05 from 2022, while for men it stood at 81.09, up 0.04, revealed the data released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in July 2024. World's oldest person dies in Japan at 116 | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

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