The Duchess of Sussex has been honoured with the Women of Vision award for her support of women and girl. It is reported to be her first public appearance with Prince Harry since they missed the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla earlier this month. Meghan Markle reportedly wore a gold strapless dress by Colombian fashion designer Johanna Ortiz to the New York event, and came onto the stage to Alicia Keys’ song ‘Girl on Fire’. The duchess thanked feminist writer Gloria Steinem for “being the inspiration that you are, for your mentorship, your sage advice, your extraordinarily cheeky sense of humour and, of course, for your incredible friendship”. The event also honoured Black Lives Matter founder LaTosha Brown. Meghan urged the audience: “It’s just never too late to start. You can be the visionary of your own life”. The Women of Vision website describes her as “one of the most powerful and influential women in the world” and an “investor in dynamic female founded companies”.
Martha Stewart's breaking barriers with Sports Illustrated cover and that's a good thing ... right?
CBC
23-05-17 08:00
Martha Stewart stars as the oldest-ever Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model at the age of 81. The magazine has been actively trying to diversify their cover stars, featuring women of all ages and backgrounds to address ageism criticism, with editor-in-chief MJ Day stating that the publication is targeting a demographic of women previously overlooked. However, critics have questioned whether the magazine’s objectification of women is a barrier that needs breaking, with one fashion editor describing the narrative as ‘slightly more complicated than one of straightforward celebration’.
Toronto WNBA game further proof Canadian market is ready for women's pro sports
CBC
23-05-17 08:00
Canada's first ever Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) game was hosted by Toronto's Scotiabank Arena on 18 May; with a sellout crowd of 19,923, the Chicago Sky took on Minnesota Lynx. Regarding the game, sport journalist and female athlete advocate Shireen Ahmed stated, "This game was a celebration of women in sport: athletes, coaches, officials, sports business people, fans and the wider community". The event was also linked to Mother's Day, and Ahmed commended the current momentum behind women's sport, whilst stressing that "no space is perfect".
65 former students who attended the independent Catholic Kilbreda College girls' school in Melbourne have each received a letter containing a used condom. The women, who left the school in 1999, live in south and south-eastern Melbourne. At least 100 letters have been sent, each in similar handwriting, with graphic messages. The women have speculated that their details may have been taken from an old year book. The case is being treated as a targeted attack.
Researchers at Queen’s University revealed that people perceive those with deep, baritone voices as being more suitable for positions of leadership when compared to higher-pitched counterparts, regardless of gender or the audience present. Jillian O'Connor, an assistant professor of psychology at Queen's University, said this preference also stretches to stereotypically feminine leadership settings, including parent-teacher associations and school boards.
Actor Danny Masterson could be sentenced to more than 40 years for raping three women if convicted in a Los Angeles retrial. Jurors are expected to begin deliberations on Wednesday in Masterson's trial after previously failing to reach a verdict. Prosecutors and Masterson's legal team made their closing arguments this week, with the former claiming that he drugged the women in order to assault them and used his membership of the Church of Scientology to avoid consequences. Masterson's lawyers argued that the women's accounts were inconsistent and the prosecution case relied on their claims of drugging.
Republican lawmakers in North Carolina have overruled a veto by Governor Roy Cooper to pass legislation banning most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy in the state. Members of the party claimed the limits were a middle ground as the state already bans nearly all abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy without rape or incest caveats. The votes were part of a wider shift on the issue across the US, with lawmakers in South Carolina and Nebraska also considering new abortion limits. The North Carolina law will include rape or incest exceptions through 20 weeks of pregnancy and exceptions for "life-limiting" fetal anomalies during the first 24 weeks. The bans are possible as in 2020 the US Supreme Court struck down landmark 1973 ruling Roe v. Wade which had established a nationwide right to abortion.
Cardiologists from the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) have warned that the risk of heart disease increases at lower blood pressure levels for women than for men and urged women to take their blood pressure seriously. High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Cardiac nurse Sindy Jodar of the British Heart Foundation identified a lack of exercise, excessive weight gain, salt consumption and excessive alcohol consumption as some of the most common risk factors for the condition.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has criticised photographers for the pursuit of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as “reckless and irresponsible.” The Duchess of Sussex claimed that six blacked-out vehicles and accompanying drivers from unidentified sources endangered both her convoy, and “near collisions” with NYPD officers and passers-by during the two-hour chase. Metropolitan Police have denied any reports of injuries with Adams emphasising both the dangers of photography pursuits in the city and his own experience of Princess Diana’s death after a high-speed chase in Paris.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle were pursued by photographers in New York on Tuesday night in a manner that the royal couple's official spokesperson described as "an extremely dangerous situation". The couple were returning to a friend's home when their car was chased by a swarm of paparazzi in vehicles with blacked-out windows, on scooters and on bikes, causing several near-collisions. The couple's spokesperson said the chase had lasted for more than two hours and was "designed to intimidate".
The Independent has reported on today's fixtures in the top tier of English women's football, the FA Women's Super League. The top three sides will qualify for the UEFA Women's Champions League, with Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester City among the favourites. Newly-promoted Leicester City will aim to remain in the top tier for the first time, while the team that finishes last will be relegated to the FA Women's Championship.
A Telegraph Sport investigation has found that female athletes are not receiving sufficient support when they become mothers. Para-cyclist Lora Fachie, who won two Paralympic gold medals, is among those who have spoken out, claiming that British Cycling made her feel “unwelcome” on her return from pregnancy. Sailor Clarisse Crémer was dropped by her sponsor following the birth of her child. Other sporting figures to have spoken on the subject include Icelandic footballer Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir, who won a case against former club Lyon for failing to pay while on maternity leave, and former Wales rugby player Jade Knight. The UK Sport organisation announced pregnancy guidelines last year, but Fachie and others maintain more support is necessary. The Rugby Football Union and the Football Association have created maternity policies, but the RFU’s policy applies only to contracted England players.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland, were involved in a "near catastrophic car chase" with paparazzi in New York City, according to a spokesperson for the Duke of Sussex. After attending an awards ceremony, the couple and Ragland were chased by a "highly aggressive" group of photographers for over two hours, resulting in "multiple near collisions involving other drivers on the road, pedestrians and two NYPD (New York Police Department) officers." Harry and Meghan have previously criticized press intrusion and have blamed it for the death of Princess Diana, Harry's mother. Photos of the couple were reportedly taken during the chase and appeared on the Daily Mail website, but were later taken down.
Roxana Ruiz, who killed a man in self-defence after she was raped by him in 2021, has been sentenced to over six years in prison in Mexico. The case is viewed as evidence of gender-based violence and the country’s poor record of bringing perpetrators of sexual violence to justice. Ruiz’s legal defence is appealing against the ruling, calling it “discriminatory”. Despite nearly half of Mexican women experiencing sexual violence in their lifetime, only a third of the 3,754 cases of femicides reported in 2022 in the country were investigated, according to government data.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a bombshell statement alleging that they were "involved in a near catastrophic car chase at the hands of a ring of highly aggressive paparazzi.” However, the NYPD denied the hyperbole, stating only that there were numerous photographers that made their transport challenging and "there were no reported collisions, summonses, injuries, or arrests in regard." It may be worth reflecting that Harry and Meghan's safety was never compromised when living in Windsor Great Park as they are currently suing no less than three British newspaper groups.
Florida Representative Matt Gaetz has been criticised for body shaming singer and rapper Lizzo while defending the depiction of scantily clad women in beer advertising. He made his comments while appearing with others on The Right Squad show discussing a Miller Lite advertisement featuring US comedian Ilana Glazer that called out the beverage industry for objectifying women in product advertising. Gaetz rejected the message of the ad, suggesting that attractive models wearing bikinis would sell more beer, adding: "Like nobody wants to buy beer from Lizzo".
Women who take part in regular moderate physical activity, such as cycling, cleaning, walking and gardening, and participating in sports, may reduce their risk of developing Parkinson's by 25%, according to a study published in Neurology. Researchers noted that 10 years before Parkinson's diagnosis, levels of exercise fell at a faster rate in those with Parkinson’s than in those without, likely due to early symptoms of the disease.
Community organizations in Labrador, a region with unique challenges and high rates of sexual assault, are holding meetings to ease the emotional strain of working alone in far-flung communities. Following their regular meetings, the region is now planning to create a counselling centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, to support those affected by gender-based violence. This comes as organizations across Canada that work with victims of gender-based violence are burning out, with COVID-19 adding to their stress, according to the final stages of a study conducted by Women’s Shelters Canada.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were reportedly chased by paparazzi as they left the Ms Foundation for Women award ceremony in New York City on 5 October, in a pursuit the couple’s spokesperson described as “near catastrophic.” No injuries were reported, and it is unclear whether photographs of the couple that subsequently appeared on DailyMail.com and The Daily Express were taken by the pursuing photographers. A statement by the couple’s spokesperson condemned the images as “encourag[ing] a highly intrusive practice that is dangerous to all involved.”
The NHS in England is rolling out a life-extending combination of drugs to treat advanced womb cancer patients. In a deal with two drug companies, Eisai UK and MSD UK, pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and lenvatinib (Lenvima) will be used together following successful trials. Standard chemotherapy offers three and a half months halt to disease progression, but this combination has been shown to double that to seven months, with patients surviving seven months longer than is currently possible. Around 500-700 women could benefit from the implementation each year helping to provide "more effective treatment options".
