The Promising Future of Nanomedicine and… – The Doctor Weighs In

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Cancer, unfortunately, is widespread throughout the world. It affects millions of lives, in many different ways, on a daily basis. Before we dive into the topic of nanomedicine and nanoparticles, lets first look at the current state of cancer treatment.

Most therapeutic options for cancer are detrimental to the body They dont just kill cancer cells, they can also damage healthy tissues causing serious side effects.

Cancer chemotherapy drugs suffer from poor biodistribution and, therefore, require high doses. [1] Resistance can also develop to one or more of the drugs being used on a regular basis. This means that oncologists must continually develop new drug cocktails to keep treating their patients.

Some of the drugs used, particularly in later rounds of chemotherapy, may also be relatively ineffective.

So far, the benefits of chemotherapy have outweighed the risks but with the dawn of the age of nanomedicine and nanoparticles, the situation may soon change.

Nanomedicine is the medical application of nanotechnology. According to Johns Hopkins:

Nanomedicine can include a wide range of applications, including biosensors, tissue engineering, diagnostic devices, and many others. [It involves]harnessing nanotechnology to more effectively diagnose, treat, and prevent various diseases.

It also involves the development of new approaches to more efficiently deliver medications to the site of action with the aim of improving outcomes with less medication (and fewer medication side effects).

Nanoparticles are amongst the most promising treatment options in oncology, They have the potential to revolutionize the usual therapies by improving the usage and delivery of chemotherapy drugs [2].

The ability to control nanoparticle shape, size, and surface, as well as their ability to transport and deliver drugs to specific locations in the body, make nanoparticles highly useful in oncology[3].

Nanoparticles use has also spread to other areas of the medical world,[4] including:

Almost. Cancer is often debilitating with few treatment options that include surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and immunotherapy. The side effects of these treatments can be detrimental to a patients way of living. They can often experience insomnia, nausea, vomiting, and weight loss among a long list of other adverse reactions [5].

With a cancer diagnosis and treatment, a patients quality of life can quickly nose-dive. But with nanomedicine, patients may experience a dramatic decrease in chemotherapy side effects, including a reduction of toxicity from the drugs used [6]. This, combined with all the other possible advantages of administering nanoparticles, makes nanomedicine an attractive new cancer therapy option.

Nanoparticles are attractive treatment options because their outer surfaces can be modified to attack specific cancer cells. They are biocompatible and biodegradable. They also offer increased stability to their drug payload[7].

Other possible advantages include:

There are three main types of nanoparticles [8] as follows:

Lipid-based nanoparticles have many advantages over other variations of nanoparticles. This accounts for their increased use in the delivery of drugs. Lipid-based nanoparticles have better biocompatibility than other nanoparticles. This means they work better with living tissue. Lipid-based nanoparticles are also more versatile, making them a better option in many therapies, like cancer treatments.

Liposomes are formulated with a wide range of natural, synthetic, and modified lipids to help them deliver drugs as well as contrast agents for medical imaging. Liposomes are used to treat cancer, fungal infections, vaccines, and more.

Polymeric nanoparticles are currently used for the following:

Polymer-based nanoparticles improve the efficiency of drugs as well as decrease drug side effects and toxicity.

Efficiently. The purpose of nanoparticles is to deliver drugs directly to the cancer cells and not the rest of the body. They are administered intravenously and are then moved around the body by the circulatory system.

Nanoparticles are designed to locate and then accumulate on the cancer tissue, penetrating through the walls of a tumor to deliver the chemotherapy drug they carry [8]. This way, the chemotherapy drug is delivered directly to the site of cancer versus distributed throughout the body. Mass distribution to both diseased and healthy tissues is usually the cause of drug side effects.

There are different methods of releasing the drugs being administered via nanomedicine [9]:

Nanoparticles can also be designed to transform under different conditions to either release or hold onto their drugs.

While widely used for cancer therapies, nanoparticles are also used for diagnostics, a type of nanomedicine referred to as nanodiagnostics[10]. Several nanoparticle formulations have already been designed for diagnostic use only. Though currently in limited use, nanodiagnostics is a growing field with imaging applications, such as use in magnetic resonance monitoring of tumor blood vessels and coronary arteries in patients.

On top of diagnostics, nanoparticles are also used in research opportunities, the treatment of cardiovascular diseases[11], and theranostics, which is a term used to describe pre-clinical research and trials of drug therapies and other treatments[12].

The production and use of nanoparticles face many challenges [13], including:

The creation process for lipid-based nanoparticles has a significant variation between each batch developed.

The manufacturing process is challenging to develop and maintain to the point that significant, quality nanoparticles can be produced.

The production of nanoparticles is time-consuming and extremely labor-intensive, requiring specialized knowledge and tools.

Nanoparticles are intended to maximize the benefit/risk ratio of therapies. Rather than causing many debilitating symptoms in the hopes of curing one disease, like current cancer treatments, nanoparticles are designed to minimize any side effects while treating that same disease.

But the technology isnt 100 percent ready for prime time yet. More research is needed and more dollars must be spent on analyzing both the effectiveness of nanomedicine as well as the long-term effects on the body.

While lipid-based nanoparticles are the most promising prospect because they are made of natural elements and have more advantages than other types of nanoparticles, they are not yet a perfect solution for drug delivery. We need more significant investments in clinical trials in both the government and private sectors to advance the technology.

Nanomedicine is used to treat a variety of different diseases and conditions, but it is in the oncology segment where nanoparticles see the most use and the most promise. To date, there are 51 nanopharmaceuticals approved for use in clinical practice[14]. More are being studied in clinical trials for cancer and other diseases.

Clearly, nanomedicine is a field to watch closely. I believe with continual research, trials, and advancements, the future of nanomedicine and nanoparticles is bright.

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Related content: Why Drug Discovery is So Hard and High Risk

References:

[1] Torchilin, V.P. and Lukyanov, A.N., 2003. Peptide and protein drug delivery to and into tumors: challenges and solutions. Drug discovery today, 8(6), pp.259-266..

[2]Shi, J., Kantoff, P.W., Wooster, R. and Farokhzad, O.C., 2017. Cancer nanomedicine: progress, challenges and opportunities. Nature Reviews Cancer, 17(1), p.20.

[3] Cho, K., Wang, X.U., Nie, S. and Shin, D.M., 2008. Therapeutic nanoparticles for drug delivery in cancer. Clinical cancer research, 14(5), pp.1310-1316.

[4] Heiligtag, F.J. and Niederberger, M., 2013. The fascinating world of nanoparticle research. Materials Today, 16(7-8), pp.262-271.

[5] Griffin, A.M., Butow, P.N., Coates, A.S., Childs, A.M., Ellis, P.M., Dunn, S.M. and Tattersall, M.H.N., 1996. On the receiving end V: patient perceptions of the side effects of cancer chemotherapy in 1993. Annals of oncology, 7(2), pp.189-195.

[6] Landesman-Milo, D., Ramishetti, S. and Peer, D., 2015. Nanomedicine as an emerging platform for metastatic lung cancer therapy. Cancer and Metastasis Reviews, 34(2), pp.291-301.

[7] Doane, T.L. and Burda, C., 2012. The unique role of nanoparticles in nanomedicine: imaging, drug delivery and therapy. Chemical Society Reviews, 41(7), pp.2885-2911.

[8] Singh, R. and Lillard Jr, J.W., 2009. Nanoparticle-based targeted drug delivery. Experimental and molecular pathology, 86(3), pp.215-223.

[9] Mura, S., Nicolas, J. and Couvreur, P., 2013. Stimuli-responsive nanocarriers for drug delivery. Nature materials, 12(11), pp.991-1003.

[10] Baetke, S.C., Lammers, T.G.G.M. and Kiessling, F., 2015. Applications of nanoparticles for diagnosis and therapy of cancer. The British journal of radiology, 88(1054), p.20150207.

[11] Godin, B., Sakamoto, J.H., Serda, R.E., Grattoni, A., Bouamrani, A. and Ferrari, M., 2010. Emerging applications of nanomedicine for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Trends in pharmacological sciences, 31(5), pp.199-205.

[12] Lammers, T., Aime, S., Hennink, W.E., Storm, G. and Kiessling, F., 2011. Theranostic nanomedicine. Accounts of chemical research, 44(10), pp.1029-1038.

[13] Prabhakar, U., Maeda, H., Jain, R.K., Sevick-Muraca, E.M., Zamboni, W., Farokhzad, O.C., Barry, S.T., Gabizon, A., Grodzinski, P. and Blakey, D.C., 2013. Challenges and key considerations of the enhanced permeability and retention effect for nanomedicine drug delivery in oncology.

[14] Bobo, D., Robinson, K.J., Islam, J., Thurecht, K.J. and Corrie, S.R., 2016. Nanoparticle-based medicines: a review of FDA-approved materials and clinical trials to date. Pharmaceutical research, 33(10), pp.2373-2387.

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The Promising Future of Nanomedicine and... - The Doctor Weighs In

Global Nanotechnology Market Expected to Grow with a CAGR of About 17% by 2024 – ResearchAndMarkets.com – Business Wire

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Global Nanotechnology Market Outlook 2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Owing to its wide range of uses, the global nanotechnology market is expected to grow at a CAGR of around 17% during the forecasted period of 2018-2024. Thus, there lies a great opportunity for industry participants to tap the fast-growing market, which would garner huge revenue on the back of the commercialization of the technology.

In the latest research study, Global Nanotechnology Market Outlook 2024, analysts have conducted a segmented research on the nanotechnology industry, and have interpreted the key market trends & developments that clearly highlight the areas offering promising possibilities for industries to boost their growth. In 2017, the global nanotechnology market has shown impressive growth owing to factors, like an increase in government and private sector funding for R&D, partnerships & strategic alliances between countries, and increased in demand for smaller and more powerful devices at affordable prices. At present, the healthcare industry is one of the largest sectors where nanotechnology has made major breakthroughs with its application for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic diseases like cancer, heart ailments, etc. Further, significant developments are also being done in other sectors like electronics, agriculture, and energy.

In this report, the analysts have studied the current nanotechnology market on segment basis (by application, by component and by region), so as to provide an insight on the current market scenario as well as forecasts of the aforementioned segments till 2024. The report provides an in-depth analysis of all the major segments, taking into account the major developments taking place at the global level in the respective segments that will further boost the growth of the nanotechnology market.

Further, the application section covers the use of nanotechnology in electronics, energy, cosmetics, medical, defence, and food and agriculture sectors; while the component section covers the segregation of nanotechnology market into nanomaterials, nanotools, and nanodevices.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Analyst View

2. Research Methodology

3. Nanotechnology - An Introduction

4. Key Market Trends and Developments

4.1 Nanotech Tools Open Market for more Miniature Electronics

4.2 Nanotechnology Accelerating Healthcare and Medical Device Industry

4.3 International Collaborations for Nanotechnology Research

4.4 Nanotechnology Playing a Vital Role in the Growth of Energy Industry

4.5 Nanotechnology Playing a Key Role in the Growth of Food & Agriculture Industry

5. Nanotechnology Market Outlook to 2024

5.1 By Components

5.1.1 Nanomaterials

5.1.2 Nanotools

5.1.3 Nanodevices

5.2 By Major Applications

5.2.1 Electronics

5.2.2 Energy

5.2.3 Cosmetics

5.2.4 Biomedical

5.2.5 Defense

5.2.6 Food and Agriculture

6. Country-Level Analysis

6.1 US

6.1.1 Funding

6.1.2 Research & Developments

6.1.3 Regulations

6.2 Brazil

6.3 Germany

6.4 France

6.5 UK

6.6 Ireland

6.7 Russia

6.8 Japan

6.9 South Korea

6.10 Taiwan

6.11 China

6.12 India

6.13 Australia

7. Patents Analysis

8. Competitive Landscape

8.1 Altair Nanotechnologies Inc.

8.2 Nanophase Technologies Corporation

8.3 Nanosys, Inc.

8.4 Unidym, Inc. (subsidiary of WisePower Co.)

8.5 Ablynx

8.6 Zyvex Corporation

8.7 Acusphere, Inc.

8.8 Chasm Technologies, Inc.

8.9 PEN, Inc

8.10 Bruker Nano GmbH

8.11 Advanced Diamond Technologies, Inc.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/ya4tqi

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Global Nanotechnology Market Expected to Grow with a CAGR of About 17% by 2024 - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Business Wire

Inclusivity through innovation – Mail and Guardian

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Professor Alexander Quandt, acting chair of the Materials for Energy Research Group and focus area co-ordinator for the Centre of Excellence in Strong Materials, has won the Special Annual Theme Award in the National Science and Technology Forum South32 Awards (the Science Oscars) for his work on materials for inclusive economic development. His work on the theoretical foundations, numerical implementations and practical applications of state-of-the-art material simulations focuses on first principle methods, starting from a quantum mechanical description of the atoms that constitute a given material. His methods have allowed for the development of ground-breaking contributions to the field of 2D materials that play a central role in upcoming quantum technologies.

Computer experiments have finally established themselves alongsidemore traditional experimental techniques as a powerful tool to develop noveltechnologies in a very economical and systematic fashion, says Quandt. Myresearch also points out new applications of chemical elements across the wholeperiodic table, which might lead to new types of solar cells, batteries andcomputing devices [being] developed here in South Africa.

Quandt says the highlight of his research is the work on planartypes of nanomaterials similar to the so-called wonder material, graphene. Someof his research in the field pre-dated graphene and was based on boron, theimmediate neighbour of carbon in the periodic table.

The research groups I managed in the past or started recently arerole models for unconventional but nevertheless very successful and productivemulti-disciplinary research initiatives into the fields of materials scienceand energy technologies, adds Quandt. The University of the Witwatersrand hasbecome the main hub of a new trans-continental ARUA Centre of Excellence inMaterials, Energy and Nanotechnology (ARUA CoE-MEN) that is headed by LeslieCornish and myself.

Quandt is hoping that his work may ultimately lead to theestablishment of a network of highly trained graduates that will strengthen thematerials beneficiation and high-tech sectors, something that South Africasorely needs if it wants to play a role in emergent technologies.

The goal is to develop an accurate description of optical andenergy devices over multiple length scales, which start from the atomicstructure of basic materials and extend all the way to the simulation of atypical working device, says Quandt. Understanding a solar cell, a complexoptical waveguide system or a battery in virtually all of its physical andchemical aspects allows for the optimisation of existing technologies and thedevelopment of entirely new technologies.

Ultimately, Quandt believes that the development and implementationof powerful numeric simulation methods will be a key aspect in emerging fieldssuch as Industry 4.0 and Quantum Computing.

As a student I was given a copy of Linus Paulings The Nature of the Chemical Bond, and Idevoured it in one go, concludes Quandt. Paulings unique scientific style ofcombining intuition with quantum mechanical calculations and detailedexperimental studies has always been an inspiration for my own work as amaterials scientist. It was a great satisfaction to add new fundamental aspectsto one of the most esoteric chapters in his book about electron deficientmaterials.

Quandt walks away with the Special Annual Theme Award thanks to hispioneering work in computational materials science with applications tonanomaterials, optics/photonics and renewable energy research, an award wellearned indeed. Tamsin Oxford

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Hey, Paul Davies Your ID Is Showing – Discovery Institute

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Editors note:Dr. Shedingeris a Professor of Religion at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. He is the author of a recent book critiquing Darwinian triumphalism,The Mystery of Evolutionary Mechanisms.

No better advertisements for intelligent design exist than works written by establishment scientists that unintentionally make design arguments. I can think of few better examples than well-known cosmologist Paul Daviess recently published book The Demon in the Machine: How Hidden Webs of Information Are Solving the Mystery of Life (2019).

With a nod toward James Clerk Maxwells entropy-defying demon, Davies argues that the gulf between physics and biology is completely unbridgeable without some fundamentally new concept. Since living organisms consistently resist the ravages of entropy that all forms of inanimate matter are subject to, there must be some non-physical principle allowing living matter to consistently defy the Second Law of Thermodynamics. And for Davies there is; the demon in the machine turns out to be information.

Throughout the book, Davies marvels at the stunning complexity of life, especially at the cellular and molecular levels. He wonders at the existence of molecular machines like motors, pumps, tubes, shears, and rotors paraphernalia familiar to human engineers and their ability to manipulate information in clear and super-efficient ways, in Daviess words conjuring order out of chaos. In fact, he calls the cell a vast web of information management, observing that while molecules are physical structures, information is an abstract concept deriving from the world of human communication.

Yet despite all these analogies between the nanotechnology of life and the world of human engineering, Davies deftly ignores the obvious conclusion the nanotechnology of life must have been designed, just like human-engineered machinery. Though he tries valiantly to ignore this obvious conclusion, Davies cannot completely run and hide, for he explicitly says, It is hard not to be struck by how ingenious all this machinery is, and how astonishing that it remains intact and unchanged over billions of years. (Emphasis in the original.) Indeed! Anything so ingenious must, almost by definition, be the product of intelligence if we are not to drain the word ingenious of its meaning.

But trying to ignore the implications of his own work, Davies soldiers on with more unintentional ID statements:

Lifes ability to construct an internal representation of the world and itself to act as an agent, manipulate its environment and harness energy reflects its foundation in the rules of logic. It is also the logic of life that permits biology to explore a boundless universe of novelty.

Logic, of course, is a product of mental activity. So is Davies implying an active intelligence working at the cellular and molecular level? It appears so even if he would never admit it. Yet he does practically admit it when he throws up his hands and declares, Indeed, lifes complexity is so daunting that it is tempting to give up trying to understand it in physical terms.

If the molecular machinery of the cell has overwhelmed Davies with its sublime complexity, he is equally astounded by the field of epigenetics: In the magic puzzle box of life, epigenetic inheritance is one of the more puzzling bits of magic. He discusses the research on directed mutation by John Cairns in the 1980s, more recent work on epigenetics by Eva Jablonka, and the early work on transposition by Barbara McClintock and its flourishing in James Shapiros Natural Genetic Engineering and concludes: its tempting to imagine that biologists are glimpsing an entire shadow information-processing system at work at the epigenetic level. Tempting indeed! And lest we forget, information processing derives from and is a property of intelligence.

Finally, Davies turns to the origin of life question which he brands as almost a miracle. He agrees that chemistry alone cannot explain the origin of life because one also needs to account for the origin of information. For Davies:

Semantic information is a higher-level concept that is simply meaningless at the level of molecules. Chemistry alone, however complex, can never produce the genetic code or contextual instructions. Asking chemistry to explain coded information is like expecting computer hardware to write its own software.

The origin of coded information is, according to Davies, the toughest problem in evolutionary biology. But, of course, it is only a tough problem for those who have excluded intelligence from the equation a priori. From an ID perspective, the origin of information is no mystery at all. It is always the creation of intelligent minds, a point made consistently by Stephen Meyer.

To explain all this, Davies can do no better than to speculate that somehow new laws and principles emerge from information processing systems of sufficiently great complexity. But he entirely ignores the question of the origin of the information processing system itself, which he has already pronounced as beyond the ability of chemistry alone to explain.

It is likely that Davies would never want to align himself with the ID community. He might believe that the professional cost is just too great. But if I didnt know any better, I would swear that The Demon in the Machine had rolled right off the presses of Discovery Institute. If abstract information is truly at the root of life, then intelligence has to be factored into the equation. Davies has made a compelling case for the former, so by extension and much to his chagrin he seems to be making a compelling case for the latter.

Photo: Paul Davies, by Cmichel67 / CC BY-SA.

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Hey, Paul Davies Your ID Is Showing - Discovery Institute

American Hospital in sync with UAE’s vision for healthcare innovation – Gulf News

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Sherif Bechara, CEO, American Hospital at the Medical Library of the American Hospital, Oud Metha, Dubai. Image Credit: Antonin Klian Kallouche/Gulf News

Dubai: The American Hospital, Dubai has been in the forefront of healthcare delivery and innovation, having introduced the first ever robotic surgery facility recently. With its advanced centres of excellence in oncology and rehabilitation along with several facilities for gynaecology, pediatrics, urology, endocrinology and wellness, run by US and Canadian board-certified specialists, the JCI accredited hospital is looking to add research and innovation to its credit as well.

In sync with the UAEs vision for the future of healthcare and medical tourism, the hospital intends to expand its AI applications, explore nanotechnology applications that are FDA approved, and start satellite clinics for more effective and affordable health care delivery. Sherif Bechara, CEO of American Hospital in conversation with Gulf News talks about the unique qualities that make American Hospital one of the leading healthcare centers in Dubai.

Q: What is the main thrust of American Hospitals healthcare policy that sets it apart from other healthcare facilities?

A: Since its inception in 1996, American Hospital has focused on the patient and patient needs. Our focus has never been revenue and numbers. Quantity was never a priority as this comes automatically with high quality medical services. We do not place excessive emphasis on statistics, yet focus on caring for people.

Q: What are the firsts this hospital has achieved?

A: The American Hospital, Dubai was the first to perform bilateral knee and hip replacement surgeries, Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS) using navigation, cochlear implant and speech therapy, provide state of the art comprehensive cancer diagnostic and therapeutic treatment utilizing Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography (PET/CT) scanner with the injection of Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), Ablation Therapy, Cardiac Electrophysiology services, laparoscopic surgery, and we had the first OR for eurospinal surgery utilizing neuronavigation with O Arm (a CT in the OR). When started in 1996, we were one of the largest private hospitals with 100 beds and kept expanding as the demand for quality healthcare grew. By 2010, we had 245 beds.

Q: How do you see American Hospital playing an important role in cancer research and care as this is one of the top non- communicable diseases here in the UAE and its growing incidence is a cause for concern?

A: We have a full-fledged oncology center that offers chemo, radio, surgical and immunotherapy services. We have initiated several internal studies on cancer research, and by June 2020 we will start an oncology Center of Excellence that will be dedicated to diagnosing and treating all kinds of pediatric and adult cancers. Our vision is to focus on extensive and latest research and development in the field of cancer. We also plan to further customize cancer treatments using Artificial Intelligence as well as targeted therapies.

Q: You have done some pioneering work in Robotics and cancer research? Can you throw some light on it?

A: Recently, in January 2020, we introduced Robotic surgery and became the first private hospital in Dubai to introduce the da Vince XI robot in UAE. Robotic surgery is currently carried out in general surgery, urology and gynecology. We have proudly conducted 18 robotic surgeries with excellent clinical outcomes. Robotic surgery is about precision and speed - the patients length of stay in hospital is reduced, so is/her surgical site infection as it is minimally invasive procedure and adds value to the patients experience and caps the cost on health insurance.

Q: What are the other noteworthy super specialties at American Hospital?

A: We have a state-of-the-art rehabilitation department that caters to both neuro and physical rehabilitations. In addition to comprehensive cardiac services ranging from diagnostic using (MRI, PET/CT, SPECT/CT, CT, Bi-Plane Cathlab with electrophysiology services, Stress Echo, Holter, Telemetry, Transtelephonic services) supported by an elite cardiac surgery team.. Not to mention that with the increasing incidence of lifestyle diseases we have an advanced endocrinology department that caters to patients of diabetes, thyroid and other hormonal disorders.

Q: What is the Unique Selling Proposition of American Hospital?

A: We place as much emphasize on preventive health as we do on treatment protocols. We have facilities for regular and comprehensive health check-ups. The unique thing about American Hospital is that not only do we have general physicians, but we also have family health doctors who are US or Canadian board-certified specialists and are well-trained & equipped to handle urgent care patients. In fact, it is a well- known fact that 70% of patients in ERs are not in for life saving but urgent care patients... We are also proud to be the first private healthcare organization in the middle east to receive JCI accreditation and to be affiliated to the Mayo Clinic Care Network.

Q: How can one make health care more affordable for the masses. Is your organization only targeting premium and privileged customers or is there something for the common man as well?

A: While we are leading in terms of facilities, research and treatments, the management of American Hospital is aware of its community responsibilities, through our charity group Al Shifa Charity Fund, we reach out to the unprivileged and extend help wherever possible.

Q: What needs to be done according to you to increase more medical tourism footfall?

A: We are completely in sync with the Dubai Medial tourism targets and feel the responsibility to invite more patients from the region to the UAE for treatment purposes. We have outreach facilities in China, Nigeria, Kuwait and Pakistan where we held roadshows. In Nigeria for instance, we have set up an office for medical tourism and intend to bring in patients from East Africa through that office. We will adopt the same strategy for other countries in South East Asia and tap into the market there. People trust, and were travelling to Europe and US for treatments, but we are steadily building the same trust in our services. We have set optimistic goals that in one-year time we will be able to translate all our efforts into a sizable traffic of medical tourists from these countries.

Q: What needs to be done to make health care insurance more relevant to the average Dubai expatriate and is there anything people can do to make insurance premiums more affordable?

A: There is a need for greater trust between healthcare and health insurance systems. While misuse of medical facilities must stop, there is also need for health care insurances to blatantly reject expenses. Instead of specific descriptions, what we need are categories and ranges that will come with the DRG system of billing soon to be implemented. This will help streamline billing and bring more transparency. Both sectors need to hold joint workshops on transparency and trust-building where common mistakes can be highlighted and both sides be educated on the best way forward.

Q: Would you say the vision of the American Hospital policymakers is in sync with that of the rulers of UAE and Dubai in particular who has laid out an elaborate plan for health care in Dubai and the UAE?

A: We are in complete harmony with the UAEs clear vision and strategy for healthcare and its sustainable goals. We too, are focusing on introducing new techniques such as robotic surgery, starting centers of excellence to accelerate the goals of healthcare delivery to the patients. We are not just looking at treatments but investing in prevention by focusing on research and development, especially in the field of cancer. We also believe that Artificial Intelligence and nanotechnology is the way forward in healthcare. Annually, by the end of 2020, the world would have spent a total of $6.6 billion on AI, and by 2026 the world will be spending $150 million a year. Our robotics and super specialty centers using Artificial Intelligence and nanotechnology will help reduce the length of stay in hospital and make treatments more cost-effective and affordable for patients.

Q: What are the plans for future expansion of the Hospital?

A: We plan to start several satellite clinics in Dubai that will cater to patients and provide services closer to home. We are planning to start three clinics, in Khawaneej, Dubai Hills and the Mira starting from April-September 2020. The satellite clinics, as the name suggests will be connected to the main Hospital. Patients seen at these clinics will be referred to the Hospital in case of an emergency or advanced treatment requirement such as surgery or oncology or rehabilitation. The purpose behind these satellite clinics is to make healthcare more accessible to people right at their doorstep.

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American Hospital in sync with UAE's vision for healthcare innovation - Gulf News

US senators question Ascension on its Google collaboration Project Nightingale – MobiHealthNews

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Google made waves in the fall when the WSJ reported thatthe tech company hadbeen working with Ascension since 2018 on a collaboration involving patient data, called Project Nightingale.While the partnership appears to be HIPAA compliant, thenews drew concerns among patients, providers and legislators.

Earlier this week, a group of three senators, including Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Dr. Bill Cassidy (R-LA),sent a follow-up letter to AscensionCEO Joseph Impiccicheregarding concerns they holdabout ProjectNightingale.

This is not the first letter the trio haspenned questioningtheproject. In November they sent a letter to Google raising a number of questions regarding the privacy and security of patient data, and received a reply in early December.

"However, because Googles response did not answer a number of our questions pertaining to Ascensions involvement, we are requesting additional details from Ascension to help us better understand how Project Nightingale protects the sensitive health information of American patients," the senators wrote in the morerecent letter.

The senators laid out a number of questions surrounding patient consent of data use and privacy concerns. The senators are pressuring the health system for more information regarding the number of Google employees with access to the data and exactly what information is in the records.

"Google, for example, did not provide us with a 'full and complete list of patient-level information'that the company is receiving from Ascension, nor did it provide an exact number of healthcare records that it had received under Project Nightingale," the letter read.

The senators also asked if patients had advancenotice of Googles retention of their EHR, and if they had the ability to opt out of data sharing. Specifically, the senators inquired about whether the patients data would be used for research purposes.

The senators point out that, in the December letter from Google, the tech giant said that "providing notice to patients of uses and retention of [personal health information] by a covered entity and its business associations is the responsibility of the covered entity." The senators asked Ascension to clarify exactly what patients knew about their data being used.

The March letter endsby asking if Ascension is aware of any data breeches that would "present a risk of any outside party obtaining access to personal health information."

WHY IT MATTERS

As big tech moves into healthcare, patient privacy has been a concern among stakeholders.

"While improving the sharing, accessibility, and search-ability of healthcare data for providers could almost certainly lead to improvements in care, the role of Google in developing such a tool warrants scrutiny," the senators wrote in the letter.

THE LARGER TREND

Last year, news broke that Google and the University of Chicago Medical Center were being sued for violating patients' privacyfollowing a data-sharing partnership that the two parties inked two years ago. The class action lawsuit, which was first reported on by theNew York Times, accused the hospital system of sharing data with the tech conglomerate that could be identifiable, namely doctor's notes and the time frame of their visits.

Google has also been in hot water on the other side of the pond. In 2016 theUK's NHS signed a deal with Deep Mindthat led to press andUK government criticism afteran investigative report by the New Scientistrevealed that Google would have access to a huge trove of patient data without the patients' express consent, a potential violation of NHS information governance principles.

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US senators question Ascension on its Google collaboration Project Nightingale - MobiHealthNews

Floodplain manager is February employee of the month in Ascension Parish – The Advocate

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The February employee of the month in Ascension Parish government is floodplain manager Marcia Shivers.

Shivers is the parishs expert dealing with Community Rating System, which is part of the National Flood Insurance Program, according to a news release.

The Community Rating System makes it possible for communities to win reductions in flood insurance premiums for their residents by enforcing higher floodplain management regulations.

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Shivers has been recognized by FEMA, particularly after the 2016 flood, for her knowledge, her responsiveness and her work ethic, the release said.

A mother of three, she has worked for Ascension Parish government since 2003.

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Floodplain manager is February employee of the month in Ascension Parish - The Advocate

YOUR Verdict on "Ascension of the Cybermen" An Upgrade – Doctor Who TV

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Doctor Who/ News

March 4, 2020

Its time to reveal DWTVs poll results for the ninth episode of Series 12, Ascension of the Cybermen, as voted for by you over the last week or so.

As always, we asked you to rate the episode on a scale from 1 to 10. We then took an average.

So far, the Series 12 episode ranking looks like this:

Ascension of the Cybermen has pushed the series average up to 6.70. Series 11 concluded its run with this exact same average. So with only one episode left, Series 12 is currently as consistent as Series 11. Not that this is a good thing in this case, as it would mean it would still be joint lowest ranked series of the whole revival.

Join us next week when we examine the results of The Timeless Children, the tenth and final episode of Series 12. Its sure to be another interesting one Until then, keep voting!

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YOUR Verdict on "Ascension of the Cybermen" An Upgrade - Doctor Who TV

WWE Released The Ascension Very Close To Contract Expiration – Ringside News

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WWE released The Ascension along with Sin Cara and Luke Harper all on the same day. Their non-compete clauses are all running up on March 7th, but The Ascension have already gotten back on the indies.

While speaking to Wrestling Inc, Konnor spoke about his recent WWE release. They only had three months left on their contracts, and they were just sitting at home.

He said that someone tried to get something started before his release, but he didnt elaborate. Konnor didnt the point in trying since WWE had pegged them as enhancement talents.

We only had two more months left. We literally had two more months left. We had been sitting at home for almost nine months. They had literally taken us off the road and we literally almost sat there throughout the last portion of our contract, and it just was one of those things where it was nice to be honest with you, and there was some more backstory to it as to why things kinda went the way that it did.

Basically, I had a discussion with one of the gentlemen there. They were talking about possibly making some things happen and my only question to them was why. There was really no point. There was nothing going on for us. We were clearly there to do one thing and that was to be quote unquote enhancement talent, and thats just the reality of it. So, you just kind of take a step back and youre just like, Man this isnt why I got into this business.

Konnor and Viktor are now on their own. Well have to see whats next for them in the pro wrestling world, but it sounds like their WWE release wasnt that devastating to discover.

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WWE Released The Ascension Very Close To Contract Expiration - Ringside News

Church of the Ascension to be restored on 50th birthday – Warrington Guardian

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A CHURCH is set to be restored to mark its 50th birthday.

The Church of the Ascension, has received a grant from the National Lotterys heritage fund in order for repairs to be carried out at the Warren Lane site.

Its corroded concrete structure and bell tower will be renovated, while a project officer will also be employed to engage with the community and help residents to celebrate the churchs heritage.

Reverend Rebecca Roberts said: Im really excited about the plans for the Ascension.

I believe a church should be at the heart of its community, and the support of the National Lottery enables us to bring the Ascension back to the heart of the Woolston community again as a facility that can be a focal point for the community as it was originally intended to be.

A host of events are planned as part of the Ascension Festival on the weekend of May 22 to 25, which marks 50 years since the building was first opened.

The church will also host a monthly pop-up cinema showing iconic 1970s films, an exhibition exploring its role in the development of Woolston as we know it, musical concerts and a renewal of marriage vows ceremony for couples who were wed there.

Volunteers will support the celebrations and develop a work experience scheme with pupils at Fox Wood Special School.

Plans to construct the church had been mooted for several decades before the foundation stone was laid in 1968, but were delayed by the outbreak of war and rising costs.

Built on land donated by the Gorton family and designed by renowned modern day church architect George Pace, it eventually opened on Ascension Day 1970 at a time when Woolston was rapidly growing due to new housing developments.

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Church of the Ascension to be restored on 50th birthday - Warrington Guardian

‘Doctor Who’: Questions We Have About The Season 12 Finale – Showbiz Cheat Sheet

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The two-part season 12 finale of Doctor Who started off with the episode Ascension of the Cybermen and finished with The Timeless Children. Both episodes delighted and intrigued sci-fi fans. The season 12 finale of Doctor Who also left us with some interesting questions to ponder as well as some clues about where the show is going.

[Spoiler alert: The following contains major spoilers forDoctor WhoSeason 12 Episodes 9 and 10.]

During season 12 episodes 1 and 2 of Doctor Who, the Master works with an alien species called the Kasaavin. They are from another realm, and appear in this universe as beings of light in a vaguely human shape. One of the Kasaavin tells the Doctor that the human-like shape amuses them. While they are working with the Master and a human named Daniel Barton to try to take over the universe, the Kasaavin end up turning on the Master.

They turn on him because the Doctor reveals that he is just using them as a means to an end. The Kasaavin then trap the Master in their dimension. Later, the Doctor speculates that the Master probably escaped from the Kasaavin and it turns out she was right. That leads us to wonder: How did he do it?

The Master definitely has a certain kind of genius. He would probably be able to maneuver his way out of many tricky situations, especially when he has an evil plan up his sleeve. And perhaps thats the only explanation we need.

During the second part of the season 12 finale of Doctor Who, The Timeless Children, it is revealed that the Doctor is in fact the Timeless Child. She is a child who was found by a native Gallifreyan named Tecteun. Tecteun liked to explore the universe and on a deserted planet, she found a child. She took the child back to Gallifrey with her.

One day, the girl was playing with a friend and she fell off of a cliff. This tragic event was the start of something as the young girl didnt die, but regenerated. The Timeless Child was the first to regenerate on Gallifrey. Tecteun then began to study the child, wanting to find the secret to regeneration.

After a lot of experimenting, and a few of the childs regenerations, Tecteun thought shed cracked the code of regeneration. So she tested it on herself, and regenerated into a male form. Tecteun then lead his people into a new era and gave all of those in the Citadel of Gallifrey now named Time Lords the ability to regenerate. The Timeless Child eventually must have become a child once again and grew up to be the Doctor.

This all means that the Doctor is not actually from Gallifrey, though she did grow up there. So where is she from? This question is harder to answer. Its possible that the Doctor is from the deserted planet where Tecteun found the child, though its more likely that shes from somewhere else.

Since there is a boundary, a gateway to another place, just above where the child was found, its probable that the Doctor is really from somewhere beyond that boundary.

The Judoon are alien police for hire, who are contracted to find alien fugitives. During season 12 episode 5 of Doctor Who, Fugitive of the Judoon, they arrive in Gloucester looking for one such fugitive. Their search leads them to the home of Ruth Clayton and her husband Lee. The Thirteenth Doctor tries to help Ruth, who ends up being an unknown incarnation of the Doctor.

After both Doctors escape from the Judoon, they still want to fulfill their contract. So, at the end of The Timeless Children, the Judoon appear in the Thirteenth Doctors TARDIS and sentence her to life in prison. But how did they get in the supposedly impregnable TARDIS in the first place? IGN suggests that the TARDIS might have let the Judoon in on purpose, knowing that the Doctor needs to get involved in some kind of adventure away from her sentient space and time ship.

We would also suggest that since the Judoon turned out to be working with Time Lords to find the Doctor in Fugitive of the Judoon, the Time Lords might have at one point lowered the defenses to the Doctors TARDIS themselves. They also could have shown the Judoon how to do so.

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'Doctor Who': Questions We Have About The Season 12 Finale - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Clarity Of Drafting And Reliance On A Spouse For Bankruptcy Protection – A Cautionary Tale – JD Supra

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Clarity Of Drafting And Reliance On A Spouse For Bankruptcy Protection - A Cautionary Tale - JD Supra

Farm bankruptcies ‘just the tip of a very large iceberg’ – Norfolk Daily News

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SAVANNAH, GA - Two Midwestern Farmers Union leaders says farm bankruptcy numbers dont tell the whole story about the financial crisis in U.S. agriculture.

There were 595 Chapter 12 bankruptcies in 2019, the highest level since 2012 and Nebraska Farmers Union President John Hanson calls bankruptcies the tip of a very large iceberg.

Hanson says theyre seeing a repeat of the 80,15,5 situation.

"80 percent have lost equity and in some cases they've lost quite a bit of cash, but they're in a strong enough financial position yet to continue to go forward. Then you have 15 percent that are in the red zone and those folks are really scampering to try to do anything they can to turn their numbers around. The five percent are the folks that are pretty much upside down and don't have enough equity left."

South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke believes 2020 is going to be even tougher than 2019.

Sombke says MFP payments have helped, but in many cases have only prolonged the inevitable.

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Farm bankruptcies 'just the tip of a very large iceberg' - Norfolk Daily News

Former solicitor loses appeal over bankruptcy decision – The Irish Times

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A former solicitor has lost his appeal over being adjudged bankrupt arising from a summons issued by the Revenue Commissioners after it got judgments for some 405,808 against him.

A stay, subject to certain variations requiring John Tobin to co-operate with bankruptcy trustee Chris Lehane, applies on the bankruptcy adjudication pending further orders arising from the Court of Appeals judgment.

Mr Tobin, with an address at Cornmarket, Robert Street, Limerick, appealed a High Court refusal to dismiss a bankruptcy summons served by Revenue on him and also appealed the High Courts subsequent decision adjudicating him bankrupt.

On Tuesday, the three judge Court of Appeal dismissed his appeal and adjourned final orders for three weeks. Giving the judgment, Mr Justice Maurice Collins noted the Revenue had on April 18th, 2016 served a bankruptcy summons on Mr Tobin, then still practising as a solicitor.

The summons warned, unless he paid some 405,808 to the Collector General (CG) within 14 days, he would have committed an act of bankruptcy for which he might be adjudicated bankrupt unless he had a court order to dismiss the summons on the ground he had no debt to the CG, or had a debt of 20,000 or less. It set out particulars of seven judgments the CG had obtained against Mr Tobin between September 2011 and January 2015, totalling some 405,808 net. The judge said that summons was in line with the requirements of Order 76 of the Superior Courts Rules. Mr Tobin had not applied within the prescribed 14 days to have the summons dismissed but, in November 2016, some six months later, he applied to dismiss it.

He claimed the sum sought by Revenue was incorrect because he was due a refund from it of 71,030, plus interest, from February 2009, for reasons including alleged overpayment of stamp duty made from his own resources to Revenue on behalf of a client.

Even if that sum was due to Mr Tobin, it was not disputed he still owed some 330,000 to the Revenue, Mr Justice Collins observed. The Revenue, he said, did not dispute Mr Tobin had paid sums towards stamp duty liabilities of clients but its position was that was a matter between him and the client. Having examined the evidence, the judge said Mr Tobins claims on the issue of overpayment/credit/refund arising from the stamp duty issues raised by him were fundamentally lacking in credibility.

There was no overpayment of the clients liabilities and Mr Tobin was at all times fully aware of that fact, he said. If there was no overpayment, no question of any refund or credit could possibly arise. It followed Mr Tobin had not established any real and substantial issue that the amount set out in the bankruptcy summons overstated his liability by failing to allow him a credit of 71,300.

Even if there was a credible basis for contending there was a stamp duty overpayment, Mr Tobin had failed to show that gave rise to any entitlement to credit or refund for him, rather than his client, the judge said. He agreed with the High Court there was nothing in a subsidiary ground of appeal concerning the Revenues handling of stamp duty certificates. In concluding observations, the judge said the question of what a debtor must show in answering a bankruptcy petition or seeking to dismiss a bankruptcy summons while having no impact on this particular case requires attention from some quarter, whether judicial or legislative.

Existing jurisprudence indicates Order 76 apparently requires that a summons has to be set aside if a debtor can show there is an issue that the amount in the summons exceeds what the debtor owes, even where the undisputed part of the debt may be multiples of the statutory threshold of 20,000, he said. If that is the correct approach, Order 76 requires urgent review.

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Former solicitor loses appeal over bankruptcy decision - The Irish Times

‘Modern slaves’ lived in cramped conditions and had wages withheld – Manchester Evening News

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A Warrington couple have been jailed for modern slavery offences after police discovered two Lithuanians living in horrific conditions in their family home.

Police said the couple witheld wages from the pair, who had undertaken household jobs for the couple and worked for Warrington businesses, and made them live in 'cramped' conditions.

One of their victims lived in a cupboard under the stairs, while the other slept on their sofa.

Robertas Repsas and Rita Jablonskaite, of Westland Drive, were sent to jail for a combined total of three years and seven months after pleading guilty to human trafficking and modern slavery charges.

Liverpool Crown Court heard how both victims lived with depressions and had little to eat while living in the house.

In a victim impact statement read out in court, their first victim, a 50-year-old man, said:I lived there under constant stress and ongoing depression, anxiety and constantly thinking what I should do next what actions I should take. These thoughts used to drive me crazy.

I was full of anxiety and yet I could not share my thoughts with anybody as I was alone and was completely isolated from other people.

The court heard that he lost nearly 20 kilograms in weight while living with the couple.

Their second victim, a 51-year-old woman, said:While I was living in Ritas house I felt very bad. I was treated as worthless and was very insulted.

I felt particularly bad when I had nothing to eat after I cooked for the family there. I remember how many times I cried because of hunger and the insults.

I was always in a very bad mood and always sad.

Police were alerted to the couple's crimes when their first victim accessed a phone while working at a recycling firm and contacted a friend.

Officers from Cheshire Police discovered that the man had been living with Repsas, 31, and Jablonskaite, 34, for nine months after being trafficked from his native Lithuania.

He began doing housework, gardening and running errands for them before working for Jablonskaites cleaning company and later for a Warrington-based recruitment agency.

Repsas and Jablonskaite refused to let the man access his own wages, which were around 400 a week, and even applied for loans in his name.

The man, who spoke very little English, lived in highly cramped conditions with no ventilation or a window, according to police.

Officers visited the victim during a shift at the recycling company before speaking to him, via an interpreter, at Widnes Police Station.

He had an unkempt appearance, did not own his own clothing and was wearing tracksuit bottoms that did not fit him, police said.

Police raided the house he had been living at in March 2018 and the couple were arrested before being released pending further enquiries.

The couple's second victim, who had also been trafficked from Lithuania, was found by police at their home just a few months later.

She had been living on the couples sofa for several weeks as their housekeeper and live-in nanny, and also did work for Jablonskaites cleaning company.

Despite being promised a weekly wage, the victim received no money from the couple, who also promised to keep her mobile phone topped up so she could contact her family, which they did not.

Police said that although the couple did feed their victims, the woman said she only ever ate at lunchtime. They also had their ID cards confiscated by the couple and were not allowed a key to their home.

A court heard that both victims felt as though they could not leave the couples home without permission.

Repsas and Jablonskaite were both charged with holding a person in slavery or servitude and requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour.

Repsas was also charged with human trafficking, while Jablonskaite was charged with three counts of that offence.

Repsas was jailed for one year and three months and Jablonskaite was handed a prison sentence of two years and four months.

A seven-year slavery and trafficking prevention order was also imposed on the pair.

Detective Inspector Julie Jackson, of the Hidden Harm Team based at Warrington Police Station, said: The two vulnerable victims in this case were sold on the idea of coming to England to work and earn money whilst living with a family from their homeland.

But they ended up being controlled and exploited by Robertas Repsas and Rita Jablonskaite, working excessive hours and not having any money to show for it.

With them having had their identification taken off them, speaking very little English, being totally dependent on the offenders and having no way of contacting anyone in Lithuania, both victims felt trapped.

Thankfully, the first victim, who was initially living in the offenders attic before having to sleep in a downstairs cupboard when they moved to a different house in Warrington, found a mobile phone whilst at work and used it to report what he was being subjected to, first to a friend and then to the Lithuanian embassy.

Those phone calls paved the way for him, and latterly the second victim, to be safeguarded and for the couple who subjected them to modern slavery to be brought to justice.

The second victim was trafficked, controlled and exploited whilst the couple knew they were being investigated for doing the same to the first victim.

This beggars belief and shows that the couple believed that they were above the law as they took advantage of vulnerable people for financial and domestic gain.

I am delighted that the pair are now behind bars facing the consequences of their actions and I hope this case reassures the community that we take reports of human trafficking and modern slavery extremely seriously.

I also hope that it deters others from committing similar offences.

Cheshires Police and Crime Commissioner David Keane, who has made it his priority to provide greater protection for victims of modern slavery, added:

This case shows the devastating effects modern slavery can have on vulnerable people who naively think they have come to Cheshire to live a better life.

In my role as the publics representative on policing and crime, and through my chairing of Cheshires Criminal Justice Board, I am committed to ensuring that we have a joined up, multi-agency approach to helping provide more support for victims of modern slavery and look to eradicate the crime from our communities.

Initiatives like the Hidden Harm Team are helping us to work with partners to locate victims and trace offenders, but I also encourage members of the community to look out for the tell-tale signs of modern slavery and report any suspicions to the police.

Originally posted here:

'Modern slaves' lived in cramped conditions and had wages withheld - Manchester Evening News

Couple jailed for trafficking people into the UK and using them as slaves – The Chester Standard

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A CHESHIRE couple have been jailed for trafficking people into the UK and using them as slaves.

Robertas Repsas and Rita Jablonskaite made one of their two victims sleep in a tiny cupboard under the stairs.

The 50-year-old man, who spoke very little English, lived with the couple for nine months after being trafficked from their native Lithuania, originally doing housework, gardening and running errands for them before working for Jablonskaites cleaning company and later for a Warrington-based recruitment agency.

He was never given access to his wage slips or the money he earned.

Repsas and Jablonskaite had total control over the man and his wages, and they even applied for loans in his name.

Sleeping in highly cramped conditions with no ventilation or a window and having no access to money despite earning an average wage of about 400 a week, the victim flagged up his plight to a friend after finding a mobile phone while working for a recycling company in St Helens.

He then called the Lithuanian embassy, who in turn contacted Cheshire Police.

An investigation was launched and officers visited the victim while he was doing a shift at the recycling company before speaking to him, via an interpreter, at Widnes Police Station.

After finding that he had an unkempt appearance, did not own his own clothing and was wearing tracksuit bottoms that did not fit him, the officers safeguarded the victim before raiding the house in Westland Drive, Warrington, on Tuesday, March 13, 2018.

Repsas, 31, and Jablonskaite, 34, were arrested at the address and questioned in custody.

They were subsequently released under investigation pending further enquiries.

Just months later officers had cause to go to the couples home and while there they discovered and safeguarded a second victim.

The 51-year-old woman, who could not speak English, had also been trafficked from Lithuania.

She had been living on the couples sofa for several weeks as their housekeeper and live-in nanny.

She also did work for Jablonskaites company, cleaning peoples flats.

Despite being promised a weekly wage, the victim received no money from the couple.

The couple also reneged on their promise to keep her mobile phone topped up so that she could keep in contact with her family in Lithuania.

She had come to England to live with the couple after being told that she would be able to work and raise money for her family.

Both victims were given access to food while living with the couple, though the woman told officers that she only ate at lunch.

But the couple took their identification off them when they first arrived in Warrington via a private minibus and a ferry from Calais to Dover and never gave them a key to their home.

The court heard that both victims felt as though they could not leave the couples home without permission.

In victim impact statements read out in court, the man, who lost nearly 20 kilograms in weight while living with the couple, said: I lived there under constant stress and ongoing depression, anxiety and constantly thinking what I should do next what actions I should take. These thoughts used to drive me crazy.

I was full of anxiety and yet I could not share my thoughts with anybody as I was alone and was completely isolated from other people.

The woman said: While I was living in Ritas house I felt very bad. I was treated as worthless and was very insulted.

I felt particularly bad when I had nothing to eat after I cooked for the family there. I remember how many times I cried because of hunger and the insults.

I was always in a very bad mood and always sad.

Once Cheshire Police had concluded its investigation into Repsas and Jablonskaites offending, they were both charged with holding a person in slavery or servitude and requiring a person to perform forced or compulsory labour.

Repsas was also charged with human trafficking.

Jablonskaite was charged with three counts of that offence.

Having originally decided to plead not guilty to all charges, the pair admitted the human trafficking offences part way through a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

The prosecution accepted the pleas on the agreement that the other charges would be taken into account upon sentencing, which took place on Tuesday.

Repsas was jailed for one year and three months and Jablonskaite was handed a prison sentence of two years and four months.

A seven-year slavery and trafficking prevention order was also imposed on the pair.

Detective Inspector Julie Jackson, of the Hidden Harm Team based at Warrington Police Station, said: The two vulnerable victims in this case were sold on the idea of coming to England to work and earn money whilst living with a family from their homeland.

But they ended up being controlled and exploited by Robertas Repsas and Rita Jablonskaite, working excessive hours and not having any money to show for it."

Continue reading here:

Couple jailed for trafficking people into the UK and using them as slaves - The Chester Standard

Ken Loach grinds another honest man under the cruel gears of society in Sorry We Missed You – The A.V. Club

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You dont work for us, you work with us. Thats the pitch Maloney (Ross Brewster) makes for the exciting new job opportunity he dangles in the opening scene of Sorry We Missed You, Ken Loachs latest lament for the downtrodden masses. Maloney, who has the physique and disposition of your gyms least forgiving trainer, is a supervisor at a package delivery company that independently contracts all its driversits like UPS by way of Uber. What hes selling is the ideal of professional autonomy. Drive your own van! Own your own franchise! Be your own boss! To Ricky Turner (Kris Hitchen), it all sounds like a dream come true. Ricky, after all, has spent his whole life paving, plumbing, roofing, mending, and breaking his back for companies that saw him and his labor as disposable. Its about time he tossed off the shackles of subordination and became, in Maloneys well-chosen words, the master of his destiny.

You dont need to be a used and abused cog of the gig economy to suspect that this grand promise of self-employment is a liethat Rickys delusions of independence and upward mobility will inevitably be shattered. He is, after all, the main character in a Ken Loach movie: honest, industrious, destined to suffer for the sins of a pitiless society. Loach, the biggest beating heart in the English film industry, has spent most of his half-century in movies and television sticking up for the little guy, for the working men and women of his country. In recent years, that noble imperative has consumed all other aspects of his work; the writer-director of gripping classics like Kes and Riff-Raff now makes diatribes pounded into the vague shape of dramanot so much message movies as messages in search of movies. Sorry We Missed You fits cleanly into that agitprop tradition. But for a good long while, anyway, it does offer the kind of involving quotidian texture that Loach excels at when hes not simply steering the steamroller over his characters to make a point about societys ills.

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Kris Hitchen, Debbie Honeywood, Rhys Stone, Katie Proctor, Ross Brewster

Select theaters March 6

Ricky, as we quickly learn, is head of a household in Newcastle thats been struggling ever since the 2008 financial collapse, which effectively destroyed their plan to buy their own home. To put a deposit on the big white van hell need for his new career, Ricky talks his wife, Abbie (Debbie Honeywood), into selling her cara decision that makes daily life a little trickier for her. Abbie has her own version of flexible zero-hour contract work: She hops all over town to care for the elderly and people with disabilities, picking up clients through an agency that often minimizes her contact with the families (and eats into her paychecks). Ricky and Abbie have two children they barely see because theyre always on the clock. While preteen Liza Jane (Katie Proctor) tries to put on a happy face, even as she absorbs her parents stress like a sponge, 16-year-old Seb (Rhys Stone) acts out, cutting class to go tagging with his friends.

Like any good polemicist, Loach understands empathy as something he has to earn. This early stretch, episodic and carefully observed, successfully bonds us to the plight of the Turners. Theres an economy to the storytelling and a affecting sting to some of the moments the filmmaker singles out, like Liza Jane cleaning up around her slumbering folks or Abbie fighting through her exhaustion to express kindness to an ashamed client. And Loach locates some blessed humor, a tonic for characters and audience alike, in Rickys front-door encounters with his customers, at one point stopping the movie cold for some amusingly heated sparring between rival soccer fans. As usual, the directors assembled a first-rate cast: Hitchen and Honeywood make palpable their characters frustrations, trying to hold onto hope under their occupational and professional demands. The real find may be Stone, who perfectly conveys the pigheaded selfishness of a teenage wiseass, while also communicating what Seb is really rebelling against: the nonstop grind and hustle that awaits him, should he follow the same path as his parents.

Sorry We Missed You is good enough, in other words, to make one wish that Loach knew when to say when. Ricky, his beleaguered hero, has hitched his hopes to a sucker bet: a corporate enterprise that feeds off his labor without sheltering him from risk. Its a system not so radically different from the one the filmmaker decried in his last movie, the Cannes-winning I, Daniel Blake, which depicted one virtuous mans Sisyphean struggle against a health-care industry all but designed to deny him the relief he needs. Working again with longtime collaborator Paul Laverty, who also wrote that didactic downer, Loach again piles onto his working-class protagonists so relentlesslyturning them into everyday martyrs, crushed into fine dust by the grinding wheels of capitalist exploitationthat any genuine poignancy begins to crumble into self-parody. Everything that could go wrong does, and by the time Sorry We Missed You is literally dousing Ricky in piss, you have to wonder if its really society, and not just the screenplay, stacking the deck against the Turners.

Which is a shame, because the film didnt need to force the family through the worse-case wringer to sell its shrewd insights about the mutating injustice of capitalism. Sorry We Missed You sits on a rock-solid foundation of outrage: As Ricky rudely awakens to every reality of his new jobhe cant even bring his daughter along with him on the deliveries because hes still beholden to the rules his corporate partner setswhat hes really coming to terms with is how wage slavery now masquerades as entrepreneurial opportunity. Hes stuck forever on the hamster wheel, a point damningly underlined by the fade-out ellipsis of the films final minutes. Its all the calculated misfortune around those scenes that feels like overkill. Then again, maybe Loach has just picked the right tool for the job. When your lone goal is to violently stir the conscience of a captive audience, a sledgehammer will do just fine.

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Ken Loach grinds another honest man under the cruel gears of society in Sorry We Missed You - The A.V. Club

The Long-Term Vision of the Christian Nationalist Movement – Sojourners

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There appear to be two ways to interpret the surge of Christian nationalism around Trump. One way is to see this primarily as an extension of the Religious Rights culture war. Another way is to understand the stated culture war, and its hot-button issues like abortion, as merely one piece within a larger and perhaps more sinister project. In The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism , Katherine Stewart argues for the latter, marshalling a synthesis of history and reporting to make her case.

Stewart has been following the Christian nationalist movement for over a decade as an investigative reporter and journalist. Her latest book highlights the way in which this movement is decentralized, consisting of a dense ecosystem of organizations, operatives, and Christian billionaire clans. Instead of collapsing Christian nationalists to single issues like abortion or gay marriage, she claims that it is an anti-democratic political movement with deep roots in a Christian opposition to civil rights, the New Deal, and abolition.

I recently spoke to Stewart about her book. The conversation that follows has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Camacho, Sojourners: You claim that America's Christian nationalist movement has been misunderstood and underestimated. How so?

Katherine Stewart: When we think of the Religious Right, we usually imagine it is just one special interest group in the noisy forum of modern American democracy. We might agree or disagree with its positions. We often see it preoccupied with cultural issues such as abortion or same-sex marriage, but we often just see it as competing within the existing system for votes while looking for a seat at the table. But Christian nationalism does not believe in modern, pluralistic democracy. Its aim is to create a new type of order, one in which Christian nationalist leaders, along with members of certain approved religions and their political allies will enjoy positions of exceptional privilege in politics, law, and society. So, this is a political movement and its goal is ultimately power. It doesn't seek to add another voice to America's pluralistic democracy, but rather to place our foundational democratic principles and institutions with a state grounded in a particular version of religion, and what some adherents call a biblical world view.

I do think it's helpful in looking at the movement to distinguish between the leaders and the followers. The foot soldiers might believe that they're fighting for those cultural issues, like a ban on abortion or a defense of what they call traditional marriage. But over time, the movement's leaders and strategists have consciously reframed these culture war issues to capture and control the votes of a large subsection of the American public. They understand that if people can be persuaded to vote on a single issue, or two or three, you can essentially control their vote by concentrating your messages in this way. They use these issues to solidify and maintain political power for themselves and their allies to increase the flow of public and private money in their direction, and also to enact economic policies that are favorable to some of their most well-resourced funders.

If you look at leaders like Putin in Russia or Orbn in Hungary or Erdoan in Turkey, when they bind themselves closely to religious conservatives in their countries in order to consolidate authoritarian form of power, we rightly identify this as a kind of religious nationalism. That's what we're seeing today with Trump's alliances with hyper-conservative religious leaders in America.

Camacho: You noticed that Christian nationalist leaders are making inroads with non-white Christians, specifically Latino pastors in places like Ohio and California. How does this fit into their overall strategy?

Stewart: The Christian nationalist movement is often characterized as a white movement. I think for some of the people in the rank and file who are white, it is an implicitly white movement because for them it involves recovering a nation that was once supposedly both Christian and white. Leaders of the movement tend to paper over the ways in which white evangelicalism and racism often reinforce one another. Of course, Trump appeals to the racism of many of his followers. But leaders of the movement can see the demographic future as clearly as you or I can. They understand that the electoral future of the movement is not ethnically homogenous. In recent years, they've made a significant outreach to Latino and black pastors. There's an irony that they're being enlisted to fight culture wars that drive support for a political party that has turned voter suppression, race-based gerrymandering, the cruel and inhumane treatment of migrants and separation of families, into a strategic imperative.

I want to give you an idea of what this looks like on the ground. In one chapter, I focused on an organization called Church United, which is a pastoral network operating in California. The founder of the group, Jim Domen, acts on racial inclusiveness in a really systematic way. Many of the fastest growing religious movements in America are in the charismatic and Pentecostal vein. These are often explicitly multiracial movements. Racial unity in Christ is one of the core themes of Church United. They organize gatherings in which the organization is introduced to pastors across the state. The aim is to get them to persuade their congregations to vote for so-called biblical values, which are typically all about the culture war issues like abortion and LGBTQ equality. A substantial number of Church United gatherings are conducted in the Spanish language.

An organization has spun off, one affiliate called Alianza de Pastores Unidos de San Diego. The members minister largely to Spanish-speaking congregations. I went to one of their events. Jim Domen was generous enough to invite me knowing that I was an opposition journalist. One of the speakers who was at this event said to the pastors, I'm going to paraphrase: When you talk to your fellowship about abortion and these issues, what's more important, talking about the minimum wage or about life? The message is very clear: Life is more important. So, these are the issues that you need to be emphasizing with your congregation.

They make it easy for pastors to communicate these issues to their congregants. The movement leaders understand that pastors drive votes and that's why they've made an enormous effort to create these vast pastoral networks that gets pastors on the same page. They give them sophisticated messaging and media tools to turn out the vote.

Camacho: In your book, you make connections between the current Christian nationalist movement and the Christian opposition to civil rights and the New Deal and Christian debates over the Civil War and abolition before that. Some might consider that to be a stretch and they might cite figures like William Wilberforce. So, I'm in interested in why you decided to make this broad historical link.

Stewart: I do discuss the contributions of maybe a dozen abolitionist theologians in my book, including Wilberforce. It is important to note, however, that at the time of the Civil War, most of the powerful denominations in the South had either promoted slavery or had at least made their peace with it. Pro-slavery theologians consciously refrained from making any judgment to upset the established order or they supported it outright. For instance, the Georgia Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church said that slavery as it exists in the United States was not a moral evil. Episcopalians of South Carolina found slavery to be "marked by every evidence of divine approval." The Charleston Union Presbytery resolved that the holding of slaves, so far from being a sin in the sight of God, is nowhere condemned in his holy word. I think a lot of people don't realize that many representatives of the churches of the North were in agreement.

Yes, folks like Wilberforce and Charles Denison argued for abolitionism, and they did so in the name of religion. But Frederick Douglass observed at the time that these religious abolitionists tended to be a distinctly disempowered minority in their own denominations.

James Henley Thornwell of South Carolina, a pro-slavery theologian, described the conflict this way: The parties in this conflict are not merely abolitionists and slaveholdersthey are atheists, socialists, communists, red republicans, jacobins, on the one side, and the friends of order and regulated freedom on the other. He's identifying order and regulated freedom with pro-slavery theology.

Camacho: As you know, Betsy DeVos is the secretary of education. The argument from her camp would be that Christians are trying to combat a bias in public education that is stacked against Christians. Why do you think public education is such an important battleground?

Stewart: There's so much to unpack here. Let's just start with the hostility to government schools. The hostility goes back in time to some of those pro-slavery theologians. After Emancipation, they argued against taxing white people to educate black children. These kinds of arguments persisted to the middle of the 20th century when folks like Bob Jones objected to integration. He actually published a radio address called "Is Segregation Scriptural?" and called segregation "God's established order." We see this hostility to public education even in the 1980s and 1990s. Jerry Falwell Sr. said, around 1980, that he hoped to see the day when there are no more public schools, churches will have taken them over, and Christians will be running them.

For many members of the movement that have expressed hostility to public education and what they call government schools, it reflects a concern that children attending public schools, their children in particular, will learn tools like critical thinking or will become tolerant of religious pluralism and leave the flock. I think they've developed a persecution narrative around public education that anything failing to affirm their religion is somehow hostile to it. They reject the values of pluralism and diversity that our democratic system is meant to support. Public schools, because of their pluralism and diversity, are nonsectarian. They are meant to neither affirm nor deny any particular religious viewpoint.

The movement has, over the years, engaged in a two-pronged strategy. Number one, they start to force their program and their agenda into the public schools through things like Good News Clubs, or promoting a partisan view of American history, attacking things like the teaching of evolution. Two, they promise to deflate the schools and weaken them as Jerry Falwell Sr. hoped to see. In particular, they deflate public schools by reducing the amount of money that goes toward public schools and poor families, diverting money over to private religious schools, which, as we know, are allowed to discriminate against students that don't participate in their religion, against LGBTQ Americans and so many others.

Camacho: Reading your book really provides perspective on how much money, organization, and long-term vision the Christian nationalist movement has. And honestly, it can also be slightly depressing. What gives you hope?

Stewart: I'm seeing a lot more activism today than I saw, say, five or six years ago. We can't begin to meet the challenges that we face until we recognize what they are. And I think there's a growing awareness that we're not just dealing with a culture war. We're actually dealing with a political movement. I think that makes it incredibly helpful. While it's true that a sector of the media has basically been enlisted in a propaganda campaign, working with far-right platforms, being mouthpieces for disinformation and hate, there's so many others that are working to bring the truth to light.

Christian nationalism in some ways is the fruit of a society that has not lived up to the promise of the American idea. There is a lot of work to be done. But for now, we're free to do it. We've met these challenges in the past well enough that we made it to the present moment. Religious nationalists are using the tools of democratic political culture to end democracy. I continue to believe those same resources can be used to restore it.

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The Long-Term Vision of the Christian Nationalist Movement - Sojourners

Chicagos mayor thinks she has a plan to end poverty in a generation – The Economist

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The citys changing demographics make Lori Lightfoots job harder

BLACK FAMILIES on Chicagos South and West Sides have long endured joblessness, decrepit housing and violence. Lori Lightfoot, the citys mayor for the past nine months, has made cutting poverty her main goal. Like the rest of the country, the city is doing well on this score: the poverty rate for Afrian-Americans and Hispanics has been creeping down, though that has more to do with low unemployment and decent wage growth than with City Hall.

Ms Lightfoot, who grew up poor in Ohio, speaks personally about privation. Her childhood taught her what hardship and financial struggle was all about. Though her father had three jobs, the family saw cars repossessed and services cut off for unpaid bills. She put herself through college and studied law. Her first summer job paid more than her father had ever earned. She was too embarrassed to tell him.

This sort of story is still common in Chicago. In its public schools 76% of students qualify for free meals because of low incomes. When classes end, many do without nutritious food. Life-expectancy can vary by as much as 15 years between neighbouring areas on the South Side. Ms Lightfoot points out that Cook County, which includes the Windy City, has the highest rate of personal bankruptcies in Illinoisoften because people owe debts to the city.

Ms Lightfoot traces inequalitys roots in America to the original sin of slavery, and blames government for keeping black families down. She cites redlining, a practice of city governments and mortgage-lenders to determine which neighbourhoods African-Americans were allowed to live in, and the de facto segregation of black children at school. A mayor cannot do much about that history, and in any case many of her plans are small-bore. She will start by scrapping city fines and fees that burden the poor especiallyas a small example, libraries no longer charge for overdue books. She wants more rights for tenants and the end of regulations that take away drivers licences for petty infractions, because losing a car often means losing a job.

She promises an extra $750m over the next three years to spruce up roads, parks and public transport in ten corridors running through needy districts. Philanthropists and foundations will be tapped for help. She will also expand a financial model that diverts some capital from firms building offices and skyscrapers downtown to boost small businesses in poor areas. Rahm Emanuel, her predecessor, launched that scheme in 2017 and says it will soon be worth $170m.

One of Ms Lightfoots plans is genuinely radical, however. Citing the outrageous amounts of money that we spend on a criminal-justice infrastructure that is mostly punitiveover $1.7bn a year for policingshe wants to switch spending to social and economic needs. Broken families, poor care for children and overall deprivation are the deepest causes of violent crime, she argues. Spending on mental-health care, she says, could do more to curb crime than paying for lots of arrests.

None of that will be easy. The wealthy voters who swept Ms Lightfoot to office last year could grow jittery if cuts to police are followed by a spike in violent crime. More important, the Chicagoans most affected by violence are the citys poorest residents, whom Ms Lightfoot wants to help. She risks a sour relationship with the police after sacking their superintendent for ethical lapses in December. Her separate plans to tackle corruption leave some long-serving city aldermen uneasy. And her record as a negotiator has yet to be proved after Chicagos teachers won big payouts from her last year, after a lengthy strike.

Ms Lightfoots aspiration to end poverty in a generation has a further glitch. The poverty statistics are skewed by a decades-long collapse in the black population. Since 2010 the city has seen a net loss of 70,000 black residents, who fled to the suburbs, next-door Indiana or southern cities like Atlanta. Part of the decline in poverty simply reflects the fact that there are just fewer poor African-Americans in Chicago now. Yet some of those left behind are too poor to move, making the poverty that remains even more intractable.

This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline "Policing poverty"

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Chicagos mayor thinks she has a plan to end poverty in a generation - The Economist

International Women’s Day: ‘The myth of having it all has left behind a troubling legacy’ – Independent.ie

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International Women's Day is celebrated this weekend, and the corporate world is gearing up for its annual parade of pink-hued business breakfasts.

ut while the day itself has become all but lost in a sea of commercialism, it does provide us with an opportunity to take stock and see how far we've come - and how far we've yet to go. We asked some of our favourite Irish Independent writers if they feel that women are winning the equality battle, and if modern-day feminism is fit for purpose...

Martina Devlin - Columnist

Remember when mobile phones were the size of a brick, a computer took up the whole room, and there used to be glass ceilings in the workplace? Mobiles and computers have shrunk - unfortunately, the glass ceiling hasn't gone away, although cracks had been put in it. A lot done, more to do.

A glass ceiling isn't inevitable. And it isn't indestructible. But embedded bias has to be challenged and not just in terms of gender, but class and ethnic inequality too. A monochrome society is a moribund society. Quotas are one way to deliver change. Some people disagree with them. Not me. They have existed for centuries. Men: 100pc of the power. Women: none.

In recent times, we have seen quotas in the political system begin to make an impact, although slowly. Last month's general election failed to add significantly to numbers of women in the Dil, unfortunately. But at least they are being chosen by parties to contest elections and that's an advance. Shifts are happening and not just in politics, but leadership generally. Women have closed the education gap and made strides in the professions, but more remains to be achieved. For example, the gender pay gap needs attention.

On the plus side, there are laws now to protect women from workplace harassment. 'Manels' on radio or TV programmes or at public events are pilloried. They haven't totally vanished, but are increasingly rare.

So, yes, in case you're wondering, I'm a feminist. I engage the F gear. Not least because I'm also an equalist. I'm keen for everyone to have the same chance at living their best possible life, regardless of the circumstances they were born into. Being a feminist is wholly compatible with calling for an end to direct provision for asylum seekers and to children growing up in homelessness; it's also compatible with wanting to see more Travellers in third-level education instead of the current minuscule numbers.

Feminism in action helped to deliver marriage equality and abortion reform in recent times, just as it brought about voting rights a century ago. But women didn't do this alone. They were helped by fair-minded men who were equalists. It's important to remember that.

The support of other women, both practical and emotional, has been a constant in my life and I'm grateful to them. Support doesn't end with you as the recipient, however. Always be thankful for it - and pass it on.

Katherine Donnelly - Education editor

There were many bright dawns in the 1970s, lit up by the promise of equality in a dark country for women. How dark? Some examples: up to 1973, many women had to retire on marriage; children's allowance was payable to fathers. Then, as if overnight, there was an agenda for change, sparked, at home, by the Irish Women's Liberation Movement.

It helped too that Ireland joined the EU in 1973 and, along with the economic benefits, came a new, progressive social order, where women would be equal. Or would they?

Equality was the buzz word. One EU directive after another brought a legal right to equal opportunities and equal treatment for women, or did they? Equal pay for equal work was a simple idea, but job titles were used to muddy the waters and the battles continued with many women forced to rely on the concept of equal pay for work of equal value to win their case.

Legislative change is of limited value if cultures don't also change. That was shamefully evident in Ireland in recent years, when female academics, employed in what should be the most enlightened sector of all, were forced to go all the way to the High Court to get justice for being overlooked for promotion. A half century on, the battles from the 70s are still being waged and that is why in today's campaigns against sexual harassment and assault, Harvey Weinstein's conviction may be seen as a new dawn. The experience of the past 50 years tells us that for feminism to flourish, it is not only women who need to sign up, but men too.

Melanie Finn - Entertainment editor

It's all very well marking International Women's Day with a barrage of 'woke' events as brands jump on the bandwagon and try to capitalise on the annual event. But apart from trending hashtags, what does it actually achieve? There remains a whopping 14pc gender pay gap between men and women - the same depressing statistic as last year's IWD.

It's only when you become a mother and face the logistical nightmare of trying to source affordable childcare that you realise the workplace is a man's world. I was unable to return to my company on the scheduled date after having baby number three last year as I couldn't get a creche place for him.

And when myself and my husband sat down and did the maths, me leaving work would have been the sensible option. Thankfully, I managed to make it back into the office - but too many women don't because the supports are simply not in place. Most men are still being paid more than women for exactly the same work and due to the childcare crisis, this trend will continue as they are usually the ones to stay at home - and are then the lower paid member of the household.

So forgive me if I don't get out the cheerleading pom-poms this Sunday. Companies are legally obliged to pay employees the same rate for the same job, regardless of gender; but all too often this is ignored and we continue to see the knock-on effects of this inequality.

Katie Byrne - Columnist

I was raised by a Derrywoman and I think it had an impact on the way I've experienced feminism. Derry is a matriarchal society and that's the way I was brought up. I never felt impeded by my gender. Truth be told, I always considered it to be something of an advantage.

Of course, age and awareness has broadened my world view. And while I like to think I've had few personal experiences of gender inequality, I'm well aware that I've led a pretty sheltered existence. My career has largely been in female-dominated magazines, so I've never had a male colleague with whom to compare my salary. I've never worked in the corporate world where there are glaring pay inequalities. I've never run for election where gender bias is rife.

I'm also childless, so I have no experience of being a working mother or negotiating the inherent inequality of a system that pushes women between a rock and a hard place.

I'm a feminist - but I often wonder if I'd be a more strident feminist were my life circumstances different. Likewise, I often wonder how I'd negotiate the balancing act that mothers are faced with every day.

Would I ultimately have to choose between a career and a family? And if I did choose to work, how much could I pay the person - invariably a woman - who looked after my children? This is what troubles me most about the pay gap. We want to be paid the same as men and yet we're paying childcare workers minimum wage - or expecting our mothers to give us a dig-out for free. Feminism has made an immeasurable difference to the lives of women, but the capitalist 'have it all' myth has left behind a troublesome legacy. Our fight for pay equality relies on female wage slavery - and the sooner we address this elephant in the room, the better.

Caitlin McBride - Style channel executive editor

Growing up, my mother raised me to believe that I could do anything. I could be anything. There was no difference between me and my male peers; so much so, that I believed it all through my life until I didn't. It took me reaching my 30s to realise the differences in how men and women are treated. I spent much of the last year interviewing women for my book The Day That Changed My Life, an eye-opening experience which made me appreciate the strength of women and trigger a sense of responsibility to become more honest about my own experiences.

Professionally, I don't talk about the way I'm criticised in different ways, most of which is around my appearance. I don't talk about the man who 'joked' about raping me without a condom. Or the men who have taken to calling me "fatso" on Instagram. Or on Twitter, the men who criticise me because I don't write for - or through - the male gaze, and therefore must be a complete idiot, as they tell me so frequently. Personally, I don't talk about the ways in which my life has been irrevocably shaped for the worse simply by being a woman.

But I do celebrate the ways being a woman is special, including the built-in sisterhood that only improves as you grow older. I love any chance to mark that sisterhood and International Women's Day gives us all a chance to do that. I have always worn my Feminist 'F' card as a badge of honour, and I always will.

Bairbre Power - Fashion editor

I cut my teeth on Germaine Greer's seminal The Female Eunuch, and in the 1980s, the feminists I was involved with represented a rainbow of hues - from housebound homemakers working on causes once the homework was done to local activists and academics. However, none of us could have dreamt of how the power of the bishop's crozier would be swept aside so emphatically and we welcomed legislative changes like the Marriage Equality Act 2015 followed by the landslide vote for abortion rights in 2018.

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Bairbre Power. Photo: Kieran Harnett

Kieran Harnett

I covered Mary Robinson's 1990 inauguration at Dublin Castle for this newspaper and it was electrifying as the country's first female president praised the women who voted for her and had not only rocked the cradle, but rocked the system. But now I'm a mother and a grandmother, the feminist in me recognises just how much more needs to be done. Let's start with disgraceful inequality in pay and then fix our gaze on that infamous glass ceiling. It needs more than just a spring clean - it needs to be well and truly shattered.

Meadhbh McGrath - Fashion writer

When International Women's Day rolls around each year, the same debate flares up over whether it's necessary any more. The argument is always some variation on the claim that the battle for equality has been won. Harvey Weinstein has been convicted! JLo can play the Super Bowl at 50! Abortion is legal! And in the US, six women ran for president this year - sure, only one of them is still in the race, and she's unlikely to win the nomination, but she's there, isn't she? You go, girl!

If that seems like a win to you, then it strikes me your definition of equality is far different from mine. Perhaps for some, the 'big issues' have been resolved and they can take that privilege for granted to the detriment of the most marginalised women. All of those individual issues, from online harassment to the lack of women in positions of power to maternal mortality, are symptoms of the biggest issue: the inextricably linked systems of sexism, racism and economic inequality.

To me, the goal of feminism isn't just to be equal with white men. It's about ending systems of oppression that affect different women in different ways, particularly those who aren't white, straight, cisgender, conventionally attractive and able-bodied.

International Women's Day may be a feel-good clich, with its corporate lunches, girl-power nail art and vapid slogans, but at its origins is the fight for women's rights, feminist fury and a serious discussion around how to eliminate power divisions. In its current form, the message of IWD is effectively defanged, replaced by the watery 'empowerment' of motivational tote bags or brunch and bubbles. The sooner we get back to those activist roots, the sooner we'll start to see some real wins.

Aoife Kelly - Entertainment channel editor

My first memory of the notion of feminism came from my mother, a Mayo woman who had lived and worked much of the 70s in London. By the time I was 17, in 1995, the third wave of feminism was beginning to swell. There was a sense of anarchy in the air, or so I gathered from Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill, Cosmopolitan magazine and, later, Sex And The City.

They celebrated ladette culture, casual sex, girl power. It seemed terribly empowering - we could be loud and lairy and macho and take on the lads at their own game. So this was what feminism was about! I remember my mother arguing this was not, in fact, what feminism was about. But what the hell did she know?

Quite a bit, as it turned out. She encouraged me to build a career so I could support myself financially. "You know you don't have to get married and have children," she said, apropos of nothing one day in my Leaving Cert year. It had never occurred to me that this was a viable option.

The equality battle is not won, and it's not women's alone. It's not about exclusion or pitting one sex against another. In the 90s, I considered myself a feminist and I consider myself a feminist today. And as the mother of a three-year-old boy, I'm more conscious than ever that feminism is a movement that needs men. My hope is that he grows up in a world where equality and tolerance are the norm, and, if not, that he at least espouses those values in his own life.

Gabija Gataveckaite - Reporter

We still have a long way to go in terms of equality. There are still so many cases of men being paid more than women for the same job or being promoted more often than women.

However, even when we lessen the pay gap, we have to work on the inequality which is ingrained in society. It's going to take generations to finally get rid of internalised misogyny. A very simple example is social media - women are much more likely to get abuse. Female politicians who lost their seats after the recent election spoke out about how the hate is "on a different level" for them. Behind a computer screen, faceless trolls aren't afraid to express the most vicious views.

I'm 21, and I don't consider myself a feminist per se, simply because the term has so many negative connotations and has become misconstrued. It has almost become a dirty word which triggers intense arguments, both in person and online.

The true message of the movement which is responsible for winning women their right to vote has been lost, which is a shame. Our focus has to be equality - not just for women, but men too. Suicide is the biggest killer amongst young men. One of the core beliefs of feminism is to encourage men to be more open with their emotions, but this core belief often is lost in translation.

Equality must come from within ourselves first - gender quotas to tick boxes simply aren't enough. It is up to all of us to begin with ourselves to build a fairer, more equal world for all genders.

Irish Independent

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International Women's Day: 'The myth of having it all has left behind a troubling legacy' - Independent.ie