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News18
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
What Is Pickleball And Why Are Indians Suddenly Hating On It?
Last Updated: Pickleball, a sport that combines tennis, table tennis, and badminton, has found a sudden rise in traction and gained online popularity on the Indian social media. Is it badminton? Is it tennis? Is it table tennis? Oh, it's pickleball! If you haven't been online recently, let us introduce you to pickleball. The sport has been gaining traction and popularity on Indian social media, though not always for flattering reasons. For one, netizens biased towards traditional tennis and badminton are having a hard time accepting that pickleball is a real sport. But why? Pickleball The game originated in 1965 in a home's backyard when Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum decided to entertain their families by improvising a game using ping-pong paddles, a plastic ball, and a badminton court with a lowered net. As the game slowly but surely gained popularity, it was accepted and formalised by the USA Pickleball Association in 1984. The refined, non-improvised version of pickleball that we see today isn't far from what its originators had put together to make their boring day an entertaining one. The widely played sport uses a cocktail of three global sports: tennis, table tennis, and badminton. Armed with a wooden (or composite material) paddle, the player smacks a perforated ball across a low net. The game aims to make rules 'less strict" for players. For one, the ball has to bounce once on each side of the court before volleying it. The court, which is the size of a badminton court, also has a non-volley zone near the net to avoid aggressive smashes. janta, there have been viral reels on Instagram showcasing the pickleball courts that have come up in the Delhi-NCR area and an hour of play, as claimed by some, could set you back by as much as Rs 800. What we can say with certainty is that the search for pickleball is in its peak era compared to the previous five years on Google Trends in India. Google Trends 'After seeing this up close I hereby declare pickleball is an absolute joke of a sport. The ball is no speed, no bounce, the paddle has no power. Playing catch catch with a toddler is more testing, (sic)" a user on X wrote. After seeing this up close I hereby declare pickleball is an absolute joke of a sport. The ball is no speed, no bounce, the paddle has no power. Playing catch catch with a toddler is more testing. — Aman (@AmanHasNoName_2) June 26, 2025 'pickleball is the matcha of sports," wrote another user who goes by the handle @avgspacelover on social media platform 'X'. 'I've played tennis, badminton, and squash for years. Then I played Pickleball a few weeks ago. I have no idea how this is even a real sport. It requires almost no physical fitness or agility. I was dominating without even playing it before," user @LifeMathMoney reviewed the game after trying it for the first time. Do we have the trend's origin? 'Pickleball slander on TL? Apparently some fellas in Bengaluru are playing it for 'networking purposes"," quipped @ugach_kahitarii. Something is better than nothing. Hey, at least you are off your couch and being active. 'pickleball is actually very cool because it is fun to play, and has gotten thousands of people off their couches. people hating on a fun little game are either pseudo-purists of another equally stupid but more challenging racket sport or just contrarians without a cause, (sic)" came @paarugsethi in sport's defense. 'People hating on pickleball bcz it is an easy sport don't realise that at least some people have started doing physical activity bcz of this. People in 30s, 40s and 50s playing again bcz of availability and ease of playing. Something is better than nothing! (sic)" 'Reminder for haters: Old person's sport aka Pickleball burns more calories and keeps you fitter than being a keyboard warrior. Pickleball is slow. Yeah try playing low and see if your back and quads don't get a pull," chimed in another. Indian Celebrities Spotted The popular Indian couple Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma were spotted in May playing pickleball. Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma playing pickleball. 😄 — Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) May 21, 2025 Are you planning to try pickleball, or will the purist in you join the social media criticism of the sport? About the Author Anurag Verma Anurag Verma, News Editor at works independently for the Viral section. Bollywood, Cricket, Science, Tech, YouTube, Reddit, Meme Origins and everything Pop-culture are his forte. He covers More News18's viral page features trending stories, videos, and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Pickleball Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 28, 2025, 12:01 IST News viral What Is Pickleball And Why Are Indians Suddenly Hating On It?
Daily Mirror
10 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
Inside the evolution of the Pride flag and what it looks like today
As we celebrate Pride and shine a light on the ongoing activism and achievements of the LGBTQIA+ community, we take a look at the evolution and history of the Pride flag With June marking Pride Month globally, the UK has events and marches occurring across the length and breadth of the country all month long. Pride Month honours the legacy of the Stonewall uprising while also shining a light on the ongoing activism and achievements of the LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual) community. Evoking a sense of belonging, representation, and community, the Pride flag is a symbol of unity and empowerment. In fact, Google Trends found that ' Flag ' search interest spikes every June in the UK. ' progress pride flag ' is a breakout search and the top trending flag this June. But what exactly are the origins of this world-renowned flag? Here's a brief breakdown of the history of the Pride flag and its evolution over the decades. Pride flag: A brief history The 8-stripe flag was first designed by an activist from San Francisco called Gilbert Baker, whose aim was to represent the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ community through the flag. Harvey Milk, California's first openly gay elected official, commissioned Gilbert to create a visual of pride for the gay community. With flags often being recognised as key pillars of self-identity, Gilbert's design was then printed onto a flag. The first iteration of the Pride flag was revealed during the Gay Freedom Day Parade in San Francisco in 1978. Due to colour shortages however, the turquoise and pink stripes had to be removed from the flag, and the blue stripe was changed to a different shade. This is the version of the Pride flag which is world-renowned and has since served as an iconic representation and symbol of unity, freedom, and equality for the community. The Gilbert Baker Design Inspired by the lyrics of Judy Garland's Over the Rainbow and the visual language of other civil rights movements from the 1960s by black civil rights groups, Gilbert Baker designed the Rainbow Flag. Hand-dyed and hand-sewn by him, the flag was first flown at San Francisco's Gay Freedom Day in June 1978. Each coloured stripe of Gilbert's flag represents a different aspect of the LGBTQIA+ community, namely: Hot Pink for Sex, Red for Life, Orange for Healing, Yellow for Sunlight, Green for Nature and Serenity, Turquoise for Art, Indigo for Harmony, and Violet for Spirit. Pride Flag History from 1978 to 1999 After Harvey Milk's assassination in 1978, several individuals and organisations chose to adopt the Pride flag introduced to the community upon his insistence. The flag was flown across San Francisco and was ordered for mass production by Gilbert, the original designer of the flag, with the help of local business Paramount Flag Co, in an effort to commemorate Harvey's accomplishments and continue the community's fight for equality and diversity. Demand for the rainbow-striped flag rose so high, it became impossible for the 8-stripe design to be produced in such large quantities. Gilbert and Paramount both struggled with sourcing the hot pink fabric, and so a 7-stripe version of the flag was borne and manufactured. The Traditional Gay Pride Flag 1979 once again saw the Pride flag's design amended — this time to a six-stripe version — after several complications arose over the odd number of stripes featured on the flag, as well as the conundrum of people wanting to split the flag in order to decorate Pride parades. The indigo and turquoise stripes of the flag were combined to create a vivid royal blue stripe instead, and it was agreed that the flag would typically be flown horizontally, with the red stripe at the top, forming a natural rainbow. Finally landing upon a six colour version, this is the iteration of the flag the world is most familiar with. This version of the Pride flag's design became extremely popular globally, making it the focal point of landmark decisions like John Stout fighting for his right to fly Pride flag from his apartment's balcony in 1989. The 2017 Philadelphia Design In 2017, the city of Philadelphia recognised that people of colour often face discrimination within the LGBTQIA+ community itself, and thus added an additional 2 stripes — black and brown — to the Pride flag, in an effort to represent the regular prejudices and struggles faced by queer people of colour. While some organisations and activists criticised the new design citing unnecessary division and boundary creation within the community, Pride festivals world-over, including in Manchester, UK, decided to adopt the design in a bid to promote inclusion, especially within the community. This came especially after a 2018 study's finding showed that 51 per cent of BAME LGBTQIA+ individuals have faced racism within the queer community. The Progress Pride Flag June 2018 saw Daniel Quasar, an activist and designer, release another version of the Pride flag, which combined the new elements of the Philadelphia design with the Transgender flag in an effort to promote further progress and inclusion. This new iteration of the flag saw a chevron added to the hoist of the traditional 6-stripe flag. The chevron represented those living with HIV/AIDS and those who have been lost, trans and non-binary persons, as well as marginalised LGBTQIA+ communities of colour. The new design went viral and was fervently adopted by pride parades and people all over the globe. The chevron's arrow purposefully points to the right in a means to represent forward movement and progress. Intersex Inclusive Progress Pride Flag In 2021, the Pride flag was once again reinvented, with Valentino Vecchietti of Intersex Equality Rights UK adapting the previous Pride Progress flag to now incorporate the intersex flag as well, thus creating the Intersex-Inclusive Pride flag of 2021. Purple and yellow are colours used by the intersex community as an intentional counterpoint against the gender defining blue and pink that have traditionally been used for years around the world. The circle further represents the idea of being whole and unbroken, denoting the right of Intersex people to make independent decisions with regards to their own bodies. Help us improve our content by completing the survey below. We'd love to hear from you!
Straits Times
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Altruism or algorithm: The rise of online philanthropy
Canadian content creator Zachery Dereniowski is one of the biggest 'kindness content' creators in the world, raising money through online donations from the public. PHOTO: MDMOTIVATOR/INSTAGRAM SINGAPORE – Wearing a body cam, a man approaches a street artist painting on a pavement. 'Excuse me sir, I'm really hungry. Do you have any food, by chance, or a dollar?' Without hesitation, the painter reaches into his pocket and passes the man a dollar – his last one, as it turns out. Moments later, the man surprises him: 'Jerry, since you were kind to me, I've got $1,000 cash for you.' Overwhelmed, the painter gratefully accepts the money and lets on that he is homeless. The 1 min 35 sec video ends with the caption: 'CrowdFund link in bio.' It is typical of the feel-good content that has made Canadian content creator Zachery Dereniowski – better known by his handle mdmotivator – a viral sensation on social media. In his videos, he often approaches strangers with a simple request, such as a meal or a small sum of money. When they accede to his plea, he flips the script and reveals that he is not actually in need. Instead, he rewards their kindness with a substantial cash gift, typically ranging from US$1,000 (S$1,274) to US$20,000. More often than not, the strangers are usually going through a difficult time. Some are facing eviction, others are battling serious illnesses like cancer. Since 2020, Mr Dereniowski has given out hundreds of thousands of dollars to – among others – small business owners, single mothers and an orphan who lost his entire family in an explosion. With over 19 million followers on TikTok and several million more on other platforms, the 31-year-old is one of the world's biggest 'kindness content' creators, raising money through online donations from the public. Kind and wholesome content Although the internet is often associated with trolls, toxicity and hateful comments, people are turning to social media for something entirely different. Enter 'kindness content' – featuring creators performing spontaneous acts of generosity in public. On TikTok alone, the hashtag #Kindness has racked up over 2.2 million posts, while #SpreadKindness has more than 391,100. According to Google Trends, the word 'wholesome' hit peak popularity in September 2020, right in the thick of pandemic lockdowns when the world was desperately craving feel-good moments. Today, the word has taken on a life of its own in Gen Z lingo, referring to content that is pure, kind and good. Around the same time, a wave of 'core' trends began popping up online, such as cottage core, goblin core and hope core. The idea came from 'hardcore,' but 'core' now refers to the heart of a certain aesthetic or vibe. One of the more touching ones is hope core, which started gaining traction in 2022. It is about restoring faith in humanity through small, meaningful acts. Think handing a stranger a bouquet with a note that says, 'Dear person reading this, the world is a better place with you in it', or complimenting strangers and catching their surprised reaction on camera. One of the genre's most popular creators, MrBeast, with 404 million subscribers, currently has the most-subscribed YouTube channel in the world. The 27-year-old American, whose real name is James Donaldson, is known for videos that test people's limits in exchange for a large cash prize and donating large amounts of money to various needy communities around the world. One video posted in January 2025, titled I Helped 2,000 People Walk Again, shows him giving amputees prosthetic legs that cost between US$5,000 and US$50,000. He sent one amputee home with an additional US$10,000, and another with enough money to cover his daughter's wedding expenses. In another video, Mr Donaldson bankrolls the building of 100 homes in Jamaica. In 2020, he launched Beast Philanthropy, a charity that donates 100 per cent of its revenue generated from content, merchandise sale and brand deals. Its YouTube channel now has more than 28 million subscribers. The MrBeast Effect Singaporean creators have also been jumping on this hope core bandwagon. One of them is Mr Kevin Wee, 30, who posts under the name Radical Kindness and has 66,700 followers on TikTok and more than 9,000 on Instagram. Mr Kevin Wee posts under the name Radical Kindness and has 66,700 followers on TikTok and more than 9,000 on Instagram. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI 'Singaporeans are kind, and I feel like we just require someone to inspire them to take the first step,' says Mr Wee, who posts a video every day. He experienced depression and mania in his 20s, and once almost took his own life. In November 2023, after resolving to be a positive force in the world, he decided to start his channel, inspired by MrBeast. From giving compliments to strangers on the street to surprising families in need with home makeovers, his content is about uplifting others. In June 2024, he reached into his own pocket and handed $1,000 to migrant workers cleaning up the East Coast Park oil spill. He has also started two fund-raisers to help two families, raising thousands of dollars for an elderly woman's cancer treatment, and a family with young children after the father – the sole breadwinner – was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. 'Some of my videos are spontaneous. I give out money to my followers. I don't really have criteria. For those that I raise funds for, I'll pick and be a bit more selective to ensure that their stories are authentic,' says the entrepreneur, who also runs several businesses including a direct sales company and two training and speaking engagement companies . He adds that he gets a lot of requests from followers to be featured, but will select only those he feels are really struggling. Clinical psychologist Alexandrea Tay notes that those who have faced struggles growing up may have a stronger sense of empathy for those in need, fuelling their desire to give back. 'Individuals may seek to promote the visibility of their charitable acts as a means to reinforce their sense of belonging within a community,' she says. Z, the creator behind SomethingForSomeone (@something4rsomeone), did not have a stable environment growing up. His parents are separated, and he lived with other relatives in overcrowded conditions. The 25-year-old, who is self-employed in the food and beverage industry and did not want to be named, started volunteering as a teenager, but felt like he could do more. He started his kindness content channel in June 2024. It now has more than 2,000 followers on Instagram and 18,400 followers on TikTok. 'I have always believed in helping others, even strangers. Small gestures can go a long way and even things that are non-monetary can help, like words of encouragement and acts of service,' he says. 'I don't care if I'm famous or not, as long as my message goes far.' Z, the creator behind SomethingForSomeone (@something4rsomeone), started his kindness content channel in June 2024. PHOTO: COURTESY OF Z Can watching kindness inspire kindness? A 2020 study published in peer-reviewed journal Psychological Bulletin suggested that kindness can be contagious. After analysing 88 experiments involving over 25,000 participants, researchers found that witnessing an act of kindness – whether in a news story, a social media clip or live on the street – can inspire a person to be altruistic by, for example, comforting someone who is crying, donating to charity, or acting cooperatively in a competitive game. Calling it 'moral elevation', the study's lead researcher, Assistant Professor Haesung Jung from Texas Tech University said: 'People resonate when they watch someone do something good.' That ripple effect was on display after local content creator Z posted videos of himself handing out cold drinks to workers cleaning up the oil spill under the hot sun. Viewers were so moved, they flooded the comments with offers to help. One wrote: 'Bro, create a Telegram group so we can volunteer to help deliver the food and drinks.' Z did just that. Today, the group has grown to 384 members. In it, he shares daily words of encouragement and mobilises support for various causes, from crowdfunding efforts to volunteer drives. Local handyman company Howdyman, for instance, launched an initiative to provide free repair work for low-income families and used Z's group to rally volunteer support. For interior designer Aaron Teo, 29, a chance encounter took his social media content in a new direction. 'I used to run a bar in the west, and I would always come across this man chilling or having a nap outside a minimart. One day, I decided to strike up a conversation with him,' he says. He found out that Mr Rajah, who is in his 60s, was homeless and had trouble securing a job. He decided to help the man and, with his consent, documented their journey on video. 'My purpose in life is to inspire others to lead a meaningful life through exciting experiences and quality relationships. Hence, I did not think too much about why I wanted to make a video,' he says. In the first video dated in September 2023, Mr Teo spoke to Mr Rajah about the latter's difficulty in finding a job, before taking him to a family service centre and treating him to a meal. Besides introducing him to a career coach who has helped set up a job interview, the designer also took his new friend to get his hair washed and bought him new clothes in a follow-up video. The video ends with an uplifting revelation: Mr Rajah has secured a job and will be starting work the next day. The two clips hit more than 390,000 views each, garnering thousands of likes and hundreds of comments, mostly positive. Viewers also asked how they could help Mr Rajah. The episode taught Mr Teo that many Singaporeans are willing to help those in need. Soon after, an online media publication contacted him asking to feature his story, but he declined. 'I did not want others saying that I was doing this to seek attention for myself.' Mr Teo, whose social media posts previously revolved around his hobbies and work as an interior designer, has about 3,000 followers on TikTok and over 1,400 followers on Instagram. During a recent call, he found out that Mr Rajah is still working and now lives in a rented flat. The two plan to catch up soon. Genuine altruism or performative? Still, not everyone views kindness content through rose-tinted glasses. Kindness influencers have their fair share of detractors, with sceptics accusing them of turning goodwill into self-promotion or worse, outright scams. On the subreddit thread r/unpopularopinions, one user wrote of his disdain for kindness content. 'It feels like the main objective is to create something that can go viral, and the fact that someone received support is just the by-product.' In October 2024, a prawn noodle business in Singapore posted a video which featured a man asking a migrant worker for a dollar to take a bus. After the migrant worker hands over the money, he reveals that he does not need it and hands $100 to the worker and a bowl of prawn noodles. Netizens questioned the motive behind the video. On the online forum Reddit, a user wrote: 'Just because the worker is poor, doesn't mean he would be OK to be put up online, for someone's clout. He didn't ask for the money, though he may have appreciated the gesture.' 'If the guy really had an intention to help, he could have just given the money. Why was there a need to record it. Makes me question the so-called intention,' another user wrote. In September 2024, Radical Kindness' Mr Wee made headlines for challenging American streamer and YouTuber IShowSpeed, popularly known as Speed, to a foot race. In a live stream posted on IShowSpeed's channel, he said he would give $10,000 to a charity of Speed's choice if he lost. He did, and was filmed handing the streamer a thick wad of $50 notes. Criticism came in swiftly. In October 2024, a discussion thread criticising Mr Wee was posted on popular Singapore-centric subreddit group, r/SingaporeRaw with the subject heading, 'Controversy over Radical Kindness'. The author of the thread wrote: 'Personally, I don't think it's genuine kindness. I don't see why he has to announce or flex his kind deeds.' Mr Wee is aware of the criticism surrounding his content online. He concedes that he is not a big fan of Speed, but did the challenge to help market his own platform. However, he maintains he has done nothing wrong and is not a hypocrite. He reckons people fall into three camps when it comes to his channel: those who love what he is doing, those who are neutral but a little sceptical, and finally, those who call him an attention seeker. '(Kindness content) might sometimes appear very self-serving. There's a lot of ego involved, and there are questions if these creators are benefiting from their audience. I want to change the narrative,' he says. Mr Wee claims he does not directly profit from his channel. While he's received about $25,000 to date from sponsors, he says the amount was reinvested into creating content and doing giveaways. The influencer readily admits that the version of himself seen on camera is louder and dialled up. And yes, he gives away large sums of money because it grabs attention. But there's a method behind the madness. 'I enjoy telling stories, and media is an amplifier. If I can reach one million people through one video, why would I not do it? I want to inspire more creators to give back,' he says. Ultimately, Mr Wee believes that the positive impact of filming acts of kindness far outweighs the drawbacks. He is confident in his ability to craft content that remains true to his values. 'I think the issue comes in when you lie to your audience about your intentions. I have always been very open about my intentions. I want the influence, I want the attention, because it allows me to expand my media presence and give back more,' he says. Mr Wee has started three more platforms under the 'Radical' brand: Radical Riches, a business media channel; Radical Homes, a furniture retailer that does home makeovers; and Radical Edge, a content training and consulting business. Some of the gifts that Mr Kevin Wee received from his beneficiaries. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Z agrees the lack of accountability and transparency surrounding influencers who run crowdfunding efforts can be a thorny issue. In September 2024, he sprang to action after coming across a news article about a Bukit Merah flat fire that left a family with two young children in crisis. The comments were flooded with people asking how to help. 'I just decided to step in, because I don't know who else can be more accountable, since I somewhat have a platform and maybe a following, I believe some people trust me,' he says. A TikTok viewer, who had some information regarding the family, entrusted Z with the address of the family's temporary housing, and Z went over to visit them. He then launched a fund-raising campaign via his platform, sharing his personal PayNow QR code for donations. Within just two days, the campaign raised over $4,000, a testament to the power of stepping in when it matters most, he says. After his crowdfunding effort was reported by media outlet Mothership, he read comments asking 'how can we know you are legitimate?' and netizens warning that Z might be running a scam account. 'It is not surprising, every part of this digital philanthropy will always have some negativity involved, but I know clearly what I am doing, and I just wanted to take the initiative to help out a family, and that is all that matters,' he says. A week later, more than $30,000 had been raised. To maintain transparency, Z compiled a detailed spreadsheet of the donations that were transferred to his personal bank account, and even shared a screen recording of the document and filmed himself handing the money directly to the family's patriarch. 'I did my best to be as transparent as I could,' he says. But what Z did not anticipate was the wave of online backlash the family would face after going public with their situation. They expressed their thanks, but conveyed this issue to him via social service officers, asking that he end the campaign. Z obliged, but the experience gave him pause. 'These are some ripple effects of digital philanthropy,' he muses. 'We may have the best intentions, but there are blind spots we don't always see. Helping isn't always sunshine and rainbows, especially for those on the receiving end.' One beneficiary's take Rina (not her full name) was scrolling through social media when she stumbled upon a post by Mr Wee on Dec 30, 2023: He was giving away $10,000 to 10 people, chosen at random from those who left a comment. The single mother, now 34, did not think twice. With five children between the ages of five and 13 – two of whom have special needs – every little bit helps. 'I just tried my luck. I said: 'I'm a single mother, have five kids and hope I have a chance to win,'' says the account assistant. Before landing her current full-time job in 2022, she had been unemployed for four years. To provide for her family, she occasionally relies on food rations from local charities. 'My salary alone, to be honest, is not enough to cover all the expenses. So that's why I have to continue searching, to see if there are any resources. I cannot always rely on social services because there are limits to how much they can help. If I see giveaways, I would be willing to try,' she says. She did not expect much from Mr Wee, but to her surprise, she was chosen as one of the recipients. He told her he would ask her a few questions on camera and asked her to prepare her answers. When she told him that some of the questions made her uncomfortable, Mr Wee replaced them with others. On the day of the shoot, Rina brought along one of her children. Mr Wee filmed a short video of him giving her the $1,000 and asking her about her life. 'There was nothing I felt pressured to answer, which I really appreciated,' Rina says. Still, she admits she was nervous in the days leading up to the video's release on Jan 19, 2024. It was her first time sharing such personal parts of her life on camera and with the public. 'I was very worried that people would talk negatively about me and judge me as a single mother raising five children when the video was released,' she says. However, her fears were unfounded. 'Some people commented that they also have special needs kids and that it was good for Kevin to help us out,' she says. Opening up about your struggles and asking for help publicly can feel like a blow to one's pride, Rina says. But she also believes that when there are no other options, one should not reject help just to save face. She has also seen the critical comments floating online about Mr Wee. But having experienced his kindness first hand, she stands by him. 'I could tell he was genuinely trying to understand what I was going through,' she says. 'From the very first time we met, he asked thoughtful questions – not just for content, but to really see what kind of help I needed.' Help came when she was at rock bottom In September 2024 , Sarah (not her real name), 38, hit rock bottom. After years of not paying the utility bills for her family's two-room rental flat, there was an outstanding amount of more than $3,000. She was told that if the sum was not settled, the power supply to her flat would be cut off within a week. Her ex-husband had walked out on the family more than five years ago, leaving her to raise five children aged nine to 16. As she suffers from depression, she has been medically unfit to work for the past eight years. To support her family, she relies on family, friends and government subsidies. 'Whatever help that I get is just enough to get by the month,' says Sarah. 'Most of it goes to feeding my kids.' After coming across Z's fund-raiser for the family whose flat was destroyed in a fire, she decided to ask him for help. Z replied within a day. After learning about her financial situation on the phone, he shared her story on his Instagram page. 'I am quite private so I don't really share a lot of things. He actually took all the details needed to make the post. Although I did not want to share my photo, he said he needed it to run the fund-raising campaign. I asked him to blur our faces in the photo, which he did,' says Sarah, adding that she saw his post and was happy with how Z did not exaggerate her family's situation. His post was captioned: 'She is really stressed and overwhelmed with the current situation. Hope we are able to do what we can to help her start anew by clearing the debt... She has agreed for me to collect on her behalf. Please reference 'Sarah'.' He promised that all proceeds would go to the family, and that he would post updates, including the financial accounts. Within a few days, he raised more than $9,000 for her family. Throughout the process, he showed her receipts and screenshots of the donations that had come in during the campaign. With the funds, Sarah paid the outstanding utility bills, cleared a debt owed to a family member, stocked up on essentials to last through the year, and took her children to a rare meal out. 'He's very young, I can see that, but I can tell he is very honest. He's got a lot of experience, through the way he talks, and he understands my situation and he is very sincere about it,' she says, adding that she is grateful for all that he has done for her. They are still in touch, chatting occasionally via TikTok direct messages. Charity is not just a handout Even after running two successful crowdfunding drives, Mr Wee doubts the model's long-term viability. He's seen TikTokers overseas skim 4 to 8 per cent off donations to pay themselves. 'So technically, I can go with that model, but I don't think Singaporeans will be as receptive about that,' he says. 'When you see someone who is helpless, you can't help but feel like you want to empower them. I believe charity is not just a handout, it's a responsibility to empower,' says Mr Wee. Besides providing the people he helps with resources, he connects them with others who can help them, like social workers. 'It's about helping them, in a personal capacity, to stand on their own feet.' In a space where trust is everything, both Mr Wee and Z tread carefully, balancing heart with accountability. They know that in Singapore, good intentions alone are not enough. Transparency matters. So does impact. But at the core of it all is a simple truth: When help is given with sincerity, and received with dignity, even a digital platform can become a lifeline. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Graziadaily
19 hours ago
- Business
- Graziadaily
Why We Shouldn't Be Talking About Lauren Sanchez's 'Then And Now' Pictures
Even if you weren't invited to the ostentatious festival of wealth that is Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's wedding – for the record, it looks like having your own private jet is the barrier to entry – chances are you will be forcibly brought along for the ride on the internet. It is without contest the celebrity wedding of the year. Despite essentially renting out the city of Venice, booking out five of the island's most luxurious hotels and hosting 200 A-list guests for a four-day extravaganza, or the fact Amazon chairman Bezos is the third richest man in the world, the wedding has reportedly come in at a modest €40 million (£34m). Given that Bezos has an estimated net worth of $226.7 billion (£165.12bn), one might have anticipated a bigger budget. Perhaps we should have guessed after Bezos proposed to Sanchez with a $3-5 million engagement ring, going against the old adage that it should cost three months of your salary, which for him would be an estimated $1.8 billion. He clearly prefers to keep his money in the bank. Newlyweds, Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez wave from the taxi-boat as they arrive at the Aman Hotel on June 25, 2026. (Photo: Getty) Nevertheless, it has quite rightly prompted mass protests from activist groups concerned about the damage the nuptials will do to the world heritage site, Bezos's knack for dodging tax (one banner filling a city square floor reads 'If you can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more tax), and the crudeness of the celebrations in light of ongoing global conflicts and indeed the climate crisis. In other words, Bezos and Sanchez might have 200 plus celebrities, including the Kardashians and Jenners, Ivanka Trump, Oprah and Orlando Bloom , and their glam squad armies in Venice to celebrate them, but the rest of the world is watching in disbelief. Or so you'd think. To make matters even bleaker, a lot of the search surrounding Bezos and Sanchez's wedding is not about the above at all. It's about 'Lauren Sanchez then and now', with particular interest in 'What cosmetic surgery Lauren Sanchez has had done?' According to Google Trends, 'Jeff Bezos wife before and after' is a breakout search term, as is 'Lauren Sanchez 2010' and 'Lauren Sanchez face surgery'. This is particularly troubling given that Sanchez has never publicly confirmed having any plastic surgery done and, of course, that there are much more important things to be talking about. Even so, there are endless social media takes and articles 'unravelling' what work she's had done and 'calling out' the 'terrifying' procedures Sanchez is rumoured to have had in recent years. This includes everything from breast augmentation to Botox, lip filler, rhinoplasty and a face lift. There is also search for Sanchez's wedding looks, which makes a little more sense, especially the rib-crushing, gold Schiaparelli Spring couture dress she wore the day before the ceremony, which reportedly cost $100k (£72k). While interest in Sanchez as a person has reached fever pitch in the past week, it never seems to take long before it resorts back to her physical appearance. Caitlyn Jenner, long-term friend and wedding guest Kris Jenner and Lauren Sanchez in 2010. (Photo: Getty) Onlookers want to understand Sanchez's so-called ascent to marrying one of the richest men in the world, her career, where she's from, and even how many times she's been married. This was fuelled by The Cut's deep dive into the bride which was published earlier in the week. By all accounts, she is a fun, ambitious and energetic person. As an American journalist from New Mexico who started her career working at KCOP-TV, a branch of Fox News, it's true that Sanchez has climbed the social ladder over the years. She's had romances with NFL stars and hosted popular shows like So You Think You Can Dance and The View, but she only became a global talking point once she started dating Bezos, especially since they were both married to other people at the time. Bezos was with his wife of 25 years and Amazon co-founder, Mackenzie Scott, and Sanchez was married to Hollywood agent Patrick Whitesell. In 2019, a year after their affair started and both divorced from their partners, the relationship took off. So too did the public's insatiable interest in Sanchez as a person – something she has very much leaned into. Sanchez and Bezos have willingly embarked on a PR campaign of pomp and ceremony over the years, jetting and sailing around the world in designer clothes, hosting retro foam parties, and often bringing their celebrity friends along with them. Their Venice wedding is, of course, no different. 'This seems, to me, to be the pinnacle of a long career of social climbing,' said Matt Beloni, the Hollywood reporter behind The Town podcast. 'She did it. She made it.' Speaking to those in her orbit, The Cut's findings suggest Sanchez is 'mystically magnetic' and that 'Jeff is dazzled' by her. The paparazzo Jesal Pashotam, who has shot the couple around the world, also suggested Sanchez is 'down to earth'. This is particularly ironic given that Sanchez has not long returned from an 11-minute joyride to space on Bezos's Blue Origin rocket. Pashotam also added that she is 'very clever' and 'just gets the game'. If she does, she'll understand that speculation around what she used to look like and whether she's had plastic surgery are par for the course. If only curious members of the public typing those queries into Google 'got the game' too and realised Sanchez's rumoured surgery is the least of our worries. As Greenpeace campaigner Simona Abbate put it: 'Our protest isn't about the wedding itself – it's about what it represents. This isn't just a celebration of two people getting married, it's a display of a lifestyle that's simply unsustainable. The richest live in excess, while others endure the consequences of a climate emergency they didn't create.' Who cares what they look like. Nikki Peach is a writer at Grazia UK, working across entertainment, TV and news. She has also written for the i, i-D and the New Statesman Media Group and covers all things pop culture for Grazia (treating high and lowbrow with equal respect).
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‘XRP to $3' Searches Rise as Token Shows Whale Activity Spike
XRP surged nearly 6% in a dramatic late-session breakout, powered by an explosive volume spike that quadrupled its hourly average and confirmed a fresh support zone above the $2.20 threshold. The rally came as whale wallets moved hundreds of millions of dollars worth of XRP, yet the market shrugged off sell pressure, signaling strong underlying demand. News Background The breakout unfolded as global risk sentiment stabilized slightly, with crypto markets rallying across the board. XRP led the charge, jumping from $2.19 to $2.20 in the final hour of the session. Volume during the breakout hour hit 108.12 million—nearly four times the average—establishing the move as a technically significant surge backed by real capital. On-chain data showed major XRP transfers in parallel with the rally. These included a $58 million whale transfer to Coinbase and a separate $439 million movement by Ripple to an unidentified wallet. Despite this typically bearish activity, XRP held firm, underscoring increasing confidence in the asset's near-term prospects. The Ripple v. SEC case remains a key wildcard, with regulatory clarity seen as a potential catalyst for XRP's next leg. Meanwhile, Google Trends data shows a fresh wave of retail interest, with searches for 'XRP to $3' accelerating. Technical analysts are watching the July–September breakout window closely, with some models projecting upside targets between $3 and $5. Price Action XRP traded within a $0.056 range from $2.173 to $2.229 over 24 hours, with the most decisive move occurring during the final hour when the token surged nearly 6%. After peaking at $2.23, XRP pulled back slightly and consolidated between $2.19 and $2.20. Despite whale movement, support held firm at $2.17. Intra-hour activity confirmed strength: the price began climbing at 01:28 UTC, breaking above $2.19 before volume exploded at 01:33–01:34, topping 2.7 million XRP per minute. The rally pushed XRP to $2.21 at 01:36, before settling into a tight consolidation range above $2.19. Technical Analysis Recap • XRP gained 5.87% from $2.19 to $2.20 in the final session hour • Volume spiked to 108.12M XRP—nearly 4x the hourly average • Price reached session high of $2.23 before consolidating above $2.20 • Support formed at $2.17–$2.19; resistance now sits at $2.23 • Breakout began at 01:28, followed by massive volume burst at 01:33 • Strong bid interest re-emerged at 02:00, signaling continuation potential Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
