Latest news with #Ilona
Buzz Feed
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Ilona Maher Slams Kate Moss's Toxic Diet Culture Quote
In recent months, Ilona Maher has won praise for her honest comments on body image and acceptance. When she featured in Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue earlier this year, the 28-year-old rugby player — who won bronze with the US at the 2024 Olympics — quickly made it known that her journey to self-love wasn't necessarily an easy one. 'Thank you to @si_swimsuit for once again letting me showcase my strong, powerful body and for making me feel so beautiful,' she wrote on Instagram. 'For young Ilona wearing a bikini was once unthinkable but now I'd actually prefer to be prancing around in one. Stay sexy, folks.' And after walking in a swimsuit at the Miami Swim Show last month, Ilona had the perfect response when asked if it was 'tough.' She said, 'I love it. I love showing my body. I love showing what this body has done for me…I think other girls seeing that, and feeling like, 'Oh my gosh, I look like her, I have the frame of her' not only has helped me and made me feel more confident, I think it helps others.' The athlete won praise from fans who found her comment super refreshing, especially following years of toxic diet culture. And more recently, Ilona directly addressed said diet culture in a candid TikTok, during which she perfectly discredited Kate Moss's regrettably infamous quote from the '00s: 'Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.' 'Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels… Uh, y'all tried being strong?' Ilona said as she flexed her muscles. 'I feel good, I feel well fed. I feel ready to take on anybody.' 'You guys gotta try this shit, it is a different level,' she said. 'I love it.' Ilona then added, 'Also, have you guys tasted tiramisu? Because… my God.' Reacting to the TikTok, several Reddit users praised Ilona for her refreshing take. 'What a queen. I am so grateful to have a role model like her, wish my high school self could've seen this. It makes me want to cry, it would have flipped a switch in my brain,' one person said. Love to see it.
Novaya Gazeta Europe
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Novaya Gazeta Europe
Individuals posing as Novaya Gazeta Europe reporters attempt interview with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya — Novaya Gazeta Europe
Two individuals, falsely hired through Telegram by individuals posing as journalists from Novaya Gazeta Europe, have been detained in Lithuania attempting to conduct an interview with Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, independent Belarusian news site Zerkalo reported on Wednesday. One of the detained individuals, Ihor — an 18-year-old Ukrainian citizen who has lived in Vilnius since 2022 — told Zerkalo he genuinely believed he was working with Novaya Gazeta Europe's editorial team. Shortly prior to scheduling the interview with Tsikhanouskaya, Ihor says he had posted in a Telegram group that he was looking for freelance work. A few days later, he received a message from a woman calling herself Ilona, who introduced herself as an editor with Novaya Gazeta Europe. 'Ilona' wrote that she was looking for someone to film an interview with Tsikhanouskaya on the publication's behalf. She sent Ihor €100 in advance of the interview, and sent the location where it would take place, as well as contact information for the opposition leader's press secretary. According to Zerkalo, in addition, 'Ilona' sent Ihor a list of questions. They concerned the recent release of Belarusian opposition figure Siarhei Tsikhanouski, his plans for the near future, his position on sanctions, as well as Lithuania's attitude towards Belarusians. To Ihor, there were no red flags. 'I didn't doubt that Ilona really was from Novaya Gazeta Europe,' he told Zerkalo. 'I was fully confident when they sent over press credentials with the publication's logo.' Ihor enlisted his friend, a Lithuanian citizen, to assist with the filming of the interview. He says neither had reason to believe they were being deceived. But Ihor and his associate's behaviour, as well as the documents they submitted for inspection, aroused suspicion in the Tsikhanouskaya camp, and press secretary Anna Krasulina quickly reported her concerns to the opposition leader's chief political advisor, Franak Viačorka, after which they contacted Novaya Gazeta Europe editor-in-chief Kirill Martynov. 'He confirmed that Novaya had indeed planned an interview with Sviatlana — but the two individuals had nothing to do with the outlet,' Viačorka told Zerkalo. After this, the police were quickly called to the interview location. Ihor and his associate had their equipment confiscated and were taken in for questioning. According to Zerkalo, Lithuanian authorities are currently investigating the incident. This is not the first time that unknown individuals have presented themselves as journalists from Novaya Gazeta Europe. As reported at the end of May, several politicians and public figures in Europe have received interview requests from individuals falsely claiming to work with Novaya Europe.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
In ‘Renovation,' a Young Woman Feels the Pressure to Settle and Be Successful (Exclusive KVIFF Trailer)
Lithuanian filmmaker and editor Gabrielė Urbonaitė explores the pressures on young women in her feature directorial debut Renovation, which will world premiere in the Proxima Competition lineup of the 59th edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The movie stars Žygimante Elena Jakštaitė (European Shooting Star 2021), Šarūnas Zenkevičius (European Shooting Star 2025) and up-and-coming Ukrainian talent Roman Lutskyi (Under the Volcano by Damian Kocur, 2024). The film's cinematographer Vytautas Katkus will also be in Karlovy Vary, premiering his directorial debut feature The Visitor in the festival's main competition. More from The Hollywood Reporter Jim Sheridan's 'Re-creation' Puts One of Ireland's Most Troubling Murder Cases Back on Trial Regina Hall, Ice Spice Join New 'SpongeBob' Movie ITV Studios Names Tim Carter Managing Director, Unscripted, U.K. Now, THR can exclusively reveal the first trailer for the movie about a young woman feeling the pressure to be settled and successful by the time she turns 30. Ilona, a perfectionist 29-year-old, lives in present-day Vilnius, Lithuania. 'At this turning point in her life, she begins to question how she truly wants to live. She moves into a seemingly perfect apartment with her boyfriend Matas, with whom things are getting serious,' reads a synopsis. 'But as the building's renovation begins, it's not just cracks in the walls that are revealed — Ilona's inner doubts also start to surface. She strikes up an unexpected friendship with Oleg, a Ukrainian construction worker. After spontaneously telling him she's a poet, she actually begins to write poetry.' But things threaten to get more dicey from there. 'Their connection deepens her uncertainty,' highlights the synopsis. 'Does she really want to settle down and start a family?' Urbonaitė is familiar with such creeping doubts. 'Renovation was born out of a personal sense of disorientation as I approached 30 — that feeling of being far from where you thought you'd be in life,' she explains. 'I wanted to explore the tension between freedom and pressure at this age: the openness to change and the growing realization that time and choices are limited. For my generation, this experience is shaped not only by global uncertainty but also by the lingering weight of Soviet-era traumas and the war unfolding on our doorstep. It's about navigating everyday life while constantly being reminded of its fragility.' Renovation was produced by Uljana Kim for Lithuania's Studio Uljana Kim, winner of the Eurimages International Co-production Award 2023 at the European Film Academy, Latvia's Mima Films and Belgium's Harald House. It is supported by the Lithuanian Film Center, the National Film Centre of Latvia, and LRT. Kim founded her production outlet in 1997 and has since produced and co-produced 37 fiction and documentary features. Its latest titles include Two Prosecutors by Sergei Loznitsa, which recently premiered in the Cannes Film Festival competition), Five and a Half Love Stories in an Apartment in Vilnius, Lithuania by Tomas Vengris, and Mariupolis 2 by Mantas Kvedaravičius. The trailer for Renovation shows a bit of home life, the start of a renovation, and some awkward social situations, including Ilona brainstorming a poem at – well, let's say an inopportune time, as you will see. Watch the trailer below. KVIFF 2025 takes place July 4-12 in the picturesque Czech spa town of Karlovy Vary. Best of The Hollywood Reporter 13 of Tom Cruise's Most Jaw-Dropping Stunts Hollywood Stars Who Are One Award Away From an EGOT 'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now
Buzz Feed
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Ilona Maher Loves Her Body On Sports Illustrated Cover
Ilona Maher has a simple message for anyone who's wondering if it's "tough" for her to be photographed in a swimsuit. The bronze-winning Olympic rugby player recently covered Sports Illustrated, before going on to walk at the Miami Swim Show last week. On a recent episode of the Today show, Ilona said that she was once asked if it was "tough" being in a swimsuit. In response, she said, "I love it. I love showing my body. I love showing what this body has done for me." "I've been to two Olympics now. It does amazing things on the field. It's just perfect for what it does and so strong," she continued. "I think other girls seeing that, and feeling like, 'Oh my gosh, I look like her, I have the frame of her' not only has helped me and made me feel more confident, I think it helps others," she added. "You can be just as confident, feel as beautiful as I do." Ilona further said she did "zero prep" for the shoot, explaining, "I don't want to look back on my cover years from now and be like, 'Wow, I wish I looked like that now.' Well, you didn't even look like that then. I want to just be myself out there." "I have very little control to go on a weird diet. I cannot do that. Life's too short," she concluded. You can watch the full interview with Ilona here.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
"Didn't step outside for nearly three years": Nine children brought back from Russian-occupied territories
Ukraine has brought back nine more children from territories temporarily occupied by Russia. Their families have endured severe hardship. Source: Bring Kids Back UA and Save Ukraine Details: Among those rescued were sisters Ilona and Tamila (names changed for safety reasons). For nearly three years, the girls did not leave their home or speak with other children, as their school and kindergarten were destroyed within the first six months of the full-scale invasion. Their childhood was overshadowed by constant bombardments, the movement of armoured vehicles and encounters with drunk Russian soldiers roaming the streets. Seventeen-year-old Yevheniia nearly died due to the lack of proper medical care in the occupied territories – ambulances no longer responded to calls, and hospitals lacked diagnostic equipment. "As a result, she was only correctly diagnosed during an emergency surgery. It is unclear whether she would have survived if she had made it to the operating table just a few hours later," the team involved in the children's return said. Ten-year-old Artem and his mother were locked in a basement by Russian soldiers in the middle of the night while his father was beaten in another room – all because he had tried to protect his wife from abuse by a soldier. "Since that incident, the boy often cried and couldn't sleep at night. He was forced to wear a Russian military cap at school, sing the Russian anthem and shout 'Glory to Russia', and the police were called when he said 'Glory to Ukraine'," the Bring Kids Back UA and Save Ukraine teams noted. Fifteen-year-old Khrystyna ended up in complete information isolation and was unable to continue her education. She could not attend online classes at her Ukrainian school because the Russians jammed communication signals, and her mother refused to send her to a Russian school. Background: Earlier, Ukraine had also managed to bring back a 15-year-old boy from Russian occupation who had long dreamed of reuniting with his father. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!
