Latest news with #LIFTS
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
What's going on with Putin's jelly legs? Vlad's mad twitching feet at Trump talks spark speculation he was wearing LIFTS
It's not the first time the despot has been caught jerking and twitching VLAD SPASM What's going on with Putin's jelly legs? Vlad's mad twitching feet at Trump talks spark speculation he was wearing LIFTS VLADIMIR Putin's uncontrollable shaky legs as he bid farewell to Donald Trump at the Alaskan summit have sparked wild speculation he was wearing Lifts. Many claim the Russian leader opted for the height-boosting shoes to minimise his height difference with the 6ft3 inch-tall US president. 5 Putin's twitchy feet have sparked wild speculation Credit: East2west News 5 His legs appeared to bend constantly while talking to Donald Trump Credit: East2west News Advertisement 5 He turned his feet up and down as though to balance himself Credit: East2west News It comes as the Russian leader has been dogged by persistent health rumour for years - including suggestions he has Parkinson's or cancer - which have all been denied by the Kremlin. Ukrainian news outlets were quick to call out the despot's jelly legs and speculate whether his furious twitches were caused by his height-boosting shoes. Times of Ukraine said: 'Attention — Putin's legs. What is wrong with them?' Advertisement While Telegram channel Nevzorov added: 'Putin seems to have achieved his goal, but he is twitching suspiciously. His legs are 'shaking.' Maybe his shoes are tight". Trump, a lofty 6ft3 inches tall towers above Putin who stands at just 5ft7, making many wonder whether the Russian leader opted for some extra thick-soled shoes to appear more dominant during the historic meeting. One Ukrainian outlet suggested the despot "suddenly grew" for his meeting and even pondered whether he might have been wearing an exoskeleton to enhance his posture. The wearable device can be worn to aid individuals with physical movement and improve motion. Advertisement Footage showed Putin repeatedly bending his knee as he stood speaking to Trump. Trump-Putin latest: Don hails 'productive' talks with Vlad… but reveals 'there is no deal yet' with 'calls to be made' Leaning slightly on his left side, he also repeatedly raised his left toe and heel as though to steady himself amid the constant jerking. The US President greeted his Russian counterpart on the tarmac at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Air Base on Friday. Trump later hailed his talks with Vladimir Putin as "great and very successful" as he detailed the next steps in securing peace in Ukraine. The US delegation left Alaska in Air Force One after a busy day and landed back in Washington shortly after 7am. Advertisement He then revealed on Truth Social that he informed the European side and Zelensky of Putin's main wish for a complete end to the war instead of a ceasefire. HEALTH CONCERNS It's not the first time Putin has sparked speculation over his health because of his twitchy legs. Last year, Professor Erik Bucy, body language pro, told The Sun that the Russian despot appeared fidgety and "emaciated" as he sagged during his famous interview with Tucker Carlson. Bucy said that "Putin is not completely comfortable in his own skin", pointing to his twitching feet, fidgety hands and sagging posture. She explained: "Putin does not sit as comfortably as Carlson, nor does he show as much bodily discipline, circling his feet at times perhaps out of nervousness or physical discomfort." Advertisement Bizarre footage then emerged later that year showing the depot twitching wildly at a public event in Astana, Kazakhstan. During the hour-long speech, the Russian president continually moved his legs and feet in a movement that seemed involuntary as his muscles appeared to twitch. First, his right foot started moving from side to side then the bizarre movement appeared to affect more of his leg with his knee and his twitching and moving. Concerns about Putin's health have been raised for years after the president's "strongman" image took a hit due to dramatic changes in his appearance. Parkinson's rumours first emerged over three years ago when Vlad appeared bloated and shaky as he barked orders at defence chief Sergei Shoigu over the siege of Mariupol. Advertisement He has also been seen having difficulty walking, appearing out of breath, and pulling bizarre gurning faces. The tyrant has also appeared to be in some kind of pain as he was previously filmed strongly gripping tables while in meetings. Around the same time in 2022, experts started highlighting his "bloated" and "weakened" appearance as some suggested he could have had thyroid cancer. It was also at this time that the despot's twitching legs were first noticed. In July of that year, the leader's face twitched and his legs wobbled as he waited 48 seconds for a handshake with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Advertisement 5 Putin's twitchy feets Credit: East2west News
News18
17-07-2025
- General
- News18
Reclaiming Leadership From The Margins: How HopeWorks Empowers Girls To Be Architects Of Their Future
HopeWorks Foundation is recasting girls from India's most marginalised communities as leaders of their own destiny and agents of change in the lives of others What does leadership mean when it emerges from poverty, loss, and invisibility? The HopeWorks Foundation is responding to this question in extraordinary ways—by recasting girls from India's most marginalised communities as leaders of their own destiny and agents of change in the lives of others. HopeWorks CEO and founder Jacintha Jayachandran describes a profoundly personal shift in her approach to leadership. 'When we started our scholarship programme, I thought making education accessible was sufficient. Now I understand that leadership is not born—it's developed. And sometimes, it starts where hope appears to be most invisible." This epiphany was ignited by Manicka Valli, a formerly shy student from Madurai whose life was disrupted by poverty and family tragedy. Now, Manicka is a confident history graduate, state-level athlete, and LIFTS scholar who speaks eloquently about her dreams. 'She taught us that leadership is not a gift—it's grit in action," Jayachandran explained. Since its founding, HopeWorks has served more than 5,100 students, granted 1,427 scholarships, delivered 10,000+ menstrual supplies, and served 115,288 meals. But behind all the statistics, it's the internal changes that truly matter. Girls such as Shakthipriya, who once wrote off her entrepreneurial aspirations as 'unrealistic", now owns Millecious, a millet food business, part-time alongside her full-time finance job. Or Priya Jennifer, who transformed from a reluctant life-skills training attendee into the head of 400 employees at Brinks India after standing up and saying she was ready to manage. These aren't individual anecdotes—they're indicative of a change in what empowerment actually is. 'We came to understand that access wasn't sufficient. We needed to break down the constraining beliefs girls held about what's possible for them," Jayachandran said. The impact of the foundation ripples out further than the individual. More than 40% of HopeWorks alumni come back as mentors, creating a leadership ripple effect. Past recipients now instruct younger students, lobby for menstrual health in slum areas, and start micro-enterprises. This model is aligned with six UN Sustainable Development Goals, ranging from Gender Equality and Quality Education to Good Health & Well-being and Decent Work. Expansion to nine new locations, including Odisha, Pune, and Gulbarga, is currently on the cards for HopeWorks. Strategic collaborations with organisations such as Infosys Springboard, Buzz Women, Mentor Together, and SVATAH Foundation are facilitating this comprehensive development strategy. The question ahead isn't just about growth—it's about sustaining transformation. 'We're not only scaling numbers. We're scaling belief systems," Jayachandran emphasised. 'Because once a girl sees herself as a leader, she doesn't just transform—she transforms the world around her." HopeWorks' vision for 2026 is to directly serve 1,000+ girls and impact 80,000+ through advocacy. But most importantly, it seeks to redefine the narrative about what leadership is—beginning from the edges and moving towards influence. view comments First Published: July 08, 2025, 16:56 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
