Latest news with #powerdynamics
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sally Holds the Power to Take Cane Down After Billy's Bold Move on Y&R August 13
In the August 13 episode of The Young and the Restless, Billy made a potentially game-changing decision. In a decisive moment, he handed control of Abbott Communications to Sally, which gives her the means to hit Cane where it hurts most. Will she be up to wielding that much power against such a formidable adversary? Billy Hands Over Abbott Communications Billy (Jason Thompson) made a decisive move that could shift the power dynamics in Genoa City's corporate battles. He handed control of Abbott Communications to Sally (Courtney Hope). The handoff wasn't hesitant—Billy gave her his full support to lead the media company her way. This wasn't simply about delegation. By putting Sally in charge, Billy placed her in a prime position to use the company's influence in the brewing war with Cane (Daniel Goddard). MORE: Find out what happens next on Y&R. A Strategic Weapon Against Cane Cane has been maneuvering to expand his reach, building alliances, and keeping his next move under wraps. But Abbott Communications could be a potent weapon, and Sally holds the trigger. Sally now has access to a corporate platform capable of shaping public perception, directing media narratives, and leveraging business connections that could directly impact Cane's ability to operate in Genoa City. Her leadership at Abbott Communications could turn the company into a precision tool aimed squarely at dismantling his plans. High Stakes for Everyone Involved The move comes with risk. Billy knows Cane's ambitions could threaten both Jabot and Chancellor, and his family might see his maneuver as dangerous. But in his view, positioning Sally where she can counter Cane is worth the gamble. Sally, never one to shy away from high-pressure opportunities, is now able to affect Cane's fate. She could choose to use her leverage for maximum damage, or she might keep her powder dry and negotiate for strategic advantage. What Happens Next? The big unknown is how Sally will choose to play this. A fast, aggressive move could destabilize Cane quickly, but it also risks drawing counterattacks from a man known for making bold plays of his own. A slower, more strategic approach could allow her to tighten the pressure until Cane has no room to maneuver. Plus, there's a chance Cane will underestimate Sally since she's relatively unknown in the business world. Either way, Billy's bold handoff has set the stage for a high-stakes showdown—and Sally's next decision could change everything. WATCH THIS: Soap Hub Says discusses the latest soap drama. Solve the daily Crossword
Independent Singapore
23-07-2025
- General
- Independent Singapore
Maid says, 'My employer wants me to wake up early and work on time, but she never lets me sleep on time'
And just like that, many other helpers who read her post had an instant case of been-there-done-that. 'They're expecting me to be honest about money, while they don't even want to pay me [the] 15 days home paid holiday (which is S$300 we both agreed to pay in the contract),' the helper continued. 'She only paid me S$100.' It was less of a rant and more of a reflection on the lopsided power dynamics between domestic helpers and their employers — especially when it comes to sleep and salary. 'We helpers come from a very poor family. But here the employers who [are] 10 times richer than us always try to take advantage of it… This ain't fair at all,' she lamented. 'The fact that 8 billion humans in the world, but only a few people show humanity is crazy 😢' And the comments came pouring in like spilled kopi on a Monday morning. One helper echoed, 'True, employers want helpers to work on time, but for us helpers, we wake up early, but our rest time is not on time… They don't care.' Another chimed in: 'Same here.' And their grievances didn't end just there. The number of maids replying 'Same here,' and 'it's true' is rather concerning, as if they were all replying from a collective sleep-deprived consciousness. But perhaps the most eye-opening account came from a helper whose boss ended her contract early — just because her helper declined to renew it. 'When I told Madam I don't want to renew my contract, she said, 'Ok lah, then I end your contract early.' So on July 15, 2025, she ended it — when it was supposed to end on October 31, 2025.' Talk about notice period… wait, what notice period? 'So unfair, but I have no regret also. Even [though] she did it, I'm much thankful coz finally I can leave her, which I wish I had done a long time ago, but I just endured and put up with her bad behavior,' the helper expressed her relief. Some replies, however, were less empathetic and more stoic, bordering on tough love. 'So don't renew your contract and find new employer lah,' one group member offered pragmatically. Another didn't mince words: 'Suck it up. Not happy, just leave and find new employer.' But while some helpers shared horror stories, others dropped comments like golden tickets — stories of employers who actually honoured their helpers' holidays with full salary plus bonus pocket money. 'Me, 2 weeks holiday, my employer [gave] full salary with S$600 pocket money.' Another flexed: 'My employer, even [though] my holiday is 3 weeks, they gave me one month full salary.' Not all employers are villains, it seems — some are the fairy godmothers of the maid world. Meanwhile, one employer who saw the drama in the comments used the opportunity for recruitment. 'I am looking for a transfer helper. Pls pm me if you are available,' she commented — casually turning the post into a job ad. Now that's recruitment efficiency. Humanity starts with bedtime If this Facebook thread proves anything, it's that sleep isn't just a luxury for foreign domestic workers — it's a basic human need. And paying someone less than agreed while expecting robotic punctuality isn't just bad employer behaviour. It's poor leadership, plain and simple. For now, the original poster's reflections continue to ripple across the group, as helpers exchange stories, support, and a healthy mix of reality checks and resilience. One can only hope that humanity — and fair wages — eventually catch up. 'Singapore is known for its world-class standards, but beneath the surface of this clean, modern society lies a silent injustice — the daily mistreatment of foreign domestic workers (FDWs) who leave their families behind, only to be treated without basic dignity,' wrote Eryana Eryan. Her post in the Facebook group Direct Hire Transfer Singapore Maid / Domestic Helper recently offered a searing commentary that cracked open this often-muted reality — a post that's now resonating with many who know the system needs fixing. Her voice, equal parts heartfelt and heartbreaking, sheds light on the day-to-day indignities suffered by helpers at the hands of employers who blur the line between firm supervision and outright cruelty. You can read her full post and plight on behalf of all maids in Singapore over here: Domestic helpers in Singapore: We left our own children behind to raise yours, but you treat us like second-class citizens, without even basic dignity
South China Morning Post
14-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Australia juggles its China trade needs with Philippines defence ties
As the Asia-Pacific's power dynamics continue to evolve and shift, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese 's visit to China promises to be a test of his country's ability to walk the fine line between economic self-interest and strategic resolve. His trip, which began on Saturday, unfolds against the backdrop of Australia 's deepening security ties with the Philippines , with Canberra stepping up support for Manila's maritime capabilities and increasing participation in patrols and joint military exercises. In April, Albanese's government donated 20 state-of-the-art surveillance drones worth 34 million pesos (US$600,000) to the Philippine Coast Guard, buttressing its maritime domain awareness just days after a near-collision between Philippine and Chinese vessels in contested waters. The donation was part of a broader civil maritime cooperation programme, encompassing vessel remediation, postgraduate scholarships, operational training, marine protection and maritime law seminars. Australia plans to double its investment in these initiatives to A$11.5 million (US$7.5 million) from 2025 to 2029. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr display signed documents after upgrading bilateral relations in September 2023. Photo: EPA-EFE Analysts say these moves reflect the pair's expanding ties over time. 'Australia and the Philippines are set to mark 80 years of diplomatic relations in 2026, with both countries motivated to further enhance the strategic partnership in the years ahead,' said Julio Amador, interim president of the Philippines-based Foundation for the National Interest think tank and founder and trustee of the non-profit policy advisory firm FACTS Asia.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Gen Z Is Particularly Weird About Relationship Age Gaps. Here's Why.
Is a five-year age gap in a relationship a little untoward? What about a three-year gap? On social media, Gen Zers ― at least those who are chronically online ― are constantly debating the ethics of age gaps. Even if some relationships are perfectly legal, that doesn't necessarily make them ethical, many say. It's little wonder then that age-disparate relationships are cause for so much conversation: Having grown up alongside the #MeToo movement, Generation Z is well versed in unbalanced power dynamics and the language of consent. And lately, there's been plenty of celebrity pairings to interrogate. There's the obviously icky examples, like the recent, short-lived romance between Aoki Lee Simmons — Russell and Kimora Lee Simmons' 21-year-old daughter — and restaurateur Vittorio Assaf, 65. Earlier this month, viral photos showed the pair flouncing around on vacation in St. Barts. Yes, they're both consenting adults, but it was still unseemly, critics said. If anything, the argument that they're both of age is 'something groomers cling to,' as one young woman on Threads put it. 'Adulthood was meant to signify voting/draft age,' she wrote. 'But everyone knows your prefrontal cortex is not fully formed at this age.' (This difference between so-called brain age and chronological age ― you might be 21 but your brain is undeveloped! ― often gets brought up in these kinds of conversations.) There are gender-swapped examples too, like actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson and filmmaker Sam Taylor-Johnson, a now-married couple who met while working on a 2009 John Lennon biopic called 'Nowhere Boy.' At the time, he was in his late teens and she was a mother of two in her early 40s. 'I didn't relate to anyone my age,' the actor told The Telegraph in 2019, reflecting on when they first met. 'I just feel that we're on the same wavelength.' Some fans aren't convinced. 'We def aren't talking about male grooming victims enough and this is literally proof,' one person wrote in a highly shared TikTok video about their coupling. Then there's the less expected critiques: Is four years too much of an age gap? 'At 25, I wouldn't even date a 21 year old,' reads one tweet with around 80,000 likes. What about 10 years? Fans of Billie Eilish were up in arms in 2022 when the then-20-year-old singer revealed that she was dating fellow musician Jesse Rutherford, who was in his early 30s. One viral tweet about the 10-year age gap reads: 'jesse rutherford was alive during george h w bush's presidency . billie eilish cannot legally drink.' Long-established relationships aren't safe, either. Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively's 11-year gap has been scrutinized. And recently, Beyhive members have begun debating whether Beyoncé was 'groomed' because she was 19 when she started dating Jay-Z, who was in his early 30s. Noncelebrity couples are getting called out, too. 'I was 19. My now husband was 27. My now 13yo child calls him my 'predator,'' one woman wrote on Threads alongside laughing emoji, probably only half-joking. Is Gen Z just more prudish on this subject than prior generations? Not necessarily, said Justin Lehmiller, a research fellow at the Kinsey Institute and the host of the 'Sex and Psychology Podcast.' He's been studying age-gap relationships for roughly 20 years and said the stigma around age-disparate relationships is long-standing. In 2008 ― when terms like 'cradle robber' and 'cougar' were bandied around a lot more than they are now ― Lehmiller co-authored a study that found age-discrepant couples reported experiencing significantly more social disapproval than people in gay or interracial couples. So the discomfort around these types of relationships isn't anything new. What is new, according to Lehmiller, is how comfortable Gen Z feels about publicly and vocally disapproving of these relationships ― even on people's personal Instagram pages. (Aaron and Sam Taylor-Johnson recently spoke out against the 'bizarre' online judgment they've received. Eilish and Rutherford brushed off the criticism from overly concerned fans by dressing up as a baby and an old man one Halloween.) 'To some in Gen Z, age-gap relationships read as being inherently exploitative because they perceive age discrepancies as necessarily creating a power imbalance that favors the older partner,' Lehmiller told HuffPost. What's also changed is which parties tend to receive the brunt of the judgment. In the past, people were often scornful of both the younger and older partners in these relationships. Historically, the younger partners, especially when they were women, endured labels like 'gold digger' ― with the implication that they were the ones doing the exploiting. That terminology doesn't always fly with Gen Z. 'That perception seems to have largely disappeared when you look at what Gen Z is saying,' Lehmiller noted. 'They seem to cast the younger partners as victims who are being preyed upon or 'groomed.'' Gigi Engle, a certified sex and relationship psychotherapist and resident intimacy expert for dating app 3Fun, worries that the term 'grooming' is being overapplied and losing its meaning. 'The narrative is really toxic here and in many other cases,' she told HuffPost. 'Trans people are groomers, gay people are groomers, older people dating younger people are groomers ― and this just isn't accurate. It's a really fear-mongering time we live in.' Gen Z may be hyperfocused on this because of their age: If you're a 35-year-old woman, you're probably less hung up on the idea of a 50-year-old guy expressing interest in you. 'I think younger people may be more susceptible to manipulation and are therefore more afraid of it,' Engle said. 'The reality is, age-gap relationships have been happening since humans have existed, and it is absolutely not some one-size-fits-all. In the vast majority of relationships like this, nothing untoward is happening.' Talking to actual Gen Zers, you'll find that their opinions on age gaps run the gamut. As with most things, their takes on the subject are much more nuanced than those found on X, the platform previously known as Twitter, would have you believe. That said, many are genuinely bothered by age gaps. While the #MeToo movement gave them the language to talk about power imbalances, some 20-somethings say their opinions are more colored by their own personal experiences. Layla — a 23-year-old who asked to use her first name only for privacy reasons, like others in this story — thinks it's better to date within your own age group, ideally within a two- or three-year range. 'When I was around 21 and 22, I tried talking to guys who were 30 and over but soon realized it wasn't right,' she told HuffPost. 'They had so much more life experiences than me, and it was awkward being from different generations.' Layla said she'd tried to joke and laugh about certain things ― a meme or a TikTok video ― and got a lot of blank stares. She wasn't a fan of their humor, either: Men recounting the umpteenth 'Seinfeld' episode or that one 'Step Brothers' scene gets a little old after a while. 'Trying to relate to one another just didn't work out, and it felt awkward and wrong,' she said. 'I believe a relationship between an 18- and 25-year-old is problematic,' Layla said, noting that this applies regardless of gender. 'I actually wish women got called out for their predatory behavior, too,' she said. 'It almost seems like no one wants to hold women accountable.' Mona, a 21-year-old college student in Georgia, even finds her own parents' 11-year age gap a little 'predatory': Her dad was in his late 30s and a divorced father of one when he met her mom, who was in her late 20s and didn't have children. Mona would date someone three years older. She wouldn't consider going younger, though. 'I do think that an 18- and 25-year-old together is unacceptable,' she said. She is particularly weirded out when she hears people talk about how their partner basically raised them or taught them 'how to be a woman,' as Beyoncé said to Jay-Z in a 2006 birthday toast that went viral recently. Mona is also wary of anyone who almost exclusively dates young people ― the Leonardo DiCaprios of the world. Every time the 49-year-old actor gets a new girlfriend, a graph highlighting the fact that each of his ex-girlfriends has been 25 or under starts circulating again. 'Any respectable adult would have the common sense that pursuing a teenager is extremely weird, and I also believe it says a lot about the headspace of the older person,' the 21-year-old said. Mona also thinks the COVID-19 pandemic might've been a factor in Gen Zers' apprehension over age gaps. They might technically be 21, but given that weird few-year pause, they don't feel it. 'You hear about how we're mentally the same age that we were when the pandemic first started,' she said. 'That might play a role in why some people are not settling on older people pursuing them ― you feel you're still too young.' Not everyone agrees. Rei, a 22-year-old who is queer, said they don't find age-disparate relationships inherently problematic. They said there's a lot more than age that gives people power over each other, and if you consider five years an 'age-gap relationship' then Rei is currently in one. 'Though my partner is older than me, I have a college degree and she doesn't,' they said. 'So arguably I have a better financial and career outlook that would make me the 'abusive one,' if you're using that language.' Age gaps may be more common in the queer community, Rei said. 'I don't know a gay guy who hasn't been with someone much older than him,' they said. 'It's just normal to us.' Problematic dynamics can exist no matter the age. 'People now don't know what grooming is and just use the term as synonymous with age gaps,' Rei said. To some extent, Rei sees the hubbub over age gaps as an overcorrection of the mores ushered in by the #MeToo movement. 'People overadjust and assume that any relationship out of the norm is abusive,' they said. 'In my experience, people who feel age gaps are problematic are also the same people who argue the internet is harmful and should be censored because they had a bad experience as a kid. Your experience isn't universal.' For Amelia, 24, actual age matters less than the stage of life you're in. She figures if you're a relatively accomplished 28-year-old dating an accomplished 40-year-old, what's the big deal? The word 'grooming' really only applies when an adult is introduced to a future partner when they're underage, Amelia said. She cited the relationship between Dane Cook and his wife as an 'egregious' example of a questionable age gap. (The now-52-year-old comedian met Kelsi Taylor at a game night he hosted when she was in her late teens.) 'Do I think it's possible for people like that to have a healthy and happy relationship? Sure,' Amelia said. 'But the older I get, my desire to talk to high schoolers grows slimmer and slimmer. I really can't put myself in the shoes of someone who would want to befriend a high schooler.' That said, Amelia thinks that some Gen Zers take their judgment too far. To her, the concern over age gaps seems like a weirdly 'paternalistic' brand of feminism, where women feel the need to protect women from men. 'It's similar to how Swifties treat Taylor Swift,' she said, referring to the now-34-year-old pop star. 'You have young women 'looking out for' a billionaire woman in her 30s. I'm a fan of Taylor Swift, but I don't think she needs protecting from Travis Kelce because Travis Kelce got in the face of his NFL coach during the Super Bowl.' The anti-age-gap sentiment held by many plays into the 'puriteen' narrative that's been inescapable lately. Online, there's a lot of hand-wringing over Gen Zers' seeming aversion to sex: Studies show that they're having less of it than earlier generations and that they don't want sex scenes in their movies. Though Amelia overall disagrees with age-gap critics ― she feels like their arguments rob women of their agency, she said ― she gets where those in her peer group are coming from. 'The majority of us had unsupervised internet access from a young age. We were in chatrooms, on Tumblr, and other various corners of the internet that we probably should not have been on at that age,' she said. 'It was easy for grown men on the internet to reach us if they wanted to.' If you've been oversexualized at a young age ― or seen others in your age bracket be oversexualized ― that experience is understandably going to shape how you perceive these kinds of things, Amelia said. But the reality is, there are likely just as many happy May-December unions as there are disappointing ones. 'Believe it or not, we often see more ― not less ― equity in these relationships,' Lehmiller noted. All of the Gen Zers we spoke to said that ultimately, two consenting adults can do whatever they want in their private lives, even if others find it off-putting. 'Men can like women that are younger and not be a creep,' Amelia said. 'He also can be a creep, but some random person with a Twitter cartoon avatar shouldn't necessarily be the judge of that!' I Fell In Love With A Man More Than Twice My Age. I Wasn't Prepared For What Marrying Him Would Mean. 6 Women On What It's Really Like To Date Much Older Men I'm 63. She's 22. Here's What Most People Get Wrong About Our Marriage.
The Guardian
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Taboo relationships, steamy affairs and delicious desserts: the best Australian books out in July
Nonfiction, Ultimo, $36.99 Relationships between university professors and their students often aren't explicitly against the rules – but they aren't quite right, either. For her second nonfiction book, Madison Griffiths spent a year interviewing four women who'd had relationships with their university teachers to hear how they feel about those romances now (spoiler alert: not good!) and explore the ethics around them. It's a personal topic for Griffiths: at age 21 she began dating her former uni tutor, a romance that, now aged 31, she has complicated feelings about. Don't expect linear narratives; instead Griffiths has produced academic and often poetic meditations on sex, power and desire. – Katie Cunningham Fiction, Allen & Unwin, $32.99 A summer in Athens? Check. Millennial malaise? Check. A steamy affair that upends everything? Check. Amy Taylor's second novel has all the hallmarks of popular contemporary fiction, imbued with her signature tenderness and intelligence. London couple Emma and Julian are at a crossroads, and welcome the younger Lena into their relationship. Her presence teases out some tricky questions, all while the stifling Greek heat reaches feverish, claustrophobic heights. Taylor mixes literary musings with juicy plot twists and plenty of interpersonal drama – this is a moreish reading experience, the type of book you'll want to gulp down in one breathless sitting. – Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen Fiction, Giramondo, $32.95 Raaza Jamshed's debut novel is short in length but layered with complex meaning. The narrative opens in death – literal and figurative – captured through the image of eucalyptus trees, which Jahan, the novel's protagonist, has been told will regenerate. But, despite her pleas, no signs of life emerge from the seeds that she has painstakingly cared for. This opening holds the promise of the novel as a whole – the deep poetry of the language, the complexity of the setting (under threat from bushfire), and the central themes of loss and regeneration. A powerful, promising new voice. – Bec Kavanagh Cookbook, Hardie Grant, $60 If you don't recognise Christopher Thé by name, you may recognise his famous creation: Black Star Pastry's strawberry watermelon cake, or 'Australia's most Instagrammed cake' as the New York Times called it in 2019. Thé sold Black Star Pastry six years ago, opening Sydney cafe Hearthe with a new focus on baking with native Australian ingredients. These 80 intricate recipes reflect his latest creations. There's saltbush scones with desert lime marmalade, Illawarra plum clafoutis, Geraldton wax cheesecake and 'flowering' wattleseed biscuits. Though there are easier projects, such as his 12-year-old daughter's choc chip biscuits, it's best suited to a confident baker. Those up to the challenge of making layered paperbark cake, with smoked chocolate ganache and blue gum salted caramel, will be rewarded with MasterChef-worthy desserts proudly rooted in Australian flavours. – Emma Joyce Fiction, Black Inc, $36.99 Moreno Giovannoni's The Immigrants is an intensely personal story following members of one Italian family living and working in Australia. After arriving from Tuscany in the mid-1950s, Ugo is determined to make the most of the plentiful work opportunities in agriculture. His wife, Morena, who is supposed to stay in Italy and wait for Ugo to return, sails to 'the colony' to be with her husband. The pair move to rural Victoria, grow tobacco, and are surrounded by a vibrant community of fellow immigrants. This book is written with such tenderness and clarity, you'll be instantly drawn into the suffering and joy of these lives. – Joseph Cummins Fiction, Ultimo, $34.99 Katherine Brabons' Cure explores the social aspects of illness in the family with reflective poise. Vera and her adolescent daughter Thea both experience chronic pain and fatigue. Vera has an ambivalent relationship to traditional medicines, turning to an online community for possible cures and symptom relief, while Thea retreats into the private world of her journal. In this gentle and unassuming narrative, the pair journey to Italy to seek an obscure man who promises to heal people of their illnesses – a trip Vera has taken before. Capturing the difficult intimacies between a mother and daughter, Cure questions the stories they tell about their bodies, wellness, healing and memory. – Isabella Gullifer-Laurie Fiction, Penguin, $34.99 Chloe Adams' debut novel draws on a seam of family history stretching back to the second world war and its brutal Pacific front. Twenty-nine-year-old Mary escapes looming spinsterhood and the banality of middle-class female life by enlisting as part of Australia's postwar operations in Japan. The novel opens in 1949 with Mary back home in Melbourne, pregnant but unmarried, then cuts to a year earlier as she arrives in Hiroshima prefecture. Adams' writing is assured and absorbing as she conjures this new world through Mary's eyes, and her interior life as illusions are eroded. Seventy-five pages in, it's looking promising. – Dee Jefferson Fiction, Allen & Unwin, $32.99 Your Friend and Mine is a sliding doors story in which Margot, a fortysomething restaurateur, is unexpectedly lifted out from her routine when a letter from a long-dead friend arrives. The letter from Tess, Margot's best friend 20 years prior, transports her to a time when their lives had seemed rich and full of potential. As a stipulation (or a provocation, perhaps) of her will, Tess invites Margot on a fully funded trip to the UK to meet her old friend's family, and to finish Tess's bucket list. Jessica Dettmann's third novel balances humour and pathos with ease, as Margot undertakes a journey to reconnect with her old friend, and herself. – BK
