Actor Bruce Willis diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia

Feb 17 2023

Bruce Willis’ family have revealed the somber news that the actor has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

This impacts the lobes of the brain behind the forehead, leading to symptoms such as personality changes, obsessive behaviour and speaking difficulties.

Emma Heming, Willis’ wife, as well as ex-wife Demi Moore and five daughters, posted a statement on The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration’s website, saying:

“Our family wanted to start by expressing our deepest gratitude for the incredible outpouring of love, support and wonderful stories we have all received since sharing Bruce’s original diagnosis.”

“Since we announced Bruce’s diagnosis of aphasia in spring 2022, Bruce’s condition has progressed and we now have a more specific diagnosis: frontotemporal dementia (known as FTD).”

“FTD is a cruel disease that many of us have never heard of and can strike anyone. For people under 60, FTD is the most common form of dementia, and because getting the diagnosis can take years, FTD is likely much more prevalent than we know.”

Despite there being no cure for the disease, the family added that they hope media attention surrounding the illness will shine further light on the need for awareness and research.

This comes approximately a year after the actor most known for Die Hard retired from acting due to being diagnosed with aphasia.

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Spain officially Europe’s first country with menstrual leave

Feb 17 2023

Lawmakers in Spain have officially given final approval which grants paid medical leave to any woman suffering from period pain.

This makes it the first European country to advance in such a legislation, following somewhat in the footsteps of Indonesia, Japan and South Korea.

Hoy es un día histórico de avance en derechos feministas: la nueva Ley del Aborto y la Ley Trans y de derechos LGTBI van a ser ley 🏳️‍⚧️💚 pic.twitter.com/tcW0kGheTT

— Irene Montero (@IreneMontero) February 16, 2023

The law passed by 185 votes in favour and 154 against. Equality Minister Irene Montero tweeted out saying that this is a historic day for feminist progress as it entitles workers experiencing period pain to as much time off as they need.

The state social security system, and not employers, will be managing the paid sick leave for those utilising it. A doctor must approve the temporary medical incapacity as with paid leave for all other health reasons.

As of yet, the length of sick leave that doctors will be able to grant to women suffering from painful periods has not been specified.

This comes after Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar called for a national discussion on menstrual leave earlier this month. She had highlighted how there is a global scarcity on such legislation, leading to many women facing difficulties to perform daily routines and other consequences.

The newly approved Spanish law is part off a broader package on sexual and reproductive rights. This will allow anyone over the age of 16 to access abortion or gender reaffirming care without the required consent of a guardian.

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Spa masseur in custody after charge of raping American tourist

Feb 16 2023

A spa masseur from Xghajra, Malta, has been remanded in custody after he was accused of raping a female American tourist while giving her a massage at a hotel in St. Pauls Bay.

The accuseD allegedly made unwanted sexual advances towards the woman, which she refused, but then he reportedly penetrated her with his finger and put her breast in his mouth.

Charged with rape, detaining the woman against her will and committing an act of a sexual nature on the woman without her consent, the accused’s defence team entered a plea of not guilty.

The case is complicated by the fact that the only two people in the room at the time of the alleged rape were the accused and the woman, but witnesses saw her entering and leaving the room and noticed a change in her demeanour.

Additionally, there is a fear of the accused tampering with evidence, and that he may try to leave Malta to avoid justice. Despite this, his defense team argued that there was no evidence to suggest the accused did anything wrong, and that he had not attempted to contact the alleged victim or flee the country.

The accused was subsequently remanded in custody, and the victim was able to testify via video conference.

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Documentary about Pornhub releasing on Netflix in March 2023

Feb 16 2023

The popular adult entertainment site Pornhub will be revealing details about its history, franchise and success through a Netflix documentary.

The documentary will be called Money Shot: The Pornhub Story, which will detail the site’s launch from 2007 and its work to facilitate the rise of user-generated adult content.

The documentary is being created by Alex Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions and will also seek to address backlash and accusations of platforming ‘non-consensual material and trafficking.’

The synopsis reads: “As anti-trafficking organisations seek justice for victims, can the online giant protect those from whom they profit, or is this a new wave of censorship for adult performers making consensual porn?”

Director and producer Suzanne Hillinger said that the documentary “requires us to grapple with what sexuality and consent means when billion dollar internet platforms thrive on user generated content.”

The 93 minute long documentary will be available for streaming on Netflix March 15th.

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