Union Minister for Women and Child Development,&nbsp;Maneka Gandhi&nbsp;on Monday said she is happy that #MeToo movement&nbsp;has started in India.

However, she further told ANI that she hopes that the campaign won't go out of control "in the sense that we target people who have offended us in some way. But, on the whole, I think women are responsible."

Stressing on the fact that "anger at sexual molestation never goes away" and the individual "never forgets the person who did it," Gandhi informed, "It is because of this reason, we have written to the law ministry, saying that the complaints should be without any time limit."

The Union Minsiter then gave a message to all the women who have been subjected to some or the other form of harassment and said, "Please remember that you can now - as we have interpreted it - complain 10 years later, 15 years later, it doesn't matter how much later. The point is, if you are going to complain, the avenue is still open."

She then talked about the number of steps taken by her ministry to empower women to speak out.

"First, we launched 'I am trolled', which can be used by women to alert relevant government agents when they are threatened with physical violence on social media. Then, we also made sexual harassment committee mandatory in every company where there are more than 10 employees," she said.

She added that the companies, in their financial return, will have to reveal if they have started with the committee or not.

"We also launched a comprehensive SHe-Box online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organisations to lodge complaints of sexual harassment at workplace," Gandhi concluded.

The #MeToo movement&nbsp;began a year ago in Hollywood after&nbsp;The New York Times&nbsp;and&nbsp;The New Yorker&nbsp;published several stories about decades-long predation of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.

The movement is now gaining momentum in India as well, with accusations being levelled against some powerful personalities in media and the entertainment industry.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Maneka Gandhi on Monday said she is happy that #MeToo movement has started in India. However, she further told ANI that she hopes that the campaign won't go out of control "in the sense that we target people who have offended us in some way.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Maneka Gandhi on Monday said she is happy that #MeToo movement has started in India. However, she further told ANI that she hopes that the campaign won't go out of control "in the sense that we target people who have offended us in some way. But, on the whole, I think women are responsible." Stressing on the fact that "anger at sexual molestation never goes away" and the individual "never forgets the person who did it," Gandhi informed, "It is because of this reason, we have written to the law ministry, saying that the complaints should be without any time limit." The Union Minsiter then gave a message to all the women who have been subjected to some or the other form of harassment and said, "Please remember that you can now - as we have interpreted it - complain 10 years later, 15 years later, it doesn't matter how much later. The point is, if you are going to complain, the avenue is still open." She then talked about the number of steps taken by her ministry to empower women to speak out. "First, we launched 'I am trolled', which can be used by women to alert relevant government agents when they are threatened with physical violence on social media. Then, we also made sexual harassment committee mandatory in every company where there are more than 10 employees," she said. She added that the companies, in their financial return, will have to reveal if they have started with the committee or not. "We also launched a comprehensive SHe-Box online complaint Management System for women working in both public and private organisations to lodge complaints of sexual harassment at workplace," Gandhi concluded. The #MeToo movement began a year ago in Hollywood after The New York Times and The New Yorker published several stories about decades-long predation of movie mogul Harvey Weinstein. The movement is now gaining momentum in India as well, with accusations being levelled against some powerful personalities in media and the entertainment industry.

Happy that #MeToo movement has started in India, says Maneka Gandhi

The author Chetan Bhagat has apologised publicly — he did so on Facebook — after being outed yesterday by an unnamed woman for having harassed her.&nbsp;

The woman had on Saturday shared screenshots of a WhatsApp conversation with Bhagat.&nbsp;

In the WhatsApp conversation, Bhagat tell the woman that she is "sweet and cute and funny" and he has "decided to woo" her.&nbsp;

Bhagat adds that "after a long time someone engaged me and could keep up with my pace of thought".&nbsp;

The woman constantly tells Bhagat that she hopes he is "kidding", and reminds him that he is married.&nbsp;

It is unclear whether the woman was working for or with Bhagat in any capacity — which was the case in most of the other cases of harassment that came to light on Saturday — or whether they were just acquaintances.&nbsp;

Bhagat responded on Facebook on Saturday itself, saying that he had taken some time to do so because he had seen the WhatsApp messages late and had been talking to his wife Anusha after having had seen them.&nbsp;

"I am telling you all whatever I told her, which to my recollection is the truth," Bhagat wrote.&nbsp;

"But first of all, I am really sorry to person concerned. The screenshots, are of course real, and I am sorry if you felt they were wrong I hope you will accept my apology."&nbsp;

He added that "these screenshots are several years old, and I had met the person in question a couple of times. We hit it off really well as a friendship, and as I say in the screenshots, I did feel a strong connection with her. I did find her a good human being, sweet, cute and funny (as I also say in the screenshots).

As I also say in the screenshots, I realized I was married and this was not about looking for any action. I just had not felt that kind of connection in a while. Maybe I was going through a phase, maybe these things just happen, or maybe I felt the person felt the same too based on our conversations (which I don’t need to repeat here)."&nbsp;

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Bhagat then went on to say that "I guess I erred a bit there. Maybe I misread the friendliness."&nbsp;

"However, it was stupid of me, to feel that way and to even share that with her. I just told Anusha about it as well, and apologized to her for doing the same. I should have had better judgement, but I guess I erred a bit there. Maybe I misread the friendliness."

He finally added that "for everyone’s information, am running this response past Anusha first, to ensure she is okay with it."&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The author Chetan Bhagat has apologised publicly — he did so on Facebook — after being outed yesterday by an unnamed woman for having harassed her. The woman had on Saturday shared screenshots of a WhatsApp conversation with Bhagat.

The author Chetan Bhagat has apologised publicly — he did so on Facebook — after being outed yesterday by an unnamed woman for having harassed her. The woman had on Saturday shared screenshots of a WhatsApp conversation with Bhagat. In the WhatsApp conversation, Bhagat tell the woman that she is "sweet and cute and funny" and he has "decided to woo" her. Bhagat adds that "after a long time someone engaged me and could keep up with my pace of thought". The woman constantly tells Bhagat that she hopes he is "kidding", and reminds him that he is married. It is unclear whether the woman was working for or with Bhagat in any capacity — which was the case in most of the other cases of harassment that came to light on Saturday — or whether they were just acquaintances. Bhagat responded on Facebook on Saturday itself, saying that he had taken some time to do so because he had seen the WhatsApp messages late and had been talking to his wife Anusha after having had seen them. "I am telling you all whatever I told her, which to my recollection is the truth," Bhagat wrote. "But first of all, I am really sorry to person concerned. The screenshots, are of course real, and I am sorry if you felt they were wrong I hope you will accept my apology." He added that "these screenshots are several years old, and I had met the person in question a couple of times. We hit it off really well as a friendship, and as I say in the screenshots, I did feel a strong connection with her. I did find her a good human being, sweet, cute and funny (as I also say in the screenshots). As I also say in the screenshots, I realized I was married and this was not about looking for any action. I just had not felt that kind of connection in a while. Maybe I was going through a phase, maybe these things just happen, or maybe I felt the person felt the same too based on our conversations (which I don’t need to repeat here)." × Bhagat then went on to say that "I guess I erred a bit there. Maybe I misread the friendliness." "However, it was stupid of me, to feel that way and to even share that with her. I just told Anusha about it as well, and apologized to her for doing the same. I should have had better judgement, but I guess I erred a bit there. Maybe I misread the friendliness." He finally added that "for everyone’s information, am running this response past Anusha first, to ensure she is okay with it."

I guess I erred: Chetan Bhagat apologises after being outed for harassing woman

Bombshell sexual assault claims against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein a year ago sparked the #MeToo movement that unleashed an outpouring of similar charges across the globe.

Here are 10 major moments in the saga that has rocked the worlds of cinema, politics, sport and beyond.

Actresses accuse Weinstein

On October 5, 2017, The New York Times publishes the first claims of sexual harassment against Weinstein, one of the most powerful producers in Hollywood.

An avalanche of similar charges emerges, including from more than two dozen top actresses such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie.

Eventually, there are allegations ranging from harassment to rape from around 100 women and going back decades.

#MeToo goes viral&nbsp;

The French hashtag #balancetonporc, or "denounce your pig", launches on Twitter on October 13 encouraging women to reveal their own experiences of sexual harassment.

An English version, #MeToo, follows two days later.

Both go viral, taken up by ordinary women across the world but also high-profile figures such as actresses Uma Thurman and Reese Witherspoon.

Still active a year later, the hashtags have spinoffs in several languages.

Kevin Spacey dropped

On October 29, US actor Anthony Rapp alleges in a Buzzfeed interview that he was sexually harassed by "House of Cards" star Kevin Spacey more than 30 years previously, when he was aged 14.

Netflix immediately drops Spacey and puts its hit political series on hold.

Other allegations emerge and in November Spacey is removed from his scenes in Ridley Scott's film, "All the Money in the World," and replaced by Christopher Plummer.

British minister quits

A renewed look at claims of sexual harassment in the British parliament takes its first scalp when defence minister Michael Fallon quits on November 1.

The following month Prime Minister Theresa May's deputy, Damian Green, also steps down.

Politicians around the world resign in the fallout, including in Australia, Austria, Scotland and the United States.&nbsp;

'Puritanical' criticism

At the start of 2018, revered French actress Catherine Deneuve is among 100 women who slam #MeToo in an open letter criticising it as a new "puritanism" and a "witch-hunt" that threatens sexual freedom.

It has taken on "a hatred of men and of sexuality," says the letter published on January 9.

Their criticism sparks a worldwide reaction. In the following days, Deneuve apologises to victims of sexual assault, saying she did not mean to condone these "hideous acts".

Nobel prize scrapped&nbsp;

On May 4 the Swedish Academy behind the Nobel Literature Prize announces the postponement of the 2018 award amid internal upheaval after sexual assault claims from several women against the husband of one of its members.

On October 1 a Swedish court sentences the man in question, 72-year-old Jean-Claude Arnault, to two years in jail for a rape in 2011.

Knock-on effect

#MeToo's reckoning with sexual harassment brings weight and publicity to trials already under way.

On January 25 former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar is given what amounts to a life sentence for abusing at least 265 young female athletes over two decades.

Some of the women say they only went public because of #MeToo.

On September 25 TV icon Bill Cosby becomes the first celebrity to be sentenced for a sex crime since the saga erupted, jailed for an assault 14 years ago.

An accuser accused

On August 20 sexual assault allegations are published against Italian actress Asia Argento, a leading #MeToo figure who has accused Weinstein of rape.

Actor Jimmy Bennett alleges Argento assaulted him in 2013, when he was 17 and under the age of consent in California.

Argento denies the claims but is dropped from the Italian version of the reality show "X Factor". She later admits to sex with Bennett but says "he literally jumped on me".

Top US judge questioned

&nbsp;On September 13 sexual misconduct claims go public against US President Donald Trump's nominee for a life seat on the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh.

He is eventually accused by at least three women of sexual misconduct in high school or at university.

After dramatic testimony by one of Kavanaugh's alleged victims, Trump on September 29 orders a new FBI investigation.

Ronaldo accused of rape

On October 2 Las Vegas police say they have reopened an investigation into a 2009 rape accusation against Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo.

He labels as "fake news" the claims by former model Kathryn Mayorga.

Bombshell sexual assault claims against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein a year ago sparked the #MeToo movement that unleashed an outpouring of similar charges across the globe.

Bombshell sexual assault claims against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein a year ago sparked the #MeToo movement that unleashed an outpouring of similar charges across the globe. Here are 10 major moments in the saga that has rocked the worlds of cinema, politics, sport and beyond. Actresses accuse Weinstein On October 5, 2017, The New York Times publishes the first claims of sexual harassment against Weinstein, one of the most powerful producers in Hollywood. An avalanche of similar charges emerges, including from more than two dozen top actresses such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie. Eventually, there are allegations ranging from harassment to rape from around 100 women and going back decades. #MeToo goes viral The French hashtag #balancetonporc, or "denounce your pig", launches on Twitter on October 13 encouraging women to reveal their own experiences of sexual harassment. An English version, #MeToo, follows two days later. Both go viral, taken up by ordinary women across the world but also high-profile figures such as actresses Uma Thurman and Reese Witherspoon. Still active a year later, the hashtags have spinoffs in several languages. Kevin Spacey dropped On October 29, US actor Anthony Rapp alleges in a Buzzfeed interview that he was sexually harassed by "House of Cards" star Kevin Spacey more than 30 years previously, when he was aged 14. Netflix immediately drops Spacey and puts its hit political series on hold. Other allegations emerge and in November Spacey is removed from his scenes in Ridley Scott's film, "All the Money in the World," and replaced by Christopher Plummer. British minister quits A renewed look at claims of sexual harassment in the British parliament takes its first scalp when defence minister Michael Fallon quits on November 1. The following month Prime Minister Theresa May's deputy, Damian Green, also steps down. Politicians around the world resign in the fallout, including in Australia, Austria, Scotland and the United States. 'Puritanical' criticism At the start of 2018, revered French actress Catherine Deneuve is among 100 women who slam #MeToo in an open letter criticising it as a new "puritanism" and a "witch-hunt" that threatens sexual freedom. It has taken on "a hatred of men and of sexuality," says the letter published on January 9. Their criticism sparks a worldwide reaction. In the following days, Deneuve apologises to victims of sexual assault, saying she did not mean to condone these "hideous acts". Nobel prize scrapped On May 4 the Swedish Academy behind the Nobel Literature Prize announces the postponement of the 2018 award amid internal upheaval after sexual assault claims from several women against the husband of one of its members. On October 1 a Swedish court sentences the man in question, 72-year-old Jean-Claude Arnault, to two years in jail for a rape in 2011. Knock-on effect #MeToo's reckoning with sexual harassment brings weight and publicity to trials already under way. On January 25 former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar is given what amounts to a life sentence for abusing at least 265 young female athletes over two decades. Some of the women say they only went public because of #MeToo. On September 25 TV icon Bill Cosby becomes the first celebrity to be sentenced for a sex crime since the saga erupted, jailed for an assault 14 years ago. An accuser accused On August 20 sexual assault allegations are published against Italian actress Asia Argento, a leading #MeToo figure who has accused Weinstein of rape. Actor Jimmy Bennett alleges Argento assaulted him in 2013, when he was 17 and under the age of consent in California. Argento denies the claims but is dropped from the Italian version of the reality show "X Factor". She later admits to sex with Bennett but says "he literally jumped on me". Top US judge questioned On September 13 sexual misconduct claims go public against US President Donald Trump's nominee for a life seat on the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh. He is eventually accused by at least three women of sexual misconduct in high school or at university. After dramatic testimony by one of Kavanaugh's alleged victims, Trump on September 29 orders a new FBI investigation. Ronaldo accused of rape On October 2 Las Vegas police say they have reopened an investigation into a 2009 rape accusation against Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo. He labels as "fake news" the claims by former model Kathryn Mayorga.

The Weinstein Affair: 10 key moments in a global fallout

Accused of sexually assaulting Jimmy Benett when he was 17 years old, actress Asia Argento has now revealed that it was her who felt violated and not the other way round as has been claimed by Benett. Argento was 37 when the incident took place. 
 
Argento, 43, opened up during an interview on Italian news show Non è l'Arena about how Benett had 'jumped' on her and she 'froze' and did not react. The actress stated that what hurt her most amid the accusations that she sexually assaulted a 17-year-old was being called a paedophile. 
 
Argento appeared on the show on Sunday, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/entertainment/asia-argento-metoo-activist-settled-a-lawsuit-with-her-own-sexual-assault-accuser-last-year-160295">a week after Benett came on the show to give his side of the story.</a> Argento stated that she 'froze' when Bennett began to kiss her and touch her 'in a way that was not that of a child with his mother, but that of a boy with crazy hormones.' 
 
"I laugh, but it's also a traumatic thing. Seeing this boy who had always been like a child behave like this with me completely froze me. He literally jumped on me; he put me sideways across the bed. He did what he had to do. He didn't use a condom. It lasted for two minutes. He had an orgasm. I was cold, unable to move. Shocked, I asked him afterwards why he had done this, and he told me that I had been his sexual fantasy since he was 12 years old." 
 
Bennett had stated that he had sex with Argento in a California hotel in 2013. The age of consent in California is 18. 
&nbsp; 
Asia Argento is one of the many women who accused Harvey Weinstein of raping her. She is one of the main faces of the global #MeToo movement.&nbsp; 
 
Earlier this year, at the Cannes closing ceremony, Argento had delivered a powerful speech about how there was a need to speak out against sexual violence. Argento had said that it was at the festival, many years back, that Weinstein had raped her.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Accused of sexually assaulting Jimmy Benett when he was 17 years old, actress Asia Argento has now revealed that it was her who felt violated and not the other way round as has been claimed by Benett.

Accused of sexually assaulting Jimmy Benett when he was 17 years old, actress Asia Argento has now revealed that it was her who felt violated and not the other way round as has been claimed by Benett. Argento was 37 when the incident took place. Argento, 43, opened up during an interview on Italian news show Non è l'Arena about how Benett had 'jumped' on her and she 'froze' and did not react. The actress stated that what hurt her most amid the accusations that she sexually assaulted a 17-year-old was being called a paedophile. Argento appeared on the show on Sunday, a week after Benett came on the show to give his side of the story. Argento stated that she 'froze' when Bennett began to kiss her and touch her 'in a way that was not that of a child with his mother, but that of a boy with crazy hormones.' "I laugh, but it's also a traumatic thing. Seeing this boy who had always been like a child behave like this with me completely froze me. He literally jumped on me; he put me sideways across the bed. He did what he had to do. He didn't use a condom. It lasted for two minutes. He had an orgasm. I was cold, unable to move. Shocked, I asked him afterwards why he had done this, and he told me that I had been his sexual fantasy since he was 12 years old." Bennett had stated that he had sex with Argento in a California hotel in 2013. The age of consent in California is 18. Asia Argento is one of the many women who accused Harvey Weinstein of raping her. She is one of the main faces of the global #MeToo movement. Earlier this year, at the Cannes closing ceremony, Argento had delivered a powerful speech about how there was a need to speak out against sexual violence. Argento had said that it was at the festival, many years back, that Weinstein had raped her.

Asia Argento claims she was the victim in Jimmy Benett sex encounter; reveals graphic details

As the Time’s “100 Most Influential People” of 2018 list came out on April 19, Thursday, celebrating leaders from different fields, there was a noticeable change that everyone registered -- lesser gender gap while acknowledging efforts of people from all genders.&nbsp;

To start with, unlike any previous years lists, more than 40 women made it to the 2018 compilation including those from the entertainment industry, architecture, world leadership, campaigns and movements and more.&nbsp;

Hollywood A-listers Jennifer Lopez, Tiffany Haddish and Nicole Kidman grace three of the six covers. Tarana Burke, who spearheaded the much-talked-about #MeToo movement, is also honoured with her own cover.&nbsp;

Other performers also include controversial singer Cardi B who made it to the Billboard no. 1 spot from nowhere with ‘Bodak Yellow’, "Wonder Woman"&nbsp;Gal Gadot and Roseanne Barr. Meghan Markle, who is set to marry Prince Harry next month, is recognised both as an actor and humanitarian.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-4-indians-featured-on-times-100-most-influential-people-of-2018-pm-modi-not-on-the-list-131512">Also Read:&nbsp;4 Indians featured on Time's '100 Most Influential People' of 2018, PM Modi not on the list</a>

Among political figures that are dominated by men such as President Donald Trump, Crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Kim Jong and others, there is Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh too.&nbsp;

Each honoree is praised in an essay written by one of their famous peers. Naomi Watts raved about Kidman, noting, “Never once has [she] left our consciousness. And even after decades, she continues to break new ground.”

Kerry Washington, meanwhile, gushed over Lopez. “[She’s] an iconic performer … But she’s also a mother, an entrepreneur, an activist, a designer, a beauty icon, a philanthropist and a producer,” wrote the Scandal star. “She is an undeniable force and powerful example.”

Elsewhere in the issue, Taraji P. Henson had kind words for Cardi B. “She’s clear on her talent and she’s not trying to get in anybody else’s lane. She recorded ‘Bodak Yellow’ because it’s what she loved. Now she’s the biggest thing in music,” Henson exclaimed. “And even with all those eyeballs watching, she’s still unapologetically herself. Cardi B’s here to stay baby, and I’m happy to be a witness.”

A change noticed in comparison to past years' lists, Time's "100 Most Influential People" 2018 featured more than 40 women across entertainment, politics, architecture, and leadership

As the Time’s “100 Most Influential People” of 2018 list came out on April 19, Thursday, celebrating leaders from different fields, there was a noticeable change that everyone registered -- lesser gender gap while acknowledging efforts of people from all genders. To start with, unlike any previous years lists, more than 40 women made it to the 2018 compilation including those from the entertainment industry, architecture, world leadership, campaigns and movements and more. Hollywood A-listers Jennifer Lopez, Tiffany Haddish and Nicole Kidman grace three of the six covers. Tarana Burke, who spearheaded the much-talked-about #MeToo movement, is also honoured with her own cover. Other performers also include controversial singer Cardi B who made it to the Billboard no. 1 spot from nowhere with ‘Bodak Yellow’, "Wonder Woman" Gal Gadot and Roseanne Barr. Meghan Markle, who is set to marry Prince Harry next month, is recognised both as an actor and humanitarian. Also Read: 4 Indians featured on Time's '100 Most Influential People' of 2018, PM Modi not on the list Among political figures that are dominated by men such as President Donald Trump, Crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman, Kim Jong and others, there is Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh too. Each honoree is praised in an essay written by one of their famous peers. Naomi Watts raved about Kidman, noting, “Never once has [she] left our consciousness. And even after decades, she continues to break new ground.” Kerry Washington, meanwhile, gushed over Lopez. “[She’s] an iconic performer … But she’s also a mother, an entrepreneur, an activist, a designer, a beauty icon, a philanthropist and a producer,” wrote the Scandal star. “She is an undeniable force and powerful example.” Elsewhere in the issue, Taraji P. Henson had kind words for Cardi B. “She’s clear on her talent and she’s not trying to get in anybody else’s lane. She recorded ‘Bodak Yellow’ because it’s what she loved. Now she’s the biggest thing in music,” Henson exclaimed. “And even with all those eyeballs watching, she’s still unapologetically herself. Cardi B’s here to stay baby, and I’m happy to be a witness.”

Tarana Burke of #MeToo, Meghan Markle, JLo, Rihanna among 40 women on Time's 'Most Influential People'

US retail giant Walmart has decided to ban Cosmopolitan from it checkout aisle as a part of the #MeToo movement and “to combat sexually exploitative influences,” especially for young girls, reports said on Wednesday.&nbsp;

According to a press release from the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), a nonprofit organization that has long objected to the magazine’s presence in Walmart, the decision will help protect “minors from the sexually explicit material that Cosmopolitan embodies and perpetuates.”

The National Center on Sexual Exploitation said Walmart made the decision following conversations with the anti-pornography organization.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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In the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MeToo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MeToo</a> era, <a href="https://twitter.com/Walmart?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Walmart</a> has taken a stand against treating women as sex objects! How? They removed <a href="https://twitter.com/Cosmopolitan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Cosmopolitan</a> magazine from their checkout aisles! Finally, one less objectifying magazine we are forced to walk by! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThanksWalmart?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThanksWalmart</a> <a href="https://t.co/MXbM9Ng0rs">pic.twitter.com/MXbM9Ng0rs</a>
— National Center on Sexual Exploitation (@ncose) <a href="https://twitter.com/ncose/status/978700687193276417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

The retailer says that it was "primarily a business decision." Walmart said Tuesday that it was removing the magazine from checkout lines at its 5,000 stores across the country.

Dawn Hawkins, NCOSE executive director, said in a press release on Tuesday, “This is what real change looks like in our #MeToo culture, and NCOSE is proud to work with a major corporation like Walmart to combat sexually exploitative influences in our society. Women, men, and children are bombarded daily with sexually objectifying and explicit materials, not only online, but in the checkout line at the store.”

The group takes issue with the magazine, and believes customers shouldn't have to see it while checking out at stores, because it "places women's value primarily on their ability to sexually satisfy a man and therefore plays into the same culture where men view and treat women as inanimate sex objects," Hawkins said.

Cosmopolitan, which bills itself as a "bible for fun, fearless females," is published by Hearst Corporation, which had no immediate comment on Walmart's decision.

The National Center on Sexual Exploitation said Walmart made the decision following conversations with the anti-pornography organization

US retail giant Walmart has decided to ban Cosmopolitan from it checkout aisle as a part of the #MeToo movement and “to combat sexually exploitative influences,” especially for young girls, reports said on Wednesday. According to a press release from the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE), a nonprofit organization that has long objected to the magazine’s presence in Walmart, the decision will help protect “minors from the sexually explicit material that Cosmopolitan embodies and perpetuates.” The National Center on Sexual Exploitation said Walmart made the decision following conversations with the anti-pornography organization. In the #MeToo era, @Walmart has taken a stand against treating women as sex objects! How? They removed @Cosmopolitan magazine from their checkout aisles! Finally, one less objectifying magazine we are forced to walk by! #ThanksWalmart pic.twitter.com/MXbM9Ng0rs — National Center on Sexual Exploitation (@ncose) March 27, 2018 × The retailer says that it was "primarily a business decision." Walmart said Tuesday that it was removing the magazine from checkout lines at its 5,000 stores across the country. Dawn Hawkins, NCOSE executive director, said in a press release on Tuesday, “This is what real change looks like in our #MeToo culture, and NCOSE is proud to work with a major corporation like Walmart to combat sexually exploitative influences in our society. Women, men, and children are bombarded daily with sexually objectifying and explicit materials, not only online, but in the checkout line at the store.” The group takes issue with the magazine, and believes customers shouldn't have to see it while checking out at stores, because it "places women's value primarily on their ability to sexually satisfy a man and therefore plays into the same culture where men view and treat women as inanimate sex objects," Hawkins said. Cosmopolitan, which bills itself as a "bible for fun, fearless females," is published by Hearst Corporation, which had no immediate comment on Walmart's decision.

Walmart bans Cosmopolitan from checkout aisle to protect minors from sexually explicit material

Actress Ellen Barkin hit back at Hollywood director Terry Gilliam after he said the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and assault has morphed into &quot;mob rule.&quot;

The 63-year-old actress took to Twitter to write:&nbsp;&quot;My hard-won advice: never get into an elevator alone with Terry Gilliam.&quot;&nbsp;She went on to write that&nbsp;according to Gilliam, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-jimmy-kimmel-hosts-oscars-night-mentions-harvey-weinstein-scandal-34664" target="_blank">Harvey Weinstein </a>was exposed as an alleged serial sexual predator &quot;&#39;because he is an asshole and made a lot of enemies,&#39; not because he molested or raped over 80&quot; women.

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What is it you are defending when you attack a movement whose goal is to keep women safe? I&rsquo;m assuming none of you are abusers, so what are you protecting? What will you lose if i am safe?
&mdash; Ellen Barkin (@EllenBarkin) <a href="https://twitter.com/EllenBarkin/status/975465786826358784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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According to terry gilliam ... &ldquo;weinstein was exposed because he is an asshole and made a lot of enemies&rdquo;, 
not because he molested or raped over 80 womem.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MeToo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MeToo</a>
&mdash; Ellen Barkin (@EllenBarkin) <a href="https://twitter.com/EllenBarkin/status/975844917523005440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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&quot;What is it you are defending when you attack a movement whose goal is to keep women safe?&quot; she wrote. <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-metoo-on-ramp-models-as-angels-men-as-pigs-at-new-york-fashion-week-32558" target="_blank">Also Read:&nbsp;#MeToo on-ramp: Models as angels, men as pigs at New York Fashion Week</a>

This, after&nbsp;Barkin, worked with Gilliam in the 1998 film &quot;Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas&quot;.

Gilliam&#39;s statement became an issue on Friday when he ridiculed the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-sports-illustrated-swimsuit-issue-honours-metoo-with-first-ever-nude-photo-series-32218" target="_blank">#MeToo movement.</a>

Speaking to AFP,&nbsp;Gilliam said that the reaction against the wave of sexual abuse and harassment revelations had become ugly and &quot;simplistic... people are frightened to say things, to think things.&quot; He added: &quot;I know enough girls who were in Harvey&#39;s suites who were not victims and walked out.&quot;

&quot;It&#39;s like when mob rule takes over,&quot; Gilliam said.

&nbsp;

American actress took to Twitter to call out on the filmmaker

Actress Ellen Barkin hit back at Hollywood director Terry Gilliam after he said the #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and assault has morphed into "mob rule." The 63-year-old actress took to Twitter to write: "My hard-won advice: never get into an elevator alone with Terry Gilliam." She went on to write that according to Gilliam, Harvey Weinstein was exposed as an alleged serial sexual predator "'because he is an asshole and made a lot of enemies,' not because he molested or raped over 80" women. What is it you are defending when you attack a movement whose goal is to keep women safe? I’m assuming none of you are abusers, so what are you protecting? What will you lose if i am safe? — Ellen Barkin (@EllenBarkin) March 18, 2018 × According to terry gilliam ... “weinstein was exposed because he is an asshole and made a lot of enemies”, not because he molested or raped over 80 womem.#MeToo — Ellen Barkin (@EllenBarkin) March 19, 2018 × "What is it you are defending when you attack a movement whose goal is to keep women safe?" she wrote. Also Read: #MeToo on-ramp: Models as angels, men as pigs at New York Fashion Week This, after Barkin, worked with Gilliam in the 1998 film "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas". Gilliam's statement became an issue on Friday when he ridiculed the #MeToo movement. Speaking to AFP, Gilliam said that the reaction against the wave of sexual abuse and harassment revelations had become ugly and "simplistic... people are frightened to say things, to think things." He added: "I know enough girls who were in Harvey's suites who were not victims and walked out." "It's like when mob rule takes over," Gilliam said.

Ellen Barkin hits back at Terry Gilliam as he calls #MeToo movement 'mob rule'

Sofia Rusova was a young political journalist in a provincial Russian city when a lawmaker pursued her with sexual text messages, staked her out and even assaulted her near her apartment.

&quot;I was in shock and for some time I couldn&#39;t walk the streets alone,&quot; she says.

But she knew from prior experience that police would not react and most of her colleagues did not take the situation seriously.

&quot;Some people who heard my story saw it as a funny adventure and told me I should be happy to be an object of such interest,&quot; she says. In the end, she asked her father to confront the lawmaker and the pressure subsided.

Rusova&#39;s story is typical in Russia, where sexual harassment is seen as a joke rather than a problem, even as the #MeToo movement sweeps across western countries.

In an unprecedented recent case, three women publicly accused senior lawmaker Leonid Slutsky of kissing and groping them.

They were accused of undermining his career for political reasons and being anti-Russian.

&quot;You tried to force kisses on me, to touch me, you were rude and pushy,&quot; one of the women, Daria Zhuk, said in a video appeal to Slutsky last week. &quot;You still deny it?&quot;

&quot;Are you not ashamed to be working in parliament and stoop to such low behaviour?&quot; said Zhuk, who works as a producer for independent Dozhd channel and said the incident occurred when Slutsky came to the studio for an interview.

Zhuk and two female reporters first made the allegations against Slutsky anonymously in February. He labelled them a political attack ordered by his enemies and even said the scandal &quot;boosted my gravitas rather than took it away.&quot;

&quot;Attempts to make Slutsky into a Russian Harvey Weinstein look like a cheap and crude provocation... and are bound to fail,&quot; he wrote on his Facebook page.

He proceeded to joke with his colleagues in the comments about dividing up female journalists, as another MP suggested he could also &quot;take a couple&quot;.&nbsp;

&quot;We&#39;ll discuss,&quot; Slutsky replied.

Fellow lawmaker Anton Morozov went as far as to say the women were actors in a conspiracy. &quot;Perhaps Russian journalists received an order from the West to compromise him,&quot; he told Meduza news website.

Most female members of the Duma also lashed out at Slutsky&#39;s accusers.

Oksana Pushkina, the only lawmaker who stepped up in the journalists&#39; defence, said fellow female lawmakers warned her that attempting to fight sexual harassment would harm Russia&#39;s already low birth rate.

&quot;It&#39;s a catastrophe that we speak in such terms,&quot; she told AFP.

Pushkina has proposed a bill on sexual harassment that would &quot;make men control their hands and their emotions&quot; in the work environment, but so far she has seen no support from her colleagues.

&quot;I was told it would take me 15 years to make this law a reality,&quot; she said.

Women&#39;s rights were in theory at the centre of the early Soviet project and International Women&#39;s Day, March 8, remains a public holiday in Russia.&nbsp;

But in reality the main change to most women&#39;s lives in the USSR was that they were expected to have a job as well as run a home.

In recent years those rights have suffered additional blows as the government extols conservative views on gender roles and labels feminism a hostile Western trend.

Punishment for domestic abuse was softened last year, for example, with most abusers now only paying a fine and facing no time in custody.

Even cases of rape rarely make it to trial, said Pushkina. &quot;Sexual harassment cases all fall apart at the stage of a complaint.&quot;

President Vladimir Putin, who has led the country for almost two decades, is certainly no feminist.&nbsp;

In 2006 he appeared to praise the sexual stamina of Israel ex-president Moshe Katsav who was subsequently forced to resign over rape accusations.

&quot;What a powerful guy he turned out to be! Raped ten women! I didn&#39;t expect that, he surprised us all! We all envy him!&quot; Putin was quoted as saying at the time by Kommersant newspaper.

&quot;Chances are, nothing will happen to Slutsky and he will keep his mandate,&quot; said Alyona Popova, who heads feminist association The W Project.

Rusova was also pessimistic. &quot;People will take the side of the person of authority, because our society is such that it is easier to blame the woman,&quot; she said.

&quot;When you find yourself in this situation, you have nowhere to go.&quot;

Rusova's story is typical in Russia, where sexual harassment is seen as a joke rather than a problem, even as the #MeToo movement sweeps across western countries

Sofia Rusova was a young political journalist in a provincial Russian city when a lawmaker pursued her with sexual text messages, staked her out and even assaulted her near her apartment. "I was in shock and for some time I couldn't walk the streets alone," she says. But she knew from prior experience that police would not react and most of her colleagues did not take the situation seriously. "Some people who heard my story saw it as a funny adventure and told me I should be happy to be an object of such interest," she says. In the end, she asked her father to confront the lawmaker and the pressure subsided. Rusova's story is typical in Russia, where sexual harassment is seen as a joke rather than a problem, even as the #MeToo movement sweeps across western countries. In an unprecedented recent case, three women publicly accused senior lawmaker Leonid Slutsky of kissing and groping them. They were accused of undermining his career for political reasons and being anti-Russian. "You tried to force kisses on me, to touch me, you were rude and pushy," one of the women, Daria Zhuk, said in a video appeal to Slutsky last week. "You still deny it?" "Are you not ashamed to be working in parliament and stoop to such low behaviour?" said Zhuk, who works as a producer for independent Dozhd channel and said the incident occurred when Slutsky came to the studio for an interview. Zhuk and two female reporters first made the allegations against Slutsky anonymously in February. He labelled them a political attack ordered by his enemies and even said the scandal "boosted my gravitas rather than took it away." "Attempts to make Slutsky into a Russian Harvey Weinstein look like a cheap and crude provocation... and are bound to fail," he wrote on his Facebook page. He proceeded to joke with his colleagues in the comments about dividing up female journalists, as another MP suggested he could also "take a couple". "We'll discuss," Slutsky replied. Fellow lawmaker Anton Morozov went as far as to say the women were actors in a conspiracy. "Perhaps Russian journalists received an order from the West to compromise him," he told Meduza news website. Most female members of the Duma also lashed out at Slutsky's accusers. Oksana Pushkina, the only lawmaker who stepped up in the journalists' defence, said fellow female lawmakers warned her that attempting to fight sexual harassment would harm Russia's already low birth rate. "It's a catastrophe that we speak in such terms," she told AFP. Pushkina has proposed a bill on sexual harassment that would "make men control their hands and their emotions" in the work environment, but so far she has seen no support from her colleagues. "I was told it would take me 15 years to make this law a reality," she said. Women's rights were in theory at the centre of the early Soviet project and International Women's Day, March 8, remains a public holiday in Russia. But in reality the main change to most women's lives in the USSR was that they were expected to have a job as well as run a home. In recent years those rights have suffered additional blows as the government extols conservative views on gender roles and labels feminism a hostile Western trend. Punishment for domestic abuse was softened last year, for example, with most abusers now only paying a fine and facing no time in custody. Even cases of rape rarely make it to trial, said Pushkina. "Sexual harassment cases all fall apart at the stage of a complaint." President Vladimir Putin, who has led the country for almost two decades, is certainly no feminist. In 2006 he appeared to praise the sexual stamina of Israel ex-president Moshe Katsav who was subsequently forced to resign over rape accusations. "What a powerful guy he turned out to be! Raped ten women! I didn't expect that, he surprised us all! We all envy him!" Putin was quoted as saying at the time by Kommersant newspaper. "Chances are, nothing will happen to Slutsky and he will keep his mandate," said Alyona Popova, who heads feminist association The W Project. Rusova was also pessimistic. "People will take the side of the person of authority, because our society is such that it is easier to blame the woman," she said. "When you find yourself in this situation, you have nowhere to go."

Lawmakers mock Russia's #Metoo campaigner

Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the Motion Picture Academy&rsquo;s 90th annual awards ceremony will be the pinnacle and culmination of the awards season.&nbsp;The Shape of Water&nbsp;leads this year&rsquo;s nominations with 13, followed by&nbsp;Dunkirk with eight and&nbsp;Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri&nbsp;with seven.&nbsp;

Here is the complete list of Oscar nominees:&nbsp;

Best Picture

Call Me By Your Name 
Darkest Hour 
Dunkirk 
Get Out 
Lady Bird 
Phantom Thread 
The Post 
The Shape of Water 
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Director 
Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk 
Jordan Peele, Get Out 
Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird 
Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread 
Guillermo del Toro, Shape of Water

Actor in a Leading Role 
Timoth&eacute;e Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name 
Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread 
Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out 
Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour 
Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq.

Actress in a Leading Role 
Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water 
Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 
Margot Robbie, I, Tonya 
Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird 
Meryl Streep, The Post

Actress in a Supporting Role 
Mary J. Blige, Mudbound 
Allison Janney, I, Tonya 
Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird 
Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread 
Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water

Actor in a Supporting Role 
Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project 
Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri 
Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water 
Christopher Plummer, All the Money in the World 
Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

 
Adapted Screenplay 
James Ivory, Call Me by Your Name 
Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, The Disaster Artist 
Scott Frank, James Mangold, and Michael Green, Logan 
Aaron Sorkin, Molly&rsquo;s Game 
Virgil Williams and Dee Rees, Mudbound

Original Screenplay 
Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick 
Jordan Peele, Get Out 
Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird 
Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor, The Shape of Water 
Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Animated Feature Film 
The Boss Baby 
The Breadwinner 
Coco 
Ferdinand 
Loving Vincent

Foreign Language Film 
A Fantastic Woman (Chile) 
The Insult (Lebanon) 
Loveless (Russia) 
Body and Soul (Hungary) 
The Square (Sweden)

Documentary Feature 
Abacus: Small Enough to Jail 
Faces Places 
Icarus 
Last Men in Aleppo 
Strong Island

Cinematography 
Roger A. Deakins, Blade Runner: 2049 
Bruno Delbonnel, Darkest Hour 
Hoyte van Hoytema, Dunkirk 
Rachel Morrison, Mudbound 
Dan Laustsen, The Shape of Water

Film Editing 
Paul Machliss and Jonathan Amos, Baby Driver 
Lee Smith, Dunkirk 
Tatiana S. Riegel, I, Tonya 
Sidney Wolinsky, The Shape of Water 
Jon Gregory, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

 
Production Design 
Beauty and the Beast (Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer) 
Blade Runner: 2049 (Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Alessandra Querzola) 
Darkest Hour (Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer) 
Dunkirk (Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis) 
The Shape of Water (Production Design: Paul Denham Austerberry; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau and Jeff Melvin)

 
Costume Design

Jacqueline Durran, Beauty and the Beast 
Jacqueline Durran, Darkest Hour 
Mark Bridges, Phantom Thread 
Luis Sequeira, The Shape of Water 
Consolota Boyle, Victoria &amp; Abdul

 
Makeup and Hairstyling 
Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski, and Lucy Sibbick, Darkest Hour 
Daniel Phillips and Lou Sheppard, Victoria &amp; Abdul 
Arjen Tuiten, Wonder

 
Original Score 
Hans Zimmer, Dunkirk 
Jonny Greenwood, Phantom Thread 
Alexandre Desplat, The Shape of Water 
John Williams, Star Wars: The Last Jedi 
Carter Burwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

 
Original Song 
&ldquo;Mighty River,&rdquo; Mudbound 
&ldquo;Mystery of Love,&rdquo; Call Me by Your Name 
&ldquo;Remember Me,&rdquo; Coco 
&ldquo;Stand Up for Something,&rdquo; Marshall 
&ldquo;This Is Me,&rdquo; The Greatest Showman

 
Sound Editing 
Julian Slater, Baby Driver 
Mark Mangini and Theo Green, Blade Runner 2049 
Richard King and Alex Gibson, Dunkirk 
Nathan Robitaille and Nelson Ferreira, The Shape of Water 
Matthew Wood and Ren Klyce, Star Wars: The Last Jedi

 
Sound Mixing 
Julian Slater, Tim Cavagin, and Mary H. Ellis, Baby Driver 
Ron Bartlett, Dough Hemphill, and Mac Ruth, Blade Runner 2049 
Mark Weingarten, Gregg Landarker, and Gary A. Rizzo, Dunkirk 
Christian Cooke, Brad Zoern, and Glen Gauthier, The Shape of Water 
David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce, and Stuart Wilson, Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Visual Effects 
Blade Runner 2049 (John Nelson, Gerd Nefzer, Paul Lambert, and Richard R. Hoover) 
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Jonathan Fawkner, and Dan Sudick) 
Kong: Skull Island (Stephen Rosenbaum, Jeff White, Scott Benza, and Mike Meinardus) 
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Ben Morris, Mike Mulholland, Neal Scanlan, and Chris Corbould) 
War for the Planet of the Apes (Joe Letteri, Daniel Barrett, Dan Lemmon, and Joel Whist)

 
Animated Short Film 
Dear Basketball 
Garden Party 
Lou 
Negative Space 
Revolting Rhymes

 
Live Action Short Film 
DeKalb Elementary 
The Eleven O&rsquo;Clock 
My Nephew Emmett 
The Silent Child 
Watu Wote: All of Us

 
Documentary Short Subject 
Edith and Eddie 
Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405 
Heroin(e) 
Knife Skills 
Traffic Stop

The academy already made some historic choices with this year’s crop of nominees

Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, the Motion Picture Academy’s 90th annual awards ceremony will be the pinnacle and culmination of the awards season. The Shape of Water leads this year’s nominations with 13, followed by Dunkirk with eight and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri with seven. Here is the complete list of Oscar nominees: Best Picture Call Me By Your Name Darkest Hour Dunkirk Get Out Lady Bird Phantom Thread The Post The Shape of Water Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Director Christopher Nolan, Dunkirk Jordan Peele, Get Out Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird Paul Thomas Anderson, Phantom Thread Guillermo del Toro, Shape of Water Actor in a Leading Role Timothée Chalamet, Call Me by Your Name Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour Denzel Washington, Roman J. Israel, Esq. Actress in a Leading Role Sally Hawkins, The Shape of Water Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Margot Robbie, I, Tonya Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird Meryl Streep, The Post Actress in a Supporting Role Mary J. Blige, Mudbound Allison Janney, I, Tonya Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water Actor in a Supporting Role Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Richard Jenkins, The Shape of Water Christopher Plummer, All the Money in the World Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Adapted Screenplay James Ivory, Call Me by Your Name Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, The Disaster Artist Scott Frank, James Mangold, and Michael Green, Logan Aaron Sorkin, Molly’s Game Virgil Williams and Dee Rees, Mudbound Original Screenplay Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, The Big Sick Jordan Peele, Get Out Greta Gerwig, Lady Bird Guillermo del Toro and Vanessa Taylor, The Shape of Water Martin McDonagh, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Animated Feature Film The Boss Baby The Breadwinner Coco Ferdinand Loving Vincent Foreign Language Film A Fantastic Woman (Chile) The Insult (Lebanon) Loveless (Russia) Body and Soul (Hungary) The Square (Sweden) Documentary Feature Abacus: Small Enough to Jail Faces Places Icarus Last Men in Aleppo Strong Island Cinematography Roger A. Deakins, Blade Runner: 2049 Bruno Delbonnel, Darkest Hour Hoyte van Hoytema, Dunkirk Rachel Morrison, Mudbound Dan Laustsen, The Shape of Water Film Editing Paul Machliss and Jonathan Amos, Baby Driver Lee Smith, Dunkirk Tatiana S. Riegel, I, Tonya Sidney Wolinsky, The Shape of Water Jon Gregory, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Production Design Beauty and the Beast (Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer) Blade Runner: 2049 (Production Design: Dennis Gassner; Set Decoration: Alessandra Querzola) Darkest Hour (Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer) Dunkirk (Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Gary Fettis) The Shape of Water (Production Design: Paul Denham Austerberry; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau and Jeff Melvin) Costume Design Jacqueline Durran, Beauty and the Beast Jacqueline Durran, Darkest Hour Mark Bridges, Phantom Thread Luis Sequeira, The Shape of Water Consolota Boyle, Victoria & Abdul Makeup and Hairstyling Kazuhiro Tsuji, David Malinowski, and Lucy Sibbick, Darkest Hour Daniel Phillips and Lou Sheppard, Victoria & Abdul Arjen Tuiten, Wonder Original Score Hans Zimmer, Dunkirk Jonny Greenwood, Phantom Thread Alexandre Desplat, The Shape of Water John Williams, Star Wars: The Last Jedi Carter Burwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri Original Song “Mighty River,” Mudbound “Mystery of Love,” Call Me by Your Name “Remember Me,” Coco “Stand Up for Something,” Marshall “This Is Me,” The Greatest Showman Sound Editing Julian Slater, Baby Driver Mark Mangini and Theo Green, Blade Runner 2049 Richard King and Alex Gibson, Dunkirk Nathan Robitaille and Nelson Ferreira, The Shape of Water Matthew Wood and Ren Klyce, Star Wars: The Last Jedi Sound Mixing Julian Slater, Tim Cavagin, and Mary H. Ellis, Baby Driver Ron Bartlett, Dough Hemphill, and Mac Ruth, Blade Runner 2049 Mark Weingarten, Gregg Landarker, and Gary A. Rizzo, Dunkirk Christian Cooke, Brad Zoern, and Glen Gauthier, The Shape of Water David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce, and Stuart Wilson, Star Wars: The Last Jedi Visual Effects Blade Runner 2049 (John Nelson, Gerd Nefzer, Paul Lambert, and Richard R. Hoover) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (Christopher Townsend, Guy Williams, Jonathan Fawkner, and Dan Sudick) Kong: Skull Island (Stephen Rosenbaum, Jeff White, Scott Benza, and Mike Meinardus) Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Ben Morris, Mike Mulholland, Neal Scanlan, and Chris Corbould) War for the Planet of the Apes (Joe Letteri, Daniel Barrett, Dan Lemmon, and Joel Whist) Animated Short Film Dear Basketball Garden Party Lou Negative Space Revolting Rhymes Live Action Short Film DeKalb Elementary The Eleven O’Clock My Nephew Emmett The Silent Child Watu Wote: All of Us Documentary Short Subject Edith and Eddie Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405 Heroin(e) Knife Skills Traffic Stop

Oscars 2018: The complete list of nominees

Hollywood is set for a real-life cliffhanger Sunday at the Oscars -- the race for best picture is coming down to the wire to cap an awards season overshadowed by scandal over sexual misconduct in showbiz.

Dark crime comedy &quot;Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri&quot; has begun to pull away in late betting for the industry&#39;s biggest prize, but Oscarologists believe fairy tale romance &quot;The Shape of Water&quot; and socially-conscious horror movie &quot;Get Out&quot; will make it a photo finish.&nbsp;

&quot;I don&#39;t remember a year with so much uncertainty. There are at least four strong possibilities to win,&quot; Variety&#39;s awards editor Tim Gray said, adding Christopher Nolan&#39;s sweeping war epic &quot;Dunkirk&quot; to the mix.

&quot;I&#39;m guessing that &#39;The Shape of Water&#39; will win, but that&#39;s just a guess.&quot;&nbsp;

The 90th Academy Awards -- hosted for the second straight year by late night funnyman Jimmy Kimmel -- will be beamed live around the world by ABC from Hollywood&#39;s Dolby Theatre.

The show caps a difficult few months during which the industry has declared war on the pervasive culture of sexual impropriety unearthed by the downfall of movie mogul and alleged serial sex attacker Harvey Weinstein.

With the #MeToo and Time&#39;s Up campaigns against sexual misconduct and gender inequality dominating the 2018 awards circuit, this year&#39;s Oscars gala is seen as an opportunity for Tinseltown to support female filmmaking.

Greta Gerwig is only the fifth woman in Oscars history to be nominated for best director, but faces tough competition from Guillermo Del Toro, the runaway favorite for &quot;The Shape of Water.&quot;

There was also the first nod in history for a female cinematographer, Rachel Morrison, who shot Dee Rees&#39;s racial drama &quot;Mudbound.&quot;

Avoiding another flub

The Time&#39;s Up initiative is not planning a coordinated protest on Sunday -- like the striking red carpet &quot;blackout&quot; at the Golden Globes.

But leaders of the movement told journalists there would be &quot;a moment that&#39;s been carved out&quot; during the ceremony.

&quot;It&#39;s really important that you know that Time&#39;s Up is not about the red carpet,&quot; said powerhouse Hollywood producer Shonda Rhimes (&quot;Grey&#39;s Anatomy,&quot; &quot;Scandal&quot;).

&quot;And those women you saw on the red carpet representing Time&#39;s Up are now off the red carpet working their butts off being activists.&quot;

In another nod to the women&#39;s movements, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has tapped past winners Jennifer Lawrence and Jodie Foster to present the best actress Oscar, according to Variety.

Traditionally, the previous year&#39;s best actor winner would present that statuette, but Casey Affleck, who triumphed in 2017 for &quot;Manchester by the Sea,&quot; withdrew under a cloud of sexual harassment accusations he denies.

One political statement on the red carpet may come in bright orange -- some A-listers will reportedly wear orange US flag pins in a call for tougher gun control.

Organizers are looking to rebound after last year&#39;s flubbed announcement by Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway of the best picture winner -- the trophy was initially given to &quot;La La Land,&quot; when the actual winner was &quot;Moonlight.&quot;

In a surprise turn of events, Beatty and Dunaway have been tapped to present the same prize this time around, according to The Hollywood Reporter, although the Academy did not respond to AFP&#39;s request for confirmation.&nbsp;

McDormand, Oldman in pole position

&quot;The Shape of Water,&quot; a Cold War-set story of love between a mute cleaning woman and a mystery merman-like creature, tops the nominations with 13, although observers expect the spoils to be fairly evenly spread.&nbsp;

&quot;Dunkirk&quot; heads into Sunday&#39;s gala in second place with eight nods, while &quot;Three Billboards&quot; picked up seven.

Frances McDormand (&quot;Three Billboards&quot;) and British veteran Gary Oldman (&quot;Darkest Hour&quot;), who have dominated the awards season, are expected to bag the lead acting statuettes.

Disney-Pixar&#39;s &quot;Coco&quot; seems a near-sure bet to pick up the award for best animated film.

And &quot;A Fantastic Woman&quot; -- a love story from Chilean director Sebastian Lelio with a much-praised star turn from transgender actress Daniela Vega -- is tipped to win best foreign-language film honors.&nbsp;

The intermittent weekend rain is expected to taper off in time for Sunday&#39;s ceremony, but temperatures will be a bit cool as around 3,400 guests descend on Hollywood Boulevard.

The race for best picture is coming down to the wire to cap an awards season overshadowed by scandal over sexual misconduct in showbiz

Hollywood is set for a real-life cliffhanger Sunday at the Oscars -- the race for best picture is coming down to the wire to cap an awards season overshadowed by scandal over sexual misconduct in showbiz. Dark crime comedy "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" has begun to pull away in late betting for the industry's biggest prize, but Oscarologists believe fairy tale romance "The Shape of Water" and socially-conscious horror movie "Get Out" will make it a photo finish. "I don't remember a year with so much uncertainty. There are at least four strong possibilities to win," Variety's awards editor Tim Gray said, adding Christopher Nolan's sweeping war epic "Dunkirk" to the mix. "I'm guessing that 'The Shape of Water' will win, but that's just a guess." The 90th Academy Awards -- hosted for the second straight year by late night funnyman Jimmy Kimmel -- will be beamed live around the world by ABC from Hollywood's Dolby Theatre. The show caps a difficult few months during which the industry has declared war on the pervasive culture of sexual impropriety unearthed by the downfall of movie mogul and alleged serial sex attacker Harvey Weinstein. With the #MeToo and Time's Up campaigns against sexual misconduct and gender inequality dominating the 2018 awards circuit, this year's Oscars gala is seen as an opportunity for Tinseltown to support female filmmaking. Greta Gerwig is only the fifth woman in Oscars history to be nominated for best director, but faces tough competition from Guillermo Del Toro, the runaway favorite for "The Shape of Water." There was also the first nod in history for a female cinematographer, Rachel Morrison, who shot Dee Rees's racial drama "Mudbound." Avoiding another flub The Time's Up initiative is not planning a coordinated protest on Sunday -- like the striking red carpet "blackout" at the Golden Globes. But leaders of the movement told journalists there would be "a moment that's been carved out" during the ceremony. "It's really important that you know that Time's Up is not about the red carpet," said powerhouse Hollywood producer Shonda Rhimes ("Grey's Anatomy," "Scandal"). "And those women you saw on the red carpet representing Time's Up are now off the red carpet working their butts off being activists." In another nod to the women's movements, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has tapped past winners Jennifer Lawrence and Jodie Foster to present the best actress Oscar, according to Variety. Traditionally, the previous year's best actor winner would present that statuette, but Casey Affleck, who triumphed in 2017 for "Manchester by the Sea," withdrew under a cloud of sexual harassment accusations he denies. One political statement on the red carpet may come in bright orange -- some A-listers will reportedly wear orange US flag pins in a call for tougher gun control. Organizers are looking to rebound after last year's flubbed announcement by Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway of the best picture winner -- the trophy was initially given to "La La Land," when the actual winner was "Moonlight." In a surprise turn of events, Beatty and Dunaway have been tapped to present the same prize this time around, according to The Hollywood Reporter, although the Academy did not respond to AFP's request for confirmation. McDormand, Oldman in pole position "The Shape of Water," a Cold War-set story of love between a mute cleaning woman and a mystery merman-like creature, tops the nominations with 13, although observers expect the spoils to be fairly evenly spread. "Dunkirk" heads into Sunday's gala in second place with eight nods, while "Three Billboards" picked up seven. Frances McDormand ("Three Billboards") and British veteran Gary Oldman ("Darkest Hour"), who have dominated the awards season, are expected to bag the lead acting statuettes. Disney-Pixar's "Coco" seems a near-sure bet to pick up the award for best animated film. And "A Fantastic Woman" -- a love story from Chilean director Sebastian Lelio with a much-praised star turn from transgender actress Daniela Vega -- is tipped to win best foreign-language film honors. The intermittent weekend rain is expected to taper off in time for Sunday's ceremony, but temperatures will be a bit cool as around 3,400 guests descend on Hollywood Boulevard.

Hollywood braced for best picture photo finish at Oscars

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/questions-mount-over-sex-assault-probe-into-top-un-official-32887" target="_blank">#MeToo </a>movement which recently <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-to-join-hollywood-metoo-march-against-sexual-abuse-24049" target="_blank">gained momentum worldwide</a> has now finally reached South Korea.

An app released in the country has helped the people to shed light on instances of<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/ogilvy-boss-draws-flake-for-claiming-sexual-harassment-at-workplace-part-of-growing-up-22672" target="_blank"> sexual harassment in their workplace</a>.&nbsp;

The &quot;Blind&quot; chat App helps South Koreans to anonymously talk about instances of their misbehaving bosses and colleagues, helping stir the #MeToo movement in the country.&nbsp;

The app has added a new feature, a message board dedicated to a rising number of #MeToo stories. It helps the people to talk more freely about the harassments at the office.&nbsp;

The addition in the app came after a recent wave of complaints about misconduct in the workplace. Moreover, a complaint made by a South Korean public prosecutor in January had the utmost effect in escalating the number of MeToo complaints.&nbsp;

The co-founder of the app said that the prosecutor&#39;s disclosing the matter in public has put fresh momentum in the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-metoo-on-ramp-models-as-angels-men-as-pigs-at-new-york-fashion-week-32558" target="_blank"> #MeToo movement</a> in South Korea.&nbsp;

South Korea is usually not a favorable place for responding to sexual harassment complaints by employees.&nbsp;

Initially, the #MeToo movement could not gain much momentum in South Korea because of the corporate culture in the country restricting employees to share sexual harassment stories due to fear of vengeance.&nbsp;

According to a survey conducted by consulting firm EY, about 61 per cent of South Korean&nbsp;respondents working at private companies said they would bypass in-house whistleblower hotlines, saying they didn&#39;t trust their organisation to keep complaints confidential.

With over a million users, the launch of the &quot;Blind&quot; app has entertained over 1600 posts relating to sexual harassment at workplace.&nbsp;

It also ensures that it encodes personal data and information to protect users&#39; privacy.

(With input from agency)&nbsp;

The 'Blind' chat App helps South Koreans to anonymously talk about instances of their misbehaving bosses and colleagues, helping stir the #MeToo movement in the country

The #MeToo movement which recently gained momentum worldwide has now finally reached South Korea. An app released in the country has helped the people to shed light on instances of sexual harassment in their workplace. The "Blind" chat App helps South Koreans to anonymously talk about instances of their misbehaving bosses and colleagues, helping stir the #MeToo movement in the country. The app has added a new feature, a message board dedicated to a rising number of #MeToo stories. It helps the people to talk more freely about the harassments at the office. The addition in the app came after a recent wave of complaints about misconduct in the workplace. Moreover, a complaint made by a South Korean public prosecutor in January had the utmost effect in escalating the number of MeToo complaints. The co-founder of the app said that the prosecutor's disclosing the matter in public has put fresh momentum in the #MeToo movement in South Korea. South Korea is usually not a favorable place for responding to sexual harassment complaints by employees. Initially, the #MeToo movement could not gain much momentum in South Korea because of the corporate culture in the country restricting employees to share sexual harassment stories due to fear of vengeance. According to a survey conducted by consulting firm EY, about 61 per cent of South Korean respondents working at private companies said they would bypass in-house whistleblower hotlines, saying they didn't trust their organisation to keep complaints confidential. With over a million users, the launch of the "Blind" app has entertained over 1600 posts relating to sexual harassment at workplace. It also ensures that it encodes personal data and information to protect users' privacy. (With input from agency)

#MeToo: South Korea speaks out about sexual harassment on 'Blind' App

In the wake of women sharing personal sexual abuse and harassment stories as part of the ongoing #MeToo campaign, &#39;Sports Illustrated&#39;&nbsp;magazine has come out with its first-ever nude photo series honouring the movement.&nbsp;

The photo series is called &quot;In Her Own Words&quot; and features models including&nbsp;Sailor Brinkley Cook, Robyn Lawley and Paulina Porizkova. The models can be seen posing nude with various words written across their bodies in black marker.&nbsp;

The magazine as part of a preview of the issue shared some photos of the models on its official Instagram page.&nbsp;The models can be seen posing in different positions -- with the phrases, they chose to endorse. Model&nbsp;Robyn Lawley opted for the words &ldquo;Mother&rdquo; and &ldquo;Nurturer,&rdquo; among others, while Sailor Brinkley Cook chose &ldquo;Artist&rdquo; and Paulina Porizkova got &ldquo;Truth&quot; written.&nbsp;

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Be5owJelAOG/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">IN HER OWN WORDS: #SISwim models celebrate more than just their bodies in candid, new project. (????: @taylorbphoto)</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/si_swimsuit/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Sports Illustrated Swimsuit</a> (@si_swimsuit) on <time datetime="2018-02-07T15:30:53+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Feb 7, 2018 at 7:30am PST</time>
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In the issue,&nbsp;Porizkova said,&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s even more naked than naked. I wanted to say that I&rsquo;m not ashamed of my body and you shouldn&rsquo;t be ashamed of your body, no matter what age you are.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;We all want to live according to our own truths. We want to be true to ourselves so truth is what matters more than anything.&rdquo;

Cook,&nbsp;daughter of former SI Swimsuit model Christie Brinkley, said of her experience:&nbsp;&ldquo;It was really special to be a part of this and get to express myself in a very raw, uncensored way.&nbsp;Having these words written all over your naked body and having that next level of exposure &mdash; I felt sexy obviously but I felt more emotional and it helped me accept myself.&rdquo;

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Be5ytkflQZx/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Here&#39;s a sneak peek at this year&#39;s one-of-a-kind IN HER OWN WORDS project. ✨We can&#39;t wait to show you the rest when #SISwim 2018 launches next week! @sailorbrinkleycook @robynlawley @paulinaporizkov</a>

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The magazine declared that the shoot was entirely concluded by an all-female crew. The shoot was done by photographer&nbsp;Taylor Ballantyne.&nbsp;

It is subject to television special airing on&nbsp;Sports Illustrated TV next week, coinciding with the release of the issue.&nbsp;

The Swimsuit Issue will retain its usual styling sparsed with&nbsp;photo shoots featuring women on beaches modelling the latest swimwear fashion.

The 2018 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition goes on sale Tuesday, February 13.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The issue features models like Sailor Brinkley Cook, Robyn Lawley and Paulina Porizkova posing nude

In the wake of women sharing personal sexual abuse and harassment stories as part of the ongoing #MeToo campaign, 'Sports Illustrated' magazine has come out with its first-ever nude photo series honouring the movement. The photo series is called "In Her Own Words" and features models including Sailor Brinkley Cook, Robyn Lawley and Paulina Porizkova. The models can be seen posing nude with various words written across their bodies in black marker. The magazine as part of a preview of the issue shared some photos of the models on its official Instagram page. The models can be seen posing in different positions -- with the phrases, they chose to endorse. Model Robyn Lawley opted for the words “Mother” and “Nurturer,” among others, while Sailor Brinkley Cook chose “Artist” and Paulina Porizkova got “Truth" written. IN HER OWN WORDS: #SISwim models celebrate more than just their bodies in candid, new project. (????: @taylorbphoto) A post shared by Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (@si_swimsuit) on Feb 7, 2018 at 7:30am PST × In the issue, Porizkova said, “It’s even more naked than naked. I wanted to say that I’m not ashamed of my body and you shouldn’t be ashamed of your body, no matter what age you are." "We all want to live according to our own truths. We want to be true to ourselves so truth is what matters more than anything.” Cook, daughter of former SI Swimsuit model Christie Brinkley, said of her experience: “It was really special to be a part of this and get to express myself in a very raw, uncensored way. Having these words written all over your naked body and having that next level of exposure — I felt sexy obviously but I felt more emotional and it helped me accept myself.” Here's a sneak peek at this year's one-of-a-kind IN HER OWN WORDS project. ✨We can't wait to show you the rest when #SISwim 2018 launches next week! @sailorbrinkleycook @robynlawley @paulinaporizkov A post shared by Sports Illustrated Swimsuit (@si_swimsuit) on Feb 7, 2018 at 8:59am PST × The magazine declared that the shoot was entirely concluded by an all-female crew. The shoot was done by photographer Taylor Ballantyne. It is subject to television special airing on Sports Illustrated TV next week, coinciding with the release of the issue. The Swimsuit Issue will retain its usual styling sparsed with photo shoots featuring women on beaches modelling the latest swimwear fashion. The 2018 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition goes on sale Tuesday, February 13.

'Sports Illustrated' swimsuit issue honours #MeToo with first-ever nude photo series

France&#39;s environment minister Nicolas Hulot furiously fended off rumours of sexual harassment on Thursday two weeks after another member of President Emmanuel Macron&#39;s cabinet was accused of rape.

Hulot, a celebrity green activist who is one of Macron&#39;s most popular ministers, appeared close to tears in a television interview as he denied the &quot;shameful&quot; rumours.

&quot;It hurts, when it&#39;s wrongful and unfounded. Yesterday my children were in tears,&quot; the 62-year-old said, describing the situation as &quot;a nightmare&quot;.

Hulot, a TV star who has forged a three-decade career as an environmental campaigner, won swift support from the presidency.

&quot;As he has not been charged, there is no reason why he should resign,&quot; Macron&#39;s office said.

Questioned on BFMTV about accusations from &quot;the grand-daughter of a famous politician&quot; dating back to 1997, Hulot acknowledged that the woman filed a complaint in 2008 but said the case was dismissed.

&quot;I was questioned at my own request and investigators very quickly concluded that there was nothing suggesting the case should be followed up,&quot; Hulot said.

He was attempting to clear the air ahead of the publication of an investigation by a magazine that poses fresh problems for Hulot, who has faced a difficult start to life as a politician.

The Ebdo weekly, due to publish an interview with his unnamed accuser on Friday, has described her accusations of being abused at one of his homes as &quot;devastating&quot;.

Hulot also denied suggestions that a former colleague had accused him of harassment.

&quot;The answer is no,&quot; he told BFM. &quot;The worst thing is that she has already been questioned by some of your colleagues and she gave the same answer.&quot;&nbsp;

He said he had not yet considered resigning, but added: &quot;My family comes first, that&#39;s what will guide my decision.&quot;

Second minister under fire 
The rumours dogging Hulot emerged after Paris prosecutors reopened an investigation in late January into rape allegations against Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin.

A former call girl claims he pressured her into sex in 2009 in exchange for helping her clear her name in a legal dispute.

Darmanin&#39;s lawyers have accused her of a &quot;crude attempt to harm&quot; the minister&#39;s reputation and said he was suing her for slander, and other ministers have rallied around their colleague.

France, like other countries around the world, has seen an outpouring of allegations of sexual assault and harassment in the wake of the scandal engulfing Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein.

Hulot was among several figures Macron brought in from outside politics to brighten his cabinet when the centrist newcomer came to power in May.

The environmentalist has regularly been reported to be on the brink of resigning, frustrated over issues including a decision to delay France&#39;s commitment to cutting its reliance on nuclear energy to 50 percent until after 2025.

After filing a declaration of his assets in December as required by ministers, press reports highlighted how the eco-warrior owned nine motor-engined vehicles, including an SUV.&nbsp;

Nicolas Hulot, a celebrity green activist who is one of Macron's most popular ministers, appeared close to tears in a television interview as he denied the 'shameful' rumours

France's environment minister Nicolas Hulot furiously fended off rumours of sexual harassment on Thursday two weeks after another member of President Emmanuel Macron's cabinet was accused of rape. Hulot, a celebrity green activist who is one of Macron's most popular ministers, appeared close to tears in a television interview as he denied the "shameful" rumours. "It hurts, when it's wrongful and unfounded. Yesterday my children were in tears," the 62-year-old said, describing the situation as "a nightmare". Hulot, a TV star who has forged a three-decade career as an environmental campaigner, won swift support from the presidency. "As he has not been charged, there is no reason why he should resign," Macron's office said. Questioned on BFMTV about accusations from "the grand-daughter of a famous politician" dating back to 1997, Hulot acknowledged that the woman filed a complaint in 2008 but said the case was dismissed. "I was questioned at my own request and investigators very quickly concluded that there was nothing suggesting the case should be followed up," Hulot said. He was attempting to clear the air ahead of the publication of an investigation by a magazine that poses fresh problems for Hulot, who has faced a difficult start to life as a politician. The Ebdo weekly, due to publish an interview with his unnamed accuser on Friday, has described her accusations of being abused at one of his homes as "devastating". Hulot also denied suggestions that a former colleague had accused him of harassment. "The answer is no," he told BFM. "The worst thing is that she has already been questioned by some of your colleagues and she gave the same answer." He said he had not yet considered resigning, but added: "My family comes first, that's what will guide my decision." Second minister under fire The rumours dogging Hulot emerged after Paris prosecutors reopened an investigation in late January into rape allegations against Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin. A former call girl claims he pressured her into sex in 2009 in exchange for helping her clear her name in a legal dispute. Darmanin's lawyers have accused her of a "crude attempt to harm" the minister's reputation and said he was suing her for slander, and other ministers have rallied around their colleague. France, like other countries around the world, has seen an outpouring of allegations of sexual assault and harassment in the wake of the scandal engulfing Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. Hulot was among several figures Macron brought in from outside politics to brighten his cabinet when the centrist newcomer came to power in May. The environmentalist has regularly been reported to be on the brink of resigning, frustrated over issues including a decision to delay France's commitment to cutting its reliance on nuclear energy to 50 percent until after 2025. After filing a declaration of his assets in December as required by ministers, press reports highlighted how the eco-warrior owned nine motor-engined vehicles, including an SUV.

Popular French minister denies sex harassment rumours

Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan has been charged with rape, a judicial source said, following claims by two women that he assaulted them in French hotel rooms in 2009 and 2012.

Ramadan, who was arrested by French police on Wednesday, was charged on Friday with connected charges of rape and rape of a vulnerable person, the source said.

The accused is a Swiss citizen whose grandfather founded Egypt&#39;s Muslim Brotherhood movement.

After two days of questioning by investigators, the 55-year-old Oxford professor was brought before three magistrates who have been assigned to the case, suggesting that he is facing an extensive investigation, judicial sources said.

&quot;If there are other victims in France or elsewhere, they now know that the justice system will respond to what has happened to them,&quot; said Jonas Haddad, lawyer for feminist activist Henda Ayari, the first woman to accuse Ramadan.

Women who have testified anonymously during three months of preliminary investigations might now also file rape complaints, one of the sources said.

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<h5>The claims against the prominent scholar, which emerged in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal in the United States, have divided many Muslims, with his legions of fans, as well as his lawyers, saying he is the victim of a smear campaign. But critics have long suggested that despite Ramadan&#39;s moderate tone as a familiar face on television programmes, he preaches a more radical line when addressing Muslims in Arabic</h5>
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The claims against the prominent scholar, which emerged in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal in the United States, have divided many Muslims, with his legions of fans, as well as his lawyers, saying he is the victim of a smear campaign.

But critics have long suggested that despite Ramadan&#39;s moderate tone as a familiar face on television programmes, he preaches a more radical line when addressing Muslims in Arabic.

Ramadan is the most high-profile figure to be held in France over the sexual assault and harassment claims that have rippled around the world as a result of the &quot;Me Too&quot; campaign.

The married father of four has denied the accusations from the two women.

&#39;Humiliations&#39; 
The first was made by Ayari, a feminist activist who previously practised a conservative strain of Islam. She had described being raped in a book published in 2016, without naming her attacker.

But in October, she said she had decided to name Ramadan publicly as the alleged perpetrator as a result of the &quot;Me Too&quot; campaign, using the French hashtag &quot;Balance Ton Porc&quot; (Expose your pig).

She said Ramadan raped her in his hotel room, telling Le Parisien newspaper: &quot;He choked me so hard that I thought I was going to die.&quot;

She lodged a rape complaint against Ramadan on October 20.

Several days later an unidentified disabled woman, a Muslim convert, also accused the academic of raping her in a hotel room in the southeastern city of Lyon in 2009.

Vanity Fair magazine, which met the woman, said her lawsuit against Ramadan described &quot;blows to the face and body, forced sodomy, rape with an object and various humiliations, including being dragged by the hair to the bathtub and urinated on&quot;.

During three hours of testimony in Paris on Thursday, the woman -- using the pseudonym &quot;Christelle&quot; -- recounted her allegations to the judge in Ramadan&#39;s presence.

She also revealed that Ramadan had a small scar on his groin that would not have been noticed except in the case of close contact, a source said.

Rejecting her testimony, the scholar refused to sign the official summary of the account, sources close to the case said.

&quot;Both sides maintained their positions,&quot; one of the sources said.

&#39;Campaign of lies&#39; 
During three months of investigations since the allegations emerged, police have interviewed dozens of people close to both Ramadan and the two women, and examined email and social media exchanges between them.

In November, Oxford University said Ramadan was taking a leave of absence from his post as professor of contemporary Islamic studies, &quot;by mutual agreement&quot;.

He has also denied allegations in Swiss media of sexual misconduct against teenage girls in the 1980s and 1990s, denouncing them as &quot;a campaign of lies launched by my adversaries&quot;.

Lawyers for Ramadan have accused Ayari of slander and suggested the women colluded to try to disgrace him.&nbsp;

As part of his defence, he has presented investigators with Facebook conversations in which a woman identified as Ayari allegedly made explicit advances towards him in 2014, two years after the alleged rape.

The accusations have sparked heated online debate between supporters of Ramadan, who commands a following of more than two million fans on Facebook, and his opponents.

Despite his leave of absence from Oxford, Ramadan continues to head the Islamic Institute for Ethical Training in France.

Ayari was placed under police protection in November after receiving death threats. 
&nbsp;

Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan has been charged with rape, a judicial source said, following claims by two women that he assaulted them in French hotel rooms in 2009 and 2012. Ramadan, who was arrested by French police on Wednesday, was charged on Friday with connected charges of rape and rape of a vulnerable person, the source said. The accused is a Swiss citizen whose grandfather founded Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood movement. After two days of questioning by investigators, the 55-year-old Oxford professor was brought before three magistrates who have been assigned to the case, suggesting that he is facing an extensive investigation, judicial sources said. "If there are other victims in France or elsewhere, they now know that the justice system will respond to what has happened to them," said Jonas Haddad, lawyer for feminist activist Henda Ayari, the first woman to accuse Ramadan. Women who have testified anonymously during three months of preliminary investigations might now also file rape complaints, one of the sources said. The claims against the prominent scholar, which emerged in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal in the United States, have divided many Muslims, with his legions of fans, as well as his lawyers, saying he is the victim of a smear campaign. But critics have long suggested that despite Ramadan's moderate tone as a familiar face on television programmes, he preaches a more radical line when addressing Muslims in Arabic × The claims against the prominent scholar, which emerged in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal in the United States, have divided many Muslims, with his legions of fans, as well as his lawyers, saying he is the victim of a smear campaign. But critics have long suggested that despite Ramadan's moderate tone as a familiar face on television programmes, he preaches a more radical line when addressing Muslims in Arabic. Ramadan is the most high-profile figure to be held in France over the sexual assault and harassment claims that have rippled around the world as a result of the "Me Too" campaign. The married father of four has denied the accusations from the two women. 'Humiliations' The first was made by Ayari, a feminist activist who previously practised a conservative strain of Islam. She had described being raped in a book published in 2016, without naming her attacker. But in October, she said she had decided to name Ramadan publicly as the alleged perpetrator as a result of the "Me Too" campaign, using the French hashtag "Balance Ton Porc" (Expose your pig). She said Ramadan raped her in his hotel room, telling Le Parisien newspaper: "He choked me so hard that I thought I was going to die." She lodged a rape complaint against Ramadan on October 20. Several days later an unidentified disabled woman, a Muslim convert, also accused the academic of raping her in a hotel room in the southeastern city of Lyon in 2009. Vanity Fair magazine, which met the woman, said her lawsuit against Ramadan described "blows to the face and body, forced sodomy, rape with an object and various humiliations, including being dragged by the hair to the bathtub and urinated on". During three hours of testimony in Paris on Thursday, the woman -- using the pseudonym "Christelle" -- recounted her allegations to the judge in Ramadan's presence. She also revealed that Ramadan had a small scar on his groin that would not have been noticed except in the case of close contact, a source said. Rejecting her testimony, the scholar refused to sign the official summary of the account, sources close to the case said. "Both sides maintained their positions," one of the sources said. 'Campaign of lies' During three months of investigations since the allegations emerged, police have interviewed dozens of people close to both Ramadan and the two women, and examined email and social media exchanges between them. In November, Oxford University said Ramadan was taking a leave of absence from his post as professor of contemporary Islamic studies, "by mutual agreement". He has also denied allegations in Swiss media of sexual misconduct against teenage girls in the 1980s and 1990s, denouncing them as "a campaign of lies launched by my adversaries". Lawyers for Ramadan have accused Ayari of slander and suggested the women colluded to try to disgrace him. As part of his defence, he has presented investigators with Facebook conversations in which a woman identified as Ayari allegedly made explicit advances towards him in 2014, two years after the alleged rape. The accusations have sparked heated online debate between supporters of Ramadan, who commands a following of more than two million fans on Facebook, and his opponents. Despite his leave of absence from Oxford, Ramadan continues to head the Islamic Institute for Ethical Training in France. Ayari was placed under police protection in November after receiving death threats.

Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan charged with rape: Legal source

As a result of the #MeToo campaign, US sexual assault hotlines are receiving a record number of calls from victims trying to reach out for help.

According to reports, the spike in calls was seen ever since the movement began in October 2017.

Reuters reported that the hotline operated by the &#39;Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network&#39;&nbsp;received a total of 209,480 calls, highest ever since the network was set-up in the year 1993.

People waited for up to three hours to talk at the National Sexual Assault Hotline, stated reports.

According to the DC Rape Crisis Center&#39;s Executive Director, Indira Henard, close to 70 people seek legal, physical or psychological help in a week. The number was around 30 to 40 a week before the campaign started.

The center also saw a spike in its donations.

The MeToo campaign became viral October 2017 onward as a hashtag started from Twitter.

The campaign started with an aim to spread awareness about the widespread prevalence of sexual harassment.

Many celebrities revealed shocking instances of sexual misconduct faced by them.

Allegations of sexual misconduct emerged against eminent Hollywood personalities like Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey.

Dozens of women accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, however, Weinstein denied the reports.

Some of the most notable personalities who shared stories of sexual violence included Jennifer Lawrence, Reese Witherspoon, Lady Gaga, Uma Thurman, Ellen DeGeneres and Ashley Judd among others.

(With inputs from Reuters)

The hotline operated by the 'Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network' received 209,480 calls in total

As a result of the #MeToo campaign, US sexual assault hotlines are receiving a record number of calls from victims trying to reach out for help. According to reports, the spike in calls was seen ever since the movement began in October 2017. Reuters reported that the hotline operated by the 'Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network' received a total of 209,480 calls, highest ever since the network was set-up in the year 1993. People waited for up to three hours to talk at the National Sexual Assault Hotline, stated reports. According to the DC Rape Crisis Center's Executive Director, Indira Henard, close to 70 people seek legal, physical or psychological help in a week. The number was around 30 to 40 a week before the campaign started. The center also saw a spike in its donations. The MeToo campaign became viral October 2017 onward as a hashtag started from Twitter. The campaign started with an aim to spread awareness about the widespread prevalence of sexual harassment. Many celebrities revealed shocking instances of sexual misconduct faced by them. Allegations of sexual misconduct emerged against eminent Hollywood personalities like Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey. Dozens of women accused Harvey Weinstein of sexual misconduct, however, Weinstein denied the reports. Some of the most notable personalities who shared stories of sexual violence included Jennifer Lawrence, Reese Witherspoon, Lady Gaga, Uma Thurman, Ellen DeGeneres and Ashley Judd among others. (With inputs from Reuters)

US Sexual assault hotlines flooded after #MeToo campaign

Victims of disgraced former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar confronted him at a sentencing hearing on Tuesday with gut-wrenching emotional accounts of the trauma and scars stemming from his sexual abuse.

Nassar, 54, has pleaded guilty to a total of 10 counts of criminal sexual conduct in two counties in Michigan and could face life in prison.

His best-known victims of sexual abuse under the guise of medical treatment were members of the Olympic gold-medal winning gymnastics team including stars such as Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney and Gabby Douglas.

But Tuesday&#39;s hearing revealed the extent of his crimes: more than 100 victims have come forward, including his onetime family babysitter and athletes in several women&#39;s sports programs at Michigan State University, where he worked.

&quot;You used my body for six years for your own sexual gratification,&quot; Kyle Stephens, Nassar&#39;s former babysitter, told a hushed Lansing, Michigan, courtroom. &quot;That is unforgivable.&quot;

Addressing the slight, bespectacled Nassar directly, Stephens said: &quot;Little girls don&#39;t stay little forever.

&quot;They grow into strong women that return to destroy your world.&quot;

Former gymnast Alexis Moore said: &quot;He betrayed my trust, took advantage of my youth and sexually abused me hundreds of times.&quot;

&quot;Are you remorseful for your actions and all the lives you have changed forever?&quot; Moore asked the former doctor in court.

Simone Biles reveals abuse

According to the Michigan Attorney General&#39;s Office, nearly 100 women and girls are expected to deliver victim impact statements at the hearing, which could last several days.

Nassar already faces 60 years in prison after being convicted of child pornography charges.

The sentencing hearing began a day after <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/i-was-sexually-abused-by-larry-nassar-says-us-gymnast-simone-biles-29660" target="_blank">Biles, the 20-year-old reigning Olympic all-around champion, revealed that she was among those sexually abused</a> by Nassar.

&quot;I too am one of the many survivors that were sexually abused by Larry Nassar,&quot; the 10-time World Championship medallist said on Twitter.

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Feelings... ???? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MeToo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MeToo</a> <a href="https://t.co/ICiu0FCa0n">pic.twitter.com/ICiu0FCa0n</a>
&mdash; Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) <a href="https://twitter.com/Simone_Biles/status/953014513837715457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Nassar&#39;s case forced the resignation last year of USA Gymnastics chief Steve Penny, who was accused of failing to quickly notify authorities about abuse allegations.

USA Gymnastics adopted a new &quot;safe sports policy&quot; in response to the Nassar scandal that requires &quot;mandatory reporting&quot; of suspicions of sexual abuse.

International Gymnastics Federation president Morinari Watanabe told AFP on Tuesday that his governing body will set up a victim support body.

&quot;The welfare and safeguarding of children and young athletes is fundamental to our sport,&quot; Watanabe said. &quot;We will not tolerate any abuse or sexual harassment in the gymnastics community.&quot;

A civil lawsuit has been filed on behalf of about 100 of Nassar&#39;s victims. Their attorney, John Manly, has said the total number could be as high as 160.

&#39;Stole my innocence&#39;

Dressed in blue prison garb, Nassar spent most of the time looking down as the women and girls spoke, occasionally holding his head in his handcuffed hands or wiping away tears.

Some victims chose to be identified and testify publicly while others spoke anonymously.

Another former gymnast, Jade Capua, said the abuse by Nassar was a &quot;life-changing experience that stole my innocence far too young.&quot;

&quot;I&#39;m really proud of you,&quot; Judge Rosemarie Aquilina told Capua after her remarks.

&quot;Your scar turned into a powerful voice,&quot; Aquilina said. &quot;Thank you for your bravery.&quot;

Olivia Cowan, who now has two daughters of her own, said she suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome and is afraid to send her children to birthday parties or sleepovers.

&quot;If you can&#39;t trust a world-renowned doctor, who in this world can you trust?&quot; Cowan said through tears.

Stephens said she believed her father&#39;s 2016 suicide was brought about in part by his one-time defence of Nassar, who had been a family friend.

&quot;You convinced my parents that I was a liar,&quot; she said.

&quot;Admittedly my father was experiencing debilitating health issues but had he not had to bear the shame and self-loathing that stemmed from his defence of Larry Nassar, I believe he would have had a fighting chance for his life,&quot; Stephens said.

Among those who testified was Donna Markham, the mother of former gymnast Chelsea Markham, who was abused by Nassar from the age of 10.

A tearful Markham said her daughter quit gymnastics when she was 13, suffered from depression and took her own life in 2009.

&nbsp;

US gymnast Simone Biles revealed she was sexually abused by former USA team doctor Larry Nassar, he is also accused of sexually assaulting more than 100 young girls including several US Olympians

Victims of disgraced former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar confronted him at a sentencing hearing on Tuesday with gut-wrenching emotional accounts of the trauma and scars stemming from his sexual abuse. Nassar, 54, has pleaded guilty to a total of 10 counts of criminal sexual conduct in two counties in Michigan and could face life in prison. His best-known victims of sexual abuse under the guise of medical treatment were members of the Olympic gold-medal winning gymnastics team including stars such as Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney and Gabby Douglas. But Tuesday's hearing revealed the extent of his crimes: more than 100 victims have come forward, including his onetime family babysitter and athletes in several women's sports programs at Michigan State University, where he worked. "You used my body for six years for your own sexual gratification," Kyle Stephens, Nassar's former babysitter, told a hushed Lansing, Michigan, courtroom. "That is unforgivable." Addressing the slight, bespectacled Nassar directly, Stephens said: "Little girls don't stay little forever. "They grow into strong women that return to destroy your world." Former gymnast Alexis Moore said: "He betrayed my trust, took advantage of my youth and sexually abused me hundreds of times." "Are you remorseful for your actions and all the lives you have changed forever?" Moore asked the former doctor in court. Simone Biles reveals abuse According to the Michigan Attorney General's Office, nearly 100 women and girls are expected to deliver victim impact statements at the hearing, which could last several days. Nassar already faces 60 years in prison after being convicted of child pornography charges. The sentencing hearing began a day after Biles, the 20-year-old reigning Olympic all-around champion, revealed that she was among those sexually abused by Nassar. "I too am one of the many survivors that were sexually abused by Larry Nassar," the 10-time World Championship medallist said on Twitter. Feelings... ???? #MeToo pic.twitter.com/ICiu0FCa0n — Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) January 15, 2018 × Nassar's case forced the resignation last year of USA Gymnastics chief Steve Penny, who was accused of failing to quickly notify authorities about abuse allegations. USA Gymnastics adopted a new "safe sports policy" in response to the Nassar scandal that requires "mandatory reporting" of suspicions of sexual abuse. International Gymnastics Federation president Morinari Watanabe told AFP on Tuesday that his governing body will set up a victim support body. "The welfare and safeguarding of children and young athletes is fundamental to our sport," Watanabe said. "We will not tolerate any abuse or sexual harassment in the gymnastics community." A civil lawsuit has been filed on behalf of about 100 of Nassar's victims. Their attorney, John Manly, has said the total number could be as high as 160. 'Stole my innocence' Dressed in blue prison garb, Nassar spent most of the time looking down as the women and girls spoke, occasionally holding his head in his handcuffed hands or wiping away tears. Some victims chose to be identified and testify publicly while others spoke anonymously. Another former gymnast, Jade Capua, said the abuse by Nassar was a "life-changing experience that stole my innocence far too young." "I'm really proud of you," Judge Rosemarie Aquilina told Capua after her remarks. "Your scar turned into a powerful voice," Aquilina said. "Thank you for your bravery." Olivia Cowan, who now has two daughters of her own, said she suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome and is afraid to send her children to birthday parties or sleepovers. "If you can't trust a world-renowned doctor, who in this world can you trust?" Cowan said through tears. Stephens said she believed her father's 2016 suicide was brought about in part by his one-time defence of Nassar, who had been a family friend. "You convinced my parents that I was a liar," she said. "Admittedly my father was experiencing debilitating health issues but had he not had to bear the shame and self-loathing that stemmed from his defence of Larry Nassar, I believe he would have had a fighting chance for his life," Stephens said. Among those who testified was Donna Markham, the mother of former gymnast Chelsea Markham, who was abused by Nassar from the age of 10. A tearful Markham said her daughter quit gymnastics when she was 13, suffered from depression and took her own life in 2009.

Abuse victims face convicted US gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar in court

US gymnast Simone Biles revealed on Monday she was sexually abused by disgraced former USA team doctor Larry Nassar, who was last month jailed for 60 years on child pornography charges.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Biles said she had wrestled with her decision to go public with her story since the scandal broke.

&quot;Most of you know me as a happy, giggly, and energetic girl,&quot; the 20-year-old reigning Olympic all-around champion wrote.&nbsp;

&quot;But lately I&#39;ve felt a bit broken and the more I try to shut off the voice in my head, the louder it screams. I am not afraid to tell my story anymore,&quot; she said.

&quot;I too am one of the many survivors that were sexually abused by Larry Nassar,&quot; the 10-time World Championship medallist added.

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Feelings... ???? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MeToo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MeToo</a> <a href="https://t.co/ICiu0FCa0n">pic.twitter.com/ICiu0FCa0n</a>
&mdash; Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) <a href="https://twitter.com/Simone_Biles/status/953014513837715457?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Nassar has been accused of sexually assaulting more than 100 young girls including several US Olympians.

Biles&#39;s teammates Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney and Gabby Douglas are among the members of USA gymnastics squads who have said they were sexually assaulted by Nassar.

The 54-year-old was sentenced to 60 years in prison in December on child pornography charges.&nbsp;

He could be jailed for life when a further sentencing hearing gets underway in Michigan this week on separate sexual assault charges to which he has pleaded guilty.

In her statement on Twitter, Biles described her torment as she attempted to grapple with the abuse she had suffered.

&nbsp;

Larry Nassar has been accused of sexually assaulting more than 100 young girls including several US Olympians

US gymnast Simone Biles revealed on Monday she was sexually abused by disgraced former USA team doctor Larry Nassar, who was last month jailed for 60 years on child pornography charges. In a statement posted on Twitter, Biles said she had wrestled with her decision to go public with her story since the scandal broke. "Most of you know me as a happy, giggly, and energetic girl," the 20-year-old reigning Olympic all-around champion wrote. "But lately I've felt a bit broken and the more I try to shut off the voice in my head, the louder it screams. I am not afraid to tell my story anymore," she said. "I too am one of the many survivors that were sexually abused by Larry Nassar," the 10-time World Championship medallist added. Feelings... ???? #MeToo pic.twitter.com/ICiu0FCa0n — Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) January 15, 2018 × Nassar has been accused of sexually assaulting more than 100 young girls including several US Olympians. Biles's teammates Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney and Gabby Douglas are among the members of USA gymnastics squads who have said they were sexually assaulted by Nassar. The 54-year-old was sentenced to 60 years in prison in December on child pornography charges. He could be jailed for life when a further sentencing hearing gets underway in Michigan this week on separate sexual assault charges to which he has pleaded guilty. In her statement on Twitter, Biles described her torment as she attempted to grapple with the abuse she had suffered.

'I was sexually abused by Larry Nassar,' says US gymnast Simone Biles

British singer and songwriter Seal slammed Oprah Winfrey on Wednesday following her inspirational speech at the Golden Globes this week, branding&nbsp;the talk show queen as&nbsp;part of &ldquo;sanctimonious Hollywood&rdquo;.

Seal posted two pictures of Winfrey with Weinstein on his Instagram on Wednesday whose caption read: Oh I forgot, that&#39;s right.....you&#39;d heard the rumours but you had no idea he was actually serially assaulting young starry-eyed actresses who in turn had no idea what they were getting into. My bad. 
#SanctimoniousHollywood.&nbsp;

Pictures from 2014 show Winfrey embracing and kissing Weinstein and the pair who were understood to be &quot;good friends&quot; and had&nbsp;a professional relationship.&nbsp;

The Kiss From A Rose singer further captioned the picture &#39;When you have been part of the problem for decades... but suddenly they all think you are the solution.&#39;

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<div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;">&nbsp;</div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bdw9Onnn7og/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Oh I forgot, that&#39;s right.....you&#39;d heard the rumours but you had no idea he was actually serially assaulting young stary-eyed actresses who in turn had no idea what they were getting into. My bad. #SanctimoniousHollywood</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/seal/" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> SEAL</a> (@seal) on <time datetime="2018-01-10T10:05:15+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Jan 10, 2018 at 2:05am PST</time>
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Although, it is unclear if Oprah actually knew of the numerous claims against Weinstein which came into the limelight in 2017.

The talk show queen had previously commented about the incident when the news broke, saying: &#39;I&rsquo;ve been processing the accounts of Harvey Weinstein&#39;s hideous behaviour and haven&rsquo;t been able to find the words to articulate the magnitude of the situation,&#39; before sharing a quote from filmmaker James Schamus.

Oprah&#39;s speech gained widespread recognition at the Golden Globes Award on Sunday where she addressed experiences of sexually abused women and the &#39;MeToo&#39; movement.

Reports say that her speech was likened to a campaign speech, which led to talks of the former talk show queen eyeing a potential presidential run in 2020.

Pictures from 2014 show Winfrey embracing and kissing Weinstein and the pair were understood to be good friends with a professional relationship

British singer and songwriter Seal slammed Oprah Winfrey on Wednesday following her inspirational speech at the Golden Globes this week, branding the talk show queen as part of “sanctimonious Hollywood”. Seal posted two pictures of Winfrey with Weinstein on his Instagram on Wednesday whose caption read: Oh I forgot, that's right.....you'd heard the rumours but you had no idea he was actually serially assaulting young starry-eyed actresses who in turn had no idea what they were getting into. My bad. #SanctimoniousHollywood. Pictures from 2014 show Winfrey embracing and kissing Weinstein and the pair who were understood to be "good friends" and had a professional relationship. The Kiss From A Rose singer further captioned the picture 'When you have been part of the problem for decades... but suddenly they all think you are the solution.' Oh I forgot, that's right.....you'd heard the rumours but you had no idea he was actually serially assaulting young stary-eyed actresses who in turn had no idea what they were getting into. My bad. #SanctimoniousHollywood A post shared by SEAL (@seal) on Jan 10, 2018 at 2:05am PST × Although, it is unclear if Oprah actually knew of the numerous claims against Weinstein which came into the limelight in 2017. The talk show queen had previously commented about the incident when the news broke, saying: 'I’ve been processing the accounts of Harvey Weinstein's hideous behaviour and haven’t been able to find the words to articulate the magnitude of the situation,' before sharing a quote from filmmaker James Schamus. Oprah's speech gained widespread recognition at the Golden Globes Award on Sunday where she addressed experiences of sexually abused women and the 'MeToo' movement. Reports say that her speech was likened to a campaign speech, which led to talks of the former talk show queen eyeing a potential presidential run in 2020.

Seal slams Oprah Winfrey for 'ignoring rumours' about Harry Weinstein

A group of active and retired US troops gathered in freezing temperatures outside the Pentagon on Monday to bring attention to sexual assault and harassment in the military.

The protest of about two dozen people, most of them women and none in uniform, comes amid an ongoing wave of revelations about sexual misconduct in the workplace that spawned the social media campaign with the #MeToo hashtag.

Sexual assault in the armed forces has long been a massive problem, with personnel reporting more than 20,000 allegations of sexual assault at military installations over the past four years.

But many victims never report incidents, so the real number is likely far higher, according to a Pentagon report that also found victims often face retaliation for coming forward.

Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has sponsored legislation that would make it easier for victims to speak out and &quot;remove the systemic fear that survivors of military sexual assault describe in deciding whether to report the crimes committed against them,&quot; her website states.

Protesters at Monday&#39;s event held placards supporting the legislation and carrying slogans such as &quot;Denial is not a policy&quot;, &quot;Stop the retaliation&quot;, and &quot;#MeTooMilitary.&quot;

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Three of our founding members spoke out today at the <a href="https://twitter.com/Servicewomen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Servicewomen</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MeTooMilitary?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MeTooMilitary</a> standdown at The Pentagon. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/StandUp?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#StandUp</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SpeakOut?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SpeakOut</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Speak?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Speak</a> up. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PassMJIA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PassMJIA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Metoo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Metoo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TIMESUP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TIMESUP</a> <a href="https://t.co/KXfcwkE8py">pic.twitter.com/KXfcwkE8py</a>
&mdash; #NotInMyMarineCorps (@NotInMyMarines) <a href="https://twitter.com/NotInMyMarines/status/950376815285211136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Pentagon spokesman Commander Gary Ross said such events underscore the Pentagon&#39;s &quot;continued efforts to eliminate sexual harassment and assault from the military.&quot;

&quot;DoD encourages greater reporting of sexual assault to connect victims with restorative care and as an important means to hold offenders appropriately accountable,&quot; he said in a statement.&nbsp;

The Defense Department &quot;understands that it has an important voice in the national conversation about sexual assault and sexual harassment; we are committed to sharing our successes and challenges in hopes that what we learn can benefit US society as a whole.&quot;

Sexual assault in the armed forces has long been a massive problem, with personnel reporting more than 20,000 allegations of sexual assault at military installations over the past four years

A group of active and retired US troops gathered in freezing temperatures outside the Pentagon on Monday to bring attention to sexual assault and harassment in the military. The protest of about two dozen people, most of them women and none in uniform, comes amid an ongoing wave of revelations about sexual misconduct in the workplace that spawned the social media campaign with the #MeToo hashtag. Sexual assault in the armed forces has long been a massive problem, with personnel reporting more than 20,000 allegations of sexual assault at military installations over the past four years. But many victims never report incidents, so the real number is likely far higher, according to a Pentagon report that also found victims often face retaliation for coming forward. Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has sponsored legislation that would make it easier for victims to speak out and "remove the systemic fear that survivors of military sexual assault describe in deciding whether to report the crimes committed against them," her website states. Protesters at Monday's event held placards supporting the legislation and carrying slogans such as "Denial is not a policy", "Stop the retaliation", and "#MeTooMilitary." Three of our founding members spoke out today at the @Servicewomen #MeTooMilitary standdown at The Pentagon. #StandUp #SpeakOut #Speak up. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! #PassMJIA #Metoo #TIMESUP pic.twitter.com/KXfcwkE8py — #NotInMyMarineCorps (@NotInMyMarines) January 8, 2018 × Pentagon spokesman Commander Gary Ross said such events underscore the Pentagon's "continued efforts to eliminate sexual harassment and assault from the military." "DoD encourages greater reporting of sexual assault to connect victims with restorative care and as an important means to hold offenders appropriately accountable," he said in a statement. The Defense Department "understands that it has an important voice in the national conversation about sexual assault and sexual harassment; we are committed to sharing our successes and challenges in hopes that what we learn can benefit US society as a whole."

US troops gather outside Pentagon in #MeTooMilitary protest

UN&nbsp;Ambassador Nikki Haley said on Sunday she believes any woman who has felt violated or mistreated by a man has every right to speak up, even if it is President Donald Trump they are accusing.

Accusations of inappropriate sexual behavior or misconduct have led to the resignations of three members of Congress this month. The growing wave of women reporting abuse or misconduct has brought down powerful men from Hollywood to Washington, from movie producer Harvey Weinstein to popular television personality Matt Lauer.

More than 10 women have accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct before he was president, and Trump, while filming a segment of the television program &quot;Access Hollywood,&quot; said he has kissed and groped women. The tape emerged during the 2016 presidential campaign.

Haley, discussing a cultural shift of women coming forward on the CBS &quot;Face the Nation&quot; program, applauded women who have come forward: &quot;I&#39;m proud of their strength. I&#39;m proud of their courage.&quot;

Asked how people should assess the accusers of the president, Haley said, it was &quot;the same thing.&quot;

&quot;Women who accuse anyone should be heard. They should be heard and they should be dealt with, and I think we heard them prior to the election,&quot; she said. &quot;I think any woman who has felt violated or felt mistreated in any way - they have every right to speak up.&quot;

Whether Trump&#39;s election settled the matter was &quot;for the people to decide,&quot; Haley said.

&quot;I know that he was elected but women should always feel comfortable coming forward and we should all be willing to listen to them.&quot;

'Women who accuse anyone should be heard. They should be heard and they should be dealt with, and I think we heard them prior to the election,' the US ambassador to the UN said

UN Ambassador Nikki Haley said on Sunday she believes any woman who has felt violated or mistreated by a man has every right to speak up, even if it is President Donald Trump they are accusing. Accusations of inappropriate sexual behavior or misconduct have led to the resignations of three members of Congress this month. The growing wave of women reporting abuse or misconduct has brought down powerful men from Hollywood to Washington, from movie producer Harvey Weinstein to popular television personality Matt Lauer. More than 10 women have accused Donald Trump of sexual misconduct before he was president, and Trump, while filming a segment of the television program "Access Hollywood," said he has kissed and groped women. The tape emerged during the 2016 presidential campaign. Haley, discussing a cultural shift of women coming forward on the CBS "Face the Nation" program, applauded women who have come forward: "I'm proud of their strength. I'm proud of their courage." Asked how people should assess the accusers of the president, Haley said, it was "the same thing." "Women who accuse anyone should be heard. They should be heard and they should be dealt with, and I think we heard them prior to the election," she said. "I think any woman who has felt violated or felt mistreated in any way - they have every right to speak up." Whether Trump's election settled the matter was "for the people to decide," Haley said. "I know that he was elected but women should always feel comfortable coming forward and we should all be willing to listen to them."

Nikki Haley: Women accusers should be heard, even if Trump is target

Democratic US&nbsp;Senator Al Franken announced his resignation from office on Thursday, bowing to pressure from party colleagues after a series of sexual misconduct allegations against him.

Franken, 66, a former comedian who had been seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party, said he would be leaving in a few weeks. Even as he did so, he denied some of the allegations against him and questioned others.

&quot;I know in my heart that nothing I&#39;ve done as a senator - nothing - has brought dishonor on this institution,&quot; Franken said. &quot;Nevertheless, today I am announcing that in the coming weeks, I will be resigning as a member of the United States Senate.&quot;

Franken, whose Senate seat will initially be filled by a Democrat appointed by Minnesota&#39;s Democratic governor, is one of several prominent American men in politics, media, and entertainment to be accused in recent months of sexual harassment and misconduct.

Allegations that he had groped and tried to kiss women without their consent began to surface three weeks ago.

After the initial accusations, Franken said he was embarrassed and ashamed by his behaviour but would not resign. Rather, he said, he would cooperate with a Senate ethics probe and work to regain the trust of the people of Minnesota.

However on Wednesday, calls for him to resign came from the majority of his Democratic colleagues in the Senate, including Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and almost all of the Democratic women in the chamber. That pressure came as a new allegation, denied by Franken, hit the news.

&quot;Some of the allegations against me are simply not true. Others I remember very differently,&quot; Franken said on Thursday.

Striking a tone of defiance, he also sought to contrast himself with two Republicans - President Donald Trump and Senate candidate Roy Moore.

&quot;I, of all people, am aware that there is some irony in the fact that I am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate, with the full support of his party,&quot; he said.

Trump was heard bragging about kissing and touching women in a 2005 videotape that surfaced last year as he was running for the White House. He apologised for the remarks, but called them private &quot;locker-room talk&quot; and said he had not done the things he talked about. Trump also denied allegations at that time by at least 12 women of sexual advances and groping in the past.

Reuters has not independently verified the accusations.

Moore, who is running for the Senate in Alabama in a special election on Tuesday, has been accused by several women of sexual assault or misconduct when they were teenagers and Moore was in his early 30s. Moore, 70, has denied the accusations, which Reuters has not independently verified.

Trump has backed Moore, but Senate Republicans have been cooler toward his candidacy.

In pressing Franken to step aside, Democrats have tried to capture the moral high ground and draw a distinction between their party and Republicans.

&quot;As he and I discussed yesterday, this is the right decision ... In every workplace in America, including the US&nbsp;Senate, we must confront the challenges of harassment and misconduct,&quot; said Amy Klobuchar, Franken&#39;s fellow Democratic senator from Minnesota.

Democrat John Conyers, the longest serving member of the US&nbsp;House of Representatives, stepped down on Tuesday after multiple accusations of sexual misconduct, the first member of Congress to leave his seat during the wave of high-profile harassment allegations. Conyers has denied the allegations against him.

Senate balance of power

For the moment, the Republicans&#39; slim majority in the Senate will not be affected as Minnesota&#39;s Democratic governor, Mark Dayton, will appoint someone to take his place, ensuring Democrats hold the seat for now.

Dayton said in a statement he would make his decision in the next couple of days.

In the longer term, Franken&#39;s departure may complicate the party&#39;s efforts to hold or build on the 46 Senate seats they currently hold. Two independent senators also vote with the Democrats.

While Republicans are defending eight seats in the midterm election in November 2018, Democrats must preserve 26, if Minnesota holds a special election for Franken&#39;s chair.

The election to fill Franken&#39;s seat could be close. When he ran in 2008, the race was decided after an extensive recount, with Minnesota&#39;s Supreme Court weighing in. In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton won the state by less than two points.

In the latest accusation against Franken, Politico reported on Wednesday that a congressional aide said Franken had tried to forcibly kiss her in 2006, before he was elected to the Senate. Franken denied the allegation, Politico reported.

Reuters has not independently verified the accusations against him.

Despite the party&#39;s calls for him to leave, several of Franken&#39;s Democratic colleagues dabbed tears from their eyes during his speech on Thursday. His family watched from the balcony.

Afterward, his Democratic colleagues lined up to embrace him, including many of the women who had called for his resignation.

Franken, 66, a former comedian who had been seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party, said he would be leaving in a few weeks. Even as he did so, he denied some of the allegations against him and questioned others

Democratic US Senator Al Franken announced his resignation from office on Thursday, bowing to pressure from party colleagues after a series of sexual misconduct allegations against him. Franken, 66, a former comedian who had been seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party, said he would be leaving in a few weeks. Even as he did so, he denied some of the allegations against him and questioned others. "I know in my heart that nothing I've done as a senator - nothing - has brought dishonor on this institution," Franken said. "Nevertheless, today I am announcing that in the coming weeks, I will be resigning as a member of the United States Senate." Franken, whose Senate seat will initially be filled by a Democrat appointed by Minnesota's Democratic governor, is one of several prominent American men in politics, media, and entertainment to be accused in recent months of sexual harassment and misconduct. Allegations that he had groped and tried to kiss women without their consent began to surface three weeks ago. After the initial accusations, Franken said he was embarrassed and ashamed by his behaviour but would not resign. Rather, he said, he would cooperate with a Senate ethics probe and work to regain the trust of the people of Minnesota. However on Wednesday, calls for him to resign came from the majority of his Democratic colleagues in the Senate, including Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and almost all of the Democratic women in the chamber. That pressure came as a new allegation, denied by Franken, hit the news. "Some of the allegations against me are simply not true. Others I remember very differently," Franken said on Thursday. Striking a tone of defiance, he also sought to contrast himself with two Republicans - President Donald Trump and Senate candidate Roy Moore. "I, of all people, am aware that there is some irony in the fact that I am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate, with the full support of his party," he said. Trump was heard bragging about kissing and touching women in a 2005 videotape that surfaced last year as he was running for the White House. He apologised for the remarks, but called them private "locker-room talk" and said he had not done the things he talked about. Trump also denied allegations at that time by at least 12 women of sexual advances and groping in the past. Reuters has not independently verified the accusations. Moore, who is running for the Senate in Alabama in a special election on Tuesday, has been accused by several women of sexual assault or misconduct when they were teenagers and Moore was in his early 30s. Moore, 70, has denied the accusations, which Reuters has not independently verified. Trump has backed Moore, but Senate Republicans have been cooler toward his candidacy. In pressing Franken to step aside, Democrats have tried to capture the moral high ground and draw a distinction between their party and Republicans. "As he and I discussed yesterday, this is the right decision ... In every workplace in America, including the US Senate, we must confront the challenges of harassment and misconduct," said Amy Klobuchar, Franken's fellow Democratic senator from Minnesota. Democrat John Conyers, the longest serving member of the US House of Representatives, stepped down on Tuesday after multiple accusations of sexual misconduct, the first member of Congress to leave his seat during the wave of high-profile harassment allegations. Conyers has denied the allegations against him. Senate balance of power For the moment, the Republicans' slim majority in the Senate will not be affected as Minnesota's Democratic governor, Mark Dayton, will appoint someone to take his place, ensuring Democrats hold the seat for now. Dayton said in a statement he would make his decision in the next couple of days. In the longer term, Franken's departure may complicate the party's efforts to hold or build on the 46 Senate seats they currently hold. Two independent senators also vote with the Democrats. While Republicans are defending eight seats in the midterm election in November 2018, Democrats must preserve 26, if Minnesota holds a special election for Franken's chair. The election to fill Franken's seat could be close. When he ran in 2008, the race was decided after an extensive recount, with Minnesota's Supreme Court weighing in. In the 2016 presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton won the state by less than two points. In the latest accusation against Franken, Politico reported on Wednesday that a congressional aide said Franken had tried to forcibly kiss her in 2006, before he was elected to the Senate. Franken denied the allegation, Politico reported. Reuters has not independently verified the accusations against him. Despite the party's calls for him to leave, several of Franken's Democratic colleagues dabbed tears from their eyes during his speech on Thursday. His family watched from the balcony. Afterward, his Democratic colleagues lined up to embrace him, including many of the women who had called for his resignation.

The Democratic US Senator Franken says he will resign over sexual misconduct allegations

The International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has announced that Kevin Spacey will not receive the Emmy award, which was scheduled to be conferred on the actor this year in wake of the sexual allegations against him by Anthony Rapp.

The institution announced on its Twitter account that it has revoked the 2017 International Emmy Founders Award that the veteran actor was up for.

&quot;The International Academy has announced that in light of recent events it will not honour Kevin Spacey with the 2017 International Emmy Founders Award,&quot; the tweet read.

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The International Academy has announced that in light of recent events it will not honor Kevin Spacey with the 2017 Intl Emmy Founders Award
&mdash; Intl Emmy Awards (@iemmys) <a href="https://twitter.com/iemmys/status/925135501216108545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2017</a></blockquote>
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In June, it was announced that the actor would be recognised for his contribution to cinema and arts surpassing barriers as &quot;one of the great multi-dimensional talents&quot; at the 45th International Emmy Awards Gala on November 20 to be held in New York City.

It was also announced that Neflix has canceled popular political drama &quot;House of Cards&quot;, with Spacey in the lead as Frank Underwood, amid sexual misconduct claims by Rapp, 46.

The &quot;Star Trek: Discovery&quot; actor had revealed in an interview that was abused by Spacey when he was 14 at a party thrown by the latter years ago.

Rapp claims after the party was over the Oscar winner picked him up and climbed on top of him in a sexual advance.

Spacey issued an apology in a statement saying that he &quot;does not remember&quot; any such encounter but he is &quot;sorry&quot; if he behaved in such a manner under the influence of alcohol.

The veteran actor also came out as gay, which earned him brickbats for trying to divert the attention from the allegations of sexual abuse.&nbsp;

The International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has announced that Kevin Spacey will not receive the Emmy award, which was scheduled to be conferred on the actor this year in wake of the sexual allegations against him by Anthony Rapp.

The International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has announced that Kevin Spacey will not receive the Emmy award, which was scheduled to be conferred on the actor this year in wake of the sexual allegations against him by Anthony Rapp. The institution announced on its Twitter account that it has revoked the 2017 International Emmy Founders Award that the veteran actor was up for. "The International Academy has announced that in light of recent events it will not honour Kevin Spacey with the 2017 International Emmy Founders Award," the tweet read. The International Academy has announced that in light of recent events it will not honor Kevin Spacey with the 2017 Intl Emmy Founders Award — Intl Emmy Awards (@iemmys) October 30, 2017 × In June, it was announced that the actor would be recognised for his contribution to cinema and arts surpassing barriers as "one of the great multi-dimensional talents" at the 45th International Emmy Awards Gala on November 20 to be held in New York City. It was also announced that Neflix has canceled popular political drama "House of Cards", with Spacey in the lead as Frank Underwood, amid sexual misconduct claims by Rapp, 46. The "Star Trek: Discovery" actor had revealed in an interview that was abused by Spacey when he was 14 at a party thrown by the latter years ago. Rapp claims after the party was over the Oscar winner picked him up and climbed on top of him in a sexual advance. Spacey issued an apology in a statement saying that he "does not remember" any such encounter but he is "sorry" if he behaved in such a manner under the influence of alcohol. The veteran actor also came out as gay, which earned him brickbats for trying to divert the attention from the allegations of sexual abuse.

International Academy rescinds Spacey's upcoming Emmy honour

Ogilvy &amp; Mather India managing partner Chandana Agarwal comments belittling the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/harvey-weinstein-resigns-from-weinstein-company-board-22580">&ldquo;Me Too&rdquo; social media campaign by claiming that certain types of sexual harassment </a>as &ldquo;part of growing up&rdquo; has drawn flak&nbsp;from Twitterati.&nbsp;

The Vagabomb reported that when the Ogilvy employee shared the status, she <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/metoo-women-across-the-world-resonate-weinsteins-accusers-22516">&ldquo;requested anonymity and feared for her safety.&rdquo;</a>

In the post, Agarwal expressed &ldquo;many issues&rdquo; with the &ldquo;Me Too&rdquo; campaign &ldquo;at many levels.&rdquo;

She went on to claim the issue should not be about things &ldquo;like someone grabbing at you or pinching you&quot;&nbsp;and that &ldquo;there are some experiences that are just part of growing up especially in India.&rdquo;

She added that &ldquo;there are some experiences that are part of growing up anywhere in the world&rdquo; and suggests that these include &ldquo;a boss/ a colleague/ a teacher trying to act fresh&rdquo; and that &ldquo;this is not about that.&rdquo;

Agarwal concludes by saying the conversation should be about more &quot;traumatic experiences of abuse&quot;&nbsp;than the ones being currently suggested and that,&ldquo;by making it so general we are being unfair&nbsp;to those who have been scarred&nbsp;with such experiences&quot;,&nbsp;ending with the hashtag, &ldquo;#notme.&rdquo;

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Ogilvy, you have a problem. &amp; her name is Chandana Agarwal. To think that somebody, &amp; a women, can get abuse &amp; harassment so wrong <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MeToo?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MeToo</a> <a href="https://t.co/T4X0zmBQWL">pic.twitter.com/T4X0zmBQWL</a>
&mdash; the zibi (@zibijamal) <a href="https://twitter.com/zibijamal/status/920703537847328769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Harnidh Kaur shared the screenshot on Facebook and explained: &ldquo;This screenshot was sent to me by a current employee who chose to stay anonymous (for obvious reasons), who very rightly pointed out that this made her feel actively unsafe at work. Calling out women who propagate a toxic ability when they have the power to change things for the better is as important as calling men out.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

In the post, Agarwal claimed the issue should not be about things ?like someone grabbing at you or pinching you and that ?there are some experiences that are just part of growing up especially in India.?

Ogilvy & Mather India managing partner Chandana Agarwal comments belittling the “Me Too” social media campaign by claiming that certain types of sexual harassment as “part of growing up” has drawn flak from Twitterati. The Vagabomb reported that when the Ogilvy employee shared the status, she “requested anonymity and feared for her safety.” In the post, Agarwal expressed “many issues” with the “Me Too” campaign “at many levels.” She went on to claim the issue should not be about things “like someone grabbing at you or pinching you" and that “there are some experiences that are just part of growing up especially in India.” She added that “there are some experiences that are part of growing up anywhere in the world” and suggests that these include “a boss/ a colleague/ a teacher trying to act fresh” and that “this is not about that.” Agarwal concludes by saying the conversation should be about more "traumatic experiences of abuse" than the ones being currently suggested and that,“by making it so general we are being unfair to those who have been scarred with such experiences", ending with the hashtag, “#notme.” Ogilvy, you have a problem. & her name is Chandana Agarwal. To think that somebody, & a women, can get abuse & harassment so wrong #MeToo pic.twitter.com/T4X0zmBQWL — the zibi (@zibijamal) October 18, 2017 × Harnidh Kaur shared the screenshot on Facebook and explained: “This screenshot was sent to me by a current employee who chose to stay anonymous (for obvious reasons), who very rightly pointed out that this made her feel actively unsafe at work. Calling out women who propagate a toxic ability when they have the power to change things for the better is as important as calling men out.”

Sexual harassment at workplace part of 'growing up', says O&M India managing partner Chandana Agarwal

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