Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

In the village of Thulasendrapuram, <keyword id="19896558" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tamil-nadu" source="keywords">Tamil Nadu</keyword>, emotions ran high as news poured in about the latest US presidential election results. Known to many as the ancestral village of <keyword id="180909" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kamala-harris" source="Orion">Kamala Harris</keyword>, the current US Vice President, this quiet community had been holding its breath, waiting to celebrate what they hoped would be another Democratic win. The villagers had planned to burst crackers and hold a special prayer ceremony at the local temple, an echo of their celebrations when Harris first ascended to the Vice Presidency. But the results weren’t what they anticipated. As projections came in, it became evident that <keyword id="19918985" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="donald-trump" source="keywords">Donald Trump</keyword>, the Republican candidate, was on track to become the 47th President of the United States. Many in Thulasendrapuram felt a wave of disappointment wash over their excitement. "It is a little disappointing for us," said one local to the media, reflecting the shared sentiment of the village. "This time we had planned to celebrate more. But we have to accept the mandate." This sentiment was echoed by Joy, a Harris supporter who had traveled from Chicago to stay in Thulasendrapuram during the election. Initially confident about a Democratic victory, Joy expressed both resignation and hope for the future. "If Donald Trump wins, I hope he is given the wisdom to lead us with unity. My hope is that he changes his ways and becomes the one who unites and not a divider," he shared, though he admitted he expected turbulence ahead. "I think our country will be in chaos for the next four years." Across the ocean, in West Palm Beach, Florida, Donald Trump was addressing a crowd of jubilant supporters, reveling in what he declared the "greatest political movement of all time." Flanked by his running mate, JD Vance, and surrounded by family members, Trump assured his supporters that he intended to use his return to office to "help our country heal." His message was one of renewed promises: "We have a country that needs help and needs help very badly. We are gonna fix our borders, we are gonna fix everything about our country." The gathering cheered as Trump shared his vision of a rejuvenated America. He spoke of making "America great again" and proclaimed that there had never been a movement like his in the nation's history. His supporters, energised and optimistic, celebrated his words and the return of a familiar political direction. Meanwhile, the Democratic campaign maintained hope, with Campaign Co-Chair Cedric Richmond reminding the public that the election was not fully over. "We still have votes to count. We still have states that have not been called yet," Richmond told supporters, indicating that Democratic leadership remained cautiously optimistic about the outcome and urging patience as the last votes were tallied. Adding to the day’s unique mix of emotions, prayers were offered for Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance in Andhra Pradesh’s Godavari district. Vance, the husband of Usha Vance from Vadluru village in Andhra Pradesh, had gathered his own wave of support, and locals held prayers in hopes of his success. (With inputs from agencies)

Celebration plans put on hold in Kamala Harris’s ancestral village in Tamil Nadu as Donald Trump nears victory

Union Finance Minister <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> highlighted India's significant progress in electrification, <keyword id="23692737" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-accessibility" source="keywords">water accessibility</keyword>, and <keyword id="20879840" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="economic-empowerment" source="keywords">economic empowerment</keyword> during a fireside chat with John J Hamre, President and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), in Washington, DC. Highlighting the progress made in <keyword id="23003732" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rural-electrification" source="keywords">rural electrification</keyword>, <keyword id="19916494" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sitharaman" source="keywords">Sitharaman</keyword> highlighted that every village in India now has access to electricity. She noted that in 2014, many villages across India, including those near state capitals, lacked even basic infrastructure for electrification. She said "I don't think any village in India is unelectrified today. Households have received the connections. So, if I remember the situation in 2014, there were still many villages in many parts of India, some even very close to the state capital, provincial headquarters, without even a pole to receive the electric wires. Now, all that has been overcome. Houses have got their electricity." The Finance Minister also discussed the <keyword id="19971121" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Jal-Jeevan-Mission" source="keywords">Jal Jeevan Mission</keyword>, a program initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide tap water connections to every household. She explained, "Earlier, one tap water connection was provided to a village, from where everyone would take water to their home. But under the 'Jal Jeevan Mission,' each and every house gets a tap water connection." Sitharaman emphasized the positive impact of this initiative on health, sanitation, and convenience for millions of Indian families. Turning to the economic empowerment of <keyword id="20101496" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="municipalities" source="keywords">municipalities</keyword> and urban centers, Sitharaman noted that these local governments are receiving increased autonomy and financial support. She explained that municipalities receive a portion of taxes collected by the central government, along with additional funds based on the Finance Commission's recommendations. "Over and above, today, we are enhancing their capacities to raise resources from the market. Municipalities are a very powerful instrument of economic development and they, on their own, are raising a lot of resources," she added. Sitharaman also expressed confidence in India's economic growth and its appeal to <keyword id="20632552" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-investors" source="keywords">global investors</keyword>. "The policies are working, reforms are happening, and they shall continue to happen," she stated, adding that "greater liberalisation of the economy will be there and, in a way, we are accessing newer markets and speaking about the <keyword id="19948184" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-economy" source="keywords">Indian economy</keyword> in more avenues and platforms that will attract more investors." With ongoing reforms and increased global engagement, Sitharaman noted, India is solidifying its position as a significant player on the world stage, expanding its economic reach and inviting foreign investment.

No village in India left without access to electricity, claims FM Nirmala Sitharaman

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Six moms say they spend $500 to $2,600 a month to create their <keyword id="23551039" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="paid-village" source="keywords">paid village</keyword>.</li><li><keyword id="20826057" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="childcare" source="keywords">Childcare</keyword> is the most substantial cost, while many also hire cleaners.</li></ul>Amy Johnson, a mom of two in <keyword id="19991752" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Cleveland" source="keywords">Cleveland</keyword>, can count on both her mother and mother-in-law to help with the kids and with domestic chores every month. Despite having that unpaid support, Johnson and her husband pay $2,600 a month for childcare and cleaning — the sort of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/grandparents-cant-look-after-grandkids-still-work-full-time-2024-9">paid village</a> that Johnson says is essential when both <keyword id="19987662" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="parents" source="keywords">parents</keyword> are working. "Life is currently a juggle between time and money," said Johnson, whose kids are 2 and 3. Johnson and her husband both work full-time, and Johnson also runs a website,<a target="_blank" href="https://amybabys.com/"> Amy Baby</a>. "I feel if we don't use the time wisely to create more revenue streams, we're just going to sink," she told BI. Parents around the country are struggling to pay for <keyword id="23417837" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="childcare-costs" source="keywords">childcare costs</keyword>—which are often higher than a mortgage or rent. In 2018 (the most recent year for which data is available), median childcare costs ranged from $4,800 in small counties for a school-age kid at home to $15,400 for an infant at a center, <a href="https://blog.dol.gov/2023/01/24/new-childcare-data-shows-prices-are-untenable-for-families" target="_blank">according</a> to the Department of Labor. Adjusted for inflation, that was $5,000 to $17,000 in 2022 money. In addition to childcare, many families find they need to pay for other domestic services, like transportation for their kids, grocery pickup, or cleaning—essentials that parents say they simply don't have time for while juggling their careers. That leaves families like Johnson's "trying our best to keep our heads above water," she said. It's a familiar refrain for many parents around the country. Here's what five other parents are paying to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/family-tiny-house-village-kids-have-own-homes-3-years-later-2023-5">create the village</a> they need to survive. <h2>A mom of 3 in rural North Dakota: $1,300+ a month</h2>Katie Nostrum relies on unpaid childcare from her three kids, who are 9, 2, and 6 months old. When the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/school-start-times-in-conflict-dont-mesh-with-work-2023-9">kids aren't in school</a> or at day care, Nostrum's grandparents watch them as Nostrum works as a postmaster and her partner works in a welding shop. Day care for the two younger kids costs $650 every two weeks, or over $1,300 a month. Nostrum's town is very rural — about 45 minutes away from the nearest store. Like many rural Americans, she has limited options for childcare and other support. "There are not a lot of options to create a village, no after or before school programs, etc," she said. <h2>A Texas mom of 3: $1,090 a month</h2><a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/notastarvingartistgirl/?hl=en">Jessica Lemmons</a> lives in Bryan, Texas, with her husband and three kids, ages 10, 5, and 2. She pays about $1,090 a month for childcare, which includes day care tuition for her youngest and occasional babysitting for all three. The costs would be a lot higher if Lemmons couldn't count on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/having-children-pushed-me-away-from-my-career-2022-4">unpaid help</a> from friends and bartering the skills of her husband, who is a chef. "I am very fortunate in that I have close friends here who are childless by choice, who genuinely love spending time with my kids," she said. "I do make sure I have the capacity to feed them tasty meals whenever they're doing so." <h2>Mom of 1, outside Chicago: $2,000+ a month</h2><a target="_blank" href="https://www.lorealthompsonpayton.com/">L'Oreal Thompson Payton</a>, a freelance writer who lives outside Chicago, pays $497 each week to send her 3-year-old to preschool. On rare occasions, she <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-saved-childcare-costs-by-swapping-babysitting-with-a-mom-2021-10">uses a babysitter</a>. She and her husband also pay $25 an hour for a cleaner and hire one occasionally if they have guests coming to stay. While she pays for some of her village, Thompson Payton also cultivates unpaid support by connecting with day care parents and neighbors who also have young children. While the costs are high, Thompson Payton said the benefits are well worth the money. "I think there's a lot of unnecessary guilt and shame that can come up with having a 'paid' village,'" she said. "As much as I love being a mom, it's important for me, my sanity, and our marriage that I have an identity outside that, which would simply not be possible if we didn't have paid support." <h2>Mom of 2 in Tennessee: $520 a month</h2>Miriam Udy was paying $1,600 a month for childcare in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intergenerational-living-benefits-for-kids-free-babysitting-2024-10">the San Francisco Bay Area</a> when she got pregnant with her second. She and her husband relocated to Knoxville, Tennessee, in part because they couldn't afford to pay more than $3,000 a month in childcare costs. After moving, she paid $520 a month for care for her daughter. Her son qualified for free preschool because he has special needs. Now that both kids are in school, Udy is looking for a helper to get the kids off the bus, do homework with them, and drive them to activities. She also budgets for summer camp costs, which exceeded $4,000 last year. <h2>A mom of 2 in New York: $500 a month</h2>Aghogho Oluese quit her job when she got pregnant with her second. "The cost of childcare was so high that I would've only netted $500 a month if I had stayed in my former job," she said. Since then, she's launched<a target="_blank" href="https://blwforbusymoms.com/"> Baby-Led Weaning For Busy Moms</a>. She provides the bulk of childcare for her two children but still pays to build her village. Her older child goes to aftercare which is $15 an hour, and the family has a weekly cleaner at $30 an hour. Occasionally, Oluese pays a babysitter $30 an hour to watch both kids. Overall, she spends about $500 a month on paid help. "I wouldn't be able to do all that I do during the day without it," she said. Correction: October 2, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated which year the Department of Labor's childcare-cost figures came from. They're from 2018, not 2022. They also were the median costs, not the average costs.

Parents are turning to a 'paid village' to handle childcare and cleaning. Costs range from $500 to $2,600 a month.

As Mumbai, India's financial capital, witnessed vertical growth over the years with highrises dotting its skyline, some 'gaothans' (villages) have held onto their heritage and legacy. Ranwar, in the heart of Bandra, is one such village that has resisted the urge to make way for towering structures. Dwarfed by highrises, the East Indian-majority village has narrow streets lined with old quaint bungalows and crosses outside homes. With jazz music streaming in the air, walking around the area can transport you to a simpler time. While Bandra developed rapidly and became home to Bollywood's elite and a burgeoning street shopping hub, residents of Ranwar maintained their old bungalows. The coexistence, however, has come at a price, causing traffic issues and crowding. And now, plans are afoot to give the 300-year-old village a facelift while preserving the past. Talking to PTI, <keyword id="23283968" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Johan-Dharmai" source="Orion">Johan Dharmai</keyword>, BJP secretary and a member of the East Indian community, said, "Locals want to preserve the heritage. One of the steps in the facelift plan is to close vehicle movement and build a walkway so that tourists can take a stroll and enjoy the architecture." Though many houses in Ranwar are now being redeveloped, Veronica Street has maintained its old-world charm. It has a square erected in 1866. However, honking rents the air on this street, as motorists see it as a shortcut to Bandra Reclamation and other areas. Mehboob Studio is just a stone's throw away, and senior citizens living on Veronica Street recall seeing actors Helen and Zeenat Aman around Ranwar. A beautification, restoration and conservation project is being initiated to improve safety, regulate traffic and create awareness about the centuries-old village. Mumbai BJP president and <keyword id="20238930" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bandra-West" source="keywords">Bandra West</keyword> MLA Ashish Shelar recently met locals to discuss ways to move the project forward. "The beauty of Bandra West is its 'gaothans'. The heritage needs to be protected and showcased. I have asked the government to allocate funds from the District Planning Development Committee (DPDC). <keyword id="23283965" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ranwar-Village" source="keywords">Ranwar village</keyword> will get a facelift. The work has begun on roads, CCTV cameras, street light illumination, parking and traffic plan will be in place with the help of locals and architects," Shelar told PTI. <keyword id="23283967" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Architect-Samir-DMonte" source="keywords">Architect Samir D'Monte</keyword> has been working with the Ranwar Veronica Street Residents' Association since 2009, and they identified a range of problems that the area faced. D'Monte said improvements were made to open spaces and common areas, roads, sewage and drainage systems, street signage, street lighting and traffic and parking management. Apart from this, individual houses were restored, and an innovative fire system was also introduced. Locals say most residents are senior citizens and want to live peacefully without disturbances by motorists. Kaevan Umrigar of Khaki Tours, who works to create awareness about Mumbai's heritage, said Bandra comprised 23 gaothans that housed fisher folk, Kunbis (a farming community) and the agris community who had salt pans. "Ranwar was a farming village, and the area had paddy fields. Later, these paddy fields made way for urban settlements. These little villages are now trapped in the city. Now, only 10 to 15 gaothans in Bandra have survived," he said. But preserving heritage comes at a cost, and if a 'gaothan' comes under heritage guidelines, it becomes difficult to upgrade a home in the area or live a modern life, Umigar said, adding that heritage should be made attractive by tapping the tourism potential of these areas. 'Gaothans' in Mumbai and the larger Mumbai metropolitan region (MMR) are urban villages that house the city's original inhabitants. The Mumbai suburban district collector and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) have been roped in for Ranwar's facelift plan. Umigar calls land scarcity a threat to 'gaothans', with only 100 left in the city. "When someone wants to develop gaothans, they want to do it vertically. There is a constant battle between heritage and development. They (villages) survive because the houses are tightly packed and on narrow lanes. So individual houses are not attractive for redevelopment, and parking becomes an issue," he said.

300-year-old Bandra village to get facelift to conserve its glorious past

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Baby-tracking apps are becoming more popular, especially for first-time parents.</li><li>As a mom and educator, I feel like parents need more authentic connections than information.</li></ul>Nearly 12 years ago, I found a rudimentary <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-parenting-and-pregnancy-apps-2018-3">app that helped me track how often and for how long I fed my baby</a>. I told my mom about it, excited to share how advanced things had gotten since her days of feeding babies. My mom responded matter-of-factly, "Honey, you don't need all that. Just let the baby nurse when she's hungry."Annoyed at her dismissiveness, I asked a seemingly obvious question, "How will I know when she's hungry?" She replied, "Babies are pretty good at letting you know things like that."It turns out she was right. I ended up deleting the app after realizing <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/couple-doesnt-use-baby-monitor-no-anxiety-2024-10">my baby was an expert at making her needs known</a>. In addition to relieving myself of data collection, I was lucky to have my first seed of skepticism regarding parenting and technology firmly planted in my mind. I went on to have three more kids, and while I surely Googled things from time to time, I stayed out of the whole baby tracking wave.<h2 id="d2bccd93-0cd4-4ecf-b948-94e0b4d80bfd">My friends tell me about all the apps they use</h2>Recently, several of my friends have had babies. They tell me about the apps they use to track developmental milestones, nap schedules, duration of those naps, every ounce of liquid that goes into the baby's body, and every bit of excrement that comes out.These friends, all new moms, seem to have a love/hate relationship with their baby-tracking apps. On the one hand, they feel validated and reassured to have all this data in their phone — irrefutable evidence of attentive parenting. On the other hand, they know something feels off about the whole thing.In most cases, the app knows more about their day-to-day existence and that of their baby than their own partners. They wonder aloud if their apps are providing them support or an unhealthy sense of isolation and high-stakes thinking. As a mom and an educator who began teaching before the iPhone was invented, I don't wonder quite so much.<h2 id="72903342-341b-477b-b827-b51ddfba967e">Parents are more isolated</h2>In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there was optimism that technology in the form of household appliances would reduce the heavy burden on homemakers. However, the net effect of conveniences like washing machines, vacuums, and electric irons was not all ease. As Nicholas Carr, author of "The Big Switch," says in the book, "The psychic price of the new tools and the new roles they engendered was sometimes high. Adding that "for many, electrification brought a new sense of alienation and loneliness into the home." I can't help but notice the recent proliferation of social media and app-based technology in the parenting sphere has had a similar impact on parents. The elusive promise of more ease and free time for social connection has instead led to more isolation, less community support, and increased societal expectations.Take, for instance, apps that don't just help parents track the minutiae of baby care but rather track the practice of parenting young children. Some apps promise to guide <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/accept-big-feelings-little-kids-normalize-same-for-parents-2023-9">parents toward raising well-adjusted kids</a> through the use of research-based best practices. Other apps come with expertly vetted scripts that parents can use to speak to their children should they hit, bite, or say, "I hate you." These apps remain largely focused on how parents can appropriately respond to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/parenting-advice-family-experts-strangers-2024-2">their child and their big feelings</a>. While marketed as parent-support, most parenting apps are child-centered to the extreme, using the parent as a conduit to deliver a particular parenting approach. While some might find this helpful, others might interpret this level of prescriptive guidance to mean that parenting is a practice best outsourced to experts in the form of palm-of-your-hand guidance.<h2 id="469bb93f-88be-4982-87e9-d3fb2df979d1">There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to raising kids</h2>But my collective years of raising and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/its-time-to-ditch-the-gentle-parenting-scripts-2024-7">teaching children</a> have shown me there is no one-size-fits-all approach, nor is there a magic bullet for the relentless nature of attuning to the ever-changing needs of children. Parenting can be tedious, labor-intensive, baffling, and mind-numbing in equal measure. Of course, the same could be said for washing clothes by hand on a washboard. Parents are motivated to seek ways to ease the burden, and experts are motivated to offer them. But it's important for parents to examine whether their perceived solutions to the difficulties of parenting are isolating them from their own inner knowing and from one another rather than bringing them closer to both. In my case, my mom's candid advice taught me two things: I could trust myself to read my baby's cues, and I could turn to other moms for free, no-nonsense support.Apps may be chock-full of information, but they're lacking in what has made household work, including <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/parental-stress-is-a-public-health-crisis-2024-9">child-rearing</a>, more palatable for centuries. Things like connection, community, and a reasonable acceptance of the imperfect nature of family life are the intangibles that may not offer immediate solutions but perhaps offer something even better: the space and support to find our own solutions.Christine Carrig, M.S.Ed., is the founding director of Carrig Montessori School in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. You can subscribe to her Substack or follow her on Instagram @christine.m.carrig.

As a Montessori school director and a mom, I know an app can't replace a village

The <keyword id="19933819" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="olympics" source="keywords">Olympics</keyword> 2024 is taking place in the city of love this time, and it looks like the organisers are also expecting a love in the air. Reportedly, a whopping 2,00,000 male and 20,000 female <keyword id="20055740" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="condoms" source="keywords">condoms</keyword> have been distributed for the <keyword id="19929069" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="athletes" source="keywords">athletes</keyword>, staff and press at the <keyword id="21070651" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Olympic-Village" source="keywords">Olympic Village</keyword>. In stark contrast to the COVID-era restrictions of the Tokyo Olympics, where physical contact was widely discouraged, Paris is sending a clear message: athletes deserve to feel comfortable and relaxed. Considering only around 14,250 athletes and a few more thousands of support staff at the village, the number of condoms does seem like a substantial step towards ensuring <keyword id="20129210" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="safe-sex" source="keywords">safe sex</keyword> or the "extra-curricular frivolities", as the organising committee put it. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112172415" title="How are athletes from banned countries like Russia participating in the Paris Olympics?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Dispelling rumours of anti-sex beds at the Village, organisers are taking this step to promote safe sex among the athletes. The city is redesigning condom packaging to promote sexual consent, tying it to the Games' festive spirit. The package featuring Olympic mascots and messages about safe sex have been distributed throughout the Olympic venues. "With 200,000 male condoms, 20,000 female condoms, and 10,000 oral dams available to those in the Olympic Village, safe sex is paramount in a notoriously febrile environment, akin to students at college, but sweatier," the Olympics' site said. Laurent Dalard, the first-aid and health services coordinator for <keyword id="20827379" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paris-2024" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Paris 2024" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Paris 2024">Paris 2024</keyword>, said that enough prophylactics have been distributed to cover the athletes staying at the Olympic Village, as well as those staying further afield. <div type="twitter" handle="KantInEast" handlename="KantInEast" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1818132480060498247"></div>Further, the packaging has participants gushing and includes different phrases on each of them, such as, 'On the field of love, play fair. Ask for consent', 'Don’t share more than victory, protect yourself against STDs', and 'No need to be a gold medalist to wear it!' Condoms have been a staple at Olympic Games for decades. Beginning as a modest <keyword id="22629140" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="HIV/AIDS-awareness" source="keywords">HIV/AIDS awareness</keyword> initiative at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, the number of condoms provided has skyrocketed over the years, reaching a peak at the 2016 Rio Olympics. While the Tokyo Olympics imposed restrictions due to the pandemic, previous games, particularly Rio 2016, witnessed a massive distribution of a staggering 4,50,000 condoms. In fact, despite the COVID-19 restrictions imposed at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, the tradition of condom distribution persisted. While the details on the nature of sexual activity in the Olympic Village remain elusive, numerous athletes have publicly acknowledged the extensive prevalence. The usage of dating apps such as Tinder and Grindr are said to be very common within the Village. Experts opine that it's perfectly natural since these athletes are at their peak in terms of physicality and spend most of their time training. Once the pressure of the competitions are off, they can finally indulge in some fun. However, many athletes and even coaches think that the Olympic Village is not as prolific as the media paints it to be. Regardless of what actually goes on at the Olympic Village in Paris, it is admirable that the organisers are taking this step to ensure safe sex amongst the athletes. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112192120" title="25m pistol with Manu Bhaker, Lakshya Sen pre-quarterfinals: Don&amp;#39;t miss these exciting Indian Olympics games from Aug 1-6!" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Why have the Paris Olympics 2024 athletes been given over 2 lakh condoms?

I took my mom to Hawaii's Kona Village resort for $1,765 a night &mdash; our stay was almost perfect

Indian wrestler <keyword id="20121986" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Antim-Panghal" source="keywords">Antim Panghal</keyword>, who found herself in a soup following a <keyword id="22708314" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="disciplinary-breach" source="keywords">disciplinary breach</keyword> at the Olympic Games athletes' village in <keyword id="19916613" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paris" source="keywords">Paris</keyword>, returned to the country on Friday. The wrestler grabbed headlines on Wednesday after she tried to facilitate her sister's entry into the athlete's village through her accreditation card, after which they were summoned by the police. The incident left the country embarrassed and the <keyword id="19896477" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Olympic-Association" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian Olympic Association" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Indian Olympic Association">Indian Olympic Association</keyword> (<keyword id="19934453" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IOA" source="keywords">IOA</keyword>) furious and the apex sports body promptly decided to fly Panghal and her support staff back home, after the act of transgression was brought to its notice by the French authorities. Although the world championship bronze medallist said she did not "intend to do anything wrong," she is expected to face disciplinary action for violating the rules inside the <keyword id="22716710" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="athletes-village" source="keywords">athletes village</keyword>. Clad in a team India jersey, Panghal quickly exited the Indira Gandhi International Airport, refusing to speak to the waiting scribes on the controversy. Panghal was knocked out of the competition after losing her opening 53 kg freestyle bout 0-10 to Turkey's <keyword id="22702307" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="yetgil-zeynep" source="keywords">Yetgil Zeynep</keyword> on Wednesday morning. Following the loss, Panghal, who claimed she was unwell, allegedly gave her accreditation card to her younger sister Nisha and sent her to the Games Village to collect her belongings. However, she was stopped by the village security personnel. By late Wednesday evening, both Panghal and her sister found themselves at the police station within the village. "I was not well and there was confusion. All of this happened due to confusion," Panghal had said in a video message to PTI. To make matters worse, Panghal's support team, comprising coaches Bhagat Singh and Vikas, were also involved in a separate matter involving a Parisian taxi driver and the police. They allegedly refused to pay the cab fare and behaved inappropriately with the driver before quickly retreating inside. The cab driver later reported the incident to the police.

Antim Panghal returns to India after Olympic controversy

In what appears to be a major embarrassment for the country, <keyword id="20121986" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Antim-Panghal" source="keywords">Antim Panghal</keyword> and her entire entourage is being <keyword id="19953831" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="deported" source="keywords">deported</keyword> from Paris for a major <keyword id="22708314" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="disciplinary-breach" source="keywords">disciplinary breach</keyword>. According to reports, the young wrestler handed her official accreditation card to her sister, who was caught by security while leaving the Games Village. Panghal had crashed out of the <keyword id="4833237" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paris-Olympics" source="Orion">Paris Olympics</keyword> after losing her opening bout in the women's 53kg during the day. "The <keyword id="19896477" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Olympic-Association" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian Olympic Association" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Indian Olympic Association">Indian Olympic Association</keyword> has decided to fly wrestler Antim and her support staff back after a disciplinary breach was brought to IOA's notice by the French authorities," an IOA statement said. While IOA did not share what the disciplinary breach was, a source shared the details with PTI. "Instead of heading to the Games Village, she reached the hotel where her <keyword id="22709871" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="coach-Bhagat-Singh" source="Orion">coach Bhagat Singh</keyword> and <keyword id="22709870" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sparring-partner-Vikas" source="Orion">sparring partner Vikas</keyword>, who is actually her coach, were staying. Antim asked her sister to go to the Games Village and come back with her belongings. Her sister was caught for impersonation and was taken to a police station to record her statement," said the source. The 19-year-old U20 world champion Antim was also called by police to record her statement. If that was not enough, Antim's personal support staff -- Vikas and Bhagat -- travelled in an inebriated state in a taxi and refused to pay the driver, who then called police. "We have left to fight fire," fumed an IOA official. When contacted, Vikas flatly refused their involvement in such an incident. "Who told you this? Antim and her sister are sitting right before me," said Vikas.

Wrestler Antim Panghal and team to be deported from Paris for disciplinary breach at the Paris Olympics

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Grindr will disable location features within the Olympic Village to protect LGBTQ+ athletes' safety.</li><li>Past incidents at the 2016 and 2020 Olympics exposed LGBTQ+ athletes to potential harm.</li></ul>While Olympians are known to participate in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tokyo-olympics-athletes-condoms-olympic-village-raise-aids-awareness-2021-6">other athletic activities</a> in their downtime, athletes in Paris might find their Grindr more restricted than usual.And no, it's not about preventing the athletes from having sex — it's actually a safety precaution."If athletes are not out or come from a country where being LGBTQ+ is dangerous or illegal, using Grindr can put them at risk," Grinder <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/grindr/status/1816212304398278894?s=46&amp;t=tEsLJXJnGFIkaWs-Bhs1yA">wrote</a> on X, formerly Twitter.The company decided to disable location-based features like "Explore" and "Roam" within the Olympic Village to prevent athletes from unintentionally revealing their whereabouts or being recognized and potentially outed.Grindr wrote <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.grindr.com/blog/grindr-and-enhanced-privacy-for-athletes-at-the-paris-olympics">in a blog post</a> that additional privacy and safety features will also be enabled for Olympians, including unlimited disappearing messages, unlimited ability to unsend messages, and disabling private videos and screenshots of profile images and media in chat.The dating app's protective measures are for good reason. In 2016, US news website The Daily Beast apologized after it <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/daily-beast-article-outing-gay-olympians-apology-2016-8">nearly outed</a> several gay Olympians using Grindr to identify them, including one from a "notoriously homophobic country," the original article said.LGBTQ+ athletes were once again at risk during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed to 2021, where several TikTok users posted videos with the names and pictures of Olympians' Grindr profiles, Business Insider <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/olympics-tokyo-2021-tiktok-lgbt-gay-grindr-photos-endangering-athletes-2021-7">previously reported</a>.With some athletes hailing from countries where homosexuality remains a crime, Grindr implemented safety measures the following year for the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/grindr-removes-explore-feature-to-protect-lgbtq-olympians-2022-2">2022 Beijing Winter Olympics</a>.From dating apps to Airbnb's, Grindr is just another example of how it's not always business as usual for companies operating services when the Olympics comes to town.

Why athletes at Olympic Village are finding some Grindr features disabled

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Young athletes are documenting their experience at the Olympic Village for the 2024 Paris Olympics.</li><li>Some athletes have raised issues with the accommodations such as the bed, food, and lack of privacy.</li></ul>Some young <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/olympics-athlete-influencers-content-careers-brand-deals-paris-2024-7">Olympic athletes</a> are roasting the accommodations at the Olympic Village on TikTok, raising issues with the food, uncomfortable beds, lack of privacy, and limited shared spaces.The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/olympians-with-the-most-medals">world's greatest athletes</a> have congregated in Paris for the 2024 Summer Olympics, and some have opted to stay at the Olympic Village, a residential complex with on-site training facilities, during the nearly three-week competition.With day three of the Olympic games concluded, some athletes, including 20-year-old tennis superstar <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coco-gauff-net-worth-teenage-tennis-star-millionaire-2023-9">Coco Gauff</a>, have pointed out a few gripes they have with the living situation.Gauff, who is representing the US, posted a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@cocogauff/video/7396282036077497630">TikTok video</a> on Saturday pointing out how "10 girls" are sharing "two bathrooms" at the complex.She briefly shows how hectic the space can be as she and other athletes prepare for the day's events.Representatives for the athletes mentioned in this article did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.<h2 id="4f75ccef-07ad-4087-b338-ed235856cacc">'The bed sucks'</h2>The <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/first-olympic-village-photos-1924-paris-olympics-2024-7#delegations-paid-for-bed-and-board-which-included-food-laundry-and-showers-3">Olympic Village</a> was first established in 1924 to bring together thousands of world-class athletes under one roof.Since then, the facilities have garnered their own lore outside the iconic games themselves, with stories of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/olympic-village-sex-2014-2">endless partying and sexcapades</a>.The villages, which vary each year, have also been subject to some criticism. Athletes complained about the lack of air conditioning at the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lolo-jones-alex-morgan-no-air-conditioning-olympic-village-2012-7">London Olympics Village</a> in 2012, and perhaps the worst case in recent memory was at the Rio Olympics in 2016, when the village was panned as "uninhabitable" due to poor conditions of the facilities.While the issues raised with the Paris Olympic Village aren't as drastic, young Olympians online are pointing out aspects of the living situation that are causing some inconvenience.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@cecedupre/video/7394903182616317217?is_from_webapp=1&amp;sender_device=pc&amp;web_id=7116389344047629867">Celia Dupre</a>, a Swiss rower, shared a TikTok on July 23, saying that athletes from most nations have opted for hotels instead of the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/olympic-village-sex-2014-2">Olympic Village</a> because the complex can be far from the event venues, despite the organizers' promises that their accommodations would be within 25 minutes of the competition venues.But the rower added that she wasn't "necessarily mad" about the change in accommodations partly because the village's cardboard beds, which have received a lot of attention online, were uncomfortable during her one-night stay."We stayed one night in the village, and I didn't sleep," she said in the video. "The cardboard box bed was so uncomfortable — hard as a rock. And then the Olympic duvet was really itchy, and it was really hot."<div type="image" title="A cardboard bed" height="648" width="864" msid="112094658" hostid="261"></div>US gymnast <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/simone-biles">Simone Biles</a> commented in another <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@danajoelle._/video/7394519629525257503">TikTok video</a> that "the bed sucks" and that she is getting a mattress topper to fix it.The cardboard beds were previously used at the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tokyo-olympic-village-beds-made-cardboard-recyclable-2020-1">Tokyo Olympic Village</a> in 2020. Several athletes have complained about the bed before, but US fencer <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tokyo-olympics-village-beds-arent-that-bad-usa-kat-holmes-2021-7">Katherine Holmes</a> previously told Business Insider that they aren't as uncomfortable as some made them out to be.<h2 id="4cd58012-1457-482a-a82a-ca2b8d7887a8">90-degree heat with no air conditioning</h2>Dupre also said the complex does not have air conditioning but instead features a water-cooling system that is supposed to keep the facility cool. Temperatures are expected to reach the mid-90s in Paris this week.Water-cooling systems are generally considered to be more efficient than air conditioning, but there is no way to set an exact temperature, Olympic officials told <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/2024/06/06/paris-olympics-no-air-conditioning-village-2024/">The Washington Post</a>. The rooms are equipped with thermostats that control the speed of the water flow, which can change the temperature of the room by only 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the report.Laurent Michaud, the director of the Olympic and Paralympic Villages, told <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-paris-2024-air-conditioning-climate-change-78b47a6f1bf0e1fcae9889cce9debcd9">The Associated Press</a> last year that the cooling system is supposed to keep the indoor temperature of the apartments between 73 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit.The cardboard box beds and the water-cooling system are part of the Olympics's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/real-cost-of-beijing-games-10-times-chinas-reported-figure-2022-1">sustainability efforts</a> to cut the overall carbon footprint of the games, according to the AP."There's water in the walls that's supposed to be a cooling system, but it really was hot, and we were on like the second or third floor," Dupre said in the video. "I can't imagine people on higher floors."Chari Hawkins, a US track and field athlete, pointed out the lack of privacy to change inside her apartment in the village in a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@_charihawkins/video/7396328715904355627">TikTok</a> post on Saturday."There are no curtains. There are no curtains. There are no curtains," Hawkins repeated in the video.As a DIY solution, Hawkins showed how she hung a large towel on a "really sticky" part of the window frame to get privacy."It works out really perfectly, but I will say you have a time clock," she said. "Because this — it's sticky. And it's going to fall down eventually. So, if I'm getting out of the shower or if I'm changing, I put this up, and I literally change as humanly fast as possible."<h2 id="40f72db4-d473-41ad-aa6d-90088983a663">'Need a Chipotle bowl ASAP'</h2>The food at the Paris Olympic Village has also been the subject of athlete complaints.<div type="image" title="IOC President Thomas Bach tries food from a salad bar while touring the Olympic Village ahead of the start of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games" height="683" width="911" msid="112094659" hostid="261"></div><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@zah.riaaaa/video/7396062606236110123">Zahria Allers-Liburd</a>, a track and field athlete representing St. Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean, posted a TikTok on Friday in which she gave a thumbs-down gesture at the food."Me everyday since having to eat the Olympic village food," she wrote, adding in the caption, "All jokes aside, I've lost 5 pounds in a few days. I need a Chipotle bowl ASAP."A spokesperson for the Olympic Games did not immediately return a request for comment from Business Insider.Are you an Olympic athlete or attendee and have a tip? Reach Lloyd Lee at (646) 768-1630 or send an email to <a target="_blank" href="mailto:lloydlee@businessinsider.com">lloydlee@businessinsider.com</a> for his Signal number.

Olympic athletes are roasting the Olympic Village accommodations on TikTok: 'The bed sucks'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Jennifer Biggs is a 35-year-old mom of three children, ages 6, 5, and 3, in North Carolina.</li><li>Her parents work full-time and can't help out with childcare.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Jennifer Biggs. It has been edited for length and clarity.I know some parents have villages made up of family members, namely grandparents, who can <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rules-for-grandparents-babysitting-looking-after-grandchildren-2023-10">help with full-time childcare</a>. My husband and I have never had that.My mom lives 30 minutes from us, and my dad is about an hour away. My husband's parents live a 10-hour drive from us. My parents are still working 9-5 jobs. We've <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jd-vance-childcare-plan-grandparents-family-friends-neighbors-policy-2024-9">never expected or asked them</a> to make a regular habit of being caretakers for our kids while we work. It's literally impossible for them to do without retiring early.But even if they were retired, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/grandfather-babysitting-toddler-broke-rules-2023-10">I wouldn't ask them to be responsible for the full-time caretaking</a> of our children.<h2 id="a0a6a866-b177-4401-a9ee-577d12905607">The relationship would change</h2>I feel that when <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/my-grandchild-called-me-boring-should-i-take-it-personally-2023-6">grandparents become primary carers</a> in place of after-school clubs or day care, it changes the parent/adult child dynamic. Suddenly, the grandparent becomes a service provider to their adult child.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/single-mom-grandparents-help-raise-child-expectations-2024-4">If my parents were the primary caretakers for my kids</a>, I would want them to abide by the routines and rules I have at home. For instance, I would want my kids to have limited screen time and would want them to prioritize learning and development activities such as learning their letters, numbers, and arts and crafts activities. It would change my relationship with my parents if I expected them to abide by my way of doing things.It also changes the dynamic a grandparent has with their grandchild. Part of the fun of being a grandparent is the freedom to spoil. But when they become the primary caregiver, they carry a parental responsibility, which takes away part of the joy of being a grandparent.<h2 id="a57ffd8f-1e6a-4496-9655-de56ae1761ea">My parents already cared for me</h2>I also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/im-not-bad-grandma-because-i-dont-babysit-grandchildren-2024-9">don't want to ask my parents to put their lives on hold</a> to take care of my children. My mom spent years caring for me, her child. Now that I'm grown, I don't want her to plan her life around mine. She should feel free to go on last-minute vacations, take classes, or see friends in her free time — not be bound to responsibility for her grandkids.Our society often relies on the unpaid labor of grandparents — especially women — but it shouldn't.Even though their grandparents don't consistently care for my kids, they still have very strong relationships with them, spoiling them on special day outs or weekend sleepovers.<h2 id="526cfdf4-9e59-405c-8e3c-95499e462761">I depend on a 'paid village'</h2>Without a family village caring for our kids, I depend on what I call my "paid village." We have used day care, after-school care, babysitters, and summer camps since having kids. Sometimes, I get the feeling that people think I'm a bad mom for sending my kids to paid childcare, but my kids love their caretakers and the activities that they do with them. And me continuing to work is what is best for me and my family.Even though my kids spend their days in childcare, my husband and I raise our children. We instill their base moral values. We raise them — we just don't do the 24/7 caretaking for them.Paid childcare means I don't burn out under the pressure of trying to do it all. It protects my mental health so I can work and parent without depending on the grandparents.

You Searched For "villages" and got 13 results

Celebration plans put on hold in Kamala Harris’s ancestral village in Tamil Nadu as Donald Trump nears victory

BI India Bureau

No village in India left without access to electricity, claims FM Nirmala Sitharaman

ANI

Parents are turning to a 'paid village' to handle childcare and cleaning. Costs range from $500 to $2,600 a month.

Kelly Burch

300-year-old Bandra village to get facelift to conserve its glorious past

PTI

As a Montessori school director and a mom, I know an app can't replace a village

Christine Carrig

Why have the Paris Olympics 2024 athletes been given over 2 lakh condoms?

BI India Bureau

I took my mom to Hawaii's Kona Village resort for $1,765 a night our stay was almost perfect

David Morris

Antim Panghal returns to India after Olympic controversy

PTI

Wrestler Antim Panghal and team to be deported from Paris for disciplinary breach at the Paris Olympics

PTI

Why athletes at Olympic Village are finding some Grindr features disabled

Jaures Yip

Olympic athletes are roasting the Olympic Village accommodations on TikTok: 'The bed sucks'

Lloyd Lee

I depend on a 'paid village' to look after my kids. I can't ask the grandparents for help because they work full-time.

Lauren Crosby Medlicott

New Mexico wildfire kills 2, leaves village in ruins

Insider

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides