Registered births in Karnataka drop 17% as more couples opt to remain child-free
Bengaluru: According to a recent study, Karnataka has seen a 17% decrease in registered births since 2012. The trend has been ascribed by experts to declining fertility rates, fewer marriages and an increase in the number of couples opting to remain child-free.
According to a report published by Deccan Herald (all names of couples in the report have been changed to maintain anonymity) , several couples cite personal, financial and environmental reasons for their decision. Avinash K, a 40-year-old businessman, and his wife Naina, married for a decade, decided against having children to maintain their work-life balance. “I cannot imagine what my stress levels would have been if I had kids,” he said.
Media professional Prakriti V, 37, and her husband shared similar views before marriage, citing high living costs and concerns over climate change. Engineer Ankur M and his wife Samantha said they simply felt fulfilled without children. “Having a baby just to meet family expectations would be selfish,” they said.
Ayesha Khan, 28, who has helped raise her siblings said she did not want to go through the physical and psychological toll of childbirth.
Sociologist Avatthi Ramaiah noted that urban couples face high expenses and limited support systems. “This will likely increase reliance on old-age homes in the future,” he said. Relationship therapist Sunil John called the trend a practical choice. “It is better than becoming unwilling parents and impacting a child’s well-being,” he said.
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Epstein files allege email claims about Bill Gates seeking antibiotics; foundation denies charges
Washington DC: fresh set of documents released as part of the Jeffrey Epstein files has triggered renewed attention after screenshots of alleged self-emails attributed to Epstein made claims involving Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
The screenshots, circulating online and reported by several outlets, purport to show Epstein writing to himself in July 2013, alleging that Gates had contracted a sexually transmitted disease during encounters with women described as “Russian girls” and had asked Epstein to arrange antibiotics to be given discreetly to his then wife, Melinda Gates. The documents also contain claims of personal disputes and alleged requests that Epstein delete certain emails.
The authenticity of the screenshots has not been independently verified. The allegations contained in them remain unsubstantiated and are disputed by context and prior public statements from Gates. There is no confirmation from official records that the claims are factual.
According to reports, the screenshots are part of a larger tranche of documents released by the United States Department of Justice, comprising hundreds of thousands of pages related to Epstein. Epstein, a convicted sex offender, died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
The alleged email text includes Epstein expressing anger over Gates distancing himself from their relationship and claiming involvement in matters he described as morally or ethically inappropriate. The documents also reference marital tensions between Bill and Melinda Gates, though no independent evidence is provided to support the claims.
Bill Gates has previously acknowledged meeting Epstein and has said he regretted the association, while repeatedly denying any involvement in illegal or unethical activities. His philanthropic foundation has issued a strong denial in response to the latest claims, calling the allegations absurd and completely false.
Bill and Melinda Gates were married from 1994 until their divorce in 2021. Melinda Gates has publicly stated that Gates’s extramarital relationships and his association with Epstein were among the factors that led to the end of their marriage, without detailing specific allegations.
As with earlier Epstein-related disclosures, legal experts and media analysts have urged caution, noting that the presence of a name in released documents does not establish wrongdoing and that many claims in the material remain unproven.
