The potential of real estate investment trusts in RwandaHUNDREDS of trans hospital patients have been admitted as women despite having conditions only suffered by men. Analysis by The Sun suggests at least 482 were admitted as female in a year despite having prostate, testicle or penis issues. They included 263 who suffered hyperplasia in the prostate — a non-cancerous enlargement of the gland that cannot occur in biological women as they do not have prostates. Another 85 had prostate cancer and 48 had “disorders of male genitals”. Figures cover the year to March at hospitals in England and Wales. NHS rules allow trans patients to have their gender changed on databases but kept off patient records. One GP insisted: “There’s pressure on staff not to offend patients. “But the fact they are recorded as women in the statistics is ridiculous.” Tory MP Sir John Hayes said: “You cannot change biology. “It is an immutable fact that these conditions only appear in biological men.” He added: “The fact the NHS is pandering to this is nonsense.” The NHS said: “These statistics report the gender registered by patients and therefore include trans women, with further patient details included in their health records.”
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Rich countries' promise of $300 billion a year in climate finance brought fury at talks in Baku from poor nations that found it too paltry, but it also shows a shift in global political realities. The two-week marathon COP29 climate conference opened days after the decisive victory in the US presidential election of Donald Trump, a sceptic both of climate change and foreign aid. In the new year, Germany, Canada and Australia all hold elections in which conservatives less supportive of green policies stand chances of victory. Britain is an exception, with the new Labour government putting climate high back on the agenda, but in much of the West, concerns about inflation and budgetary shocks from Russia's invasion of Ukraine have dented enthusiasm for aggressive climate measures. At COP29, Germany and the European Union maintained their roles championing climate but also advocated a noticeably practical approach on how much money historical polluters should give poorer countries. "We live in a time of truly challenging geopolitics, and we should simply not have the illusion" otherwise, European climate commissioner Wopke Hoekstra told bleary-eyed delegates at COP29's pre-dawn closing session Sunday, as activists in the back loudly coughed to drown him out. But he vowed leadership by Europe, hailing COP29 as "the start of a new era for climate finance". German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, a Green party member and longtime climate advocate, called for flexibility on ways to provide funding. Europe should "live up to its responsibilities, but in a way that it doesn't make promises it can't keep", she said. Avinash Persaud, special advisor on climate change to the president of the Inter-American Development Bank, called the final deal "the boundary between what is politically achievable today in developed countries and what would make a difference in developing countries". Activists say that climate funding is a duty, not choice, for wealthy nations whose decades of greenhouse gas emissions most contributed to the crisis that most hits the poorest. This year is again set to be the hottest on record on the planet. Just since COP29, deadly storms have battered the Philippines and Honduras, and Ecuador declared a national emergency due to drought and forest fires. Wealthy historic emitters' promise of $300 billion a year by 2035 is a step up from an expiring commitment of $100 billion annually, but all sides acknowledge it is not enough. The COP29 agreement cites the need for $1.3 trillion per year, meaning a whopping $1 trillion a year needs to come from elsewhere. Even within the $300 billion commitment, some activists see too much wiggle room. "It is, to some extent, almost an empty promise," said Mariana Paoli, the global advocacy lead at London-based development group Christian Aid. She described the target as "creative accounting", saying there was not enough clarity on how much money would come from public funds and in grants rather than loans. She acknowledged the politics of the moment but said that wealthy nations had options such as taxation on fossil fuel companies. "There is a backlash because there is no political will," she said. In one closely scrutinised part of the Baku deal, countries will be able to count climate finance through international financial institutions toward the $300 billion goal. The text states that it is "voluntary" -- potentially opening the way to include China, which is the world's largest emitter but refuses to have requirements like long-developed countries. In a joint statement at COP29, multilateral development banks led by the Washington-based World Bank Group but also including the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank -- which has long faced US criticism -- expected that they together can provide $120 billion annually in climate financing and mobilise another $65 billion from the private sector by 2030. Melanie Robinson, director of the global climate program at the World Resources Institute, said there were good reasons to rely on multinational development banks, including how much capital they can leverage and their tools to advance green policies. "They are the most effective way to turn each dollar of finance into impact on the ground," she said. She agreed that the $300 billion was insufficient but added, "It's a down payment on what we need." Beyond the debate on dollar figures, she pointed to an initiative within the G20 by Brazil, which holds COP30 next year, to reform financial institutions so as to incorporate debtor nations as well as climate concerns. "There is really a much bigger opportunity for us -- which is shifting the whole financial system," she said. sct/givBirders have flocked to this citizen science event for 125 years. Meet Oregonians heeding the call
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By TRÂN NGUYỄN SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California, home to some of the largest technology companies in the world, would be the first U.S. state to require mental health warning labels on social media sites if lawmakers pass a bill introduced Monday. The legislation sponsored by state Attorney General Rob Bonta is necessary to bolster safety for children online, supporters say, but industry officials vow to fight the measure and others like it under the First Amendment. Warning labels for social media gained swift bipartisan support from dozens of attorneys general, including Bonta, after U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy called on Congress to establish the requirements earlier this year, saying social media is a contributing factor in the mental health crisis among young people. “These companies know the harmful impact their products can have on our children, and they refuse to take meaningful steps to make them safer,” Bonta said at a news conference Monday. “Time is up. It’s time we stepped in and demanded change.” State officials haven’t provided details on the bill, but Bonta said the warning labels could pop up once weekly. Up to 95% of youth ages 13 to 17 say they use a social media platform, and more than a third say that they use social media “almost constantly,” according to 2022 data from the Pew Research Center. Parents’ concerns prompted Australia to pass the world’s first law banning social media for children under 16 in November. “The promise of social media, although real, has turned into a situation where they’re turning our children’s attention into a commodity,” Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, who authored the California bill, said Monday. “The attention economy is using our children and their well-being to make money for these California companies.” Lawmakers instead should focus on online safety education and mental health resources, not warning label bills that are “constitutionally unsound,” said Todd O’Boyle, a vice president of the tech industry policy group Chamber of Progress. “We strongly suspect that the courts will set them aside as compelled speech,” O’Boyle told The Associated Press. Victoria Hinks’ 16-year-old daughter, Alexandra, died by suicide four months ago after being “led down dark rabbit holes” on social media that glamorized eating disorders and self-harm. Hinks said the labels would help protect children from companies that turn a blind eye to the harm caused to children’s mental health when they become addicted to social media platforms. “There’s not a bone in my body that doubts social media played a role in leading her to that final, irreversible decision,” Hinks said. “This could be your story.” Common Sense Media, a sponsor of the bill, said it plans to lobby for similar proposals in other states. California in the past decade has positioned itself as a leader in regulating and fighting the tech industry to bolster online safety for children. The state was the first in 2022 to bar online platforms from using users’ personal information in ways that could harm children. It was one of the states that sued Meta in 2023 and TikTok in October for deliberately designing addictive features that keep kids hooked on their platforms. Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, also signed several bills in September to help curb the effects of social media on children, including one to prohibit social media platforms from knowingly providing addictive feeds to children without parental consent and one to limit or ban students from using smartphones on school campus. Federal lawmakers have held hearings on child online safety and legislation is in the works to force companies to take reasonable steps to prevent harm. The legislation has the support of X owner Elon Musk and the President-elect’s son, Donald Trump Jr . Still, the last federal law aimed at protecting children online was enacted in 1998, six years before Facebook’s founding.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden said Sunday that the is a “fundamental act of justice” after decades of repression, but it was “a moment of risk and uncertainty” for the Mideast. Speaking at the White House, Biden said the U.S. was not sure of Assad's whereabouts, but was monitoring reports he was seeking refuge in Moscow. Biden credited action by the U.S. and its allies for weakening Syria's backers — Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. He said “for the first time” that they could no longer defend Assad's grip on power. “Our approach has shifted the balance of power in the Middle East," Biden said. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. WASHINGTON (AP) — The is forcing the Biden administration and the incoming Trump team to confront intensifying questions about the possibility of greater conflicts across the Middle East. President-elect Donald Trump said Sunday that Assad had fled his country, which , because close ally the Russian president, “was not interested in protecting him any longer.” Those comments on Trump's social media platform came a day after he used another post to in Syria to aid the rebels, declaring, “THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT." The Biden administration had no intention of intervening, according to President Joe Biden's national security adviser. Biden was meeting with his national security team at the White House on Sunday. He was expected to make public comments later in the day. The U.S has about 900 troops in Syria, including forces working with Kurdish allies in the opposition-held northeast to prevent any resurgence of the Islamic State group. Assad's adds to an already tense situation throughout much of region on many fronts, including Israel's and its fragile in Lebanon. Trump, who takes office Jan. 20, 2025, made a connection between the upheaval in Syria and , noting that Assad's allies in Moscow, as well as in Iran, the main sponsor of Hamas and Hezbollah, “are in a weakened state right now.” The Syrian opposition that brought down Assad is led by . The Biden administration has designated the group as a terrorist organization and says it has links to al-Qaida, although Hayat Tahrir al-Sham says it has since broken ties with al-Qaida. Vice President-elect , a veteran of the U.S.-led war in Iraq, wrote on own social media Sunday to express skepticism about the insurgents. “Many of ‘the rebels’ are a literal offshoot of ISIS. One can hope they’ve moderated. Time will tell,” he said, using another acronym for the group. Trump has suggested that Assad's ouster can advance the prospects for an end to fighting in Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in February 2022. Trump wrote that Putin's government “lost all interest in Syria because of Ukraine” and the Republican called for an immediate cease-fire, a day after meeting . Daniel B. Shapiro, a deputy assistant secretary of defense for the Middle East, said the American military presence will continue in eastern Syria but was “solely to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS and has nothing to do with other aspects of this conflict.” “We call on all parties in Syria to protect civilians, particularly those from Syria’s minority communities to respect international military norms and to work to achieve a resolution to include the political settlement,” Shapiro said. “Multiple actors in this conflict have a terrible track record to include Assad’s horrific crimes, Russia’s indiscriminate aerial bomb bombardment, Iranian-back militia involvement and the atrocities of ISIS," he added. Shapiro, however, was careful not to directly say Assad had been deposed by the insurgents. “If confirmed, no one should shed any tears over the Assad regime,” he said. As they pushed toward the Syrian capital of Damascus, the opposition freed political detainees from government prisons. The family of missing U.S. journalist renewed calls to find him. “To everyone in Syria that hears this, please remind people that we’re waiting for Austin,” Tice’s mother, Debra, said in comments that hostage advocacy groups spread on social media. "We know that when he comes out, he’s going to be fairly dazed & he’s going to need lots of care & direction. Direct him to his family please!” Tice disappeared in 2012 outside Damascus, amid intensification of what became a civil war stretching more than a decade. ___ Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Manama, Bahrain, contributed to this report. Will Weissert, The Associated PressUnleashing the Gaming Beast in Windows 11! Discover the Future of Gameplay
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — If misery loves company, the Jacksonville Jaguars made sure they have just that at the bottom of the AFC South. Even better? The Tennessee Titans sit below them now in the standings thanks to the Jaguars' second win in three trips to Music City. Tank Bigsby ran for an 8-yard touchdown with 6:46 left and Jacksonville snapped a five-game skid and ended the Titans' slim playoff hopes Sunday by scoring the final 10 points for a 10-6 victory. The Jaguars (3-10) came in already eliminated with Trevor Lawrence out for the rest of this season. This is a town where the Jaguars left with only one win in 10 trips before Sunday. These Jaguars also hadn't won any game since Oct. 20. “It’s sort of a relief, right?" Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said of the locker room after the win. "You know, it’s the excitement. It’s the joy of the work that you put in. And you’re finally rewarded.” The Titans (3-10) came in needing to win out to even have a chance of their first playoff berth since the 2021 season ended with a divisional loss on their home field. Tennessee has fired both a general manager and coach since then. The Titans had two late chances to win. “It’s one that we definitely feel like we should have won, could have won and had opportunities to win,” Titans quarterback Will Levis said. Their best chance ended with 1:11 left as Levis missed Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in the end zone on fourth-and-3 at the Jaguars 9. The second ended with Levis missing Tyler Boyd on fourth-and-15 from the Tennessee 35 with 28 seconds remaining. Mac Jones filled in ably enough for Lawrence to get his first win in three starts this season. He shook off two interceptions and one sack, throwing for 220 yards. In the second half, he connected over and over with rookie Brian Thomas Jr. The first-round draft pick out of LSU finished with career highs with eight catches on 12 targets for 86 yards. “We didn’t quit this time, which is really important for us moving forward," Jones said of the Jaguars. "There was no quit.” Pederson also said there was no panic or finger-pointing, just subtle adjustments. “That’s one thing about Mac,” Pederson said of his quarterback. "I mean, he just sticks to it. He grinds it out.” Cam Little started the Jaguars' comeback in the low-scoring affair with a 23-yard field goal early in the fourth. Nick Folk kicked a pair of field goals for the Titans. Tennessee dropped to 1-5 at home this season under first-year coach Brian Callahan, who put this loss on the inability to score on two red zone trips. “That’s the difference in a tight ball game in a divisional game," Callahan said. "You got to score touchdowns down there and we didn’t.” Levis shook off a hard hit to his right, throwing shoulder when sacked by Josh Hines-Allen to end the first half. He stretched his shoulder as he walked off the field to the locker room but didn’t miss a play, returning for the second. He finished with 168 yards passing. The Titans defense, coming off an ugly performance in last week’s loss at Washington , came up with two interceptions. Cornerback Chido Awuzie got the first pick in his first game since Sept. 22 after being activated off injured reserve Saturday. Tennessee couldn't get points off either turnover against the NFL's worst defense in yards allowed and next to worst in points given up per game. Missing three starters with injuries, the Titans couldn't stop the Jags in the fourth quarter. “I’m tired of saying we’ve got to do better, play better,” Titans two-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman Jeffery Simmons said. “I don’t know. I don’t have no answers. Complementary football wasn’t there.” The Titans scratched rookie Jha’Quan Jackson who has five fumbles this season, including one of each of the past two weeks. Mason Kinsey, promoted from the practice squad, handled punt returns. The Jaguars unexpectedly scratched RT Anton Harrison because of illness. Cole Van Lanen replaced him, making his first start since being a sixth-round draft pick by Green Bay in 2021. ... S Darnell Savage, who went down at the end of a 21-yard run by Tony Pollard, was being evaluated for a concussion. Titans OLB Harold Landry III was hurt on the Jaguars’ first drive of the third quarter but was back on the next series. The Jaguars host the New York Jets, and the Titans wrap up a back-to-back homestand with Cincinnati. AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nflAre banks, post offices, UPS and FedEx open on New Year's Eve 2024? Will mail be delivered?A wordless cat parable about climate change is the year's best-animated movie
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